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Ed Sheeran joins list of musicians who have bolstered football clubs

Ed Sheeran joins list of musicians who have bolstered football clubs
The singer-songwriter is not the first act to make his mark as a sponsor.

Ed Sheeran's decision to become Ipswich's shirt sponsor is not the first foray into the field from the music industry.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look a some of the other acts who used their names and wealth to bolster football clubs.

Super Furry Animals

Big Ask Live Benefit Concert
Gruff Rhys of the Super Furry Animals, who sponsored Cardiff (Steve Parsons)

The Welsh band agreed a five-figure deal to back then Division Two Cardiff's bid for European qualification via the FAW Cup in 1999. Their name adorned the club's shirts throughout the cup campaign, although City came up just short when they were beaten 2-0 by Wrexham in the final.

Bad Manners/The Libertines

Music – Buster Bloodvessel – 1982
Singer Buster Bloodvessel, pictured here tucking into spaghetti at Fatso's Pasta Joint in London, gave his support to Margate (PA)

Ska outfit Bad Manners came to the aid of Southern League Margate, where frontman Buster Bloodvessel took a seat on the board, in 1996. The larger-than-life frontman briefly ran a hotel in the Kent coastal town catering for the more generously-proportioned guest, and named it Fatty Towers. Indie rock band The Libertines also got involved with the club in 2018 when they sponsored the team's shirts.

Wet Wet Wet

Wet Wet Wet sponsored Clydebank during the 1990s
Wet Wet Wet sponsored Clydebank during the 1990s (Tim Whitby/PA)

In 1993, the Scottish four-piece, who had enjoyed a string of big hits, took over as principal sponsors of First Division Clydebank on a two-year deal. As part of the arrangement, singer Marti Pellow and his band-mates, who were all from the area, were granted free admission to home games.

Fatboy Slim

Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim in the stands at the AMEX Stadium
Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim in the stands at the AMEX Stadium (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Long-standing Brighton supporter Fatboy Slim – or Norman Cook to his friends – was delighted when his label, Skint Records, decided to sponsor the Seagulls in 1999. The company's name was an appropriate addition to the club's shirts at the time following a difficult spell in their history which saw their home for 95 years, the Goldstone Ground, sold.

Motorhead

Lemmy of Motorhead answered the call of an old friend to back the Greenbank Under-10s B team
Lemmy of Motorhead answered the call of an old friend to back the Greenbank Under-10s B team (Yui Mok/PA)

The Greenbank Under-10s B team pulled off a coup in 2006 when they managed to get Motorhead on board. The Lincoln side, who ran out to Ace of Spades, got the support of the heavy metal band after manager Gary Weight contacted frontman Lemmy, an old friend.

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2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
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