Canaries Nickname

[anthony.brown]

It is generally accepted that Hitchin FC's nickname of the 'Canaries' was first used shortly after the Hitchin Town FC was revived in 1928.
I have been unable to source any information from the early games, and the first press reference I have found is from the Hitchin game against the Met Police on Boxing Day 1928. Club minutes or earlier press coverage could give the answer to this riddle.

[Brian]

That's an interesting one Anthony as the nickname 'Canaries' usually associates with a club that play in yellow and green, however the reformed club in 1928 played in Amber and Black. Although Canaries can be a number of vibrant colours including reds and oranges.

I'm not sure when the club first wore yellow and green. I'm sure Neil Jensen has documemted this and it must be in the history books somewhere.

I remember us in yellow and sky blue shorts in the early or mid 1970's.

[anthony.brown]

"Hitchin Town Football Club is to be revived, and the new Club has entered the Spartan League, Division 2.
The team will wear all white and with a badge or monogram, to be decided on later."
Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 11th May 1928

"Mr Impey paid tribute to the players, who are always willing to don the yellow jersey."
Hitchin Town FC Half-Yearly Meeting 28th December 1928

Could it be that the first season was begun with the white shirts, and a clash of colours with another team forced a change to the Reserves' yellow shirts, which the Club then preferred to the original whites?
Speculation of course, but is there any early evidence of the amber and black?

And of course the nickname may have originally been used as Canary fancying was a big local hobby and nothing to do with the shirt colour.


Another possible explanation is that the 1928 team never wore white, and started the season in the amber and black shirts after a change of mind before the season started. Amber is a dark yellow and would still fit the Canaries description.

[Greenfinch]

Hitchin Town is my only club,actually I was born and bred in Hitchin,last of the few I suppose, now most births are at The Lister Hospital in Stevenage.Amber and Black was all I knew for the first Thirty years or so of watching Hitchin, and when they changed to Yellow and Green,a little piece of my heart went with it, just didn't seem like I was watching the same team anymore.Having said that,am impressed with all the livery of the new shirts,track suits Canary logo and 'Brand Canary' it really has put Hitchin on the map,but obviously I will always remain a loyal supporter whatever colour we play in.
I also recall them playing in Blue and White when a local window firm sponsored Hitchin for two years and part of the deal was that they played in their company's colours.
Does anybody recall playing Letchworth FC in league games, The Bluebirds as they were known, I wonder if that was something to do with the war and the song(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover.

[Chris_N]

"Hitchin Town Football Club is to be revived, and the new Club has entered the Spartan League, Division 2.
The team will wear all white and with a badge or monogram, to be decided on later."
Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 11th May 1928

"Mr Impey paid tribute to the players, who are always willing to don the yellow jersey."
Hitchin Town FC Half-Yearly Meeting 28th December 1928

Could it be that the first season was begun with the white shirts, and a clash of colours with another team forced a change to the Reserves' yellow shirts, which the Club then preferred to the original whites?
Speculation of course, but is there any early evidence of the amber and black?

And of course the nickname may have originally been used as Canary fancying was a big local hobby and nothing to do with the shirt colour.


Another possible explanation is that the 1928 team never wore white, and started the season in the amber and black shirts after a change of mind before the season started. Amber is a dark yellow and would still fit the Canaries description.

Somewhere in the depths of my memory (who knows where?) I seem to be thinking that in the early days of Hitchin Town, our colours were yellow with navy blue shorts? I will try to look back when I have time to see why I am thinking this.....I also heard that the white was down to the first Chairman being a Swansea Town fan and wanted the team to play in the same colours as Swansea. Or am I just dreaming this?

I'm not sure when the club first wore yellow and green. I'm sure Neil Jensen has documemted this and it must be in the history books somewhere.

It was in the 1984/85 season that we changed from yellow and blue to yellow and green.

[Brian]

I'm sure the club wore yellow and green before 1984.

The photo of Tony Martin in the Hall of Fame who played for the club between 1972 and 1981 is in colour and he's wearing yellow and green.

I think they wore yellow and green in the late 60's or early 70's before they wore yellow and sky blue.

Extract from the club's Wiki page 'Hitchin Town F.C. were formed in 1928, and it was at this time also that the "Canaries" identity was settled upon. The club colours were agreed as yellow and blue, replacing the old club's white and magenta – green replaced blue after only a few seasons'

[anthony.brown]

Wiki and AI searches are notorious for repeating 'facts' that have no information to back them up.
Match photos in the Beds & Herts Pictorial in 1929 appear to back up the amber and black, but are in black and white.
The Beds & Herts Pictorials from 1928 have not yet been digitised by the British Library. Could anyone find copies from 1928 in local libraries as this would give us certainty (perhaps)?

[Brian]

Having consulted Neil Jensen's Tales of the Town book, which is still available for sale in the club shop.

It says the club reformed,wearing all white but quickly changed to yellow and blue. It confirms the Canaries nickname was agreed on at this time.

[anthony.brown]

Having consulted Neil Jensen's Tales of the Town book, which is still available for sale in the club shop.

It says the club reformed,wearing all white but quickly changed to yellow and blue. It confirms the Canaries nickname was agreed on at this time.

Tales of the Town also repeats the Francis Shillitoe myth. Francis did not live at Foxholes ( It was William Tindall Lucas's abode).
I suggest someone checks their census records. Evidence also shows that the Dog Kennel Farm meadow was the site of Hitchin's early games. A new history is long overdue.

[Chris_N]

I'm sure the club wore yellow and green before 1984.

The photo of Tony Martin in the Hall of Fame who played for the club between 1972 and 1981 is in colour and he's wearing yellow and green.

I think they wore yellow and green in the late 60's or early 70's before they wore yellow and sky blue.

Extract from the club's Wiki page 'Hitchin Town F.C. were formed in 1928, and it was at this time also that the "Canaries" identity was settled upon. The club colours were agreed as yellow and blue, replacing the old club's white and magenta – green replaced blue after only a few seasons'

Sorry Brian I have to disagree with you....by all of my reckonings and what info. I have, the first time the team wore yellow with green shorts was either the 1983-84 or 1984-85 season. Indeed, the programme cover for the 1983-84 season was blue and yellow, the 1984-85 changed to green and yellow.

The photo of Tony Martin in the Hall of Fame is cropped from a 1979-80 team photo. That "green" you see there is actually royal blue - the scan doesn't show this. Now all I have to do is find the photo to evidence what I am saying......I must have a look in the pre-match/half time board room, it may be in there?

No evidence of them wearing the yellow and green in the late 60s/early 70s that I can find. I'll have a scout through programmes when I get a chance to see if that show anything, but am pretty sure that yellow/amber and black was the kit during that period. Indeed, it's what they wore when they won the London Senior Cup in 1970.