New look Bristol Rovers for Swindon showdown

Bristol Rovers will have a different look when they run out to face Swindon Town in Saturday's derby clash at the Memorial Stadium.

To help mark the Pirates' 125th anniversary this season, the team will be wearing the kit sported by their forerunners the Black Arabs back in the 1880s.

It will be the second time the players from the modern era will have donned the strip – black shirts with a diagonal yellow stripe – for a league game, as the distinctive kit was also worn during the 2003/04 season for the club's 120th anniversary.

Replica Black Arab shirts – officially the Pirates' third kit this season – have already been available for supporters to buy through the club's retail outlets.

But a special offer is available ahead of the Swindon game. Season ticket-holders producing Voucher Y from their books – and supporters who purchase a Swindon match ticket in advance – can claim £10 off a child-sized Black Arab shirt. They are available in small, medium and large child sizes.

The original Black Arabs played under the name for only one season – 1883-84 – during which time they organised a number of friendly matches against other local clubs, such as Wotton-under-Edge, Warmley, Bristol Wagon Works and Right & Might.

They were nicknamed the Purdown Poachers as they played in that area, but the following season they moved to Eastville and changed their name to Eastville Rovers to try and attract more local players.

Towards the end of the century, they became known as Bristol Eastville Rovers, before formally adopting the Bristol Rovers title in 1899.

Next weekend's game will give Rovers the chance to avenge last season's double defeat by the Robins, who won both the County Ground and Memorial Stadium meetings 1-0.

The game at Swindon a year ago was marked by controversy thanks to a poor performance from referee Rob Styles, who sent off Rovers' Richard Walker and Steve Elliott – as well as Swindon's Jerel Ifil – in a match that was far from dirty.

The good news for the Pirates is that Town's leading scorer Simon Cox is suspended for the match after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season recently.