A championship football club has apologised for displaying a message on its big screen referencing an infamous Northern Ireland Troubles attack from 1980s.

Bristol City FC were blasted for showing a fan message, seemingly praising Michael Stone - who killed three in an attack on an IRA funeral - on their big screen.

The message read: "Congratulations Michael Stone for beating Milltown 3-0 in the cup final- from dad", during City's home fixture against Burnley on Saturday (April 29). 

Michael Stone is an ex-member of the Ulster Defence Association, a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland fighting against the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

On March 16, 1988, Stone singlehandedly staged an attack on a collective Provisional IRA funeral being held at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast using multiple grenades and two handguns.

The attack killed three, including one member of the IRA, and left more than 60 people injured.

He was convicted of three counts of murder committed at an IRA funeral in 1988.

Bristol City FC, which suffered a 2-1 defeat against the Clarets on the weekend, said it's now reviewing the processes of messages displayed on matchdays.

A club spokesperson said: “Bristol City would like to sincerely apologise for any offence caused by a message displayed on the screen at Ashton Gate this afternoon.

“We acknowledge that this was a serious error and the message that was sent into the club, one of many messages received and displayed on matchdays during the season, should never have got through our checking procedures.

"We will now review those processes and take every step to avoid something like this happening again.”

Gazette Series: The message which was displayed during a home game at Bristol City FC against Burnley on Saturday The message which was displayed during a home game at Bristol City FC against Burnley on Saturday (Image: SWNS)