Swindon Town Football Club have announced a surprise third kit for this season with help with the pet dog of one of their players.

The League Two season commenced back in August and with home and away kits already released, fans thought that was their lot.

Yet the Robins announced on Friday morning across their social media platforms that a third kit was on the way before revealing the shirt in style.

The new kit is purple in colour with red zigzags across the torso and white cuffs and collar.

The club’s Twitter page teased the news by responding to a fan who had spotted the third kit on Football Manager.

“As the guy who looks after Swindon on FM, this is a placeholder, don’t get your hopes up,” tweeted the fan on October 10.

Town seized the opportunity, responding on Friday: “As the guys that look after Swindon on social media, I think we might start to get our hopes up.

“Has anyone played the new Football Manager yet?”

Shortly after this, the club revealed the new kit with a selection of photos and videos to promote their latest shirt.

Alongside the tagline of “Wear the Storm”, first-team players Tom Clayton, Jake Cain and Tom Brewitt posed in the kit along with the latter’s dog, Nacho.