The Port Adelaide Football Club has issued a statement about the AFL’s upcoming 1970s-themed heritage round.

Power chief executive John James said the club was waiting for confirmation from the AFL that it could wear its 1970s black-and-white ‘prison bar’ guernsey for the match against the Western Bulldogs.

He said it was also looking for confirmation it would be able to continue to honour its heritage in any future heritage rounds.

“The Port Adelaide Football Club has a long and proud history dating back to 1870, one which we and our supporters would like to celebrate in Heritage Round,” James said.

“The Port Adelaide Football Club has submitted to the AFL a request to participate in the AFL’s 2007 1970’s-themed Heritage Round wearing our 1970’s prison bar guernsey.

“We are looking to hear from the AFL that they support the Port Adelaide Football Club’s participation in Heritage Round, not only for this year, but for any allocated Heritage Rounds in the future.

“We are currently waiting to receive official clarification from the AFL.”

Port Adelaide wore black-and-white in the SANFL from 1902 until adding teal and silver to its colours when it joined the AFL in 1997 to avoid a clash with Collingwood.

The club decided not to participate in the 2006 heritage round when the AFL did not approve the club’s 1980s-style black-and-white guernsey for its 80s themed heritage round.

In the previous three non-themed heritage rounds the club wore a black-and-white prison-bar guernsey from 1914 in 2003, a magenta-and-blue guernsey from 1893 in 2004 and a blue-and-white guernsey from 1870 in 2005.

James told the club’s members in February that the club possibly received more correspondence from its supporters about the heritage guernsey than about any other issue and that the club would “continue to fight for its heritage and what is right”.