Bolton Wanderers have revealed the new signage that will adorn the exterior of their stadium upon its official renaming as the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
The ground, which opened in 1997 as the Reebok Stadium, will take on its new name officially from July 1 but the club’s social media has today posted a video showing off the new sign that will sit above the main entrance for the duration of the five-year deal.
Bolton’s new stadium name has attracted interest from the national press and even got a mention on the BBC’s comedy panel show, Have I Got News for You.
But what exactly is Toughsheet and what do fans make of the new stadium name?
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Toughsheet Community Stadium becomes home of Bolton Wanderers
It was announced on February 19 earlier this year that Bolton Wanderers’ stadium would be renamed following the conclusion of its previous naming rights deal with the University of Bolton.
Taking the place of the university will be Toughsheet, a Bolton-based recyclable building product manufacturer.
Founded in 1968 and based in Westhoughton, Toughsheet employs over 85 people and is headed up by directors Dougi Mercer and Paul Mullineaux, who are both Bolton fans themselves.
The deal to rename Bolton’s stadium was billed as the largest sponsorship deal in Bolton’s history by the club and will run for the next five years.
Toughsheet, whose name is a deliberate play on words, was selected after club officials met with 20 companies after working with sports agency Sporting Group International.
Fans react to name change
The renaming of Bolton’s ground to the Toughsheet Community Stadium has certainly attracted plenty of attention since the sponsorship deal was announced.
While many Wanderers fans have happily accepted the name, others remain unconvinced.
“Branding colours match us nicely,” wrote one fan on Twitter.
While this fan countered: “Call it what you want, it’ll always be the Reebok.”
This fan only has eyes for the financial aspect of the deal: “It matches well. For how much this local man has sponsored us for he can put it in neon lights if he wants.”
“I was still hoping it was all a bad joke,” commented this supporter.
And finally, this fan echoed the humorous sentiment that many have offered: “If you don’t like it well…. Toughsheet.”
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