Lawn defends Bradford's new shirt

The stripes are missing for the first time in 37 years

Bradford City joint-chairman Mark Lawn has defending the club's decision to revert to an all-claret home kit.

It is the first time in 37 years that the Bantams' kit will not have the traditional claret and amber stripes.

"Some fans may not like it, but we have not always had stripes. We've had a lightning bolt and diamonds on them in the past," Lawn told BBC Radio Leeds.

"I think a change is as good as a rest and I think it will go down well on the whole, I'm hoping so anyway."

The League Two outfit's new look is modelled on Italian Serie A side AS Roma and Lawn has said the fans have actually asked for the change.

"Various fans have been coming up to us for years and saying that the claret and amber stripes don't work very well when they want to wear them as social wear," Lawn explained.

"So this year, just for one year, we are looking a something a bit different.

"Most people have said they like the way Roma use claret and amber in their kit, so we've gone with a little bit of tinge towards the Roma kit."