The 1D singer, a lifelong supporter of the South Yorkshire club, won the fan competition to design their new away kit - but others are up in arms at the result.
Louis Tomlinson has won a fan competition held by Doncaster Rovers Football Club to design the team’s new away kit for next season, leading to many of the club’s fans to decry the result as a fix.
The One Direction singer, 24, designed the black and grey kit with his grandfather Len when he was briefly back in Britain in March. However, some Doncaster fans have accused the club of fixing the results to gain maximum publicity, although the final vote was decided by fans from five of the best entries selected by the club.
Louis Tomlinson won a fan competion to design Doncaster Rovers' new away kit
Writing on the club’s official website, Tomlinson wrote: “I designed the kit with my granddad when I was home a few weeks ago. We used to go to Belle Vue [the club’s stadium] together, so it has always been a family affair with us and to now have a hand in next season's away shirt is brilliant. I can't wait to see my team wearing it.”
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A separate statement on the League One club’s website, addressing the fan furore, read: “Rovers fans from all walks of life and of all ages were encouraged to design and submit their shirt designs before short-listing took place.”
Many, however, refused to believe that the competition was coincidentally won by the South Yorkshire club’s most high-profile fan, with one Twitter user describing the result as “awful, just awful!”
Supporter Shaun Smith designed our home shirt... Here's who designed our away shirt https://t.co/hR2uwKm44c #DRFC pic.twitter.com/DhXBzaguVJ
— Doncaster Rovers FC (@drfc_official) April 4, 2016
“We are aware that the result of the competition has attracted some mixed feedback,” the club’s statement continued, “but we can assure our fans that the voting process for the shirt designs was all fair and above board. The process for receiving kit designs, short-listing and the public voting for our kit design competition followed strict legal guidance to ensure that the club adhered to competition law and that all processes were fair.”
Doncaster Rovers lie 22nd in their division, and face an uphill task to retain their League One status next season. If they are unsuccessful, Tomlinson’s design will be debuted as they embark on a campaign in League Two.
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