POPPY badges bearing the Finn Harps crest have been removed from eBay following a complaint from the club.
The Ballybofey side was forced to act after the items surfaced on the online auction site.
The badges, which show the Finn Harps logo alongside a poppy and accompanied by the words ‘Lest We Forget’, were listed for £11.99.
According to the seller a percentage of the money raised was going to the Poppy Appeal. But the British Legion, which organises the annual fundraising drive, has confirmed to the Donegal News that the items are in no way linked to them.
Account holder ‘able-mable56’ described the pins in their eBay sales pitch as being “limited edition” and “mega rare”.
“Brand new never seen anywhere before it has the Finn Harps club crest in the centre alongside a 2021 poppy. Lest we forget and Finn Harps in black on a white background. This is mega rare,” read the listing.
Controversy surrounding the poppy is not new and arises every year in the run up to Remembrance Day. Derry man James McClean has suffered years of abuse for his stance in not wearing the symbol.
A Finn Harps spokesperson said the badges had not been sanctioned by the club and that staff were actively working to have them removed from eBay.
“Those badges that have surfaced online are not official club merchandise,” said Harps.
“The only place to purchase official Finn Harps products online is via the club’s website.
“We are currently seeking their removal, as we have done in previous instances where counterfeit club goods have been found on sites such as eBay, Etsy etc.”
After being contacted, eBay appears to have taken steps to remove the Finn Harps pins. But identical badges attributed to other Irish clubs, including Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians, are still available.
Stressing that the items are not being sold by the British Legion, a spokesperson said, “This is not a piece of official Royal British Legion merchandise and the money raised won’t be going to the charity – unless of course the seller then donates the money from purchased badges.
“These specific badges are not officially affiliated with the Poppy Appeal, but members of the public can purchase football poppy badges at www.poppyshop.org.uk/collections/football-pins.”
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Posted: 4:40 pm November 11, 2021