With little news forthcoming about Newcastle's home kit for the coming season, fans turning up for a friendly against Braga were greeted with an astonishing sight. A black and white Newcastle kit that didn't utilise stripes. In the end, it was revealed as being a special edition kit for club members to purchase, but for 90 minutes one summer a debate raged about its suitability as the team's first choice shirt. Some saw it as a beautiful spin on a classic design. Taking a page from Barcelona's book who, despite also being traditionally striped, have experimented with other ways to blend the two colours, the top was perfectly divided down the middle between the black and the white with the club crest and Puma logo printed in solid gold. In the end the shirt was never seen in a fixture again, but the debate about ditching the stripes (even for just a season) rumbled on.
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