PORT ADELAIDE Chairman David Koch has used a speech at the 2019 best and fairest event to confirm the club would wear its traditional prison bar guernsey in the AFL in a home Showdown against Adelaide in 2020.

Port Adelaide is entering its 150^th anniversary year in 2020 and Koch told more than 900 people at the Adelaide Convention Centre it was a significant moment for the club.

“We have so much to look forward to as a club,” he explained.

“Just think about that for a second… Port Adelaide Football Club…established in 1870, only three decades after South Australia itself was founded.

“36 SANFL premierships; four Champions of Australia titles; the only suburban football club from outside of Victoria to be elevated into the national competition; an AFL flag after only eight seasons in the competition.

“And now let’s consider when some of the other great clubs in world sport were formed – Liverpool in 1892; Manchester United 1878; Barcelona 1899; Real Madrid 1902; Juventus 1897; New York Yankees 1903; Boston Red Sox 1902.

“It has been a remarkable journey of success since our club was formed as a club for the young men of the Port Adelaide district.

“It’s a rich and proud history. And next year we will take everyone on that journey with us.”

Among the ways the club will celebrate its anniversary will be a commemorative logo which will be worn by both AFL and SANFL sides to bring the club together under one logo for the first time since 1997.

That logo will be launched at a free event on Sunday 13 October.

Koch told the crowd there were also other plans in the works including a must-have collector’s history book, a feature length documentary and a series of special events, but all would celebrate both the club’s proud past and bold future.

“And we will elevate our Prison Bars on the national stage when we play the Crows in our home Showdown, acknowledging the deeds of our past heroes and legends in ensuring we could compete in the best competition in the land.

“The Prison Bars are an icon of our football club. And we intend to protect their legacy and celebrate their importance in our 150^th.

“We will celebrate our 150^th anniversary by honouring our past while having a clear view as to what the Port Adelaide Football Club will need to look like in the future.”