The football club, which currently plays in the Coca Cola League One, claims to have the largest online shop in the league and predicts volumes in excess of 45,000 across the season.

Lick has installed a two-unit Insta Heat Seal machine, with an electronic Jun Air pressure system, at its Gildersome facility, in order to produce the shirts and has already printed 4,000 since July – 20% of which have been personalised.

The company has also invested £30,000 in a mail order system that provides client relationship managment services and stock management.

A spokesperson said: "Customer relationships have always been the forefront of the Lick business culture; the fact that Lick Online already runs and manages more than 30 e-commerce shops means Leeds United are in safe hands.

She added that the complex nature of the work means that it is more difficult to transfer such work around, and said that "both businesses are heavily invested in the relationship and neither party have suggested a contract end date".

The rolling contract also covers all other fulfilment and distribution work from the online shop and the company is investigating other print opportunities with the club, such as direct marketing.