United soccer club to be sponsored

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32554, 13 March 1971, Page 46

United soccer club to be sponsored

(By

D. P. MANSBRIDGE)

The huge financial commitments of the national soccei league club, Christchurch United, will be eased in the 1971 seasoi by the announcement yesterday that the club has gained : sponsor.

N. V. Holyoake and Company (Christchurch), Ltd, is sponsoring the club for “a four-figure sum” in conjunction with the national promotion of the company’s Premi-Aire home heating appliances.

A cheque will be handed to the chairman of Christchurch United (Mr F. J. H. Haydon) at a fete organised by the club’s supporters at Rangers Park today, by the company’s sales manager (Mr D. J. Macdonald).

The presentation will be made at the end of the fete, at 3 p.m., just before the friendly match between the national league clubs, Christchurch United and Dunedin Suburbs. LONG DISCUSSIONS

The Sponsorship is the culmination of many hours of discussion between Mr Macdonald, the company and Mr D. Mclntosh, who represents the Rangers club on the United board of directors. In return for the sponsorship, the club will feature the name of Premi-Aire on track suits, travelling bags, posters and advertisements, “player of the day” awards, and match-day competitions. “This is a tremendous gesture by the company and a great boost to the club,” Mr Haydon said yesterday. "Our expenses in the national league last year left us with a loss of S2OOO, and in this year’s enlarged competition the costs would have been higher.

“Last season’s loss was met by our shareholders—the' four contributing clubs and our many public supporters—because of their determination that Canterbury had td share in soccer’s most progressive movement, the Rothman’s National League. “Now, with the help provided by the sponsor, we face the future with renewed zest, knowing that in these formative years of the club, when we had to expect losses while building up public support, the investment of our

shareholders will be greatly protected and our ability to promote the club enhanced.”

SPORTING SPECTACLE Mr Macdonald said: "I personally believe that national league soccer will make deep inroads into New Zealand sport and will become in a very few years one of the great sporting spectacles in the country. “Christchurch United has shown itself to be a strong power in the competition, and I am convinced we can be of great benefit to each other.”

As the only South Island club in the national league in 1970, Christchurch United met total expenses of $6134. In the enlarged 1971 competition, a second South Island team, Dunedin Suburbs, will be competing, but United will also have to make an additional trip to Auckland, to the three it made last year.