Cheltenham Town FC are set to agree a contract with sportswear giants Adidas as their new kit suppliers.
The deal signals the end of a nearly thirty-year long business relationship between the Robins and Erreà, with Cheltenham first donning an Erreà designed shirt all the way back in 1997.
Erreà still remain prevalent in the EFL, with Championship teams like Sheffield United, QPR, Millwall as well as Crawley Town and most recently Mansfield Town wearing kits made by the Italian sportswear company.
Cheltenham now join the likes of Swindon Town, Exeter City, Leicester City and Salford City as teams affiliated with Adidas.
Cheltenham have undergone, and are still, navigating their way through one of the biggest turning points in the clubs history.
After former Burnley Chairman Mike Garlick acquired the club back in late August, the Robins look to rejuvenate and reinvent themselves; bringing a fresher take to the clubs image given its past financial restraints.
An Adidas deal for Town represents something far greater than how it initially presents itself on the surface.
It is visual proof that work is being done off the pitch to secure lucrative deals with big brands, to push Gloucestershire’s biggest club as a serious contender on the business front and celebrate its history despite the many historical challenges they have faced.
It shows that the hierarchy at the club care, pushing for the best quality possible for the people and fans who give some much back.
The narrative amongst fans will no longer be ‘we’ve gone for a cheap option’ but rather ‘we’ve done well to get good quality products’ and that is telling.
The deal is representative of the transition and journey that Cheltenham are embarking on, showing fans that they can, in fact, entice these brands to work with them.
While a new deal is on the horizon for Cheltenham, it must not be forgotten about how rare a deal of this length is in the modern game.
It is safe to say Erreà have stuck by the people of Cheltenham through thick and thin, through relegations and promotions and everything in between.
When EFL fans think of Cheltenham Town FC, they probably think Erreà first and that is down to the long standing and trusted deals the two brands have consistently struck up over the years.
For some, Cheltenham ARE Erreà and Erreà ARE Cheltenham and so it is understandable why some fans will feel slightly saddened by this recent news.
Cheltenham Town FC and Erreà has been an incredible partnership spanning across many EFL seasons and a shining example that brand longevity can still thrive even in the modern era of football.
While it is sad to see any deal of this length come to an end, it opens a new door, one full of promise and optimism that perhaps Cheltenham Town FC can finally be put on the map commercially the way the people of Cheltenham know they can be.
