NEWLY-PROMOTED Accrington Stanley have secured a six-figure sponsorship deal which will change the name of the stadium.

The initial two-year agreement means that from next season the ground in Livingstone Road will be known as the Fraser Eagle Stadium and shirts will bear the name and logo of the Padiham-based company.

The deal with the Fraser Eagle Group is believed to be worth around £100,000 and is the biggest sponsorship in the club's history.

Stanley were promoted back to the Football League after winning the Nationwide Conference this season. The club were supported in their promotion bid by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's "We're Backing Stanley" campaign, aimed at increasing low attendances.

The sponsorship announ-cement has been described as "great news" by Stanley and means manager John Coleman will have more cash available to invest in his playing squad.

Money will also go into the pot to ensure ground improve-ments can continue.

Fraser Eagle will have an option to extend its naming rights on the ground to five years.

Stanley's chief executive Rob Heys said: "This deal is a sign of how far we have come and is certainly the biggest in the club's history.

"Our relationship with Fraser Eagle has been fantastic since it became involved in the club 12 months ago. We want to continue this relationship into the Football League and are delighted to have Fraser Eagle as our main sponsor and ground sponsor."

Fraser Eagle will continue to provide official travel for Accrington Stanley's first team and youth team.

The firm will remain mascot sponsor and will continue to sponsor the Youth Education Prog-ramme.

Fraser Eagle employs 180 people at Shuttleworth Mead Business Park but the company has historic links to Accrington after it was founded in the town in 1919 as Fraser Motors.

Kevin Dean, group managing director, said: "We have long associations with Accrington and are very pleased to continue the relationship we have enjoyed with Accrington Stanley over the last 12 months.

"We wish the team all the best and hope they enjoy a lot of success."

Rob Heys thanked previous sponsors Interlink Express and Oswaldtwistle Mills for their support.

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