A second dream has come true for football-mad weightlifter Gareth Evans who won Wales’ first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Ifor Williams Trailers sponsorship: Pictured are ( L/R) Richard Hughes, HR Manager at IWT, Welsh weightlifter Gareth Evans , WFC Players Shaun Pearson and Chris Holroyd.
Gareth, 32, from Holyhead, was the VIP guest chosen to launch Wrexham AFC’s home kit for next season and he paid tribute to Ifor Williams Trailers who are sponsoring the club for the third year in a row.
He was so delighted about the honour that he hoisted the club’s captain, Shaun Pearson, aloft on his shoulders to celebrate the arrival of the strip for next season.
Once again the distinctive logo of Europe’s largest trailer maker is on the front of the home and away shirts.
According to the club, the partnership was a perfect fit because of the iconic trailer firm’s community spirit which matched their own ethos as a club that’s owned and run by the fans.
The company, which has factories in Cynwyd, Corwen, Sandycroft and Deeside Industrial Estate, has a global network of distributors as far afield as New Zealand and Australia where Gareth memorably clinched gold in the 69kg category, lifting 299kg.
Gareth, who works at the Canolfan Brailsford sports complex at Bangor University, said it was a thrill to be on the hallowed turf of the Racecourse where he has supported the club since he was five years of age.
He said: “I’ve been a Wrexham fan longer than I’ve been weightlifting which I started at the age of 12.
“I’m a Wrexham fan, my dad’s a Wrexham fan, and his dad’s a Wrexham fan, so there’s about a 150 years of supporting Wrexham between us.
“I’m definitely pretty passionate about Wrexham and to be the VIP, the special guest at the launch of the new kit is a dream come true.
“I always wanted to be a mascot when I was a kid, and I never got that opportunity so this is going one better so I’m very happy.
“I’m grateful to Ifor Williams Trailers for the support, and not just to them, but everyone who is interested in helping the club out, whether it’s through sponsorship or volunteering.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve got such a reputable company local to North Wales that’s involved with the football club. Every trailer you go past has got an Ifor Williams Trailers badge on it hasn’t it?
“Today is definitely a really big deal for me.”
After being placed back on the ground gently by Gareth, Shaun Pearson said he hoped his “phenomenal achievement” would inspire the team.
Shaun was also a fan of the new kit and added “Personally, I prefer this shirt to last season’s.
“We’re really pleased that Ifor Williams Trailers are the main shirt sponsors for the third year in succession. It’s fantastic for the club.”
It was a sentiment echoed by the club’s commercial manager, Geoff Scott.
He said: “Ifor Williams Trailers is an iconic brand that has its roots firmly in North Wales.
“For a community based club like Wrexham, they are the perfect partner because they have the same ethos.”
Richard Hughes, the Human Resources Manager Ifor Williams Trailers, is also a a Wrexham fan and was delighted about the sponsorship hat-trick.
He said: “We have a lot of die-hard Wrexham AFC fans working at Ifor Williams Trailers, including season ticket holders and Wrexham Supporters’ Trust members.
“The club has a brilliant track record for youth sport with the boys and girls teams, and also for disabled football, which is another reason we are proud to partner the club again this year.”
