Super supporter throws down the gauntlet to fans!

By David Watters

Scarborough Athletic

Scarborough Athletic super fan Are Guttelvik has challenged his fellow fans to do a little bit extra to help the club over the second half of the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League campaign.

Guttelvik, an honorary life member at the First Division North club and one of the runners-up for last season's EVO-STIK NPL Supporter of the Year Award, has agreed to provide a hugely generous donation to help propel the Seadogs on as joint managers Paul Foot and Bryan Hughes look to secure a play-off spot.

The supporter's donation to the club is directed towards the first team, allowing the management team greater flexibility to sign new players and as part of the deal, Guttelvik is also launching a new set of monthly community awards.

Run in association with the club, The Ace Awards will recognise the achievements of members of the local community who go beyond the call of duty to encourage, support and showcase local football in the town.

Guttelvik, who moved from his home in Norway two years ago to be closer to his beloved Seadogs, is pictured signing a 'head of terms' agreement for the new partnership on Monday with chairman Dave Holland with Gary Bradshaw, Boro director Steve Smith and the club's joint-managers Foot and Hughes looking on.

Guttelvik said: "My gesture is something that started under the previous manager Rudy Funk and will continue under joint-managers Paul Foot and Bryan Hughes. We have set up the donation in a structured way to ensure the club controls how and when the money is spent to maintain our play-off push.

"The most important contribution any of our fans can make to help the club is by continuing to turn up to Queensgate and ensuring the future financial viability of Scarborough Athletic. But I would encourage all supporters to think about how they can do that little bit extra to promote the club and local football within the town as we enter a crucial year in 2015."

The Boro fan added: "The Ace Awards panel are excited to hear about the good work going on to promote football in Scarborough. We are sure that there are many examples of individuals or groups putting in the time and effort to further the progress of football in the town, and we are keen to hear from them and recognise their achievements."

Scarborough Athletic chairman Holland said: "We should all be immensely proud that Are has such faith in Scarborough Athletic and its management team. A club that simply 'competes' is not acceptable to Are, and he's impressed by the mentality to succeed that was initially shown by Rudy Funk and now pushed to new levels by Bryan Hughes and Paul Foot."

Holland welcomed the fan's donation and new awards as the icing on the cake for their hopes as they enter the second half of the season.

He added: "The Board is already doing everything it can to keep the accelerator pedal pressed firmly to the floor, and Are’s generosity will ensure that funds are there to turbo charge our push all the way to the end of the season.

"The Ace Award is Are’s way of challenging the whole community to show how much football means to the town, and to recognise some of the best examples of just how far we're prepared to go to show it. We're hopeful that the club can secure lasting recognition of such achievements in a 'wall of fame' at the new Sports Village Development."

Seadogs officials expect to announce more details of the Ace Awards scheme in the coming days.

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