Huddersfield Town's controversial 'new' sash kit proved to be a hoax as club launches sponsor free shirt for the new season

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN supporters today breathed a sigh of relief when the 'sash' kit unveiled to much upset earlier this week proved to be a prank by shirt sponsors, Paddy Power.
Karlan Grant models the new, sponsor-free, shirt that Huddersfield Town will wear this seasonKarlan Grant models the new, sponsor-free, shirt that Huddersfield Town will wear this season
Karlan Grant models the new, sponsor-free, shirt that Huddersfield Town will wear this season

The release of the supposed new home shirt - featuring the traditional blue and white stripes, but with a giant white sash containing the sponsor's name emblazoned across the front - had caused consternation among fans.

Many vowed not to buy the offending item, while others pointed out the likelihood the shirt was a stunt due to the sponsors' logo exceeding Football League rules.

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The hoax saw Jan Siewert's side sport the 'new' top during 2019-20 in Wednesday's friendly at Rochdale - prompting the Football Association to ask for the club 's observations and leave fans worried the shirt was genuine.

Closer inspection, however, suggested not. The Yorkshire Post, sitting above the tunnel at Spotland, believed the sashes to be crude additions. We wrote in Thursday's newspaper, "surely it is a stunt, with closer inspection of goalkeeper Schofield’s green top suggesting the white sash that made him more resemble a Thunderbird was being held on by sticky tape".

Today, Huddersfield and kit manufacturers have revealed it was a hoax with the added twist of the genuine new shirt having no sponsorship logo at all.

Paddy Power puts this down to their new ‘Save Our Shirt’ campaign; an initiative designed to bring about a move towards unbranded football kits. In effect, returning the shirt back to the fans.

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Victor Corcoran, the bookmaker's managing director, said: “Shirt sponsorship in football has gone too far. We accept that there is a role for sponsors around football, but the shirt should be sacred.

“So today we are calling on other sponsors to join the Save Our Shirt campaign, and give something back to the fans. As a sponsor, we know our place, and it’s not on your shirt.”

More than half of the shirt sponsors in the top two divisions are bookmakers, including 14 in the Championship.

Town commercial director, Sean Jarvis, added: “It has been a very interesting two days’ since the original launch on Wednesday, which we expected, but we’ve always had in mind that our supporters would understand, and really like the real kit when it was properly revealed today."

The new kit will go on sale from Saturday at 9am.

“We’re really happy with this kit, which is unique in modern-day football. I’d like to thank Paddy Power, Umbro and everyone else involved in the kit for their hard work towards today.”