Kearsley: Did Bolton town inspire new Adidas jacket?

This comes after the release of the new Kearsley jacket, part of the German company's Spezial collection.

The hiking jacket has already attracted the attention of one of the town’s keenest exponents, One Kearsley’s Cllr Paul Heslop, who represents the area on Bolton Council.

He said: “Kearsley’s only apparent connection with Germany is the Schoenstatt Shrine in the grounds of St John Fisher Church but I cannot find any connection between the two organisations.   

The Adidas Kearsley jacket (Image: Adidas)

“The choice of the name of jacket being Kearsley is intriguing as there is only one town of Kearsley in the world and there are very few notable people with the surname Kearsley. 

“Whilst the shade of orange is slightly darker than Kearsley’s traditional colour on its coat of arms, the coincidence is uncanny."

If Kearsley has indeed inspired the new jacket, it would not be the first time a connection has been forged between Bolton and Adidas.

A pair of Adidas Winter Hill trainers (Image: Adidas)

In 2019 the company launched a trainer range inspired by Winter Hill.

Cllr Heslop says that he is intrigued by the jacket and as an enthusiastic traveller himself, who’s journeys have taken in South America and frequent trips to Nepal, it would suit his purposes extremely well.

But he joked that he would have to save up before making a purchase.

Cllr Heslop said: “The jacket looks really good, but I think the price-tag of £299 is a bit beyond my budget, I’ll need to start saving up for one.

Cllr Heslop in the coat he bought from Kathmandu (Image: Cllr Paul Heslop)

“The last coat that I bought cost me £8 in Kathmandu and is distinctive enough that people know it’s me from a distance and I’m sure I’ll get a couple of more winters out of it.”

 But Cllr Heslop also hopes that this could be the start of a more lasting connection between the world famous brand and the community he represents, especially given the popularity of Kearsley’s sports clubs.

He said: “In the meantime, I have written to Adidas and asked them to consider donating some of the jackets to the Stoneclough AFC and Kearsley Academy.” 

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As well as orange, the Kearsley jacket is also available in a green ‘wild pine’ colour.

In its official description of the jacket, Adidas describes it as an ‘ode to hiking.’

A statement said: “Taking inspiration from the outdoors and the exploration of landscapes and nature, look to the Kearsley jacket for a fail-proof staple when adventure beckons.”