The new agreement struck between the Football League and LDV takes the competition sponsorship through to the end of the 2006/7 campaign, by which time two of the finals will have been played at the brand new Wembley Stadium, whose arch now stands proudly above the London skyline. Southend United, of course, made their first appearance in a major final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in this competition against Blackpool last March.
The deal represents the largest sponsorship agreement in the 22-year history of the Football League Trophy. Football League Commercial Director Richard Masters said, “This agreement underlines the progress that this competition continues to make. Each season it’s stature grows, as do crowds – by more than thirty per cent during last season alone”.
Allan Amey, the Chief Executive of LDV, added, “The LDV Vans Trophy is a superb platform for smaller clubs to compete for national silverware and gives the teams and their supporters the chance of a showpiece final” – something Steve Tilson’s men and the fifteen-and-a-half thousand that followed them to Wales last season will testify.
Meanwhile, as Blues set out in their defence of the Southern Area crown, it appears likely that the club will face nemeses Colchester United at Layer Road on Wednesday 29th September 2004. Most ties will take place the previous day, but Ipswich Town, whose Suffolk Constabulary the U’s rely on as a back-up force, are in Football League Championship action on the Tuesday, and Essex Police seemed favourable to a switch. Neither Southend United or the U’s have yet confirmed the date or the Shrimpers’ ticket allocation.
Robert Craven
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