Spectators at a Boxing Day football match between England's Blyth Spartans and Spennymoor Town were shocked to spot a pitch-side advertising banner that was not like the others - urging fans to visit the intentionally isolated country of North Korea.
The advertising board was the first stage of a new sponsorship deal between the non-league club and Visit North Korea, a travel company that promotes tourism to the communist country.
The Visit Korea advertising in Croft Park stadium. Source: Mark Scott/Twitter
And confused football fans quickly took to social media to voice their confusion around the ad.
One Twitter user pondered if it was "the oddest advert seen at a football ground?", while another simply Tweeted: "how bizarre is this!?!"
Located at the club's stadium, Croft Park in Northumberland, the banner was the first in a series of planned advertisements, including placing links to the Visit North Korea website on the club's social media and website.
Football fans were surprised to see a pitch-side sign urging them to head to North Korea. Source: Twitter
Even the company behind the deal thinks it is "unconventional", as they said in a statement on their website.
"Visit North Korea is nevertheless proud to be able to help support the great English game at a local level and secure publicity for clubs in the North of England," it said.
"In the process, by promoting our programs we aim to help people broaden their horizons and think differently about the world."
The Blyth Spartans' commercial manager Mark Scott, who arranged the deal, tweeted they are "the first club of hopefully many they hope to link up with".
Visit North Korea markets itself as providing tours to the "world's most secretive country", which is led by controversial dictator Kim Jong-un.
