English League One side Oxford United have apologised and withdrawn a newly released clothing collection after one of its designs drew an unintended connection to the September 11 attacks in the United States.
The League One club’s Campus Clothing range featured sportswear carrying the words “United 93”, a phrase closely associated with United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
Oxford United said the design was intended to reference 1893, the year the club was founded. However, the club acknowledged that the historical significance associated with “United 93” had not been properly considered before the collection was released.
In a statement, Oxford United said the range had been withdrawn and offered an apology, admitting that the merchandise should never have reached the point of sale.
United Airlines Flight 93 was one of four passenger planes hijacked during the September 11 attacks in the US. The aircraft crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members attempted to regain control. All 44 people on board were killed.
The other three hijacked planes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington DC. The attacks killed 2,977 people and injured tens of thousands of others.
The tragedy was later depicted in the 2006 film United 93, further associating the phrase with the events of September 11.
Oxford United was founded in 1893 as an amateur club called Headington and currently competes in League One, the third tier of English football.
