Aldershot Town are delighted to announce that we have extended our Shirt Sponsorship deal with Bridges Estate Agents until the end of the 2022/23 season.
The relationship, which began in 2013 and was due to expire at the end of next season, has been increased for a further three seasons, taking the deal into a record-breaking tenth year.
Shots chairman Shahid Azeem said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to continue our partnership with Bridges, taking us to a record-breaking tenth year; a partnership which is often unprecedented at our level of football.
“They’ve been with the club since 2013 and I hold them in high regard for the way they base their business around an ethical, family-friendly, community-based ethos; it is a proud bonus to continue our association with them and have their name on our shirts.
“Bridges have done wonders in helping promote the club to our local community. They are proper Aldershot people and after all these years I regard them as my friends and certainly friends of the club.”
Bridges Chairman Tony Raffermati had this to say: “Carlo Stocchetti & I are absolutely delighted and fully committed to supporting the club despite this year’s difficult season.
“The day our original agreement was announced Shahid allowed us, our families and our staff to take a lap of honour during the Woking game on a bank holiday Monday in August.
“It was a particularly poignant moment for me as my father had been diagnosed with cancer which took him a few months later. He had taken me to the Man Utd game 1968 when Best & Law both scored goals in a league cup game when I was just 6 years old.
“I can still remember how he was bursting with such pride on that August day, being presented to the crowd, and it is something I shall never forget and will find hard to ever repay Shahid & the Aldershot fans for. I hope our 10-year commitment goes someway to showing my appreciation.
“We have had many highs and a few lows since we announced our first sponsorship in 2013. When we originally got involved Shahid had to invest his time and money into keeping the club out of administration and, after a nail-biting season, we stayed up on the final day!
“We have come so close to playing at Wembley on a few occasions since then, in both the FA Trophy & the play-offs, falling at the last hurdle, but I still hold out hope that in our remaining years Wembley will beckon.
“Continuing our sponsorship was an easy decision for us because of the respect we have for Shahid, John Leppard, Mark Butler & all of the directors of the club. Shahid is someone we hold in the greatest regard because of his amazing principles and his commitment to so many of the charities in the area.
“He always ‘sleeps out’ for the ‘step-by-step’ homeless charity event, always attends our end of season events which have raised money for Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice and Simon Pearson, (our employee who was struck down with leukaemia) and his gift to us to allow us to play at the EBB at the end of each season has enabled us to raise well over £12,000 for these great causes. His efforts working with the local Council to expand the ground are as exciting as any club at this level and will be a great boost for the whole of the town.
“We hope the trend will be upward for The Shots over the next few years and another spell in the football league will be great reward for the fans and all the staff of this fantastic football club.”
Bridges are a family-run business established in Ash Vale in 1991, and now also boasting branches in Aldershot, Camberley, Farnborough, Farnham, Frimley and Fleet, Bridges are the market leaders in North East Hampshire and West Surrey in property sales, letting and management, and provision of conveyancing services.
The region’s premier sales and letting agents, Bridges’ instantly-recognisable brand has graced The Shots’ shirts since August 2013 as the company has forged a mutually-beneficial relationship with the Club across the Surrey and Hampshire region in the proud years we have had their name on our shirts.
With eight offices, in Aldershot, Ash Vale, Camberley, Farnborough, Frimley, Farnham and Fleet, Bridges’ innovative marketing techniques have helped Aldershot Town reach a new audience throughout the area.
For further information visit www.bridges.co.uk
