Ireland kit supplier Castore under fire again over Villa, Newcastle shirts 

Just weeks after Ireland U21 striker Sinclair Armstrong's Castore kit was badly torn, Aston Villa players are reportedly blaming the wet-look kit for performance issues

YOU RIPPER: Ireland’s Sinclair Armstrong celebrates scoring his side's third goal against San Marino earlier this month with his torn Castore shirt blowing in the wind. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton

Kit manufacturing firm Castore, which supplies the Ireland national teams, is battling further negativity after Aston Villa players blamed the kit for affecting their performance and fresh reports claimed Newcastle United broke a long-term deal with the company after fan complaints over jersey quality.

The Manchester-based sportswear brand reportedly received complaints from Villa's men's team after "players reported concerns that their shirts were weighing them down during matches and affecting performance" according to The Guardian. Meanwhile it was reported that the club's women's team are "dreading" wearing the shirts for their televised opening WSL game at home to Manchester United on Sunday. Villa's women have worn the shirt only once in pre-season.

Villa have asked Castore "to remedy the issue after players said the shirts were clinging to them because of perspiration, creating a wet look" said a report in The Guardian on Wednesday morning. 

Later in the afternoon, The Telegraph reported that Newcastle's decision to split with Castore earlier this month and sign a deal with Adidas was due to concerns over the quality of product. 

STICKY BUSINESS: Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (centre) has his Castore kit clinging to his chest. Pic: Sunday September 24, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Chelsea. Photo credit should read: Nigel French/PA Wire

"Newcastle received so many complaints about poor customer service, as well as some long delays in orders being delivered after purchase, that it was decided it reflected badly on the club," said The Telegraph. 

Ireland became the first international team to partner with Castore, founded in 2015 by brothers Thomas and Philip Beaho, earlier this year. However the unveiling of the first kit in March was met with much derision from Ireland fans with many comparing the simplistic design to Glasgow Rangers, another Castore client. 

While some Newcastle United fans have kept a running log of how often the club's players have to change their kit due to it ripping, it appears the quality issues did spread to Ireland teams in recent weeks. 

Ireland U21 striker Sinclair Armstrong's shirt was torn in the match against San Marino at Turner's Cross two weeks ago, the damage clearly visible when he the QPR attacker celebrated his goal.