All the Heck kits worn by North Yorkshire football club Bedale FC over the years

Kicking it off is a kit that was named ‘worst kit in the world’ which resulted in the team going viral and becoming football TV stars.

The kit was a striking pink and orange sausage-themed outfit, sponsored, of course, by local food producers Heck Food.

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The kit starred on major TV shows across Britain, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Fox TV in the USA.

According to Chairman of the club at the time, Martyn Coombs, he says the most popular accolade so far for the team has been to appear in Pig World Magazine.

He said at the time: "We're really absolutely bowled over by the response since the story appeared in the Northern Echo and Darlington and Stockton Times.

"Never in my wildest dreams, did I think that a sponsorship deal with Andrew Keeble, the owner of Heckfoods, who I taught at Bedale High School, would have led to where we are today.

"I think we have been very good for each other, and I hope we can continue for many years to come. The worldwide press has been so good for Bedale AFC and the town, we are well and truly known around the world."

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Just the next year the team jumped into a new kit, this time it was for charity, again sponsored by Heck.

Another sausage-based uniform, the kit sported a hotdog pattern with Ketchup and Mustard running down the length of the sausage in the centre.

The local food producer donated 25 per cent of the money made from each shirt sold to Prostate Cancer UK, and they provided food for a fundraising event later in the year, showing the strong bond between Bedale AFC and Heck Food.

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However, all was not sunshine and sausages for the team, as the next year saw their new kit fall foul of FA advertising regulations.

The latest addition to the kit was a “bangers and mash” look to the uniform, however, the club was effectively banned from wearing it.

The Football Association was looking into whether or not the Bedale AFC kit, which was again sponsored by Heck, conformed to rules on advertising.

Raising money for Prostate Cancer UK, the kit was temporarily suspended for use in all friendly and league games and club the said they were in breach of FA rules.

According to clause 2 of the FA Kit and Advertising Regulations, the maximum permitted size of a sponsorship on the front of a shirt is 250 square centimetres.

Chairman Martyn Coombs said at the time: “In my conversation with the Football Association, they were very supportive of the work we do to raise money for Prostate Cancer but, if we accept that the background of sausages, mashed potato and mushy peas is an extension of the products Heck Food sell, then we are in breach of their regulations and we are banned from wearing the kit in any matches.

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“I understand there have to be regulations about shirt advertising and I was very surprised when the FA got involved. "Heck is a food brand that promotes fitness and healthy eating compared to Championship side Derby County whose betting company 32RED shirt advertising, with Wayne Rooney being given the number 32 shirt, encourages gambling and debt, putting young people at risk. It does seem a strange juxtaposition.

“I do sympathise with the FA’s dilemma and they have been very open and supportive towards Bedale AFC but I think they have far better things to do than to hide in the bushes to see if Bedale AFC are wearing the ‘bangers and mash’ kit, so we do not envisage any further action from them. Whilst we are disappointed in the findings of the Football Association, we do accept their judgement with good grace and hope next season’s kit doesn’t infringe their rules and regulations.”

After the controversy, a year later the kit went vegan for their latest Heck-sponsored-design.

The 2020 season saw the kit feature a giant carrot, complete with cheese grater goalkeeper shirt to showcase the newly created “Veg with Edge” bangers by Heck.

Again the kit was helping to raise cash and awareness for Prostate Cancer UK with £5 of every shirt sold going towards the charity.

Club chairman Martyn Coombs, said at the time: "I’m sure they can’t complain this year about a carrot kit or cheese grater goalie kit. Anyway, the sausage and mash kit realised over £1,000 for Prostate Cancer."

Heck Co-founder Andrew Keeble added: “We’ve been delighted to enjoy this partnership with Bedale AFC and to have some fun along the way. What started as an innocuous sausage kit a few years ago has snowballed into this massive, almost unstoppable force that shows no sign of letting up. Every time we think that’s it, we get another idea for a new kit and away we go again.”

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During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the “One Heck Of A Challenge” saw players run the equivalent milage from Heck Stadium to Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona.

Three teams of players competed in the challenge, running 1,154 miles all together.

Just this week the club announced this season’s “see through kit” as part of their new male cancer campaign to raise awareness and money for Prostate Cancer UK.

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