Apparently (according to TalkSPORT today), West Ham are seriously considering retiring Bobby Moore's No'6 shirt. Now as we all know this happens in the US all the time with sports teams, and certain numbers have been out of commission in football following untimely deaths such as Foe.

But should Chelsea do this?

Just one shirt or more? Where does THAT end?

If so what shirt(s) should it be.

Ossie's No'9? I think with Sidwell and Boula going it is now free again.

Zola's 25? Pretty sure no-one has it but shirt numbers are not my strong point.

So what do you think?

It's an interesting (and nice) idea but it just isn't practical in my opinion. Like you said, "just one shirt or more? where does it end?"

wouldnt mind retiring the number 9, as everyone wearing it lately has been rubbish.

problem with retiring shirts is eventually players are running around with 3 numbers on there backs

problem with retiring shirts is eventually players are running around with 3 numbers on there backs

Not unless you have 101 players in your sqaud.

If we were to retire any number it should be the number 25. Zola was a legend and the number 9 is a traditional number so you can't really retire it.

Who would collect their pensions?

I think you can retire shirts for a few years, but retiring them permanently is not the way to go.

The main place you see it in is basketball. But there's only 12-13 guys on the squad and about 30 numbers to choose from (0-5 for both digits). In American Football you have 100 numbers with different ranges set for different positions, but usually only about 45 players needing numbers (in college there's more players).

In (European) football there's 25 guys on the team and about 35 numbers to pick from. So choosing to retire a number there would really limit your options. You can't do it.

Edited August 3, 200817 yr by ChelseaYankee

1-24 are traditional squad numbers, so I wouldn't retire #9. Maybe #25, but not even sure about that.

what I would do is something we do in college sport.

Retire the Jersey. It's a ceremonial thing, but it shows how important one player is. Plus with someone like Ossie or Zola it's a way to get the younger generation to respect the past.

No 25 has been retired.

No 25 has been retired.

I don't think Zola's shirt was ever officially retired. It just hasn't been given to anyone else since.

Not unless you have 101 players in your sqaud.

If we were to retire any number it should be the number 25. Zola was a legend and the number 9 is a traditional number so you can't really retire it.

Agree with this, every word of it.

9 being a "traditional" number it would be hard to justify retiring now, years down the line, but in light of Ossie's death more recently, it might be justifiable. 25 I believe will eventually be retired, probably when Franco returns to the club in a front office role.

For those of you worried about running out of numbers, we are talking about 2 out of 100. Inter have retired Fachetti's number, and Milan have hung up 5 and 3 for Baresi and Maldini. And they have a history that is just as long, and more storied than ours. The trick is keeping it exclusive, for only the finest club servants. For Osgood and Zola, I think thats an expense we can afford to expend.

Plus, who isnt a little bit put off by seeing a player like Kezman wear a number once held by arguably the finest player in club history?

I am totally against retiring shirts - it is all too gimmicky for my liking and there are enough of those in football already. I would like football to go back to the days when your first team wore shirts numbered 1 to 11 instead of squad numbers.

No we should not retire shirts. I think that it is easier in sports like Basketball, America Football, or Hockey where players can wear numbers up to 99 or beyond. I think in football, most numbers should be under 30 and that would be impossible if we started taking some of those numbers out of the rotation.

What I think should be done is: highlight the player in question's shirt in a "hall of fame," at the club's trophy room. Also, maybe keep in mind who wore the numbers before. Boulah ond Siddy wearing the number 9 is strange. That is a forward's number and should be used for forwards only. And when you give it to a new forward, maybe they should have earned their way into that number.

Scott

I don't think any of the number 1-11 numbers should be retired, as they are related to positions in the squad.

Maybe the higher numbers like Zola's 25 (and JT's 26 in the future) could be retired, as they have no particular relevance to any position.

I am totally against retiring shirts - it is all too gimmicky for my liking and there are enough of those in football already. I would like football to go back to the days when your first team wore shirts numbered 1 to 11 instead of squad numbers.

I put it to you sir that you are an 'old fuddy duddy' stuck-in-the-mud with no more right to live on God's clean earth than a stoat!

I am totally against retiring shirts - it is all too gimmicky for my liking and there are enough of those in football already. I would like football to go back to the days when your first team wore shirts numbered 1 to 11 instead of squad numbers.

agree with you Loz would love to see 1-11 back in use. Then I would know when a defender had scored!! It would help over here where American commentary is so crap, at least they would know where to expect players to be on the pitch. Mind you I once heard that nitwit Tommy Smyth say 'oh Number 26 has scored' referring to JT.

9 being a "traditional" number it would be hard to justify retiring now, years down the line, but in light of Ossie's death more recently, it might be justifiable.

I think having his ashes put under the penaltyspot in the Shed End is a very fitting way tribute and I don't think retiring the shirt would really be needed.

Not unless you have 101 players in your sqaud.

If we were to retire any number it should be the number 25. Zola was a legend and the number 9 is a traditional number so you can't really retire it.

Agreed.

Mind you I once heard that nitwit Tommy Smyth say 'oh Number 26 has scored' referring to JT.

He's not that bad, come on. I like it when we "bulge the 'ol onion bag." :)

I am totally against retiring shirts - it is all too gimmicky for my liking and there are enough of those in football already. I would like football to go back to the days when your first team wore shirts numbered 1 to 11 instead of squad numbers.

Here bloody here. Best reply I have seen for yonks. Ossie's No9 we cherish but lets just get on with the whole point .... playing football.

My first thought was, if you're going to retire any shirt, then it should be Ossie's number 9. However, after all this time, with so many other players of varying ability having worn the shirt, there seems little point. My next thought was to agree with Loz. Yes it's too gimmicky and in principle at least I'd also like to see a return to 1- 11 numbering. Which I can't see happening for various reasons, mostly to do with marketing.