A SAINTS fan is so concerned about the prospect of this season's European kit being 'adopted' for all first team matches in 2005 that he has started a 'Save our Stripes' campaign.

Cardiff-based supporter Rich Harper describes the club's extra-striped shirt worn for the first time against Steaua Bucharest a fortnight ago as "horrible."

Saints had to design a new shirt purely for European ties following a UEFA ruling which states numbers and names on the back of the shirts must be written on a plain white background and not superimposed on stripes.

That's because it makes it hard for television companies and their broadcasters to read the players' names.

The Premier League voted earlier this year to bring their clubs into line with the UEFA ruling, but allowed Saints, Newcastle and Blackburn special dispensation.

With Saints having changed their home shirt only this year, they will have to incorporate the -no stripes on back' rule into their 2005 kit.

"It's not something I agree with at all," said Harper. "Why should we pander to television's needs all the time?

"After all, they already have the power to tell clubs what day they're going to play.

"Why should we have to do away with striped backs just because Motty or whoever can't read the names?

"I know television pays a lot of money to the clubs, and it's the clubs and their players who help make the Premier League what it is.

"But it's also the 30,000 who cram into St Mary's every other week that help as well, and chances are we won't be given a say in how the shirt looks (in 2005). We weren't consulted over the European shirt.

"TV companies dictate everything now and it is time we let them know there are millions of fans who are fed up with it."

Harper added: "I've seen some of the foreign shirts that have been redesigned to come into line with UEFA's ruling. The Partizan Belgrade one is particularly disgusting - it looks like someone has escaped from a Mexiacan jail by sawing through the bars!

"I was in Tesco's in Cardiff two years ago and I saw another Saints shirt from the back, so I ran down the aisle and spoke to the lad. If it had bene just a plain backed shirt I wouldn't have known he was a Saints fan - he could have been a Liverpool or a Manchester United fan.

"I don't want to hurt the club but I won't buy a shirt in future if it looks like the European one this season. I know some people will always buy the shirt, but I'm sure there's lots of fans who won't if it doesn't look like our traditional shirt."

Harper will soon be setting up a Save our Stripes campaign website, which can be visited at saveourstripes.org.uk