ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman has welcomed a new double sponsorship deal with more than £200,000 to the Reds, on the eve of the new 2015/16 season.

PlasticBoxShop has committed to a three-year shirt sponsor deal, while one of their key partner’s companies - What More UK Limited - will take over as the stadium sponsor, under their brand name Wham.

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That means from Saturday, when the campaign kicks off at home to Luton Town, Stanley’s famous Crown Ground will be re-named the ‘Wham Stadium’.

And Coleman hopes it will give the club the financial ‘Freedom’ to help his ‘Young Guns’ mount a challenge in their 10th season back in the Football League, after their return as Conference champions was built on the input of local company EW Cartons, owned by the club’s late former chairman Eric Whalley.

“I personally think the reincarnation of this club was built on boxes with Eric Whalley, God rest his soul, and his cardboard box company,” said the Reds boss.

“That was the start of getting us to where we are now, and hopefully PlasticBoxShop can accelerate our progress.

“We do want to get into League One, we just needed that little bit of a safety net. This (sponsorship money) can take a lot of pressure off a lot of people.”

Stanley chairman Peter Marsden added: “These two sponsorship deals with PlasticBoxShop and Wham are great news for everyone involved with the club, from the players and officials to the fans.

“They put us on a stronger footing going forward and allow us to focus on giving our best performance on the pitch, knowing we have some top flight sponsors backing us. With the new season about to start this weekend, we aim to do them proud.”

Tony Grimshaw, director of Altham-based What More UK Ltd, said he was pleased to back their local football team.

“Since its inception in 1999, Wham has grown so rapidly and we thought it was about time to give something back to the community where it all started - on a small industrial estate,” he explained.

“We’re very excited about this venture and are looking forward to seeing Accrington Stanley moving up the league table over the next few months.”

Famous Accrington Stanley fan David Lloyd, the former Lancashire and England cricketer and now Sky Sports commentator, was present at the launch in his role as a non-executive director of the club.

He said: “That money makes a heck of a difference to a club like Accrington Stanley.

“We know who we are, we know where we are, we like to think that we know where we’re going. We are unique, the club that wouldn’t die. We went out of the league in 1962 but then came back into the league in 2006.

“We like to think that £200,000 will help us to develop and grow.”

Anyone who had already purchased this season’s shirts with the previous sponsorship of StoreFirst are being offered a free exchange, or alternatively keep the old shirt and buy a new one for £20.

For more information contact the club on 01254 356950.