Diamond Coated

DERRY City Football Club will tonight officially launch a major new three year sponsorship deal with local packaging company, Diamond Corrugated, a partnership which will run until the end of the 2013 Airtricity League season.

ARTHUR DUFFY reports

Following the successful conclusion of negotiations between the parties, the details of the new partnership deal will be unveiled in the Derry City Social Club, hosted by Derry, at 5.30 tonight.

While I failed to learn the actual figure involved, it’s understood that the sponsorship is “substantial” and will certainly boost the “Candy Stripes” following the club’s recent return to top flight League of Ireland football.

Neither Paul Diamond, the Managing Director of Diamond Corrugated, nor Philip O’Doherty, the Derry City Chairman, would comment prior to this evening’s Press Conference, but it would appear that their involvement could well signal the next phase of a plan to reinvigorate the local club.

After all, Mr. O’Doherty and Mr. Diamond were chiefly responsible for formulating the current Derry City Board of Directors following the collapse of the club at the end of the 2009 season.

And with Mr. O’Doherty, a leading member of the ‘University 4 Derry’ Group, having taken up the main sponsorship last season, it would appear that this pair are continuing to work in tandem behind the scenes.

Sources close to Mr. Diamond suggest the former chairman is a keen admirer of the club’s current strategy developing local players under the guidance of manager, Stephen Kenny. This, together with the Board’s prudent financial policy, is said to be among the main reasons why he has agreed to provide financial support to the club.

Passionate, highly

supportive

Having led the “Candy Stripes” to their last Premier Division title win back in 1997, the Diamond Corrugated supremo has remained passionate and highly supportive of his home town club.

Indeed, Mr. Diamond was particularly annoyed at the club’s 2009 collapse and that difficulty was compounded when Derry’s reputation had been tarnished and placed in jeopardy following the non-payment of ‘football debts’ to Irish League clubs, Dungannon Swifts and Linfield.

In fact, his immediate involvement in the “Friends of Derry City” grouping set wheels in motion which saw those issues settled outside the actual club.

Mr. Diamond has always been particularly passionate about the economic growth of his home town and, according to close friends, he wishes to see the local football club play it’s part as one of Ireland’s most successful club’s in the forthcoming City of Culture celebrations in 2013.

Considered a significant employer at it’s Pennyburn base, Diamond Corrugated is a major player within the packaging industry in Ireland, and despite the current recession is also known to have lodged a planning application for an additional 20,000 sq. ft. extension to it’s current facility. It is understood this will lead to the creation of additional manufacturing jobs.

Meanwhile, a Derry City spokesman confirmed last night that the launch of the three year sponsorship deal will be officially announced this evening and that the club would not comment until after that particular function.

Local Sponsors

Dominate

Meanwhile, for the first time in two decades, local sponsors will dominate the Derry City jersey for the next three years.

While Diamond Corrugated will be the major sponsors, leading mechanical engineering company, Gallagher & McKinney (GMK) will dominate the sponsorship on the back of the jerseys.

And in keeping everything local, leading Derry taxi firm, City Cabs, have taken up the sponsorship on the sleeves.

All in all, it appears that no shortage of work has gone on behind the scenes at Brandywell over the past few weeks and last Friday night’s victory against Bray Wanderers will certainly make tonight’s event in the Derry City Social Club all the more welcoming.