For Immediate Release For Immediate Release For Immediate Release
World Football Exhibitions Adds Another Football Bus to the Fleet!
On Thursday 2nd August 2007 World Football Exhibitions, in Association with Stagecoach UK and Preston North End FC, launched the latest in Stagecoach’s fleet of branded football buses.
On hand to officially unveil the new Preston North End Stagecoach bus was Football Knight and all-time Preston North End and England Legend Sir Tom Finney. Sir Tom and the Preston North End bus were joined by Preston, Republic of Ireland and Liverpool Soccer Legend Mark Lawrenson who arrived at Deepdale on the recently-commissioned Stagecoach Liverpool FC Champions of Champions bus also designed by World Football Exhibitions and launched at Anfield in June.
The bus details the history of the Lancashire Club who are of course founder members of the Football League. The bus celebrates a number of unique ‘Firsts’ for Preston who were first League Champions and also first team to win both the FA Cup and League Championship in one season.
Sir Tom Finney, the first player to be awarded the Football Writers Association Player of the Year Award on two occasions is featured prominently on the design. Speaking at the launch, Sir Tom said: “I’ve had some honours in the past, but this is certainly a different one. I think it’s great, it really looks the part and I can’t wait to see it round the city”. Mark Lawrenson joined Sir Tom and paid tribute also saying “the bus looks brilliant. When it drives around everyday, it’ll certainly catch the eye. It’s great that Sir Tom is on the side of the bus, he is a true legend of PNE”.
The Buses are the brainchild of Football Historian and World Football Exhibitions Managing Director Mark Bushell. Mark’s idea was to get people going to the match onto the buses and out of their cars to help the environment. Preston North End FC’s General Manager, Ben Rhodes, said: “We’re delighted that the bus will give supporters an extra incentive to leave the car at home. It will also be a reminder of what’s on offer down at Deepdale. We like the fact that the bus will be driving past the stadium every day”.
The brand new, easy-access bus will operate on Stagecoach’s new Preston Citi routes and will stop outside Deepdale on it’s daily service including Saturday matchdays. Tom Wileman, Regional Director for Stagecoach said: “These football buses have been a great idea. The first buses were branded up with Liverpool FC livery and launched at Anfield in June – these have proved so popular, passenger numbers have soared and the buses get a great deal of attention. I’m sure that the good people of Preston will have already seen the Liverpool FC ‘open top’ double decker as it runs daily on the X2, Preston to Liverpool route, return service. We thought it was about time that we celebrated Preston North End’s great heritage and history too”