The Amazing Wang? Shirt sponsors

Some people see football shirts as fashion accessories (they look good with jeans?!), others as just threads to wear on a Saturday afternoon... But to Faceless Evil Corporation(TM) the shirts are a blank canvas, an advertising hoarding with thousands of captive readers.

Several large companies see it as a major marketing strategy - but is it always right?

A 'tache is for life, not just Movember

In 1986, Oxford United won the English League Cup (then the Milk Cup), and introduced their sponsor WANG to the world... Back then perhaps, Wang was known as a computer hardware company. A galaxy away from the current general use for Wang - penis. Another reason as to why a man can't go dress shopping with a woman, anywhere near Vera Wang...

Real Madrid were sponsored by the Green Goblin...

In 2004, Atletico Madrid were sponsored by Columbia Pictures, leading to hilarious results... Throughout that season, the club's shirts were emblazoned with new films such as Hitch, Spanglish and xXx, but they took it to strange new levels with the above away shirt - not content with a small Spider-Man 2 badge on the front - they had to go all out and totally cover the thing with a spider web.

Andy Carroll signs for Clydebank

In the 1990's, Scottish warblers Wet Wet Wet were busy punishing the ears of music-listeners up and down the land with their cover of Love Is All Around, from some film that was out at the time. Normally, nothing to do with football - Bryan Adams did something similar a few years prior, and his main crime was claiming to support Chelsea, even before they were officially founded in 2003.

But Wet Wet Wet couldn't let it lie. They hailed from Clydebank, and decided that as part of a plan so fiendish Dr Evil wouldn't do it, they'd emblazon their logo over the club's shirts. It is highly likely that this is the main reason that the club folded in 2002...

Lastly, a shirt that technically doesn't fit in this blog - the main logo across the front isn't a company, but the club's name. One of the biggest ever sellers on Subside Sports , Deportivo Wanka. It just needed to be said.

Who's the Wanka in the green and white?

NOTE: I had actually planned a mention of Leeds United's shirts in the early 1990s with Top Man on them, but the photo I had was of Gary Speed, so not good timing. RIP.

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