FA GET SHIRTY WITH TERRIERS
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN could be hit with an FA fine after wearing a kit last night emblazoned with a large Paddy Power sash that appears to breach strict sponsorship rules.
The Championship club unveiled their blue-and-white strip yesterday morning — which includes a ‘ hip- to-shoulder’ logo for the betting firm — before wearing it during last night’s friendly at Rochdale (right).
FA regulations, which also apply to pre-season matches, state that sponsorship logos must not exceed 250 square centimetres.
The governing body contacted the Terriers yesterday and Sportsmail understands the FA are disappointed as the
club flouted warnings about the regulations.
The FA will not rule until they have received a copy of the kit used and measured the logo, but it looked highly likely to have exceeded the limit.
An FA spokesperson said: ‘The FA has clear kit and advertising regulations for all club matchday kits.
‘If we believe that any club has breached these rules, we will look into the matter and, if required, take the appropriate action.
‘ We have contacted Huddersfield Town about their 2019-20 kit to seek their observations.’
Huddersfield players looked like they were in a beauty pageant last night and many were laughing when they ran on to the pitch.
Angry fans claimed it was an embarrassment to the club. The bookmaker had announced their shirt sponsorship deal with Huddersfield earlier this week, marking the firm’s first kit tie- up with an English football club.
The Terriers can still sell the shirt in their club shop as replica kit does not fall under FA jurisdiction.
Even though it was advertised on the website yesterday, the shirt is not available to buy until Saturday, prompting speculation it was a spoof.
Indeed, the suspicion among many industry insiders is that this was a major PR stunt designed to generate attention around the sponsorship deal, just as the bookmaker has done in the past.
Nevertheless, a press release sent out by the gambling firm yesterday appeared to have a legitimate quote from Huddersfield’s commercial director Sean Jarvis.
‘We’ve gone for a really modern twist,’ he said. ‘The new ‘ sash’ style logo is really eye - catching, and helps maintain our reputation as being innovators, too.’
With a whistle-to-whistle television advertising ban coming into play this season, gambling firms have made their presence felt on football shirts. This coming season will see gambling advertising on the front of 60 per cent of Premier League and Championship shirts.
For the first time since 2016-17, half of the Premier League clubs have signed a shirt sponsorship deal with a bookmaker or casino firm — up one from last season.