Latics kit appears on rock band Blink 182's official tour shirt

American pop punk group Blink 182 released their official tour T-shirt on their website featuring one of the band member wearing the Latics kit, to the astonishment of the fan who gifted it to them.

While the back of the shirt features a list of international tour dates, the front image features a graphic design of the rock trio, in which guitarist Matt Skiba can be seen wearing the famous blue-and-white stripes.

The replica shirt was given to them during a meet-and-greet last year by Latics fan Richard Surples, who took to social media to express delight at his discovery.

Posting on Twitter, Richard wrote: “There’s an official @blink182 tour T-shirt with the Wigan Athletic kit I got Mark Travis and Matt! Mind is blown.”

Richard got to meet two band members, Matt Skiba and Mark Hoppus, after winning a radio competition to watch them perform an acoustic set in London.

He brought along three personalised Wigan Athletic shirts, which were given to the band after the event. Little did he know that his gifts would become an online sensation.

Speaking at the time of giving them the memorabilia, Richard said: “I had the idea to get them a gift shortly after winning the competition, I thought it was a once in a lifetime scenario to meet one of my idols so why not get them a gift that would represent both the band and my town and for Matt to actually wear it during a gig was just amazing.”

The shirt had also previously made an appearance during the 2016 E3 gaming exhibition in Los Angeles, after Matt Skiba wore it during the band’s performance there.

Richard said: “I first saw a picture on Matt’s Instagram wearing the kit along with a rainbow coloured ribbon pins in support of the victims of the shootings in the Orlando Florida nightclub.

“I couldn’t believe it at first and then I was informed that they played a show wearing the kit, I think I spent the rest of the day watching videos on YouTube of them playing and finding pictures of Matt in the kit.

“My favourite thing about the whole scenario is the comments on the pictures that Matt has uploaded. The confusion of most people asking why is he wearing a Wigan shirt and others just commenting with Will Grigg’s on Fire’.”