In just the last week we have seen huge ructions on the world markets caused by the credit crunch, but even those uninterested in high finance and with no savings to care about (a majority of the UK population, worryingly) are impacted by anything that effects their beloved football clubs.
First up, we have Northern Rock sponsoring Newcastle, a weird marriage we have noted to before given the exciting times of the bank and the club.
Next this year was XL, sponsors of West Ham, another club to lose their manager and seemingly stuck on the runway at the beginning of this season.
Now we have Manchester United, the biggest club sponsored by the world biggest, most dependable insurer. However, Man U may have debts of $800 million, but informed speculation is that AIG may have a $1, 000 billion dollar hole in its balance sheet. Ouch, will Man Utd follow West Ham and Newcastle into footballing trouble too? They just lost to Liverpool after all.....
But who will be next, the Belfast Telegraph have a helpful list here, of clubs and main sponsors. those sticking out to me are Britannia Building Society for Stoke City, Karoo for Hull City, Thomas Cook at Manchester City and Mansion.com at Spurs. Which sponsors and clubs will soon be entwined in mutual pain? Wigan have JJB. JJB Sports axed 800 staff and 72 stores in April. Spurs seem keen on things messing things up at the moment, time to seek info on Mansion.com at Companies House.
Perhaps they should all follow, the lead of West Brom, no shirt sponsor and victors over West Ham at the weekend....
