HARTLEPOOL United have taken the unprecedented step of telling supporters not to buy replica kits direct from their suppliers, while suspending their relationship with BLK.

The team will be wearing their current strip for Saturday’s game at Solihull Moors and remains on sale through the club’s official website and club shop.

Based in Stockton, BLK started supplying Pools’ strips and training kits last summer. However, the club has become frustrated with BLK over the last 14 months, culminating in a statement being issued this afternoon.

From the start of last summer, the planned training strips failed to arrive on time and the players were unhappy with the mish-mash of shorts, training tops and t-shirts they were given.

BLK have also started to supply a number of other clubs in the National League, Football League and Scotland this season. Port Vale are one of the teams and their kit launch was fraught with problems as they quickly ran out of stock.

The club statement reads: “We inherited a relationship with BLK which we quickly became aware had its problems. Notwithstanding this, we made a significant effort to give it a chance and put our best endeavours behind this year’s new kit launch.

“Sadly, there have been many issues, most important of which has been the difficulty, despite assurances, in maintaining adequate stock levels in the shop and provision of training kit for the First Team and Academy players.

“Our only priority is to protect Hartlepool United and therefore we have adopted a very strong stance during which we would like to apologise to fans and parents of Academy players for the interruption in supply.

“We are working quickly to conclude this matter and, whilst that is the case, would ask that fans do not seek to buy their replica kit from BLK directly at this time.’’

Pools will issue a further statement next week.

The Northern Echo has contacted BLK, but they did not want to comment.