WEC Group Become Main Sponsors of Local Football Club
METAL fabrication firm WEC has unveiled a lucrative sponsorship deal with AFC Darwen.
WEC will be the club's main sponsor and as such, the company's logo will be printed on the club's home and away kits. In addition, the name of the ground has been changed to the WEC Group Anchor Ground.
The deal came on the back of the club's ground going through a number of renovations recently, financed by manager and owner Kenny Langford.
And club bosses said they were delighted to be able to link up with WEC Group, one of Darwen's largest companies which now employs over 400 people.
Commercial manager Stephen Hurn said: "It is fantastic news for us. It is a great sponsorship which is a dream come true. We all are over the moon.
"Kenny has spent a lot of money on the ground and now we have got a big name on our shirts. Let's hope the deal can bring us some success. We were very close to promotion to the North West Counties Premier League last season."
The deal was masterminded by WEC Group director and football fanatic Wayne Wild.
Mr Wild, a Blackburn Rovers supporter and co-chairman of Rovers Trust, pulled the plug on the firm's sponsorship of the Ewood Park club after owners Venky's failed to communicate with him.
As part of the AFC Darwen deal, WEC apprentices will provide a new dugout and there will be incentives for WEC staff, such as free use of the bar as a function room.
WEC Group Marketing Manager Jean Yves-Dziki said: "We previously sponsored Rovers but we wanted to do something local to Darwen and this was perfect for us.
"We do a lot of projects in the community so this type of partnership is something we are really proud of."