When you consider that Middlesbrough’s new kit source Castore was only established in 2016, they’ve gone a long way, and quickly.
Liverpool brothers Tom and Phil Beahon founded a sportswear firm with the ambitious goal of challenging industry leaders Nike and Adidas. They took a risk by leaving established careers.
By 2020, they had made their first move into football with Rangers, and by 2025, they had partnerships with a number of top football clubs, including Boro beginning with the 2025-26 season, as well as other major sports brands such as Red Ball Racing, Andy Murray, England Rugby, and cricket.
They haven’t done it without controversy, especially in the football world. There has been a lot of criticism for some high-profile faults, such as quality concerns with easily torn shirts and printing errors, as well as the infamous Aston Villa wet-look uniform, which was caused by the shirts’ inability to efficiently cope with perspiration.
There were also supply concerns, which led to both Villa and Newcastle United leaving the partnerships early and moving elsewhere. But Castore co-founder Tom Beahon has not shied away from the issue, insisting that the business will continue to grow and improve by learning from its mistakes.
In an interview with Prolific North, he stated: “Both [Nike and Adidas] face nearly equal problems to us; we’re no different in that regard. What distinguishes challengers is that they are judged using a different standard. The truth is that if you are inventive and disruptive, you will encounter difficulties.
“Don’t let that deter you from what you’re doing. It’s all part of the trip; you learn from it and grow as a result. You must confront any concerns and do your best to resolve them, like we usually do. Similarly, setbacks do not deter us from our overarching goal of establishing a British sportswear brand that can compete on a worldwide scale.
“When faced with a difficulty or a setback, I view it as an opportunity to improve. We’ve been really lucky at Castore to have had so many wonderful successes, with hopefully many more to come. You learn more from difficult situations than when you are showered with accolades. “Success is never linear in life; setbacks are unavoidable.”
Castore and their partners have had some achievements as well. Rangers fans have repeatedly praised the designs of their shirts in previous years, including a recent heritage edition commemorating Ibrox Stadium’s 125th anniversary. That’s especially important for Boro, who will entrust Castore to design their uniforms for their 150th anniversary season in 2026-27.
During their five-year partnership with Castore, the Scottish titans achieved unprecedented retail earnings. That agreement has been renewed, and Rangers will wear Umbro branding next season, which Castore owns the rights to. Rangers, who had previously struggled with retail income, have now generated ‘double-digit million revenue’ under Castore. Boro fans may be concerned about how much of this is due to a potential increase in the cost of a replica kit.
It wasn’t easy to get Rangers to that greater commercial position. Prior to the Castore acquisition, the club conceded that its retail operations were subpar. When they entered into cooperation in 2020, they had to deal with Covid and tremendous demand, which resulted in numerous early complaints. Both the club and Castore benefited from their early experience and improved.
“Whenever I think about what led us to starting Castore, I think it was that initial experience of – and I call it – failure,” Tom said in his Prolific North interview. “A lot of people dislike using the word failure. However, for me, it was a failure. I don’t hide from it.
“I worked extremely hard, made enormous sacrifices, and failed [in my quest to become a professional footballer]. Yes, it’s terrible and challenging, but you remember that the sun will rise the next day, and you still have to decide whether you want to wake up and make the most of it or feel sorry for yourself.
“At the time, we had no money, expertise, market knowledge, or network, but we did have a great deal of passion, ambition, and drive to succeed. Everyone said you couldn’t compete with those huge companies; they’re so enormous they’ll wipe you off the map.
“It awakens a sensation within you that I don’t believe has ever left us. We had no idea how big the business would become or how successful it would be, but it fueled our desire to make it successful enough to repay that money to our parents.”
Castore has carefully chosen their relationships in order to grow their brand. As self-proclaimed ‘disruptors’, they’ve attempted to collaborate with clubs and sports teams who share their values, with Red Bull Racing serving as an excellent example.
Boro is taking a risk by working with the much-maligned kit provider. However, in need of expansion and aspiring to be an ambitious disruptor in the harsh landscape that is the Championship, the club and manufacturer will be hoping for a perfect marriage.
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