Go to our photo gallery in the club area of our website to see pictures of the launch
The Scottish football league and THE NEW FOOTBALL POOLS join forces to launch new community initiative
The New Football Pools has today joined forces with The Scottish Football League and announced an exciting new partnership that will tackle serious issues within the game.
Fit for Football, Fit for Life has received over £900,000 of investment by The New Football Pools for the multi-channelled scheme that will deliver young people’s heart screening, alcohol awareness training, U17 and U19 training as well as the donation of a Defibrillator to every football club across the leagues.
The New Football Pools became an Official Partner of the Scottish Football League at the beginning of the 08-09 season. Today at Scotland’s National Stadium, Hampden Park, The Scottish Football League and The New Football Pools officially launched the scheme.
The New Football Pools has developed a longstanding relationship with football and the community during its 85 years history. Ian Penrose, Chief Executive of Sportech PLC, owner of The New Football Pools said: “We are very fortunate to be in the position of supporting the nations biggest sport through our Pools products – the company has invested over £1.1billion into football and other good causes throughout its history. For 25 years, from 1975 to 2000, the pools companies were one of the only sources of external funding for British football and this can be seen here at Hampden Park which had £5million made available to assist the renovation of the national stadium.
”With the re-launch of the Pools in the last football season comes a renewed commitment to fans and their communities. Today, we are delighted to build on this legacy ensuring The New Football Pools is even closer to the game that we have supported over the decades.”
Fit for Football Fit for Life will see all 30 Scottish Football League clubs work to support football at the under-17 and under-19 and increase training and participation. The scheme also aims to engaging young people in alcohol awareness training in order to educate and inform them of the dangers of alcohol misuse and the importance of health and fitness. Furthermore, Fit For Football, Fit For Life will provide young people’s heart screening, including the provision of a brand new defibrillator pitch side at every football club.
Speaking at the launch at HampdenPark, Scottish Football League Chief Executive David Longmuir said:
“Health and well being are key within the football environment, and the Scottish Football League is delighted to have received this much needed support from The New Football Pools. This investment will go directly to support our young people’s football programmes throughout the country and will underpin three key strands of our Fit For Football Fit for Life strategy.
“We believe this new community citizenship programme will bring a renewed focus to community football and will allow clubs to continue the many excellent community programmes that are already in existence. The New Football Pools, over three decades, has contributed to many football related good causes and the support we are receiving today provides a significant investment which will benefit all thirty clubs across the Scottish Football League.
The New Football Pools boasts an exciting range of online football prediction games at www.footballpools.com such as Premier 10 (featuring the weekend’s 10 Premier League fixtures). New Mini League syndicates online give customers the chance to compete in their own private prediction league, pitting their skills and knowledge against each other as well our Pools Pundits Alan Hansen, John Barnes, Graham Poll and Tony Cascarino. Favourites like Spot the Ball and Classic Pools are also available online.
The New Football Pools is an Official Licensee of the Premier League and Football Leagues and an Official Partner of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football Leagues. The New Football Pools has announced and exciting new partnership with The Scottish Football League, investing £920,000 into Fit for Football, Fit for Life, a new initiative that will see all 30 SFL clubs tackle serious problems within the game. This follows the announcement, earlier this year, of a partnership with The Premier League, providing £1.63 million of funding into the Premier League Health scheme, which will tackle and improve the state of men’s health in deprived areas all over the country. This recent injection of good cause funding follows a proud history of helping people and organisations of all sizes to pursue their interests in a wide range of sporting and artistic endeavours, having injected more than £1.1billion into football, sport and the arts in recent decades.
Log on to www.footballpools.com for further information.
History of the Football Pools:
In 1923, the Football Pools began with the handing out 4,000 Littlewoods Football Pools coupons outside Manchester United’s Old Trafford. By the 1930’s playing the Pools was a national pastime. Winning cheques have crossed the hands of more than 60 million people. The first £m payout was in 1986. The Pools Panel was formed during the arctic winter of 1963, and 2 world cup winners – Gordon Banks and Roger Hunt – continue to sit weekly. In 1994, Littlewoods Football Pools became the first company to sponsor The FA Cup. In 2007 Littlewoods, Vernons and Zetters Football Pools all came under the ownership of Liverpool based Sportech plc and re-launched as The New Football Pools in 2008. Mini Leagues, the new social gaming application, was launched in 2009 providing gamers with the opportunity to compete against friends as well as having the opportunity to claim National jackpots.
