So, it's the summer of 2009, just before the start of the crazy season. Notts aren't just hanging around on the off-chance of being bought out by a huge multi-million dollar organisation that may, or may not, be Middle Eastern and who may,or may not, have loads of cash to chuck around. They are actually preparing for what could well be another season of disapppointment - on a par with the previous season and all of the others before it.

The design of the new season's shirt - the one highlight in a Pies' fan's year, is already well-advanced. Vandanel have stepped in, not only as manufacturer but also as sponsor. It's the second year of their deal and the death of 'Sir Jimmy' the year before has been commemorated by the great man's name being incorporated into the kit - on the sleeve. The design has been chosen and its  another 'Great Escape' style -  predominantly black but with thin white stripes. All is ready to go when Munto Finance step in and change the face and the future of the club forever.

Vandanel are bought off - both their  shirt sponsorship and the kit deal. Nike come in and everything goes big.

So much we know.....

A year later, Munto are a name from the past and Notts have new owners. Whatever deal Vandanel made is now history but it turns out that not only was the unused 2009-10 shirt designed, it was also produced as well !

By the summer of 2010, the previous season's shirts make an appearence - at first going for silly money on Ebay and then, on the company's own website, priced cheaply as a leisure shirt 'endorsed by the club' along with all the rest of the kit.  What a great coup to have one of these - we have no idea how many there are. Perhaps a few thousand were made. They should have been in the club shop on the opening day so there must be a goodly number. As the shirt that never was though, its bound to become a collectors item.

The Shirt That  Never Was....

The unused kit from Season 2009-10

It's a 'Great Escape' shirt or very similar in design. Notts own great escape though, was just around the corner.

Hard to see how numbers would have fitted on this so presumably, this design wouldn't have worked for the players

The badge is still, the old one - well older as we've since been through another one !

Above, there's a closer look at the Sirrel tribute on the sleeve

Further developments in the story of the shirt that never was occurred at the beginning of the 2011-12 season when Vandanel began to sell their shirts on Ebay. The price was right down and it became obvious that fans were buying them, not only for themselves, but as investments. With the mixed reception given to the latest kit, some liked the idea of having something new to wear and take up of the renegade issue was quite large. Then it turned out there was also an AWAY version as well and that became available. When news reached the faithful, they clamoured to pay the cheap price asked and reacted very positively to the design.

Vandanel's own publicity shot of the unused design. The fans reaction was very positive.

The kit that never was - made and sponsored by Vandenel with that silly 'Elite' thingy on it making it look like some American baseball outfit.

And still they come ! Two more shirts appeared on Ebay as possible THIRD unused kits for the Pies of ther Munto season. They could have been ideas only - very bad ones though. Afterall, who would really put Notts in anything RED or suggest that a change strip from stripes or blue is blue and white stripes ! When could that have been worn ?

We have no information !