AFRICA SUPPORT ... Sunderland boss O'Neill
Last Updated:
26th
June 2012
SUNDERLAND will eclipse Manchester United as the most popular club in Africa.
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That is the shock claim of the Irish millionaire heavily involved in the club’s new sponsorship deal, announced yesterday.
Martin O’Neill’s Black Cats will wear ‘Invest in Africa’ on their shirts for the next two years.
Aidan Heavey is chief executive of Tullow Oil, one of the founders of the non-profit-making scheme set up by companies on the continent to encourage investment. He said: “Sunderland will be Africa’s No 1 club.
“Africans are very proud. If you were a kid in school, what shirt would you want? You would want one that said Africa.
“The companies sponsor work with schools, providing balls and shirts. That will work for Sunderland.
“We’re not up there at the moment, United are biggest, but Sunderland will be famous.”
Sunderland have not revealed the value of the new deal.
But chairman Ellis Short insists it marks a new start — after a disappointing season last term.
They team rose to ninth after O’Neill was appointed in December but finished 13th.
Short said: “It sets a new benchmark for the club commercially — Africa has 300million watching Prem games.
“We are going to be living with financial fair play so our spending will be limited by what we can bring in.
“We’re not happy with finishing 13th — not happy at all.
“We want to be well within the top 10. There’s huge pressure to do so - both from the fans and their expectations and fom the sheer size of the economics that are involved in the Premier League.”
“Martin is looking at specific players but we don’t want to sign for the sake of it.”
Martin O’Neill’s Black Cats will wear ‘Invest in Africa’ on their shirts for the next two years.
Aidan Heavey is chief executive of Tullow Oil, one of the founders of the non-profit-making scheme set up by companies on the continent to encourage investment. He said: “Sunderland will be Africa’s No 1 club.
“Africans are very proud. If you were a kid in school, what shirt would you want? You would want one that said Africa.
“The companies sponsor work with schools, providing balls and shirts. That will work for Sunderland.
“We’re not up there at the moment, United are biggest, but Sunderland will be famous.”
Sunderland have not revealed the value of the new deal.
But chairman Ellis Short insists it marks a new start — after a disappointing season last term.
They team rose to ninth after O’Neill was appointed in December but finished 13th.
Short said: “It sets a new benchmark for the club commercially — Africa has 300million watching Prem games.
“We are going to be living with financial fair play so our spending will be limited by what we can bring in.
“We’re not happy with finishing 13th — not happy at all.
“We want to be well within the top 10. There’s huge pressure to do so - both from the fans and their expectations and fom the sheer size of the economics that are involved in the Premier League.”
“Martin is looking at specific players but we don’t want to sign for the sake of it.”
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