Often Partisan

EZE Group Extend Sponsorship

EZE Group recently extended their sponsorship of Birmingham City for a fourth successive season. The leisure, travel and entertainment experts are once again “Diamond Partners” with the club having seen their profile grow during their connection with the club.

Although Blues have changed their main kit sponsor ever year since relegation (including having EZE Group emblazoned on their shirts), one thing that is noticeable is that there has been a fair bit of continuity around companies associated with Blues. This is in no small part down to the fine work of Ian Dutton, Blues’ Head of Commercial who has worked tirelessly to build these partnerships and maintain them – which in turn is part of the reason Blues are still in the black and still going strong rather than folding like a house of cards following the troubles that they have gone through.

As part of the partnership, EZE Group have been offering fans “EZE Wishes” where they have given a “money can’t buy” prize to deserving fans. The latest one on offer is a chance to appear in the squad photo before the start of this season – giving one lucky fan the chance to appear in the pre-season photocall. Previous prizes have included fan Kieran Stanley being given the chance to help kit man Denis Butler pre-season and disabled fan Stephen Fildes being chauffeur driven to the ground, delivering the match ball to the referee before watching the game from a box.

However, it’s not been easy for EZE Group in their time as sponsors. They recently won a High Court libel action against a Spanish Consumer Action Blog forum “Mind Timeshare” and its Alberto Garcia. EZE Group won an injunction against the blog and substantial damages after it was agreed by Sir David Eady, sitting in the High Court, that Senor Garcia had posted libelous and fictitious comments about the company. The offending comments have now been removed and EZE Group is awaiting payment of damages.

Interestingly, they’re not the only ones who have been in court. The Department of Justice in Hong Kong is in hot water having been sued for HK$6.1million (circa £464,000) by FTI Consulting (Hong Kong) for providing expert witness Roderick Sutton along with various accounting services during the long running trial of Carson Yeung. The invoices were issued on July 30 last year and despite consolidating them as the DoJ asked for, FTI have still yet to be paid and are now pursuing the debt through the courts.

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32 Responses to “EZE Group Extend Sponsorship”

  • dave mann says:

    nice to see blues keeping in the black and sponsors and shirt suppliers helping to keep us going on a steady if not spectacular road, hopefully with things going the way they are on the pich with another fine win and another clean sheet last night the season looks more prommising than it was a month or so ago…..lets stay posetive and then on and off the pitch things might just be looking better than we thought. KRO.

  • Richard Granfield says:

    I was at Meadow Lane last night and Blues played some attractive attacking football.
    Everybody played well, but a special mention for Dimi Gray who is Blues’ next star. He was always looking to breach the Magpie’s defence, his passing and dribbling we’re eye catching and he provided dangerous corner kicks.
    At just 18 he needs to bulk up a bit, but other than that he has the complete package.

    • Chris W says:

      Went to the game and well impressed with the performance. Fears for the coming season should soon been eradicated once we get a few points under our belts.
      The style of football is certainly going to be entertaining and not the “hoof it” we saw at times last season.
      In the car park most of the talk from county supporters was about Dimaria Gray.
      Back at my local a group of supporters came over to find out more of the lad in the fancy boots.
      He was definitely the star of the show with his play last night. But it was a good all round team effort and yet another clean sheet.
      KRO+DNM

      • dave mann says:

        very good performance chris and the team played as a team and gray and brown stood out for me….I think duffy should be worried cus cotterill on the right and gray on the left is the way to go for me from what ive seen and Donaldson looks the goal poacher weve been looking for….another clean sheet for the defence so optimistic and cant wait for middlesbro Saturday week…bring it on baby!!! KRO.

        • Chris W says:

          Donaldson was certainly a handful last night and I can see him have a real problem against some of the more physical defenders, County didn’t have a clue with him last night, but he is big and strong to cope.
          He will be a fans favourite on current form.
          Gray is another that will attract the physical defender as the only way of stopping him, again last night he drew a few high tackles, I am not sure he is quite strong enough yet for the physical aspect especially when the pitches become heavier,but during the summer of the season he will leave most for dead with his fleet of foot and pace.
          Their is healthy competition all across the team at the moment and some will be disappointed and that can only be good for the fans and the season.
          KRO+DNM

      • dwarf1962 says:

        Nice to hear positives and not the doom and gloom of last month. Looking forward to the big kick off, and the first home game. KRO

        • Chris W says:

          I do have some doom and gloom sadly and I blame my mother “god bless her”. I have been told I have a big birthday coming up and I can not make arrangements for Saturday 9th August so Middlesbrough is out for me, get the tissues out.
          We do follow that with three games on the bounce at St Ans, put the flags out, and I will be there and health wise every other game from then on.
          KRO+DNM

          • dwarf1962 says:

            You enjoy your “Big Birthday” Chris and many more of them.

          • Chris W says:

            Thanks and I shall still be doing something for Blues cause that day too and have an ear glued to a radio somewhere.
            KRO+DNM

      • Geoff S says:

        Chris.

        I thought all players wore fancy boots now (a little different from the all black with a smear of dubbin jobs!).

        More seriously, I wondered if you thought that every side Blues play in the league this coming season will (in theory at least) be of a higher standard than the sides they have played pre-season.

        • Oldbluenose says:

          Geoff S, I take your meaning on board, mate. Pre-season gave us the chance to give everyone a chance to know the play of everyone else and vital match-play as well,.
          Scoring goals again, Gives a great feeling to everyone, [ players, fans, etc ]. Whilst 4, clean sheets give vital confidence to all, !!.

        • Chris W says:

          I remember having to dub my boots, and ball when I first started playing, use to have thread the lace too.
          Damaria’s were a nice purple as my better half noted compared to Reece browns glowing orange, to me they were just fancy coloured.
          Yes, every side that we play will better but since most of the players are stepping up from what I have seen I don’t think we need worry too much about them not holding their own.
          Pre season friendlies are twofold, fitness and team building mainly, but it also a chance to experiment with formations and partnerships, players play with a great deal of freedom and creativity, if something comes off great, if they fall flat on their face supporters don’t get on their backs.
          I remain optimistic for the season, not hoping for too much, just not another Bolton scenario come May.
          KRO+DNM

          • Geoff S says:

            These modern boots look absolutely dreadful IMO but the players seem to like them. A world away from when a plain, rain-soaked caseball could hit your head like a brick and leave the lace indentation in your forehead….

          • Chris W says:

            I have to admit I would rather have the modern ball, especially in the rain.
            Modern boots have developed and technically enhanced to help the player get the ball to do all sorts but they offer no protection, especially around the ankle joints.
            My very first pair of boots looked like something you would wear down the coal pits.
            KRO+DNM

    • Geoff S says:

      Richard.

      Do you have the worry that, in saying Damarai Gray may be Blues’ next star (and good for you for saying it), he may also be the next Nathan Redmond (i.e sold on to bail the rubbish owners out)?

      • Richard Granfield says:

        That’s the risk, but I think it’s a risk worth taking.
        Gray is contracted until 2016 and as Southampton has found, you can’t buck the market.

      • Chris W says:

        I’d like to think that they have learnt their lesson and ensure there are various clauses regarding sell-on, appearances and international recognitions.
        Hopefully we have began to turn the corner and BIHL will find a buyer before we get to that point again.
        KRO+DNM

        • Geoff S says:

          Potential suitors and buyers are surely “in the frame” but still BIHL appears to do nothing.

          • Chris W says:

            I think the major stumblings are twofold, Hong Kong Stock exchange and the state of the Audits or rather lack of.
            The fact that the auditors have failed on (not sure) three occasions is not going to enhance potential buyers.
            KRO+DNM

  • Oldbluenose says:

    We are so lucky to have good ” back-room ” staff at St, an’s. With lack of help and support from H,K. we could/should be floundering in the mire without them,
    So, 3, resounding cheers for the boys and girls in the back-room, Eh, !!.

  • dave mann says:

    denny johnstone signs 3 year deal and wears number 16. KRO.

    • Chris W says:

      That is more good news, another bright prospect and competition for places.
      KRO+DNM

    • Oldbluenose says:

      dave mann/Chris w, after what I had said on here earlier, The back-room boys and girls have surpassed themselves with bringing in Denny Johnstone, !!.

    • Geoff S says:

      I hope Denny Johnstone does well for Blues but the squad number thing tends to confirm Koby Arthur does not feature in Lee Clark’s plans.

      I agree with Oldblunose that the back-room staff deserve credit, unlike the board of directors…

  • Poppa999 says:

    EZE Group are nice people and shown some loyalty to Blues. Well done to them!

  • Richard Granfield says:

    Denny Johnstone hails from Dumfries the home of Queen of the South FC.
    His Great Grandfather Bobby Black is one of the club’s most famous players and incredibly Black played his whole career of 424 games with the same pair of boots!
    He preferred to have them repaired rather than buy new ones.

  • AussieBlue says:

    Incredible that the Hong Kong DOJ has not paid FTI any money at all! Having been an expert witness and producing a 150-page forensic report; I made sure I received staged monthly payments from the plaintiff’s law firm. I expect FTI thought ‘well if we can’t trust the DOJ, who can we trust?’ – they do things in an odd way in post-handover Hong Kong!

    Great to see that BCFC is carrying on so well at a healthy arm’s length distance from BIHL and all the goings-on in Honkers. Can’t wait for Middlesborough!


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