The football world has been left in hysterics after West Bromwich Albion unveiled their bizarre new mascot this weekend.

The Baggies kicked off their Championship campaign on Saturday having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season.

They were beaten 2-1 by Bolton after Trotters substitute Yanic Wildschut came off the bench to inflict the crushing blow on the stroke of full time.

But despite that late drama, most people weren’t talking about the game at full time and instead came away baffled by something that happened prior to kick-off.

It seems Albion’s usual mascot, Baggie Bird, has some competition for the crowd’s attention now after the club sealed a deal with Ideal Boilers to be their new shirt sponsor.

But the deal doesn’t stop there as the company have also secured a more unusual presence on matchdays.

Step forward the ‘Boiler Man’ or ‘Colin Combi’, as some fans have taken to calling the character dressed up as the household appliance.

It’s a far cry from the cuddly mascots seen at most stadiums every weekend like Fred the Red at Manchester United and Arsenal’s Gunnersaurus.

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Football fans were united in their amusement at the new addition but we think Ideal Boilers will be glad of all this extra attention.