( CNN ) Irish betting company Paddy Power is backtracking after tweeting that `` Newcastle have suffered more Kop beatings over the last 20 years than an unarmed African-American male . '' The tweet , a pun on the name of the famous home end at Liverpool Football Club , alluded to recent controversial incidents in the United States in which unarmed African-American men have been killed by police . Paddy Power -- well-known for its use of publicity stunts -- used it to link to a piece showing statistics for games between Liverpool and Newcastle United ahead of their English Premier League match on Monday . A Paddy Power spokesman told CNN before Liverpool 's 2-0 victory at Anfield : `` It was a joke , and no offense was meant . '' The tweet has since been deleted , but its removal -- along with the statement -- did little to placate social media users who condemned the organization , with some calling for the person who wrote the tweet to be sacked . In January , Paddy Power attracted headlines after backing David Ginola 's failed candidacy for the presidency of world football 's governing body . The former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham player could not persuade enough FIFA football associations to back his bid . He needed five to have any chance of unseating Sepp Blatter . Paddy Power started the funding for the candidacy , but its penchant for publicity stunts quickly led many people to dismiss Ginola 's bid as another attempt to grab headlines . Paddy Power , the son of one the company 's founders and its marketing spokesman , explained : `` We 've been known for some mischievous activity around the world . This is not that . This is for real . '' Last year , the company generated anger when it promised `` money back if he walks '' in relation to the trial of disgraced South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius . Monday 's win put Liverpool fifth in the table , four points behind defending champion Manchester City , which holds England 's final European Champions League qualification spot with six games left to play this season . Young England forward Raheem Sterling , who has turned down a new contract , scored a fine solo goal in the first half , and midfielder Joe Allen 's 70th-minute strike condemned 13th-placed Newcastle to a fifth successive league defeat . Newcastle , which had France international midfielder Moussa Sissoko sent off in the 83rd minute , has not won at Anfield since a 1-0 victory in the League Cup in November 1995 .
Company known for use of publicity stunts . Tweet contained pun on name of Liverpool-Newcastle 's Kop stand . It was used to link to Liverpool stats . Social media backlash leads to apology .