Engineering company throws its hat into ring with ‘The Hatters’

CONFERENCE North football club Stockport County has unveiled a new advertising and sponsorship deal with a local engineering company.

Fifth-generation family company Francis Kirk Group, based in Denton, Greater Manchester, will back the former English Football League club, founded in 1883 and affectionally known as The Hatters, until the end of the season.

Francis Kirk is a manufacturer and distributor of engineering products. These include fasteners, socket screws, PPE clothing and other industrial products which the firm sells to a wide range of North West, UK and international customers.

It also has a well-stocked DIY counter for local trades at its Denton site.

The trade counter will be the focus of the Edgeley Park club’s campaign as managing director Tom Kirk said: “We know that Stockport County has a loyal fan base and many of those work in professional trades that we can help supply.

“We stock 100s of tools and equipment from major brands and have experts on hand to help advise on the best tool for the job, including local DIYers.”

Francis Kirk group’s trade counter is just five minutes from junction 24 on the M60 and stocks products by Stanley, Faithful, Draper, Dewalt, Bosch, Bahco, Stockport brand Reisser and abrasives.

The County deal, worth several thousand pounds, includes a six-metre long pitchside advertising board, a match ball sponsorship – probably against Darlington in January – and opportunities to join the Back of the Net raffle, entry into the sponsor database, a full page in community education booklet and additional corporate hospitality tickets.

The club has also started sourcing clothing from the firm in a partnership that looks set to benefit both parties as Simon Dawson, commercial manager, explained: “It’s great to welcome Francis Kirk Group to our corporate sponsor community and to be able to build on the tie up by sourcing from them as well.
 
“At County we pride ourselves on keeping things within the family and this is a great example of it. We will be commending their trade counter to fans and looking to build a long-term partnership.”