‘We can prosper without the Rock’

May 21 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

DURHAM chief executive David Harker has hailed Northern Rock as “model sponsors” but moved to reassure supporters that the severing of links with the bank would not affect the cricket club’s development.

The Rock’s executive chairman Ron Sandler told the Treasury Select Committee yesterday his company would end its sponsorship of both Durham and Middlesex. Deals with Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons will continue, however, as the bank argued they were commercially more advantageous.

The seven years in which Northern Rock have been Durham’s main sponsors have coincided with impressive development on and off the field. The county has emerged as one of English cricket’s powerhouses thanks to an academy which has also kept the national side well stocked and the signing of big-name overseas players such as Shoaib Akhtar, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Scott Styris, Mike Hussey and, for this summer’s Twenty20 competition, Shaun Pollock.

At the same time the club’s Riverside ground at Chester-le-Street has become established as a Test venue, with plans for a new stand to take the permanent capacity up to around 20,000.

Harker, though, was adamant Northern Rock’s decision will have no effect on either the work on the ground or Pollock’s arrival. “None whatsoever,” he insisted. “Sponsorship is a very important part of what we do, I don’t want to downplay it, but it’s a fraction of our turnover. Northern Rock going away doesn’t change our plans or anything. I’m not saying we aren’t disappointed because we enjoyed the opportunity of working with Northern Rock and we were able to do a lot of good things together, but it gives us the opportunity to look for new sponsors and develop new relationships.”

While trying to damp down the significance of Northern Rock’s announcement, Harker was equally anxious to pay tribute to the bank for the important part it has played in his club’s development.

“We see it as a relationship rather than just a commercial deal,” he said. “They’ve been model sponsors really in terms of understanding our needs and reacting to them. It’s been a genuine partnership.

“They’ve been genuinely supportive of us and that’s the only real sadness from this announcement – the fact we won’t be working with them in the future.”

Durham have been bracing themselves for the news since September’s run on the bank and Harker revealed they are in talks with potential replacements.

Durham will be negotiating at a time of strength, having just enjoyed their most successful season and with the Indian Premier League exciting new interest in domestic Twenty20 cricket – something the signings of Pollock and fellow South African Albie Morkel for the English competition will exploit.

“There’s a process to go through but we have two or three people we’re speaking to at the moment,” said Harker.

“We’re very hopeful of announcing a new main sponsor in the not-too-distant future.”