Women's team will fight ban on shirt logo

Chester-le-Street Ladies Football Club was overjoyed when they heard they were to receive a £1,300 sponsorship deal to publicise an author's new book. But it was not long before the No Bollx logo, taken from the title of Keith Brown's self-development book, came to the attention of footballing officials.

Now the FA has ruled that the club cannot carry the sponsorship, printed on the back of the club's 20 new tracksuits.

FA secretary John Topping said: "It was debated at our council meeting on Wednesday, March 26, and the members were unanimous in that they found the advertisement to be inappropriate."

But the women's football team has said they will fight the decision and are to appeal against the ruling, which would scupper their biggest-ever sponsorship deal. The club has said it will also miss out on more money from spin-offs, as they had been inundated with inquiries from people wanting to know where they could buy the sponsored kit.

Coach Pauline Godward said: "We wanted them to say, 'yes,' so we can concentrate on what we do best, which is football. But the answer was 'no', so now they've got a battle on.

"When they had their meeting on Wednesday, we weren't there to fight our corner. But now we have 14 days to appeal and we will have the chance to put our side."

She said they were starting a petition among all the football teams in the area and were collecting messages of support from their website, which has had 5,000 hits since the start of the controversy.

Author Keith Brown is also hoping to travel up to the hearing.

He said: "The FA doesn't support them financially, or open any doors for them to be supported, yet it enforces all this legislation about what they can and can't wear.

"The club has to find £35 to appeal against this decision, even that's a problem."

Mr Brown has said the proceeds from his book True Masculinity; No Bollx are to be shared between several good causes.