A NON-LEAGUE football club hoped it had secured a sponsorship deal with the world famous Marvel Entertainment brand, but was forbidden by the FA.

According to The Times, Radcliffe FC believed that the deal, secured through kit sponsor Admiral Sportwear, could have transformed the fortunes of the club, which currently plays in the seventh tier of English football.

This could have seen famous Marvel superheroes like Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk appear on Radcliffe's goalkeeper's shirt, however the Football Association ruled that this would breach advertising regulations and the deal fell through.

Speaking to The Times, Radcliffe FC chairman Paul Hilton said: "We were absolutely gutted, there is no other word to describe it.

"We had the opportunity to do so much good, so much interesting work in and around the community, and more widely as well."

Radcliffe are sponsored by Admiral Sportswear, a company that has made kits for England and Premier League teams in the past but now mainly supplies American soccer teams.

The business also manufactures a selection of Marvel teamware and the club was told, via Admiral, that its players could have Marvel kits, a first in the UK.

The company had also said Radcliffe could sell replica shirts and they hoped to bring the designs to the club’s junior side as well.

Mr Hilton argues that the garments had a Marvel logo in the right size and location under guidelines set out by the FA.

He said: "The shirts were designed like the bodies of superheroes and did not show the characters in full or feature their names."

But the FA ruled that the entire shirt constituted an advertisement, with Mr Hilton unable to change their minds.

In a statement, the FA said: “The FA’s kit and advertising regulations apply to every club at all levels of English football and regulate what may appear on playing kit and items worn in the technical area during matches, including club, sponsor and clothing manufacturer logos.

“However, these regulations do not cover shirts sold by clubs for retail purposes or promotional work, meaning clubs are free to use different shirts for other purposes should they wish."