LIVERPOOL, England, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

A t-shirt designed in honour of Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva promptly sold out - after all the remaining stock was snapped up by the man himself.

Love Follow Conquer, a clothing label for Liverpool FC supporters, unveiled the £15 t-shirt on their website to widespread acclaim with reds from around the world quick to order and express their approval across social networks.

The reaction wasn't lost on Lucas with many Liverpool fans using his Twitter handle to reference the shirt, and the Brazilian was so impressed with the design he sent a direct message to Love Follow Conquer asking how he could get his hands on some - much to the amazement of brand owner and designer Ian Maloney.

"We couldn't believe it at first; we had to double-check it wasn't a Lucas impersonator!" Ian said.

"We quickly realised it was the 'real' Lucas and exchanged messages about how many he wanted and how to get them to him. We told him we only had half a dozen left in stock after the huge response we'd had and he said he'd take them all to give to his family.

"He was insistent on paying for them and sent us a cheque which we wouldn't dream of cashing; it's framed on the wall."

The t-shirt, and its subsequent reaction, emphasises a turnaround in popularity for a player who was much maligned in his early days at Anfield but has matured from a youngster in the shadows of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano into one of the standout midfielders in the Premier League.

Lucas' season was cruelly cut short in December 2011 with a long-term knee injury from which he - and to some extent Liverpool themselves - are still recovering from, but his absence has only served to reinforce the surging affection in which he is held by Liverpool supporters.

The Brazilian is due to return to training ahead of the new Premier League season, coinciding nicely with new stock of the in-demand t-shirt due in mid-August.

About Love Follow Conquer

Love Follow Conquer is a clothing label for Liverpool fans which draws its influences from a retrospective understanding of one of the most successful clubs in British history. From Albert Stubbins and Billy Liddell to Kenny Dalglish and Emlyn Hughes, right up to Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, Liverpool has a truly distinct identity and heritage - celebrating this is what Love Follow Conquer is all about.

The Love Follow Conquer collection aims to offer something truly unique for LFC supporters; something exclusive and timeless with no corporate logos or sponsorship.

http://www.lovefollowconquer.com

SOURCE Love Follow Conquer