Concept Kit Created By Dedicated Imps Supporting Family

Kit design; it’s an exciting thing to be involved in.

This year alone I’ve been lucky enough to help with the design of the diversity shirt, and one of my final tasks on the Supporter’s Board was to help with next season’s first team kit. As a kid, I always used to have the pens out, designing shirts for football teams in my fantasy league which I called the Pro Set League*. I also stipulated anyone wanting to enter the Pro Set League had to design their kit beforehand, and give it to me, where I’d award a prize for the best. I always gave it to myself.

It seems that the tradition of designing kits is still going strong, not least in Dominic Morgan and his children, Sophie and Tara. In 2020 as lockdown bit hard, they entered a competition to design a Lincoln City kit, with the promised prize of having it made. They went for a shirt inspired by an all-time classic, the Denmark 1986 World Cup kit.

It’s certainly an eye-catching kit, and the club made good on their promise and sent their version through to the Morgans. However, it didn’t quite hit the mark; whilst it isn’t a terrible shirt, it didn’t quite capture the feel of the Morgan’s initial design. Unperturbed, Dominic decided to try something else. Clearly, they (he, perhaps) got the design bug and were keen to see a shirt they felt was a little closer to their original idea.

That meant getting busy with a second design. Dominic is an old-school City fan; he was mascot for the Imps in the last home game of the 1986/87 season against Scunthorpe United, and he mixed that shirt with Tara and Sophie’s design to come up with this.

He then kindly contacted me and informed me he’d be getting the shirt made and, as a keen enthusiast, would I like to receive one? The obvious answer to that was yes, and some time passed. Dominic is now based overseas and with the pandemic, the project was delayed, until out of the blue a couple of weeks ago, he asked for my address. Their Denmark-inspired Lincoln City shirt had been made, and was going to be in the post. It arrived earlier in the week, but due to other things happening I haven’t put it on here, until now.

This is the Morgan’s concept shirt, on my frame this morning.

What do you think? It’s certainly striking, different to what we’ve had in the past and with little nods to the eighties, such as the retro sponsor. I’m a fan; I love concept kits, but I especially admire the dedication to now just designing one, but actually getting it made!

By the way, here’s Dominic at around the time I had my felt pens out in my bedroom in Wragby. Imps v Scunthorpe, 1987.

Thanks to Sophie, Tara and Dominic for my shirt, I shall ensure it remains with my Imps’ collection as a unique piece, and a reflection of one family’s dedication to seeing their idea realised!