8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                          TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


        DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported): October 3, 2003


                              Delta Apparel, Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    Georgia
                          (State or Other Jurisdiction
                                of Incorporation)


         1-15583                                      58-2508794
   -------------------                         -----------------------
(Commission File Number)                  (IRS Employer Identification No.)


2750 Premiere Parkway, Suite 100, Duluth, Georgia                  30097
- -------------------------------------------------              ---------------
         (Address of principal executive offices)                (Zip Code)


                                 (678) 775-6900
                             -----------------------
                         (Registrant's Telephone Number
                              Including Area Code)


                                 Not Applicable
                                 --------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)






Item 5.  Other Events

     On October 3, 2003,  Delta  Apparel,  Inc.  ("DLA")  issued a press release
announcing  that it has  completed  the  acquisition  of all of the  outstanding
capital stock of M. J. Soffe Co. A copy of the press release is attached  hereto
as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7.    Financial Statements and Exhibits.

         (c) Exhibits.

         Exhibit
         Number

         99.1     Press Release of Delta Apparel, Inc. issued October 3, 2003.











                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                             DELTA APPAREL, INC.



Date:  October 3, 2003                       /s/  Herbert M. Mueller
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Herbert M. Mueller
                                             Vice President and
                                             Chief Financial Officer






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number    Description

    99.1          Press Release of Delta Apparel, Inc. issued October 3, 2003.

EX-99

DELTA APPAREL, INC. COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF M.J. SOFFE CO.

DULUTH,  Ga.--(BUSINESS  WIRE)--October 3, 2003--Delta Apparel,  Inc. (AMEX-DLA)
reports today that it has completed the previously announced  acquisition of all
of the outstanding capital stock of M. J. Soffe Co.

Delta Apparel also announces today that it has entered into $78.5 million
aggregate revolving credit facilities with Congress Financial. After the
purchase of M. J. Soffe, the Company will have an aggregate of approximately
$59.5 million outstanding under the revolving lines of credit with approximately
$19.0 million of aggregate credit availability.

M. J. Soffe was founded in 1946 and has a long history of profitability and
growth in the branded activewear market. For the twelve months ended December
31, 2002 Soffe had sales of approximately $100 million and served four distinct
channels of distribution. The Soffe brand is well recognized at specialty
sporting goods stores and department stores. In addition to these retail
channels, Soffe also supplies college bookstores and has a long history of
producing activewear products for the U.S. Military. M. J. Soffe Co. employs
about 1,400 in the United States.

Delta Apparel, Inc. is a vertically integrated manufacturer and marketer of high
quality knit apparel. Apart from the M. J. Soffe operations, the Company
specializes in selling undecorated T-shirts, golf shirts and activewear tops to
screen printers, private label accounts and distributors; has operations in six
states, two company-operated sewing facilities in Honduras and one
company-operated sewing facility in Mexico; and employs about 3,200 worldwide.

Contact: Delta Apparel, Inc.
Herb Mueller      678/775-6900