Aug 4, 2009
Town chairman Alex Mutch welcomes main sponsor Bill Parton
Pensionior Bill Parton pulled on a football shirt for the first time in his life to launch a vital new sponsorship deal for Market Drayton Town - an announced himself well pleased with it's feel-good factor.
"It helps you understand the pride players get when they don a Market Drayton Town shirt," said Bill, on the right in our picture with club chairman Alex Mutch.
Bill, the boss of Hales Sawmills, is an old friend to football at Greenfields, having backed teams in one form or another for more than two decades.
His new deal with Town is for two years but the aim is to extend it further. "The aim is to provide long term support to Town's ambitious plans," said Bill.
"Last season was tremendous for them and we want to try and help keep the ball rolling in their promotion campaign in the Unibond League.
"We know it's going to be a tough learning curve for everyone but after spending something like 20 years supporting Drayton teams in various forms we like to think we know what we're getting into.
"The spirit within the club and the commitment on and off the field could not be better - I've been very impressed by everything I have seen here."
Bill, who declines to indicate just how much money Hales Sawmills are putting up, began his involvement with Greenfields by sponsoring the old Little Drayton Rangers team.
"If I remember rightly, we bought them some playing kit and then found some piping to put around the main pitch," he recalled. "There was nothing else here when that went up."
Ironically, that pipe fence, which now separates the players from stands, office, canteen, dressing rooms and other facilities, was being painted when Bill visited the ground last week to join club chairman Alex Mutch in unveiling Town's new kit.
"It's nice to know it's still here...and so are we," said Bill, the younger members of whose family have also had a powerful influence on Greenfields.
Son Julian, who runs the sawmills business with him, and nephew Mark, who played local football for many years, were instrumental in forming the new Market Drayton Town Football Club seven years ago from the then fading Little Drayton Rangers outfit.
Together they were a driving force in drawing up the blueprint that led to last season's success.
Business commitments led to Julian relinquishing the chairmanship to Alex Mutch two seasons ago but both continued to play prominent practical roles at the club, with Mark, in particular, a key figure in creating ground improvements.
Welcoming the new sponsorship deal, chairman Mutch paid tribute to the Parton family's supp port for Drayton sport.
"They have done a tremendous amount for the town in general and our club in particular," he said.
"It may be a new deal for us but it's with old friends who never really went away and as everyone's very happy with the arrangements, that's got to be a great start to what promises to be an exciting season."
"It helps you understand the pride players get when they don a Market Drayton Town shirt," said Bill, on the right in our picture with club chairman Alex Mutch.
Bill, the boss of Hales Sawmills, is an old friend to football at Greenfields, having backed teams in one form or another for more than two decades.
His new deal with Town is for two years but the aim is to extend it further. "The aim is to provide long term support to Town's ambitious plans," said Bill.
"Last season was tremendous for them and we want to try and help keep the ball rolling in their promotion campaign in the Unibond League.
"We know it's going to be a tough learning curve for everyone but after spending something like 20 years supporting Drayton teams in various forms we like to think we know what we're getting into.
"The spirit within the club and the commitment on and off the field could not be better - I've been very impressed by everything I have seen here."
Bill, who declines to indicate just how much money Hales Sawmills are putting up, began his involvement with Greenfields by sponsoring the old Little Drayton Rangers team."If I remember rightly, we bought them some playing kit and then found some piping to put around the main pitch," he recalled. "There was nothing else here when that went up."
Ironically, that pipe fence, which now separates the players from stands, office, canteen, dressing rooms and other facilities, was being painted when Bill visited the ground last week to join club chairman Alex Mutch in unveiling Town's new kit.
"It's nice to know it's still here...and so are we," said Bill, the younger members of whose family have also had a powerful influence on Greenfields.
Son Julian, who runs the sawmills business with him, and nephew Mark, who played local football for many years, were instrumental in forming the new Market Drayton Town Football Club seven years ago from the then fading Little Drayton Rangers outfit.
Together they were a driving force in drawing up the blueprint that led to last season's success.
Business commitments led to Julian relinquishing the chairmanship to Alex Mutch two seasons ago but both continued to play prominent practical roles at the club, with Mark, in particular, a key figure in creating ground improvements.
Welcoming the new sponsorship deal, chairman Mutch paid tribute to the Parton family's supp port for Drayton sport.
"They have done a tremendous amount for the town in general and our club in particular," he said.
"It may be a new deal for us but it's with old friends who never really went away and as everyone's very happy with the arrangements, that's got to be a great start to what promises to be an exciting season."
