Oxford United Apologise After Clothing Line Prints "United 93" on the Back

Oxford United have said sorry after a new clothing range featured the words "United 93" printed on the back, the same call sign used by one of the planes hijacked during the 9/11 attacks.

The design was actually meant to be a nod to the club's founding year, 1893, but the club admitted it had missed how the wording could be read.

United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked on September 11, 2001, and crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all 44 people on board. The story was later turned into a film called United 93, released in 2006.

Oxford United, who started out in 1893 as an amateur side called Headington, now play in League One, English football's third tier.

In a statement, the club said the clothing, part of its Campus Clothing range, had been pulled and apologised for what happened.

"It should not have reached the point of sale and we take full responsibility for not undertaking proper due diligence," the club said. "We have removed the collection with immediate effect and are reviewing our approval processes to ensure nothing like this happens again."

The 9/11 attacks saw 19 members of Al Qaeda hijack four passenger planes in the United States. Two were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, causing both buildings to collapse. A third hit the Pentagon near Washington DC, while the fourth, United 93, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the hijackers. It's believed the plane had been heading for the Capitol Building in Washington DC.

In total, the attacks killed 2,977 people and left tens of thousands more injured.