University’s logo will appear on the junior and senior shirts
Burnley FC Women playing shirts will have the exciting addition of a new sponsor this season with the announcement that the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has become the club’s first official shirt sleeve sponsor.
The sponsorship will see the University, one of the UK’s largest, distinct logo printed on all 150 Burnley FC Women junior and senior teams 2019/20 season shirts. The University, with campuses in Preston, Burnley, Westlakes in Cumbria and Cyprus, is ranked in the top 6% of universities worldwide* and is Lancashire’s largest provider of graduate level qualifications. UCLan was the UK’s first modern university to be included in the prestigious QS World rankings while it currently holds the maximum 5 QS Stars for the quality of its teaching.
The title winning Burnley FC Women first team won promotion to the third tier of women’s football in the summer of 2019 and the sleeve badges will be a fixture on shirts throughout the team’s campaign in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division.
Securing consecutive league titles, momentum for the women’s game continues to grow at Burnley FC with the women’s first team facing sides including Derby County LFC, Sunderland AFC Ladies and Huddersfield Town Ladies FC.
"Like Burnley FC, UCLan has a long history in the Lancashire region and a thriving Burnley campus, making it the perfect fit for this partnership."
UCLan’s Burnley Campus opened in 2009 offering undergraduate courses in sports, social care and business management. Last year the University acquired Victoria Mill, pledging to expand its presence and student numbers in the town to 4,000 by the year 2025.
From September 2019, UCLan will offer a growing portfolio of courses in Burnley including nursing, medical sciences, social work, MBA, cyber security, engineering, digital technology solutions as well as teaching phase two of the University’s prestigious medical degree.
To achieve its educations vision for the region the University is working in close partnership with Burnley Borough Council, Burnley FC, Burnley FC in the Community, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group, Lancashire County Council and the Burnley Bondholders group of influential local business leaders.
Dr Ebrahim Adia, Provost at UCLan Burnley, said: “We are delighted to take up this sponsorship opportunity and wish the team every success for the coming season.
“The profile and popularity of women’s football has never been higher and like Burnley FC Women UCLan is passionate about unlocking and nurturing new generations of talent and potential. Our goal is to raise educational aspirations of young people and under-represented groups from Burnley and beyond so they can reap the life-long benefits that higher education can bring.”
Neil Hart, Chair of Burnley FC Women and Chief Executive Officer of Burnley FC in the Community, added: “We are thrilled to announce UCLan as our first official shirt sleeve sponsor of Burnley FC Women. Our first team have enjoyed a remarkable journey over recent seasons, and we are delighted that UCLan have chosen to support the team and our ambitions for the women’s game.
“Like Burnley FC, UCLan has a long history in the Lancashire region and a thriving Burnley Campus, making it the perfect fit for this partnership. We very much look forward to strengthening our existing relationship.”