Newport County AFC, the Welsh football club, has recently announced a unique away shirt. This design celebrates the historic connection between Wales and the Basque Country. Designed in collaboration with Athletic Club, a prominent football team from the Basque region, the shirt will feature prominently in their upcoming match against Barnet on Tuesday evening.
Collar of the shirt, which prominently displays the phrase â37ko haurrakâ (37 children). In Basque, it translates to âEuskal Haurak â37.â This tribute honors a bittersweet but groundbreaking era of history. Itâs the true story of 236 Basque children who escaped their war-torn homeland during the Spanish Civil War and arrived to safety in Wales. The majority of these children, 56, had been resettled in Caerleon, outside Newport.
Newport Countyâs creative director, Neal Heard, helped make this unique project a reality. His personal connection to the Basque children deepens the initiative. He is a direct descendant of one of them, which makes his personal involvement in all of this even more powerful and meaningful. The shirt has printed on it all the names of the Basque refugee children. It pays tribute to the adults who looked after them during their stay in Wales, making the historical link very much alive.
A Tribute to History
The shirt’s design is rich with symbolism. The red, white, and green trimming on the sleeves reflects the colors associated with both Wales and the Basque Country. Itâs the inscription â â37ko haurrak,â or âChildren of â37â â around the collar, that is, perhaps, the workforce answer. It celebrates the spirit of those who sought sanctuary in Wales.
The children lived at Cambria House from 1937 to 1939 before being moved to Pendragon House. We can think of no better way to observe this momentous anniversary. Importantly, it better informs its fans about its local community impact.
To the Town of Middletownâs credit, Heard made a strong commitment to raising awareness of Newport Countyâs rich history and connections.
“What stories about Newport reach the world? That is what I am trying to do. But we are a tiny little club. We have got to kind of punch above our weight.” – Neal Heard
Expanding Global Reach
The release of this shirt has helped take our movement outside of local borders, winning us powerful new supporters from around the globe. Heard told us that she started getting messages from people all over the world telling her that they were rooting for Newport County.
Beyond form and function, Heardâs vision extends to artistry. Their goal is to create relationships and tell stories that inspire everyoneâno matter who they are or where they come from. His work has apparently already paid off, with supporters now feeling a stronger connection to the clubâs history and future aspirations.
“I have had messages from around the world from people saying they support Newport County now.”
This international attention is no mere byproduct. Itâs doing this by creating a living, breathing brand that positively shapes Newport Countyâs identity, sharing compelling cultural narratives to promote its heritage.
A Historic Presentation
The shirtâs official debut will come in FourFourTwoâs sister city of Bilbao, Spain. Whatever the outcome, it will go back to athletic club museum to take its place of honor, thus ensuring its importance. A color guard from Newport, including Heard and descendants of the Basque children, will participate in this historic five-state event.
Finally, this unique collaboration is a testament to the mutual respect developed between Newport County and Athletic Club that goes beyond the world of sport. Johana Ruiz-Olabuenaga of Athletic Club reflected on the initiativeâs deeper significance.
“That will be a spine tingler, if I am honest, to have descendants at the game.” – Neal Heard
Though there was plenty of excitement around this project, Heard was the first to admit that the reception wasnât universally positive about the new design. Supporters questioned why Newport would want to wear the same red and white colors.
âNewport County’s initiative is wonderful and goes beyond football. It is related to two fundamental aspects for Athletic Club: identity and memory.â – Johana Ruiz-Olabuenaga
Challenges and Opportunities
Heard is hopeful from the positive that this move will do for the club. He emphasized that this mobilization is equally important to attract monetary investments.
“I knew there would be a noisy minority asking why we are wearing red and white,” said Heard. “If you do not like the kit then fine. Aesthetics are down to the individual, aren’t they? One man’s meat is another man’s poison.”
Heard extended her appreciation to the Athletic Club for their tremendous help and support. He admitted it was something which would normally be beyond the reach of a smaller club such as Newport County.
“We are Newport County. We nearly went down last year. We have not got a great deal of money. This has brought in loads of revenue that the club desperately needs.” – Neal Heard
Heard expressed gratitude towards Athletic Club for their support, acknowledging that such collaboration would typically not be extended to a smaller club like Newport County.
“I would never have dreamed Athletic would support us this much. Ordinarily, if Newport were knocking on the door of the big boys, it would be thanks but no thanks.” – Neal Heard
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