Big Plans For Wire

WARRINGTON Town Football Club has embarked on the biggest marketing campaign in the club's 61-year history by unveiling a giant billboard in Golden Square Shopping Centre.

The eye-catching feature was unveiled by Warrington's Mayor Cllr Mike Biggin and former Manchester United and Wales international Mickey Thomas.

Golden Square has kindly donated the space to help the club raise its profile in the local community. It is part of a long term plan to move the club up the football pyramid.
Warrington is currently the largest town in the country not to have a football league team.

With average league crowds averaging around the 170 mark, the club is aiming to double this in the coming season on the back of the extensive marketing campaign.

Chairman Gary Skentelbery said: "We have spent the past four years consolidating the club and putting an infrastructure together which can help move the club forward with the ultimate goal of bringing football league status to the town one day.
"There is still a long way to go but we have taken massive steps over the past few seasons and already doubled our crowds from where we were four years ago.

"We now want to double them again over the next 12 months."
Improvements at the club include two new state of the art 3G all weather pitches, which will be available for use by the community and also provide improved training facilities.

Major investment is also taking place to help improve the playing surface to attract better players to the club.

The club has already attracted many news sponsors through its Vice Presidents club, whereby local businesses can donate £500 in return for corporate hospitality on match days in the new sponsors lounge, which also provides a great networking opportunity for local business leaders.

The club has also appointed its first full-time employee, James Standing, who has been running a successful government backed apprentice scheme, which has provided training and work experience for 14 local youngsters. James has now become the club's first ever community development officer.

Town have also shown their support to their rugby league neighbours, Warrington Wolves, by sponsoring the recent game against Salford, when their most famous footballing son, World Cup winner Roger Hunt, who started his career at Town, was special guest, alongside Mickey Thomas.

The club used the opportunity to promote the club to 10,000 sports fans and are inviting all Wolves season tickets holders to their first home league fixture in August free of charge.

"We now want the whole community to get behind the club because as successful football team in Warrington will provide a massive boost to the local economy and help raise the profile of the town," added Gary.

The eye-catching board was designed by Warrington Town director Bill Carr's company Carpe Diem, which is a website design and marketing company based in Warrington.