Interesting…
Squad number releases are seldom eventful affairs.
Sure, you might get the odd player getting cranky after his preferred shirt number is given to a new arrival (see Anthony Martial) but other than that rare occurrence, it’s often a practice of little import.
But when clubs try to go in a different direction, supporters can often take the new squad numbers very, very seriously.
Sheffield Wednesday found that out when they named goalkeepers as their number 1 and 2 while striker Steven Fletcher will wear the number 6 shirt for the coming season.
Squad numbers for the 2016/17 campaign #swfc pic.twitter.com/O9W7kZabeO
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) August 3, 2016
Oddly, only six players have been given a shirt number between 1-11 while players like Barry Bannan, Fernando Forestieri and Atdhe Nuhiu are all up in the 40s.
It’s weird. And fans didn’t hesitate to let Wednesday know about it.
@swfc What the actual FUCK!?
— Lee Hicklin (@KivoLee) August 3, 2016
@swfc Can someone ask Mr Fletcher why he isn’t wearing a proper strikers number, please? 6!!! What is he, a centre back?
— Neil Dutton (@ndutton13) August 3, 2016
. @swfc pic.twitter.com/smlMeiiAct
— Victoria Wood (@Victoria1867) August 3, 2016
@swfc pic.twitter.com/jygGk4qbVT
— Tom Doncaster (@TommooGamingHD) August 3, 2016
@swfc ocd worst nightmare
— Ben M (@benji_88_) August 3, 2016
@swfc joe wildsmith number 2 is the best thing ive ever seen in my life
— d (@dshort9) August 3, 2016
@Scratchpr00f @ndutton13 @SwfcD @swfc no, goalkeepers wearing number 2 is still weird.
— Ron Walker (@ronnabe) August 4, 2016
@ndutton13 @swfc think the real question is why we have a goal keeper playing right back ?
— Danny Worthington ️ (@Danworth2509) August 3, 2016
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