McKenna: Hopefully It Will Be a Lucky Kit For Us Thursday, 20th Oct 2022 16:00 Boss Kieran McKenna hopes Town's blackout third kit, which they will be wearing for the first time during Friday’s live Sky game against Derby County at Portman Road, will prove a lucky one for the Blues (KO 8pm). The third strip, which was designed in conjunction with sponsor Ed Sheeran, has proved hugely popular since its release in August when more than 3,000 were sold in one day. In total in excess of 11,000 shirts have been sold, more than the combined total of home and away kits during the entire 2020/21 season. The Blues are understood to have last played a competitive game at Portman Road in anything other their home kit in January 1979 against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup when they wore their white and black adidas away kit. Prior to that, in January 1960, they wore red and white, the away strip of the time, when they hosted then-non-league Peterborough United, also in the FA Cup. Friday could be the first time Town have been kitted out in anything other than their home strip in a league game at Portman Road. McKenna says the unusual move, won’t cause him too much of an issue from a personal perspective. “I think I’m usually in black, so it will be fine for me,” he laughed. “Of course, it’s a little bit different, it’s a one-off occasion and it’s a one-off kit that I think everyone agrees is a lovely kit. “There’s been a lot of work gone into it and the club has a big appreciation for all the support that Ed has given the club over the last few years and the ongoing nature of his support. So I think it’s a nice gesture in that direction and nice for the people who have the kit. “I don’t think it’s going to have any bearing on the game and hopefully it will be a lucky kit for us.” Ideally, the kit will improve Town's fortunes in front of the Sky cameras with the Blues having won only one of their last 22 games screened live by the satellite broadcaster. McKenna says the game coming relatively quickly following Tuesday’s Papa Johns Trophy tie at Cambridge similarly won’t have an impact on Friday’s game. “It’s been okay,” he added. “It’s not that unusual, certainly for myself, where you’re used to playing a bit more often on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, so I think staff-wise, we’re fine and prepared. “Physically no problems. We managed to get 45 into quite a few of the boys the other night, but that’s very similar to the type of physical load they would have done in training on that type of day anyways. “So physically we’re good and we have enough time. Of course, your schedule changes a little bit and you have to jiggle around training times and meeting times and things like that, but from a physical point of view, I don’t think we’ll have any problems.” McKenna’s friend and former colleague on the Manchester United staff Michael Carrick is reportedly close to joining Championship Middlesbrough as their manager. “I will certainly wish him well if that happens,” he said when asked about the former England international’s prospective appointment. “I think if and when something happens, I’m sure those clubs or the people involved will rightfully be the first to comment.”
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