University bosses have called foul over a sponsorship stunt by a student football team involving a pornography website.

Anxious to find a financial backer, the Rutherford Raiders at the University of Kent had jokingly applied the logo of Pornhub to their shirts and a picture appeared on the Facebook page Spotted: Kent University.

But when the X-rated internet business found out, instead of complaining, it offered to sponsor the team for real.

The side hoped to run out in kits bearing the website’s logo - the University of Kent student website The Tab was told.

But university officials have now stepped in to ban the team from playing in the kit on campus.

University spokesman Martin Herrema said: “The University of Kent sports department would never sanction sponsorship of this type – it is totally inappropriate.

"The team has been spoken with and will not be allowed to wear the shirts in question at any time.

“We take this issue very seriously and inter-college sports teams, which are the responsibility of Kent Sport, must present any potential sponsorship and/or logos for approval.”

The Rutherford Raiders, winners of the 2012/13 inter-college league, are a team competing in inter-college, inter-university and university amateur league football.

A member of the side, who asked not to be named, said: "We are struggling to see why they are having a problem.

"The university cricket team are sponsored by Kingfisher, which is also an age-restricted product.

"The university rugby team once had training shirts with '80 minutes, 15 positions, no protection, wanna ruck?'.

"In my opinion the decision is made my people in Kent Sport that are out of touch with what's socially acceptable.

"It's hard for football teams to find a sponsor. Both Kent Sport and Rutherford refused to give us any money.

"Clearly Pornhub did because there's was an opportunity to create a bit of attention.

"I personally haven't come across anyone yet that has found it anything other than funny."