Newcastle United have come under fire from fans offended by their ‘awful’ new away kit in the green and white of Saudi Arabia – but plenty are willing to buy and wear it.
Some supporters are happy to embrace the traditional colours of the Gulf state as their Public Investment Fund pump in millions of pounds to transform the club’s fortunes.
But others are repulsed by the thought of their team running out in colours intrinsically linked to a state with a terrible human rights record.
Sportsmail revealed the new Castore kit design on Thursday night – it features the Newcastle crest coloured in green on a white background, with the collar and sleeve trims also in green.
It bears a striking resemblance to the traditional shirt colours of the Saudi national team.
The strip is likely to attract criticism from opponents of the ownership, who had to satisfy the Premier League there was no connection between PIF and the Saudi State before their £305million takeover was approved in October.
The club, however, will see the kit design as a good opportunity to increase their revenue potential via shirt sales in Saudi, whilst also representing their majority owners.
Whether many of their more traditional fans buy the kit is open to question, judging by reactions to Sportsmail’s story on Twitter.
Premier League Newcastle will turn out in the green and white of Saudi Arabia next season
Sportsmail can confirm the new away jersey for 2022-2023 carries the Gulf state’s colours
The kit bears a striking resemblance to the Saudi Arabia national team’s official strip (left)
Plenty of fans on social media made clear they wouldn’t be spending their cash on the kit and admitted to being morally offended by it.
One Newcastle fan tweeted: ‘Tell me this isn’t true. Just when we’ve found a way to live with the reality, something like this comes along to remind us. Awful.’
Another said: ‘Sorry like but that is rank. Just because we are owned by them doesn’t mean we should look…