THE home shirt of a football team on Anglesey has attracted worldwide orders due to its resemblance to the strip of one of Italy’s most famous clubs, Lazio.
Holyhead Town FC’s new blue and white home shirt for 2019/20 features an eagle - with a ship as the head of the bird and the waves of the seas as the wings - in tribute to the famous ports of the Town.
It is also a tribute to club and Anglesey footballing legend Tommy Welsh - a number nine who scored over 600 goals during an illustrious career.
Welsh, who died shortly after his 90th birthday earlier this year, turned down the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers in favour of staying in Holyhead.
The Harbourmen’s new home shirt, designed by Gwynedd-based Teejac, has attracted interest from around the world, inlcuding from more than 2,000km away in Italy, due to its similarity to Serie A side SS Lazio's shirts.
Following a post comparing the two on social media, the popularity of the shirt blew up and, as such, one customer alone has bought 200 of them from Teejac.
Huw Thomas from the company said: “The shirt was spotted through the club’s Facebook and Twitter pages and interest then gathered.
“We had an email enquiry regarding price and so on and soon after an intial order of 200 shirts was made.
“We contacted Nick (Murphy) at Holyhead Town, who was then happy for us to proceed with making the order. If there is a demand for more then we can make them as we make to order.”
A spokesperson for Holyhead Town added: "We have been overwhelmed by the response to the new kit. Club secretary Nick Murphy, took a fancy to the design of the Lazio strip and had a vision of changing the eagle to a ship. The idea of this stems from the history of the club.
"Their was a huge influx of ships through the 50’s and 60’s, this was something of a golden era for the club. 1960 in particular was memorable with Town reaching the quarter final of the Welsh Cup, bowing out to eventual winners Swansea City.
The Harbourmens line up was made up many an Irishman, who worked on the boats and later settled in the town. None more famous than the late, great, Tommy Welsh. Tommy, Belfast born, scored an astonishing 631 goals for the club."
Describing the idea behind the design of the new kit, the spokesperson added: "On the sleeve of the new kit is a Northern Ireland flag as a mark of respect and appreciation for Tommy, with the number nine shirt also being retired for the same reasons.
"The ship on the front depicts a vessel powering through the waves, a sight often seen over the years.
We have had a remarkable reaction to the kit. Italy and in particular Rome have fallen in love with it.
"A single order of 200 replicas are being sent to the Italian capital. Orders have come from all over the United Kingdom, France and from as far away as the United States.
"We have had interviews with various figures in football including Gianluca Di Marzio who is sky sports’s Italian reporter.
"We would like to thank our kit manufacturers and suppliers Teejacs. Also a big thanks to kit sponsors, A55 American Diner and Anglesey Auto Body and Alloys."
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