A&H

HELP

Stephen Eves

Stephen Eves

New Member
Hi guys,
ok first time of using this site so lets hope this all goes ok.

I am basicaly looking to go into driect competition with A&H International and become a kit and equipment provider to football referees. in my research into starting up this company a website i visted quite often has shut down and I was wondering if anyone knew the owner and how I could get in touch with him, or could they pass him my email address.

the site was "corshamref.org.uk"

the reason for me wanting to gain contact is that I loved the dopey ref cartoons placed on the website and wanted to ask for his permission to use them on my site, I need the owners permission for this as I notcied they are copy right.

my email address is: referee1982@gmail.com

and thank you for your help in advance.
Stephen.
 
The Referee Store
Do you not feel that there are plenty of referee equipment sites out there?

How would you get the licence for the Umbro kits?
 
There are 3 major world wide distubutors of Quality referee kit Official Sports, who no longer operate from the UK so are only suiteable for accessories and stationary, refereeworld, who operate from Germany and again do not provide suitable kits for English referees, & A+H International who are based in the UK and due to lack of competition in my opinion overcharge for everything.
there are also the likes of refkit and the referees association store who do not sell quality kit, then there are around 40 other traders whos main concern is football players and as a 2nd thought provide cheap and worthless referees kit and accessories.
The aim for me is to start small and local and slowly branch outwards and upwards. in response to your question regarding the Umbro license, i have already written to Umbros Manchester officers asking permission to sell there products.
Another reason im looking to start my own business is that I already source and supply my own accessories and stionary, so this is then just producing it on a larger scale.
 
Fair enough, although, I will raise some points. (Please, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to discourage you or come accross as over intrusive :p)

When you say that refereeworld do not supply kit suitable for Englad, what do you mean? They stock the Umbro gear, Errima and Adidas. Adidas we can't use, but the Erima and Umbro stuff is fine, so I don't see why you say that they don't supplu suitable kits for English referees. Yes they are based in Germany, but are a very reputable company, and the prices don't differ much, if anything from A&H.

As for stationary and other slightly smaller equipment, then again, I don't see the problem. A&H, OS, RefStore, refereeworld, The RA, Refkit to name but a few sell everything you could possibly need, and to be honest, I have no quims about the prices as I don't see them as varying too much. I think to survive as an independent referee store you would have to gain the PGMOL contratc to supply the Premier League and Football League, and I believe that A&H have won this again for the next 5 years.

I understand what you are saying about A&H being able to charge the maxiumum price, but I don't believe that this is the case. I do know of other stores that sell the PGMOL gear, but at exactly the same price as A&H. When I questioned this, they noted it was because this is the price Nike (Umbro) reccommend. And realisticaly, you are speaking of the best referee kit in the world, so I believe its well worth the money.

Its great that you have seen about getting the licence for the Umbro stuff, but do you believe that you will be able to obtain it, and then be able to sell it at a cheaper price than the reputable A&H? They are currently the sole licenced traders of the Umbro referees' gear, and I doubt that Umbro would be willing to allow a brand new, not yet reputable business sell their stuff, when A&H currently have such a monopoly of the market.

I admire your optimism, but is the recent closure of OSUK not a sign that breaking into the referees' store scene is incredibly difficult? OSUK used to have the PGMOL contract but look at them now. I believe that RefStore, and increasingly reputable and relatively new store have enquired about the Umbro and SFA stuff, but were unnsuccsesfull. Not trying to get you down, but I do think that you are plunging into a very difficult market, that doesn't look like it has a gap in it at the moment.

If you source and create your own stuff, then maybe you could sell that on to the other stores?
 
I have used both refereeworld and A&H International in the past, and although other then the recent hike in prices dont have a argument against their service. I have never managed to buy a Umbro kit of refereeworld as they never seem to have my size in stock, and from A&H International thier kits are now £85.00/£90.00 plus postage and packaging (inlcuding county/fa badge) refereeing at supply league level that the best part of 4 match fees.
Im not going to discuss weather Umbro kits are the best, in my experience they shrink to quickly and the white never seems to stay white for long. personally I also like some colour on the kits, but I know thats an issue to take up with Wembley bosses.

As to getting the license, that is actually in the controll of the FA rather then A&H International, and the FA as you mentioned have just dismissed applying a 2nd license to anyone. so heres hope to maybe getting Nike to design a refereeing kit and competing that (I am aware that Nike now own Umbro)

And as I mentioned earlier, the only reason this came to mind is that I already produce my own stationary and it was a thought of taking it one step further!

We will see what happens!
 
Good luck to you on your venture! I myself looked at buying in supplies, but couldn't make it viable.

Welcome to RefChat by the way :)
 
i think a few of us have tried it to no evail, my biggest stepping stone was CFA and FAMOA licences to embroid to kits, no county fa or the fa would sell me the licences to embriod to the kits and without the its a no go straight away as everyone who orders the kits want this. The second point to make is Official sports went bust and A&H don't post profits they break even if they lost the pgmo contact they would go bust...good luck but i don't think it will work...
 
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