Linfield Football Kit: Umbro apologises for any offence caused

The sportswear firm Umbro has apologised to anyone offended by a new Linfield Football Club kit and has stopped promoting the shirt.

The purple and orange away-shirt drew criticism, including from Alliance MP Stephen Farry who said it bore a striking "similarity to UVF colours".

Linfield said the similarity was "totally coincidental and entirely unintentional".

Umbro has distanced itself from the shirt design.

An Umbro spokesperson said: "Kit designs are a collaborative process and this kit was based purely on guidance from the club.

"We apologise unreservedly for any offence we have unintentionally been party to.

"Furthermore there will be no promotion of this product on any Umbro channels."

Although the company said it would stop promoting the shirt, it did not mention whether manufacturing would cease.

The statement added: "At Umbro we believe in the unifying and democratic power of football. This is why we are opposed to all forms of discrimination, discriminatory behaviour and violence."

The away kit was launched last week and was widely debated on social media.

Alliance MP Stephen Farry raised the issue on Twitter.

"This may well be purely coincidental and unintentional, but I do think a rethink would be appropriate," he tweeted.

"The similarity to UVF colours is too striking. Many other colours and designs are available. Why leave any ambiguity and risk offence to so many?"

The comments provoked a critical response from Linfield's chairman Roy McGivern.

"Is this where we are as a society when an elected MP thinks that ordinary every day colours can be owned or monopolised by a paramilitary organisation?" he tweeted.

The chairman described Mr Farry's remarks as "truly staggering" and assured him "there will be no rethink".

SDLP MLA Justin McNulty said if it was "just a genuine oversight, they should change the colours".

However, DUP MLA William Humphrey, who is a Linfield fan, defended the club.

In a statement on Friday, Linfield said: "For the avoidance of all doubt, the design is of a football kit for a football club and any similarity/likeness/resemblance with any other design used by any other entity is totally coincidental and entirely unintentional.

"Any allegation or inference to the contrary is robustly and vigorously rejected by this club which prides itself on being inclusive, open to all and representative of all."

There has been no response yet from Linfield to the Umbro statement, but a club source indicated the club's current deal with Umbro is due to come an end next year and they are already talking to a number of companies about their options.

The UVF is a loyalist paramilitary group that was responsible for hundreds of murders during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

In some cases, its members continue to be heavily involved in violence and crime.