There are a few rules when it comes to football squad numbers.
Goalkeepers wear 1, only strikers should wear 9, and you’re a dick if you go for a three-digit number (looking at you, Adolfo Bautista).
https://twitter.com/DarrenSpherical/status/507203328552751105
Everton have confirmed their second big-money signing of the January transfer window, signing Morgan Schneiderlin from Manchester United for £20m.
The Frenchman wore 28 at Old Trafford, a number currently occupied by Toffees youngster Kieran Dowell, so he’d need to go down a different route.
Among the vacant numbers at Goodison Park are 13, 24 and 31, so he has gone for…two. Yes, two.
👕 | @SchneiderlinMo4 will wear the number two shirt at #EFC! #WelcomeMorgan
Buy it now – https://t.co/xcV9Di199d pic.twitter.com/tmedFxWp2L
— Everton (@Everton) January 12, 2017
He might not be the first player to don the number two shirt despite not being a defender – indeed current Everton forward Arouna Koné wore the number during his time with Wigan Athletic – but there’s something not right about a midfield player taking that number.
Even worse, Everton’s number two shirt will forever be associated with club legend Tony Hibbert, and it’s a little presumptuous of some £20m chancer to waltz in and think he can make it his own.
wtf you can't take hibberts number
— Callum (@Haugheyyy) January 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/belgiankev/status/819597506258595840
https://twitter.com/OsianFC/status/819597357025206272
OY THAT'S OUR LORDS NUMBER
— Nick (@NickEFC_) January 12, 2017
should have retired this to honour the legend that is Hibbo
— Christopher Halsall (@CHalsall1) January 12, 2017
Everton have somehow managed to ruin this. 🙈
— Kris Hutchinson (@HutchTweeting) January 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/ephemeraljoy/status/819604065378246656
Still, we suppose it could always be worse. At least he isn’t a goalkeeper wearing the number two shirt.
