Ten more musicians who have sponsored football clubs as Ed Sheeran announces Ipswich Town deal
In news that straddles the line between downright surreal and actually pretty sensible, Ed Sheeran has announced that he will be the new shirt sponsor of Ipswich Town next season.
The singer-songwriter is a die-hard Town fan, having been brought up in the surrounding area, and has been spotted at Portman Road on more than one occasion.
As far as exports go, they don’t come much bigger than the all-conquering pop juggernaut, and his global renown certainly towers over the likes of Colman’s Mustard and Alan Partridge – sorry, Norwich City fans.
By no means is Sheeran the first popstar to adorn the front of a football kit, however, and Thursday's announcement got us thinking about other musicians who have taken the plunge into sponsorship.
Click and scroll through our list below – it’s a mixed bag to say the least...
1. Super Furry Animals - Cardiff City
The Welsh rockers are major Bluebirds fans, and even spent a brief spell as the club's sponsors just prior to the turn of the millennium. The shirt they plastered their name across the front of, a string-necked number that harked back to days of hobnail football boots and creaking terraces filled with Edwardian crowds, was a bit of a monstrosity, if we're being honest. (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) Photo: PAUL ELLIS
2. Fontaines DC - Bohemians
Dublin punks Fontaines DC haven't been kicking around for that long, but they've already made the move into the world of football with local club Bohemians. The quintet are currently the sponsors of the Irish side's away shirt, with profits from the kit going to homelessness charity Focus Ireland. Lovely stuff, lads. (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images) Photo: BERTRAND GUAY
3. Goldie Lookin' Chain - Newport County
You might remember Goldie Lookin' Chain from such early noughties rap parody hits as 'Guns Don't Kill People Rappers Do' and 'Fresh Prince of Cwmbran'. Then again, you might not. The Welsh hip-hop collective - not a phrase you hear every day - were a bit of a fleeting joke back in the day, but they were forever immortalised on a Newport County shirt that wore their GLC logo, complete with fake gold chain and everything. Seriously. (Photo by David Westing/Getty Images) Photo: David Westing
4. Wet Wet Wet - Clydebank
They felt it in their fingers, they felt it in their toes, and Wet Wet Wet also felt the need to sponsor local club Clydebank's shirts from 1993 to 1997. A lengthy sponsorship deal by any metric, perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised that Marti Pellow and the boys stuck around for as long as they did bearing in mind they once spent 16 consecutive weeks at the top of the charts with 'Love Is All Around'. Imagine the royalties on that... (Photo by Steve Finn/Getty Images) Photo: Steve Finn