Grimsby Town’s new partnership with Myenergi will help the area embrace a “new narrative” while remaining proud of its heritage and legacy industries.
That’s the view of chair Jason Stockwood, who has also used his own tech entrepreneur earnings to co-fund a passion that burns way beyond Blundell Park.
He led online insurance company Simply Business to a buy-out with US giant in a deal worth more than £400 million, and now invests in other companies, having previously held senior roles with Trailfinders, Lastminute.com, Travelocity Business and Match.com.
Read more: Myenergi plugs in to the Mariners as new shirt sponsor and key community partner
Reflecting on his interests in 50 or 60 tech businesses through funds, he underlined his delight at the union with Myenergi. He said: "I’m really proud to be associated with a business and entrepreneurs doing amazing stuff in the green energy revolution. This is as good a business as I have seen, and such a source of pride for me.
“We are re-establishing the club as a community club, and part of that is telling the new narrative, thinking about industries of the future, things that will carry this town on for the next 200 years.
“Fishing will always be important, it is our heritage, in our DNA. But we have to look at these new industries. These are the companies of the future, the industries of the future, and there are careers on the doorstep.
“We need 20 Myenergi’s, 50 Jordans and Lees (Lee Sutton - Myenergi's co-founder).”
An agreement involving Manchester-based software development training provider Northcoders is already in place to guarantee interviews at Myenergi for people completing courses to be delivered at Blundell Park, and you sense this is just the start.
“There is no better partner, it is not just a logo on a shirt, but a genuine partnership where we are aligned in what we can do in the community,” Mr Stockwood added.
The deal was penned before Sunday’s National League Play-Off Final success over Solihull Moors, and the improved terms will ensure the continuous improvement ethos is delivered.
“Sunday was the start, not the end,” he said. “How we kick on now is important in every dimension - commercial, operations and the football side.
“There’s an economic upturn for us, the level of professionalism, the TV rights funding for academy, solidarity payments, but if we’re going to improve the squad, the non-playing staff, we won’t make any money - but it gives us a better opportunity to invest. We’ll still make a loss, but it will be less painful as we do that. Hopefully our profit and loss will look healthier, but it doesn’t turn into profit.
“Coming out of Covid, with the run of form we have been on, I think there is a general feeling of more positivity around the town. The moment is now, and we have got to capitalise on it.
“It marks a new chapter for us, to improve and kick on. We have got to make sure we capitalise, and there is plenty of work to do.”
Respectful to Young’s, offered first refusal on a new partnership, Mr Stockwood said: “I have a huge respect for them, we are so appreciative, they are so important as an employer, and we gave them first chance.”
He also hailed the link with a firm “at the forefront of renewables” to the B-Corp status sought, with a bid to make the club carbon neutral.
“We’re trying to instil values into where we want the football club to be, and this is part of that,” he added.
Debbie Cook, chief executive at Grimsby Town, picked up on this. She said: “It is a great partner, a business founded by two entrepreneurs who are looking to employ local people. They really champion Grimsby, and they show that great things can happen.
“We talk about continuous improvement, and that will always be the focus, and Myenergi share that - that’s what they want to deliver. We are really excited about the potential for Grimsby and having the club there to play a part with everything we do.
“Values are really important, and this is a genuine partnership.”
For Myenergi, it brings more recognition locally - where the statement HQ is being added to significantly by the A180 entrance to the town - and nationally as the club’s profile is raised.
Jordan Brompton, co-founding chief marketing officer, said: “For us it is quite strategic, there are a lot of roles we have to fill, there is a huge skills gap in the industry and we thought ‘what better platform to support this and an amazing club’.
“We agreed before Sunday, so promotion was such an added bonus.
“We have 350 people now, we are building a 60,000 sq ft facility, and that’s going to need to be filled. We need skills across the whole business, and we have plans to double over the next 12 to 18 months.
“I am really excited, it feels mega, and I cannot wait to walk past people with the shirts on, and feel the enormous pride at being part of it.”
Those shirts should be unveiled early next month, and having been party to a private preview, all are impressed.
And you’d anticipate all will be keen to blow the seafaring superstition of the colour green being unlucky out of the water, as the black and white stripes welcome Myenergi’s palette, no matter how subtle.
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