London Scottish land £500,000 deal with Saudi firm

Published on Wednesday 3 September 2008 23:36

LONDON Scottish yesterday followed Manchester City's example when they secured new investment from Middle East royalty.

The Premier League football club were this week taken over by oil billionaire Sulaiman al-Fahim, who is said to be backed by the Abu Dhabi royal family. And yesterday, it was the turn of London Scottish, albeit on a less grand scale.

Saudex Global, who have the Saudi Arabia royal family behind them, have pledged 500,000 to become London Scottish's club sponsor for the next three years in what is the biggest sponsorship attracted by the West London club.

The firm is an investment company owned by a member of the Saudi royal family, and the deal represents the first sponsorship of a rugby club by a Saudi company outside Saudi Arabia.

It is not a takeover of the club, which would provoke fears of the days when businessman Tony Tiarks led it over the edge and into administration, and nor will it mean instant big-name signings, but with funding for the club from youth to 1st XV levels it represents significant support for the club's bid to return to the elite level of English rugby.

Neil Hollinshead, chief executive officer of Saudex Global and a key figure behind the move as a supporter of both Wasps and London Scottish, said: "This is a fantastic deal for both Saudex Global and London Scottish Rugby Club. We are keen to assist in the development of this great brand and see a number of our clients from the Middle East and the UK come to the club and enjoy what promises to be an extremely exciting season ahead."

The club kicks off this weekend in National League Three with ambitions to return to the top flight of the English game and they have a new board, which includes Chris Rea and Kenny Logan, the former Scotland international, and Tesco chairman David Reid.

Rod Lynch, the London Scottish chairman, commented: "The fact that we have secured such a prestigious global partner is testament to both the club's strength as a brand and our bright prospects for the future.

"This is an unprecedented deal and I am confident the support of Saudex Global will help London Scottish to regain its rightful place among the upper echelons of British rugby."

Logan, the former Scotland winger, added: "This is brilliant for the club and Scottish rugby. It backs up the potential we believed the club had and shows why there are so many people working hard to get London Scottish back up to the levels it used to be at.

"There is a lot of passion down here for the club and Scottish rugby and a huge hope that all this work will make the club a big player again and develop players to strengthen Scotland on the world stage."