BUNGLING football bosses have been left red-faced after a special Remembrance matchday program used a picture of Nazi troops.

The shocking image was on the front cover of Airdrie United's magazine for Saturday's Scottish League Division Two clash against Livingston.

Club officials insisted they thought it showed Australian soldiers.

But the snap actually features nurses handing out water to grinning German soldiers on a train during World War Two.

On the photo are the words: "Lest We Forget" plus a PoppyScotland logo and the slogan: "Supporting Our Heroes".

Program designers wanted to combine the game with Remembrance Day tributes but complained that another picture featuring a train looked contrived. They finally settled on the picture which they thought showed Australian troops returning from battle.

But after the program had been sold to hundreds of fans at the match - which Airdrie lost 1-0 - an eagle-eyed supporter spotted the mistake and rang the club.

Airdrie United secretary Ann Marie Ballantyne said the picture was supplied to them by PoppyScotland but the organisation denied the claim.

Airdire United Chairman Jim Ballantyne has now apologised for the mistake.

He said: 'I would like to unreservedly apologise for the error on our Remembrance programme which resulted in the wrong photograph being used for the front cover.'