Wrexham football club skipper Shaun Pearson will have the full weight of the law behind when he patrols the defence on away trips.
The six-foot centre-half’s away kit has been sponsored by none other than lifelong Dragons fan Arfon Jones, the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner.
The retired copper, a former Inspector in Wrexham who was elected with an overwhelming majority as Plaid Cymru’s candidate for Commissioner last year, is a season ticket-holder at The Racecourse.
He is also a prominent member of the Supporters Trust that owns the Club, Wales’s oldest and the third oldest in the UK but the £330 for his sponsorship comes not from the public purse but from his own pocket.
Arfon Jones said: “I have sponsored Shaun for the season and the reason is that those of us in business or in positions like mine should show support for local community organisations such as Wrexham FC.
“That support provides social value and that’s what I wanted to do in backing Wrexham AFC – it is owned by the fans and is a community enterprise and is very much North Wales’s football club.
“It’s not backed by big money from abroad but by local people who are its fan base and I wanted to set an example to other businesses on the importance of social value.
“It’s all about supporting the community where you operate because that’s what we are doing at Wrexham AFC because it’s more than just a football club, it is part of the community of North Wales.
“We’re an integral part of the community and I wanted to play my part in putting something back into it and hopefully encourage others to do so too.”
Shaun Pearson, who joined Wrexham in May after six successful seasons at Grimsby Town, was part of an influx of 13 new players as manager Dean Keates oversaw a massive change in personnel.
The 28-year-old defender said: “It’s great to be at such a community-focused club and one that’s very much part of the town of Wrexham.
“The club is owned and run by dedicated supporters like Arfon who want it to succeed for all the right reasons and they want the club to do well for the people of North Wales who are really passionate about their football.
“We really feel they are behind us and we want to give them something to get excited about and build that bit of momentum.”
Keates is a big fan of his skipper and said: “He’s a leader and the perfect match for this football club and how we want to go forward. He gives 110 percent in everything that he does and is a great character on and off the field.
“He’ll do a great job for the club and all being well he can play his part in us going forward.”
