Symington TintoA youth soccer group have gained an unlikely sponsor – the rock band Franz Ferdinand.
Symington Tinto 2014s picked up the backing of the Scottish group, greatest recognized for hit single Take Me Out, due to a friendship between a membership coach and bassist Bob Hardy.
Now the membership are even being requested whether or not they may promote duplicate kits, that includes the band's distinctive emblem.
The group's vp Daniel Harwood advised BBC Scotland Information approaching the band had been a “shot at midnight” that had paid off.
The membership have an grownup newbie group and eight youth groups, all of whom play within the village of Symington in South Lanarkshire.
“Now we have quite a lot of groups and we're continuously searching for sponsorship for them,” Mr Harwood mentioned. “Often it is native firms across the space or individuals who have connections with children enjoying within the group.
“Franz was a little bit of a shot at midnight. One of many membership coaches, Fraser White, was flatmates with one of many band at college and thought he'd strive asking them. We had been shocked once they mentioned sure.
“We're over the moon at all the pieces since then. The quantity of interplay on social media we have had, and the quantity of individuals from all around the world who've commented on posts about it, has been unbelievable.”
Carry On PRAmong the many scores of messages for the reason that package announcement have been feedback from followers of the indie band, enthusiastic about shopping for the strip for themselves.
Sadly, Mr Harwood has disappointing information on that entrance.
“We might clearly must type out a licence with the band so there are not any plans for the time being,” he mentioned.
“However there may be actually demand there for it.”
He added that assist – whether or not from rock bands or different extra standard sponsors – made an enormous distinction to the membership.
He mentioned: “The club is volunteer run, so lots of people put effort and time into all of it. We're actually making an attempt to make it as accessible as potential for teenagers within the village and any assist helps.”
The band shaped within the early 2000s and received the Mercury Music Prize in 2004 for his or her self-titled debut album.
They launched their sixth album, The Human Fear, at first of 2025.
Singers and bands who've sponsored soccer groups
SNSFranz Ferdinand are not at all the one band to supply their assist to a soccer group.
In Scotland alone the early 90s noticed chart-topping gentle rock band Moist Moist Moist sponsoring their hometown group Clydebank.
Bonnyton Thistle Underneath-9s had been sponsored by Ayrshire rockers Biffy Clyro in 2009, whereas in 2018 rock band Mogwai grew to become shirt sponsors of a primary school football team in Glasgow.
Additional afield, and indie rock band – and contemporaries of Franz Ferdinand – The Libertines grew to become the primary shirt sponsors for non-league soccer facet Margate FC in 2018.
Tremendous Furry Animals sponsored Cardiff Metropolis's shirts for the membership's matches within the FAW Cup in 1999, whereas Welsh rappers Goldie Lookin' Chain sponsored their hometown membership Newport County in 2004.
In recent times, Irish post-punk act Fontaines D.C linked up with Irish Premier Division membership Bohemians FC and die-hard Ipswich City fan Ed Sheeran sponsored his beloved Tractor Boys again in 2021.
