Tom Beahon has taken to social media to deny Mike Ashley having an involvement with Castore Sport.
Last month the co-founders of Castore Sport were basking in the limelight as their start up firm landed the not so lucrative Ibrox kit deal which has recently been dumped by Puma and Hummel.
Every cliché under the sun was used to reassure the gullible. Their club was a global brand with a phenomenal support, the most successful club in the world blah blah blah and that during the eighties their kit outsold Manchester United in the UK with Castore dedicated to putting the best fabrics possible on Ryan Jack and James Tavernier.
With two shops and no Twitter account it seemed like a tall order but who would back against the pluck of two lads from Steven Gerrard’s home city.
To get anywhere near the targets promised third party partnerships would be essential with Sports Direct having the nationwide network to get the world-class jerseys onto the streets of Larkhall, Bearsden, Kilwinning and Bridgeton.
Castore launched their new kit at 8am on Tuesday, at 5pm on Facebook Sports Direct burst a bubble when they announced their kit deal forcing Beahon to confirm that deal while denying direct involvement with Mister Ashley.
Listening in to the Four Lads podcast The Sun reports Beahon saying:
When I see rumours about Mike Ashley being a shareholder in Castore or having some sort of affiliation with Castore it is surprising as we have been 100 per cent clear this is not the case on several occasions now. Mike Ashley or Sports Direct have no shareholding or involvement at any level in my business.
There are only so many times or ways I can say that before people believe me. I know people have their own opinions but that is the complete and unambiguous truth. Mike Ashley has got nothing to do with Castore in any way, shape or form.
Kit orders are due to be delivered to bears worldwide on August 1, the same date as the Castore kit lines up alongside Donnay Sports Socks in Sports Direct stores.
Greaves in Glasgow and Rebel Sport in Sydney will also stock the Castore kit.