Topman stops selling red '96' T-shirt after fury from Liverpool fans and Hillsborough survivors

Topman has pulled a red T-shirt with the number 96 emblazoned on it from sale and apologised following a backlash from Liverpool fans who said the top looked as though it was referring to the Hillsborough disaster.

The Arcadia group retailer said sorry and took the £20 garment, which had the words “what goes around comes back around” and “KARMA” emblazoned on it, off the shelves – while insisting the design referred to a Bob Marley track re-released in 1996.

However, many who saw it interpreted it as a reference to the 1989 tragedy during a match held at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium in which a horrific crush in an overcrowded stand saw 96 people lose their lives.

At the time, police and sections of the media blamed the fans for the disaster, which led to a decades-long campaign on Merseyside that eventually resulted in criminal prosecutions being brought.

Over the years, fans could be seen at games and tributes expressing support by wearing replica red Liverpool home shirts with the number '96' on the back in place of a player's squad number.

Supporters who saw the Topman T-shirt took to social media to express their incredulity and disgust.

@NatalieAL24 tweeted: ”ASIF this got through to the shopfloor and not one person said ‘woah wait, maybe this isn’t a great idea’”.

@VirgHelVanDijk said: “That topman shirt is absolutely vile. They should be ashamed.”

Alison McGovern, the Labour MP for Wirral South, tweeted: “No idea what is behind this, but it is very unfortunate. Hope you can discontinue the tshirt asap please.”

A Topman spokeswoman said: “Topman apologises unreservedly for any offence caused by this t-shirt. The design was inspired by a Bob Marley track with the number referring to the year of re-release. The garment has been removed from sale online and in stores.”

Several commenters suggested the reference was deliberate but met with a large number of sceptical responses. “Don’t think for a second it’s intentional but it’s horrendously insensitive and ignorant”, said @ryan3levis. “You see what you choose to see”, another user added.

@SunnygladeClose added: “I’m sure that Bob Marley was who @Topman intended to reference, but it’s almost unbelievable that nobody there noticed how else the shirt could be interpreted.”