Over the last couple of days, we’ve seen the Tigers jersey back in the NBL and well it looks nice but it just isn’t completely right.

Even though it has been almost four years since United’s arrival, it is still considered terrible that Melbourne United use retired Tigers numbers.

Those jerseys and their numbers were retired for a good reason, to celebrate six champions who done so much for the sport at least in Melbourne itself.

United use the numbers so there is no preference for the Tigers and not upset the Magic, Giants, Dragons, Saints and other ex Victorian team fans.

But if you scrape away the paint of Melbourne United you will see Tigers colours and United shows off the four championships won by the Tigers and the six retired jerseys that live just off plain sight on their home stadium.

Like it or not, Melbourne Tigers is the heritage of Melbourne United, its proud history deserves to stand taller than the rest in Victoria because simply put without the Tigers history, Melbourne United would not exist.

United should not feel embarrassed,  ashamed or feel politically correct  or fair to bury the Tigers success, the success gave them the launchpad to be where they are today.

Think about it this way, despite the unity, where are the Saints banners, the Giants banners, Magic banners and the Dragons banner?

Why should the six Tigers have their legacy brushed aside because they were part of the club that managed to survive all the upheaval the NBL went through?

Mr Kestelman and Mr Slepoy could always just be nice people and give the SEABL club the rights and let them maintain the history and the two of them could just skip off into the sunset with United free of complications but they decide to keep it for some unknown reason.

Personally, this Tigers fan wishes the above would happen so we could all get our teams to where we want them to be with the Tigers aiming to go from SEABL to NBL and United want to be #1 in Victoria when a new Victorian team comes along.

Retiring jerseys is the ultimate compliment for any sports player, they should of stayed retired as a gesture of gratitude for the players services to the club and sport despite the name change.

Sign the petition calling on the re-retirement of Tigers jerseys by clicking here.