Pictured: BCFC partnership 1 - Birmingham FC mascot
Beau Brummie, with Rachel Emerson and Julia Johnson from TMG
Sport.
A Midlands travel company is set to play a major role in
Birmingham City FC's long-awaited return to European football when
they travel to Portugal later this month.
Blues qualified for European competition for the first time in
half a century when they beat Arsenal in February's League Cup
final and have appointed experienced sports travel management firm
TMG Sport to manage their travel requirements.
The Leamington-based company has established a reputation as one
of the leading names in the sports travel market, managing over 300
overseas UEFA fixtures in the last 25 years.
The partnership will see TMG Sport take care of all the Club's
travel needs for the duration of their involvement in the Europa
League.
Only Nacional, based on the island of Madeira, stand in their
way of a place in the group stage, which would bring at least
another three away matches.
Julia Shelton, head of football administration at Birmingham
City Football Club, said: "We are delighted to have secured TMG
Sport as the Club's official travel provider for our European team
travel and supporter travel for the Europa League this season.
"TMG Sport has a wealth of experience working with British clubs
involved in European competition and this was extremely important
for us participating in this competition for the first time.
"We are delighted to be associated with a travel company of TMG
Sport's calibre and look forward to working with them on what we
hope will be an enjoyable and successful venture into European
competition."
This summer alone TMG Sport have worked with Fulham, Hearts and
Dundee United in their own Europa League qualifying campaigns - as
well as Premier League clubs, Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers,
that took part in the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong.
Mike Schofield from TMG Sport, said: "We have worked with many
of the top teams from across the UK and it is great to be helping a
West Midlands club in Europe.
"I think it makes it all the more special given that it is such
a long time since Birmingham City took part in European
competition.
"We have agreed to support them for as long as they are in the
competition so we will be cheering them on every step of the
way."