Swindon Town are delighted to announce that The Town End will now be known as The Alan McLoughlin stand from today on, sponsored by Imagine Cruising.
Today is a special day for both Alan's family and the Football Club as we remember and pay tribute to a club legend and a much-loved husband, father, friend and colleague.
We sadly lost Alan in May and the Club wanted to pay tribute to a man who gave his all to Town as both a player and as Head of the Academy.
Making 136 appearances in Red with 25 goals, McLoughlin will forever be a club icon and he went on to be a key figure in the club's Academy for a number of years.
As Head of Academy, McLoughlin shaped the lives and careers of so many young men and he was loved and adored by those who played under him and worked alongside him at the club.
Therefore, we are absolutely delighted to be able to officially rename The Town End to "The Alan McLoughlin Town End," in partnership with Imagine Cruising, with 10 percent of all sponsorship proceeds from the stand going to the Prospect Hospice, who helped the McLoughlin family look after Alan at home during his final days.
The club is delighted to have Imagine Cruising back on board with us. They were a key sponsor for seven years and we are very much looking forward to working with them again this season.
Following seven years as the main sponsor of Swindon Town FC, Royal Wootton Bassett based travel specialist, Imagine Cruising, are proud to sponsor the newly renamed Alan McLoughlin Town End at The County Ground.
The Town End will be emblazoned with the Imagine Cruising ethos “One Life – Live it. Love it. Share it” and serves as a reminder to us all that we only have one life and within that life a world of possibilities just waiting to be discovered. This is especially poignant as the stand is a tribute to former player Alan McLoughlin who sadly lost his battle with cancer earlier this year, and whose daughter Abby has worked for Imagine for the past five years.
Imagine Cruising's Marketing Manager, Martin Palmer says: “2021 marks an exciting time for the club as they enter a new era under newly appointed CEO Clem Morfuni and his new management team and Imagine Cruising are excited to be involved in this journey”.
As part of the sponsorship agreement, 10% of the sponsorship fee will be donated to local charity, Prospect Hospice, who Imagine Cruising have supported since 2012. The work Prospect Hospice do, and their end-of-life care services are so important to so many and all the staff at Imagine Cruising are frequently humbled and in awe of their tireless work to make life a little bit easier to those who so desperately need it.
Imagine Cruising's CEO Robin Deller says: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the Alan McLoughlin Town End stand at the County Ground. Having sponsored Swindon Town for the past seven years, we are thrilled to be involved in this new and exciting era for the club. It’s fantastic to be able to bring our One Life message to life within the stadium, and to be able to simultaneously support Prospect Hospice alongside Swindon Town FC is an extra bonus.
Town Chief Executive, Rob Angus, said: "This is a really fitting way to remember Alan McLoughlin. He will forever be known as a club icon and we are proud and honoured to have been able to rename The Town End in his honour.
"We must also thank Imagine Cruising for their support in making this happen, and we are looking forward to working closely with them again this season and have them involved in this exciting journey for the Football Club."
Sheryl Crouch, Head of Income at Prospect Hospice, said: "The renaming of the stand is such a fitting way to remember Alan and we are thrilled to have been chosen as the beneficiary of part of the sponsorship package of the new stand, in addition to the fundraising from the memorial match played in Alan's memory earlier this year.
"We really cannot thank Alan's family and everyone who has been involved enough for this generous support.
"The Club and Alan hold a special place in the hearts of many local people and everyone at the Hospice feels honoured that we have been supported in this way.
"Thanks to this community and the money they raise for us in a range of ways, we were able to care for Alan and his family when they needed us, we're incredibly grateful for this support, especially at a time when it's difficult for us to conduct our usual fundraising activity.
"The money donated will be used by the Hospice to ensure we can be there for someone else who needs our care and support at the end of their life."
Here is a message from the McLoughlin Family:
"We would like to thank Clem, Rob and the Management Team for all of their support, and for making Swindon Town a club we can all be proud of.
"We would like to especially thank the Prospect Hospice who helped us look after Alan at home during his final few days.
"And, finally, thank you to all of the people and fans who sent messages of support and such moving tributes for Alan. It was those messages that helped us as a family get through a very sad and difficult time.
"Alan dedicated his life to football and coaching. He was very proud of all of his boys and scholars, and we would like to wish them all every success in everything they do."
Deby, Abby & Megan xxx
