Former Players Association Mix Business With Pleasure

The Aston Villa Former Players Association will showcase both the on and off field talent that has made it such a success during a ground breaking exhibition at Villa Park tomorrow.

Former Villa heroes from the Old Stars side will stand alongside the organisations key partners in an event designed to promote reciprocal benefits and highlight the commercial strengths of the country’s leading FPA.

Almost 30 companies that support the organisation, including leading names such as Citroen, American Golf and Prostar will showcase their products at the exhibition – while former players such as Paul McGrath, Gordon Cowans, Steve Staunton and Brian Little will meet and greet fans.

Former Player’s Association chairman Neil Rioch is delighted that the Business Partner Exhibition has come to fruition and believes it will highlight the benefits of sporting links in a difficult economic climate.

He said: “We have always encouraged the businesses that support us to enter the relationship with the mentality that it is a true partnership – as much about what we can do for them as what they give to us.

“The pull of the Former Players Association means that we deal with some fantastic local and national businesses, and we thought this event would be a great networking opportunity for them all to get together and see how they can help each other as well.

“You only have to see the type of players that are giving up their time to support the event and attend to realise how much we value these partnerships and how vital we believe it is to develop and nurture them.”

One of the attendees at the exhibition will be Citroen’s Regional Fleet Operations Manager John Harrison, and he is delighted by the approach taken by the Former Players Association.

He said: “Too many times people see sponsorships as handing over cash in exchange for a bit of branding somewhere – days like this one will show how much more can be gained from working closely with an organisation like the AVFPA.

“It will be fantastic to get together with existing and potential supporters and see what we can all do to support each other.”

The exhibition will be hosted in Villa Park’s Trinity Lounge from 11am until 4pm and entry is free of charge. For further information call 0121 628 3274 email info@astonvillafpa.org More information on AVFPA and the Aston Villa Old Stars team can be found at http://www.astonvillafpa.org/

AVFPA’s primary purpose is to support the health and welfare of former Aston Villa players in need. Incorporating the Aston Villa Old Stars team’s long fundraising history, the monies raised by AVFPA for charities and worthy causes have totalled over £4 million.

A recent example of their work is creating and raising funds for the Paul Birch Trust. Paul is a fans’ favourite who enjoyed over ten years at Villa Park and is now courageously fighting bone cancer.

Ends

For further information please contact Dan Clifford on 0121 355 3446 or email dan@haslimanntaylor.com