If there’s one thing we enjoy as much as sports kits, it’s irreverence. That’s why the Twitter account of Streatham Rovers FC is so enjoyable – the ‘club’ should certainly have more online followers.
Just in case you’re racking your brain trying to recall if you’ve heard of them before, the bio on Twitter (or at least the sponsor of their league) should give away the fact that it’s a parody: “Non-League club in South London. Founding members of the Xtermin8 Rat Poison League Premier Division. Proud to take part in #NonLeagueDay2016. Est. 1917.”
That said, the subtleties employed in the social media output are just this side of “Is this a piss-take or real” and have caught more than a few unawares:
Remember our game against is Reigate Heath is tomorrow as the ground was double-booked with filming for Danny Baker's Own Goals & Gaffes 7.
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) October 8, 2016
We’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of the feed yourself and will focus on the tweets around the club’s famous purple and green kits, of which there are many. The announcements of the kits for 2016-17 were magnificent, set off by a wonderful sponsor.
Delighted to announce next season's main shirt sponsor, local property specialists Herod Eviction Services. #srfc pic.twitter.com/zCQwjpOHeg
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) June 7, 2016
2016/17 away shirt! Designed by pupils at Eardley Primary & sponsored by Herod Eviction Services Community Outreach. pic.twitter.com/cokEOtx1CM
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) July 26, 2016
Our new 2016-17 goalkeeper home shirt pays homage to the 91st anniversary of the 1925 change to the Offside Law. pic.twitter.com/4GI636srgl
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) July 25, 2016
And our new away goalkeeper shirt marks the 27th anniversary of George Best's appearance on Wogan #football #history pic.twitter.com/bxvqQVCrye
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) July 25, 2016
Excellent stuff, in our view, but they didn’t stop there, delving into the club’s kit history each week for Throwback Thursday (#TBT):
#TBT Our classic much-loved 1992/93 shirt, sponsored by John Major's traffic cones hotline and manufactured by C&A. pic.twitter.com/Z1D0e0ir4p
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) June 30, 2016
#TBT Our controversial 1990/91 shirt, sponsored by the Water Palace in Croydon and manufactured by Naf Naf. #SRFC pic.twitter.com/MjXahJHgAq
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) July 14, 2016
#TBT Our fondly remembered 1995/96 shirt, sponsored by the Tango doll and manufactured by Kangol. pic.twitter.com/OKFqpaO1sC
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) July 21, 2016
#TBT Our 1984-86 shirt was sponsored by "loony left" Lambeth Council & emblazoned with dangerous extremist nonsense. pic.twitter.com/x6bg3Rxyht
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) July 28, 2016
#TBT Our 1997/98 away shirt with the names of @WuTangClan members printed on the back earned us a points deduction. pic.twitter.com/uqJIYHjfyZ
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) August 4, 2016
#TBT In October 1973 we became the first ever British team to wear sponsored shirts following a deal with OPEC. pic.twitter.com/OvkkFLCnco
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) August 11, 2016
#TBT Our 1980/81 @LeCoqSportif shirt was sponsored by the Protect & Survive civil defence public information series. pic.twitter.com/Ggg6KAMufN
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) August 25, 2016
#TBT Our controversial 2009/10 home shirt from the previous owner's short-lived "FC St. Reatham" rebrand. #SRFC #StReatham pic.twitter.com/6ZzLs6twtT
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) September 22, 2016
The rebranding was heavily advertised in the @SthLondonPress in authentic German but just didn't catch on. We were a few years too early. pic.twitter.com/1yU8Iqx0IH
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) September 22, 2016
#TBT Our new kit in August 1939 sparked much controversy thanks to its use of a slightly different shade of green. Thankfully war broke out. pic.twitter.com/9N22Lhm8Ta
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) September 29, 2016
Everyone in this photo was dead by 1945 except Tom Smith who to this day extols the character building virtue of war https://t.co/y6R6oJRTq9
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) September 29, 2016
They didn’t forget Non-League Day, either:
Delighted to finally reveal the limited edition @NonLeagueDayUK shirt we will wear next Saturday. #NonLeagueDay2016 pic.twitter.com/9iUQdvwkPE
— Streatham Rovers Football Club (@StreathamRovers) August 27, 2016
Best team in London.