Local logistics company Magnus Group will be the new sponsor of Portman Road’s West Stand for at least the next two seasons.

The Magnus Group West Stand will be officially unveiled at tomorrow’s home match against AFC Wimbledon.

The East of England Co-op’s link-up ended in the summer after 11 years, following on from stand sponsorship by the Britannia Building Society and Pioneer.

Magnus Group provides 355,000 square feet of warehousing space, road haulage, local distribution and global freight-forwarding services and has increased its turnover by 170 per cent in the last 18 months, with staff numbers increasing from 103 to 160.

CEO Olly Magnus, a diehard Town fan, says the sponsorship deal reflects that growth for the family business, having always been keen to place the business at the centre of the community.

They already sponsor Town’s U16s, amateur racing driver Mark Steel and other sports, as well as charity groups.

Magnus was a partner in another logistics company when his father, Paul, died in 2018. He then sold up and invested his money into Magnus Group, becoming the majority shareholder in 2019.

"It’s been quite the ride since," he reflected. "I put everything into the company, but thanks to the amazing teams we now have at our Great Blakenham HQ and at our new warehousing and offices in Felixstowe, we have turned the business around and are poised for further significant growth. Like being out on the pitch, it’s all about teamwork and doing things the right way.

"I couldn’t be prouder to see our name up there on the West Stand. It’s not just any stand either, it’s where I stood for my first game, aged six, with my sister Emma and with my late father back in 1979.

“I don’t remember much about the match, but I do remember falling off my stool. All the kids stood on stools or milk crates in those days!

"When the new stand, then called the Pioneer, was built a few years later, my father, grandfather and I had season tickets in the upper tier for six or seven years.

"There is a certain synergy. Magnus Group is a local company, operating nationally, and like Ipswich Town, we want success. But we want to do it the right way.”

Town director of sales, Rosie Richardson, added: "We are extremely delighted to announce that Magnus Group are the new sponsors of the West Stand.

“The agreement spans a minimum of two years. Magnus Group are a locally based company and they have shown their support of the club through various initiatives and this sponsorship agreement now further cements this.

“The West Stand has had significant and memorable sponsors over previous years and I’m sure the association with Magnus Group will be just as iconic."

Photos: ITFC/Magnus Group

Blue_75 added 12:59 - Aug 27 Well done! Nice story!
7

topshout added 13:18 - Aug 27 Really pleased must be a dream come true. I run logical firm in the South west and we have 2 season tickets for the hospitality of our customers. Not quite Rother same league lol
1

Monkey_Blue added 13:22 - Aug 27 Good news. Although it will always be The Pioneer Stand to me. Maybe a generation thing 😉😂
5

JohnyJohnson added 13:25 - Aug 27 Will the white Co-op seats be removed?
1

chrisw2045 added 13:36 - Aug 27 Cant pay your customer's for damaging and losing stock but happy to pile money into a football club. Good going Olly!
-8

blues1 added 13:44 - Aug 27 Monkeyblue. Think most of us fans who were around in those days probably still call it the pioneer stand at times.
5

cressi added 13:54 - Aug 27 Always be the West Stand Irrespective of sponsorship But we'll done great a local firm
0

MaySixth added 14:13 - Aug 27 How are The Magnus Group measuring the success of their sponsorship? This will need to a be a decade long deal to have any effectiveness. Hopefully they have the finances to make it work for them.
1

ArnieM added 15:05 - Aug 27 Nice one Olly 😁👍
-1

exeterblue10 added 15:32 - Aug 27 Still got the Tolly Cobbold crate I used to stand on
1

DebenBlue added 15:36 - Aug 27 New Era for the football club and by the sounds of things a New Era for Magnus Group, it is great to see a local company prepared to invest in the local community and hopefully both will enjoy success over the coming years.
4

JamestownPrince added 15:45 - Aug 27 Well done to the person who MASTERMINEDED this deal... I'll get my coat!!
1

BurleysGloryDays added 16:15 - Aug 27 Congratulations club and sponsor
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Monkey_Blue added 17:16 - Aug 27 Blues1 hence me saying it's probably a generation thing. The France style kit looked way better with Pioneer on it than Radio Orwell. Given I was a kid from Nottingham had never heard of Radio Orwell and couldn't listen to it anyway.
0

Wooly74 added 18:29 - Aug 27 I know Olly personally and am delighted with this news, a local trusted business which operates at the heart of the community, so it's a win, win for both 👍
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istanblue added 20:20 - Aug 27 Less cringy sounding than Co-Op stand I guess...
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Edmundo added 21:58 - Aug 27 Another sponsorship coup. Well done, Town.
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stiff_talking added 03:38 - Aug 28 Ollie was a decent winger, we played on the same team for many years. So pleased he has supported the Town with his and his father legacy ! Nice one !
1

DebenBlue added 19:53 - Aug 28 I must say I think Magnus Group have made the most of the exposure on offer with their signage, particularly at the entrance and back of the stands as well as pitch side, great brand awareness for a local company, well done to all involved in putting it together 👏👏
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