Loads of Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media, after an official 2020 desktop calendar was released using images of players who left the club during the summer 2019 transfer window.
The calendar features a prominent image of former on-loan striker Solomon Rondon and now-Leicester City midfielder Ayoze Perez on the cover, while ex-Chelsea loanee Kenedy was used as the cover star for July.
Newcastle have told the Telegraph that they ‘deeply regret’ the release of an official item that contained former players so evidently, while an away supporter can also be seen in one image making a rude gesture in the background.
Perez was a £30million buy for the Foxes during the last summer window after the King Power Stadium natives triggered a clause in the Spaniard’s contract, while Toon owner Mike Ashley refused to trigger a £16.5m release clause in Rondon’s contract with West Bromwich Albion.
Kenedy was allowed to return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the 2018/19 season after failing to meet the grade at St. James’ Park under Rafa Benitez, leading to the club rejecting our option to purchase the Brazilian.
Toon officials told the Telegraph that the calendar should not have contained so many out-of-date images with players adorning the previous iteration of our Puma home kits, as well as noting that the design did not go through the proper quality control measures at their end, despite seeing the product before it went on sale.
Got one for Christmas, thought it was knock-off tat to be fair, didn’t realise it was officiall merch. Sums the club up nicely though! pic.twitter.com/Heg1wSjglL
— Adam (@AdsHoleyMoley) January 9, 2020
Fans have been left raging on social media at the club’s “embarrassing” mistake, which comes as just another gaffe after one supporter noted that Manchester United merchandise was also being sold via the club’s official online store.
Newcastle will hold an official investigation into how the designs for the 2020 desktop calendar were allowed to reach shop shelves, in a bid to try and avoid a repeat of the error.
The Telegraph note that the desktop calendar is produced under licence by another company, Danilo, who required that all images used for the calendar were sent to them at the end of June before printing could begin in South Korea in time to be shipped to the UK.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to the club’s official 2020 desktop calendar blunder…
What a joke
— Wildy (@EliasDbeis) January 8, 2020
Actually an embarrassment of a club
— Greg O’ Grady (@Peglegmacgreg) January 8, 2020
😂😂 this can’t be real man, what a joke !
— David Wheeler (@DavidWheeler6) January 9, 2020
This will be the first year I have not had the official club calendar in over 10 years.
With this kind of response from the club, I’m happy not to have one for 2020— Aushearer (@JaredLarnach) January 8, 2020
That’s embarrassing
— Graham Milton (@GDMilton9) January 8, 2020
The desk calendars are usually way behind like this, I’ve been getting them for years 😂
— Jon Mac (@jonmac79) January 9, 2020
The neglect at #NUFC is there no matter which part of the club you look at. Facilities, training ground, academy, merch, womens team, even the media team clearly work on Windows XP because we can’t even get decent goal GIF’s
— Dell ❄️ 13-3 (@agbnufc) January 8, 2020
I know it’s bad luck to look ahead, but I’d do so just to make sure you get the full 12 months.
— NUFCThreatLevel (@NUFCThreatLevel) January 8, 2020
They did do another one with Carroll etc on it, I glanced at it in calendar club
— . (@DomP3arson) January 8, 2020
In other Newcastle United news, two £15million Toon stars are reportedly being eyed as potential upgrades for a struggling Premier League side.