Ridgeway Group Extends Portsmouth North Stand Sponsorship

Ridgeway Group has renewed its sponsorship of Portsmouth FC’s North Stand for the current season.

The motor dealer has been involved in sponsoring the club since 2008 and Pompey CEO Mark Catlin thinks the renewing of this deal is a real coup.

He said: “It’s fantastic to have the Ridgeway Group back on board with us again this season. The company has been steadfast in its support of the club before, during and after administration.

“Supporters know it has been important to attract new sponsors, but it has been just as important that we retained the businesses that have been so loyal to us over our recent troubled past.”

Jon Head, Ridgeway’s group operations director, added: “When the company moved into Portsmouth in 2007 we wanted a way to get our brand out there and the football club seemed the perfect way. It was the first time we’d been involved in football, but it worked very well.

“Obviously the club has suffered some difficult times of late, but we felt a strong loyalty to the club and we saw no reason to end the arrangement.

“Many of our employees and customers are supporters and they saw the company’s link as a positive one even in the hard times.”

Portsmoth have dropped down to League Two after having been in the Premier League as recently as 2010 but Ridgeway believes they will continue to benefit from the association with Pompey.

“This is very much a mutually beneficial relationship,” added Head. “Pompey are an excellent partner and we very much feel part of things down there when we bring guests to the club on a matchday.

“The club take care of us and despite a challenging partnership last year are convinced the new arrangement will bring back a two-way relationship.

“The fact the club is now owned by the community very much buys into ourethics as a business and we have absolutely bought into the club’s new philosophy. We very much want to become part of the club’s success story in the future.

“The feeling at the football club is fantastic at the moment. There is a lot of hope around and everyone is clearly pulling together.”

The Ridgeway Group also sponsor the club’s TV gantry and dugouts, as well as former Fratton favourite Linvoy Primus’ Faith and Football charity.