villa lose sponsors...

[andy villa]

Originally Posted by Birmingham Mail

ASTON Villa fans were today facing fresh uncertainty after the club's current shirt sponsors announced they would not renew their deal at the end of this season.

DWS Investments was the UK arm of the German-based Deutsche Bank, but this was bought out by Aberdeen Asset Management before Christmas.

With no remaining British business links, the company today told the Birmingham Mail that it no longer feels the need to continue sponsoring Villa.

Executives at the club were today hunting for new shirt sponsors. They were aware that the contract was due to end this season, but news that the Germans are not considering a new deal has come at a difficult time.

Fans are still nervously awaiting the outcome of a proposed £64 million takeover by Irish property developers, the Comer brothers, a bid fronted by Solihull businessman Mike Neville. Talks have been ongoing for months, with some observers saying the bid does not meet the asking price, while Mr Neville insists talks are continuing.

Many companies may be interested in future sponsorship deals with Villa, but it is unlikely that new deals can be struck until the takeover issue is resolved, as no-one knows who will be running the club next season.

The situation is made worse by the fact that Villa's long-reigning chairman Doug Ellis, aged 82, has had no chief executive or commercial manager in position since parting with Bruce Langham and Abdul Rashid last year.

It is understood that sales director Stuart Ryan now has responsibility for securing a new sponsor.

DWS initially took over the £1.5 million-a-year shirt sponsorship deal with Villa in May 2004.

Baki Imrak, spokesman for DWS in Frankfurt, said: "DWS had a deal to sponsor Aston Villa until the end of this 2006 season.

"Since the UK arm of DWS was bought out by Aberdeen Asset Management, DWS no longer has any business links with the UK.

"We therefore no longer have any need to sponsor Aston Villa and our contract will terminate at the end of the season in May."

No one at Aston Villa was available for comment at the time of going to press.

But insiders say the rush for a new sponsor is now on. They told the Mail that the club needs to quickly decide on a new design for the home and away strips for the forthcoming 2006/7 season so that the new kits can be designed and manufactured in time.

Because it is World Cup year, football clubs ideally need to move fast to have new strips in the club shop by late May or early June, or else parents wanting replica shirts for children may choose the new England strip instead. Rivals Birmingham City are already in the process of involving fans in choosing home and away strips for the new season from four designs as part of an ongoing sponsorship deal with flybe.com.

A Blues' spokesman said its orders for new kits had to be with factories this month if the shirts were to be manufactured and supplied in time for the early summer.

Back in 1997, West Ham United were forced to wear shirts without logos for a season after failing to agree a sponsorship deal. Villa's executives will remember West Ham's fate as they race to secure a new deal in time.

Neil Heitzman, of Aston Villa Supporters' Trust, said: "Unfortunately this is another example of the club being left in limbo because of the protracted takeover talks.

"It would be dreadful to see the players run out at the start of next season with no sponsors on their shirts. I am not surprised companies are wary of coming in with Villa when they are not sure who they will be dealing with.

"The takeover needs to be brought to a conclusion either way sooner rather than later."

*sigh*