GMB union withdraws as Fulham sponsors

The GMB union has agreed to pull out of its sponsorship of Fulham Football Club a year early because the club intends to cut bigger deals under Kevin Keegan’s new management.

The GMB deal has been reduced from two to three years and the GMB will withdraw from the second division club by the end of the current season. A number of companies are vying for the sponsorship including Demon Internet and a building society.

The club is understood to be looking for a three-year deal worth about 2.5m.

The club is owned by Harrods millionaire Mohammed Al Fayed.

Separately, a source at Adidas confirms that the sports goods company will sign a five-year kit deal with the club worth 3m.

According to Net Revenue, a report from the Football League’s commercial and marketing division, the highest sponsorship agreement in the second division is believed to be Preston North End’s two-year deal with the Baxi Partnership worth 110,000.

The total value of all sponsorship in the 24-club division is 1.3m a year.

The Adidas source says: “It is clear that under Al Fayed and Keegan the club has big plans and we want to be part of them.”

Keegan’s offical title at the club is chief operating officer, while former England international Ray Wilkins is club coach.