Union giants sponsor Gladiators

The GMB, Briton's second biggest union, are the new sponsors of Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Matlock Town.

The union giants, with more than 617,000 members across the UK drawn from sectors ranging from local government to the NHS and retail, are sponsoring the Gladiators' home and away strip.

Gladiators Chairman Tom Wright is pictured on Tuesday night with the GMB's Paul Holland and Chris Toyne unveiling the club's new royal blue home kit and yellow away strip before their convincing 3-0 Premier Division win over Stocksbridge Park Steels at Causeway Lane.

A delighted Wright said: "We're delighted to welcome the GMB Union on board as our new sponsor and we thank Chris Toyne and Paul Holland plus their colleagues at GMB for their support as we look forward to a long, lucrative and successful relationship."

The Gladiators are at home to Nantwich Town on Saturday before wearing their new GMB sponsored away kit at Worksop's Sandy Lane for the first time on Bank Holiday Monday. In another boost for the club, manager Mark Atkins announced on Thursday that he'd signed 19-year-old midfielder Jordan Snodin.

Snodin, the son for former Leeds United skipper Ian Snodin, was released from Leeds United in the summer after a loan spell with Bradford Park Avenue last season. He'd been playing for the Gladiators in pre-season, including scoring a goal against Clipstone.

Atkins believes he'll prove to be an important addition over the campaign and said: "He’s a good footballer with a good touch who can see a pass so he’ll be a good asset to the squad."

The Gladiators manager is now hoping his side can maintain their momentum from Tuesday over the Bank Holiday programme.

He added: "They'll be two tough games but really they're all tough. Nantwich have a new manager and a very good one in Danny Johnson. He's also a close friend but I'll be looking for us to play as we did against Stocksbridge and if we can do that we should be alright.

"We also need to be solid as we were on Tuesday, especially away from home. We'll need to do that at Worksop where you always have a hard match."

Atkins will again be without the services of five first team players over the weekend. Last season's top scorer Lewis McMahon completes his four game ban at Worksop while club skipper James Lukic, Player of the Year Adam Yates, full-back Lee Featherstone and midfielder Anton Foster, are all out injured.