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Town Agree Five-Year Sponsorship Deal With Greene King
Tuesday, 8th Jul 2014 18:52

Town have agreed a new five-year, six-figure deal with Bury St Edmunds-based brewers Greene King, which will see them sponsor the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, Greene King IPA become the club’s official beer and a number of Portman Road’s bars receive a revamp.

The stand - at one time the Greene King Stand - will now be known as the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, Sponsored By Greene King IPA, while the the two bars at either end of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand will become the ’78 Bar and the ’81 Bar.

Joint-MD Ian Milne is delighted that Greene King are back at the club, having ended their long association with the Blues in 2009: “It brings back a local brewer, a national brand and a local brand as well.

“It’s also nice to have Greene King back because they were with us in a very successful period, 14 years with six as shirt sponsors, so they’re very familiar to fans.

“We’re naming the two bookend bars the ’78 and ’81 Bars and Greene King are also very involved in our large Legends bar at the other end of the stadium.

“There are a lot of other initiatives we’re working on with Greene King to get us out to our fanbase and also to a lot of clients and customers of Greene King. It is very much a partnership with Greene King."

He says the undisclosed six-figure sum will go into manager Mick McCarthy's budget for the season ahead: “The money is very, very helpful, of course it is. That goes straight to Mick and the team and we wish the partnership every success.

“The money will be invested into the squad. There’s a lot of money goes into the squad, that’s what we’re all here for.”

Chris Houlton, managing director Greene King added: “We’ve a long history of selling beer to Ipswich Town and we’re delighted to be back. It’s very good news.

“Part of the reason why we came back in is because we’ve invested in our own business as well, we’ve put in a new brew house in Bury and we’ll bring new different types of beer to Ipswich Town as well as the traditional ones. Greene King IPA and Old Speckled Hen but also a lot of craft beers we’re currently producing.

“We were shirt sponsors for many years and we had a very strong association, and we’ve missed that. We’re absolutely delighted to be back.”

Blues legends John Wark and George Burley, whose promotion-winning 1999/00 side wore shirts bearing the Greene King name, were at this afternoon’s announcement.

Wark said: “We were with them for 14 years, they’ve got another five with us, they’re local and it’s good for the club and it’s good that they’ve named the bars after ’78 and ’81, which means a lot to me and George. We were both privileged to play in both teams, they were successful and great teams.”

Burley added: “I think 1978 and 1981 are key years of Ipswich Town’s history, that period was fantastic.

“And people associate Greene King with promotion in 2000, another happy, happy time."


Photo: Action Images



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Liastro added 18:54 - Jul 8
Excellent news! Ian Milne has also confirmed that the Cresswell money will go straight into Mick's budget too.
1

Roola added 18:55 - Jul 8
Can't they sponsor our shirts too? Get rid of Marcus Evans on the front!
2

Stourbridgeblue added 19:12 - Jul 8
Hope they'll do a cask bar in Legends
2

dude added 19:27 - Jul 8
Wow let the good times roll
2

Moscow_Blue added 19:34 - Jul 8
Careful George. Don't want to spill any of the precious stuff.
1

harlingblue added 19:35 - Jul 8
This is brilliant news...it feels like The Club is coming back to us again. Well done ME for getting it right after two false starts, and now having a Management team worthy of support of both supporters and local commercial enterprise.
3

cooper4england added 19:36 - Jul 8
Where can we have a 62 bar..... it's funny that we don't celebrate that we won the championship once as much as we do the FA and UEFA. Home news on the money going into the club. ME deserves some credit for this.
4

cooper4england added 19:36 - Jul 8
Good not home!
0

Steelmonkey added 19:52 - Jul 8
Well, if the bars in the North stand are being renamed, I hope that a thought has been spared for the dismal reception and faulty televison screens that are always on the blink at half time.
So has Adnams pulled out or has Greene King come in with a better deal? Isn't Adnams a local brewer anymore!
Great news for as where the Cresswell transfer money is being allocated, please, please, MM spend it wisely on an attacking midfielder who knows how to find the back of the net.
Hope we show more of an attacking attitude this coming season, and are able to mix it when plan A isn't working.
Starting to look forward to the new season, COYB's.

1

Mark added 19:56 - Jul 8
Good news.

If you fancy an interesting day out, go to Bury St Edmunds and take the Greene King brewery tour. It's well worth doing to learn more about the history and the way they brew, with a tasting session at the end.
1

Cakeman added 20:11 - Jul 8
Very pleased that extra money can be spent by Mick.
Personally disappointed that Adnams will no longer be on sale as no one will ever convince me that there is a better cask ale available. I guess that's my North-East Suffolk roots showing!

Yes Adnams is very much a local brewer and hopefully they too will return again one day.
In the meantime I shall continue enjoy the fine ale in Southwold.
7

carsey added 20:11 - Jul 8
Glad to see Green King back although I prefer Adnams beer. I would like to think the prices will be lower but somehow I doubt it. A 61/62 bar would also be worth pursuing
4

Chicago_Blue added 20:41 - Jul 8
Oh no! - no more Adnams?! Gutted about that. A pint of cask Broadside for £3.40 was superb last season. I'm really disappointed - not a fan of Green King IPA at all!
1

Chicago_Blue added 20:42 - Jul 8
....although Old Speckled Hen is nice.
1

Taricco_Fan added 20:44 - Jul 8
Wish they were our shirt sponsors too.
1

blueboy1981 added 21:07 - Jul 8
Good to see George around - blue blood in those veins for sure.
1

stonojnr added 21:27 - Jul 8
I suspect GK came in with the better deal, 6 figures is alot just for pouring rights IMO for us, though obv with the stand renaming thing it would be slightly higher (erm havent they printed all the season tickets already with Sir Alf?). Adnams dont have the mega millions of sponsorship money that GK can chuck at this kind of stuff, and Adnams spend quite abit with Newmarket racecourse as well, but to be honest they never really did anything with it did they, a couple of occasional promotions, didnt ever brew a special club beer (most local brewers who get on board with football clubs actually specifically do that because it makes some sense) So I dont know Ive always felt they were quite reluctant partners, maybe its because they see us as this Tesco town not Waitrose town thing ;)

IPA kept and served properly is a match for Southwold Bitter, but you so rarely get it like it, whilst Adnams seems alot easier to keep, and GK are unlikely to do cask beer at the ground it will be keg like they serve at the rugby unfortunately, at least maybe this time that bar at the back of the Coop Stand might get to spell it right, they used to sell Greene King IAP!!
0

wokingblue added 22:14 - Jul 8
The news just gets better!! Cask ale please.
1

BluJu added 22:17 - Jul 8
Adnams > Greene King in my opinion / taste. A far nicer range of beers. Shame.

That said, maybe GK can at least have the beer available if I try to buy a pint - the current cask bar in Legends always seems to be run out!
2

Lightningboy added 22:44 - Jul 8
Nice one..great to see George & Warky there too..shame we can't get them more involved on a full time basis somehow - utter legends.
3

budgieplucker added 00:12 - Jul 9
Finding a nice pint of IPA is like being able to take a live photograph of bigfoot.

Quite frankly I would secretly drink Woodfordes before paying for a pint of IPA. Speckled Hen is 5.2% and a bit of an acquired taste so don't rate it as a footie beer either.

Oh well we can't have everything perfect, a great shame to loose in my opinion one of the best beers in the country. Cup of tea for me instead.
-3

Safetyfirstmrwarke added 00:46 - Jul 9
Football is always better when accompanied by local beer. Wish it was back on the shirts...
1

SXBlue added 08:17 - Jul 9
Good news overall, there is an affinity with Greene King, it was disappointing how they were treated when TXU came in as sponsors so it is good to see them back.

As for the beer, IPA is pretty tasteless, especially in comparison to Adnams' ales. Abbot Ale definitely has more flavour. Old Speckled Hen is OK, but IMHO isn't as good as it was before GK bought the brand, Old Crafty Hen is nice though. They have produced some other beers that are less commonly found but are better than the standard range. I've been trying to remember the name of one that I found at a couple of events last summer that was superb.

Of course they will have IPA and Speckled Hen, but I really hope that they send at least one different beer for each match, make it a bit of a season long beer festival - now that sounds like a good marketing opportunity!
0

Notts_tractor added 09:20 - Jul 9
Very disappointing that this big corporate predator is back at the expense of Adnams. GK have taken out some great smaller brewers up and down the land. The fact that they have pouring rights up here at Forest shows that they are far from a local brewer and actually a national giant.
0

HarveyBlue added 09:45 - Jul 9
The Money = Great
The Beer = p**s

Will sorely miss the Adnams!
1


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