It’s an idea that has been borrowed from the highly effective anti-Ashley campaign at Rangers (Lion Brand) and it is a further development in the fight against the Ashley blight at Newcastle United.

The Magpie Brand is an alternative shirt for Newcastle United fans to the one being sold by Sports Direct.

The latest shirt by Puma is another abomination and hardly reflects the simple, classic Black & White shirt which the club has worn since 1892. That the dolts at United and Puma have managed to put the wrong sponsors logo on the shirt tells you everything about the incompetence running riot at St James’ Park these days. But let them worry about that. Crap design, crap sponsor and where does the money go?

Longstanding concerns about Newcastle United merchandise centre around NUFCDirect (the club’s online merchandising operation), how much ends up in Ashley’s pocket and how much goes back to the club. Indeed news that Rangers only make 70p on every £10 spent on their merchandise as a result of a deal done at Ibrox in benefit of Sports Direct should raise further questions about what goes on at Newcastle United FC.

Why would Ashley treat Newcastle United any differently to Rangers?

There is also the outstanding question of £3.4m which was paid by Newcastle United into the Sports Direct accounts. That query has never been suitably dealt with by the club.

It is a question we are unlikely to get now John Irving, the club’s Finance Director has done one to Newcastle Airport for unexplained reasons (though only one month before the end of the 15/16 Financial year).

Of course the advertising for a loan shark on the front of the shirt is another reason to give it a wide berth.

Those of you who want to buy a B&W shirt to demonstrate your support for the club should defer any purchase until The Magpie Brand is up for sale.

I have the same questions as you regarding the deal about the Magpie Brand i.e. costs and where any profit from it goes but I’m going to be bold and suggest we will get considerably more transparency from those selling the Magpie Brand shirt than the smoke and mirrors of Newcastle United, NUFCDirect and Sports Direct.

You can follow the Magpie Brand on Twitter here.

As soon as we have more information we will share it with you.