Lions & Patrick announce partnership!
13 November 2023
LIONS ANNOUNCE PATRICK UK AS NEW TECHNICAL PARTNERS
At Swinton Lions we are delighted to confirm a four-year agreement with Patrick UK who with immediate effect will become our official team-wear and merchandising partner.
Patrick UK will now provide all of the Lions’ and Lionesses’ playing kit, training wear and match–day wear, as well as afull range of high-quality Patrick branded products for our supporters.
The Lions’ CEO, Steve Wild, “As a famous old club steeped in history, we think there’s a definite symmetry in partnering with such a well-known brand within the public consciousness as Patrick. In fact I well remember wearing their boots back in my Sunday League days almost 40 years ago!
“At each step in our negotiations we have been impressed with Patrick’s attention to detail and willingness to engage with our specific business needs at this moment in time. We have already worked together closely on our 2024 kit designs, and our coaching staff have been impressed with the standard of training wear that our players will shortly be wearing.
“Our fans have always been proud to wear Swinton Lions branded gear, and I’ve no doubt they will be impressed with Patrick products once sales go live shortly.
“We have major ambitions to grow the Lions brand right across Greater Manchester, and we know that Patrick UK will be with us at every step of the way.”
Gary and Steve Dixon, owners of the Patrick brand, said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Swinton Lions RLFC and further extend our portfolio of clubs in Rugby League. We look forward to seeing the players and fans donning their new Patrick kits soon.”
John Carden, MD of Sports Hub Group which owns a long term licence with the Patrick UK brand, added, “This is a very proud moment, not just for the ever-growing Patrick brand, but further cementing our status back within Rugby League. We’re delighted to welcome Swinton Lions into the Patrick family and look forward to a positive future together.”
A brief history of Patrick
The Patrick story started in 1892 when Eugene Beneteau opened his shoe and leather factory in a small town in France. In the 1920s, his son Patrice took over and made shoes for his local football team. Patrice did such a fantastic job that word soon spread to other teams, and the Patrick brand was born.
The national rugby monitor for Patrick France was Robert Poulain, who tested the functionality and durability of Patrick’s rugby collection. For years, he was the reference for quality footwear in rugby. He helped to develop a line of Poulain junior and senior footwear and elevated the game through research and progressive adjustments to these shoes.
We enjoyed creating iconic rugby kits for the rugby league division. We are delighted to announce today that we’re re-entering the rugby league universe with the ambition to partner with like-minded, forward-thinking clubs like Swinton Lions and to create future iconic kits.
