Newcastle United have confirmed the official third kit for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign. The Magpies previously refused to comment on the green and white kit which resembled a Saudi Arabia-style shirt.
Simon Jordan was among the critics of the shirt, blasting Newcastle United's ownership for a lack of 'tact.' The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, alongside Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben purchased Newcastle from Mike Ashley in October 2021.
There can be little to separate the two kits, with the prospective away shirt, a white and green ensemble, bringing up uncomfortable questions about the Saudi regime and the Kingdom's human rights record.
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“There’s no tact behind this," said Jordan on talkSPORT's White and Jordan back in May. "There’s no notion that, this isn’t what it is. This is a mock-up of the Saudi Arabia kit – well, it’s bloody close isn’t it?
“I guarantee that that kit would never, ever have been conceived if the ownership model wasn’t the ownership model that it is. The fact that the ownership model is Saudi Arabian, the fact that it’s owned by a nation state, the fact that the kit is as close as you can get to the Saudi Arabian national team are all just coincidences, are they?
“If this is right and it’s not some made up, divisive individual creating a look that’s never going to manifest itself, then not only are they owning a football club that they shouldn’t have owned in the first place in my view, they’re now saying ‘we’re going to do what everyone was frightened of’.
“We’re going to leverage it, we’re going to make it about perpetuating our values and we’re playing in a Saudi Arabian kit while Newcastle play away for 19 games a season, of which the matches are being broadcast around the world which is precisely what they wanted and bought the football club for.”
A club statement read: "Newcastle United has launched its official 2022/23 Castore third kit ahead of the new Premier League season. Closely following the unveiling of its classic black and white home kit for the new campaign, the club has revealed a white and green third kit, designed by the premium British sportswear brand, that will be worn on the road.
"The Magpies' kits are expertly crafted with Castore's blend of high-stretch fabrics, offering an outstanding fit and freedom of movement for players and supporters alike. The 'Pro' edition, worn by the players, features a range of technological advancements, with exceptional materials and laser-cut ventilation to enhance performance on the pitch. All adult shirts will feature Newcastle United’s primary sponsor, FUN88, across the chest."
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