TUAFC would like to thank long-standing sponsors Thatchers for their continued support.
Thatchers have been big supporters of United – as well as South West sport in general – since adding a pitch side advertising board at Plainmoor in 2006. The longstanding sponsors branding is seen across the sponsored Popside, as well as on the back of player’s shirts, and this season, Thatchers have introduced our matchday social media competition, which sees supporters guess the minute of the first goal, with one lucky winner receiving a four pack of Thatchers Gold!
Thatchers has been making cider for over four generations and continue to be a family-run business to this day. And even though it has become an international brand, being sold in 22 countries, it remains based in Somerset. Their aim is to stay true to the people that grew the business with them, and that includes Torquay United.
Chris Milton, Off-Trade and Export Sales Director at Thatchers, as well as ardent Gulls’ supporter explains how the partnership between TUAFC and Thatchers began, and how both the partnership, and Thatchers themselves continue to grow.
“Martin is fourth generation and he still runs the business, and his children Peter and Eleanor are fifth generation and are now involved in the business, and with his mum and dad still around they are the only people that own the shares and they will never sell that business.”
“Back in 2006 a guy called Chris Jelph who was a non-executive member persuaded the company to put a board down at the away end, so when I arrived at Thatchers it grew a bit and then grew a bit more. It’s been a great sponsorship and I have to be careful as I’m completely biased towards this Club, but we sponsor a lot of teams across the Westcountry, and have no desire to go beyond our latest link up with Southampton FC. There is no other team in either the Football League or Non-League that has the Thatchers name across the back of their shirts as we no longer do it, so it is now exclusive to Torquay United.”
“I have been at Thatchers for over 15 years now, so we have grown it from a business that was turning over about £10 million a year to one that is turning over £185 million a year, so i am immensely proud of everything that we have achieved, but of course when you support a club you can take the boy out of Devon as I no longer live here, but you will never take the Devon out of the boy and no other team has got that buzz that I get when coming down here -so I am very proud of both the Club and Thatchers.”
Torquay United would like to take this opportunity to thank all at Thatchers for their continued support of the club.
For further information about sponsorship opportunities at TUAFC, please contact Commercial Manager Sharon Musker on 07949 005832 or email [email protected]
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