The club's supplier Fosco Hayes & Hurdley produced the job on mesh material to ensure resistance against wind and sunlight.

The banner, dubbed the 'world's biggest team photo' was designed to promote the club's new season shirts and featured images of some 1,500 fans, which were arranged in a montage-style layout.

Fosco managing director David Nicholas said: "The job created a number of challenges. One criterion was that the fans had to be able to recognise themselves.

"Since the banner is mounted at ground level, image quality had to be able to stand that level of examination."

The 3mx25m sheets were printed using two HP Scitex XL1500 wide-format digital presses.