DUNDEE FC shirt sponsor Magners Cider has dropped a clanger by launching a new TV and radio advert which features a song much loved by fans of the club’s arch rivals, Dundee United.

Love Is In The Air, a top five hit for John Paul Young in 1978, has been belted out by fans in the East Stand at Tannadice since the mid-1990s, and is still played at every home game by the club’s DJ.

The Irish brewing firm, which has sponsored Dundee FC for the past two seasons, was clearly unaware of the song’s Arab connections when it chose it for its springtime advertising campaign launch recently.

To the dismay of several Dundee FC fans who saw it on TV, the ad features birds and bees in traditional springtime pursuits and a young couple drinking Magners in a bar, with the track playing in the background.

“I thought I was dreaming—I had to ask my flatmate if I was hearing it correctly,” Dees supporter Claire Finn said last night.

“It’s a huge mistake, the Arabs will be laughing into their pints over this.”

Fellow Dundee fan Ian Regal said, “I had had a few bottles of Magners in the house last night when I saw the ad and I thought I’d just had too much.

“You’d think Magners would know better and if it’s an honest mistake then it’s a huge coincidence.”

A spokeswoman for Magners, which also sponsors Edinburgh Rugby and the Scottish Golf Union, last night apologised to Dundee FC and their fans and said it could only hold its hands up to the embarrassing mistake.

She said, “We did talk to a lot of consumers throughout the east and west of Scotland, both Magners drinkers and non-Magners drinkers, and they liked the ads.

“Unfortunately, despite this extensive research, nobody pointed this out to us.

“We enjoy a good relationship with the club and supporters. If we have caused any offence by using a particular piece of music, this was never our intention. We look forward to a continued good relationship with the club and supporters.”

Dundee FC took the mistake in good humour and spokesman Niall Scott, with his tongue firmly in his cheek, said, “Magners obviously knew exactly what they were doing. If you listen closely to the lyrics you can hear the words ‘Lovell’s In The Air.’ ”

To readers unversed in football, Steve Lovell is a Dundee (not United) striker.