Football club gets rock star treatment

in an unusual sponsorship deal.

Wet Wet Wet made football history yesterday when they became the first

band in Britain to sponsor a club -- their hometown team of Clydebank FC

-- in a two-year deal.

The band, whose four members are well on the way to becoming

millionaires, will have their logo emblazoned across Clydebank's shirts

from next season as the part-time club tries to gain promotion from the

first to the premier division.

Details of the sponsorship, which follows a two-year deal with

Clydebank's previous sponsors, Hewden Tool Hire, were not released.

Club secretary Ian Steedman said yesterday that the club approached

Wet Wet Wet with the idea mainly because of their international success

in recent years and because the band members all come from Clydebank and

retain close links with the area.

''It is impossible to say how much the deal could be worth because,

unlike more conventional contracts, there was no up-front sum paid. The

deal is a complex one based on royalties we gather from the sale of

replica shirts, strips, and equipment.

''But, as far as we are concerned, it opens up a much bigger market

for our sportswear because of Wet Wet Wet's international appeal.''

He added: ''We wouldn't necessarily expect hundreds or thousands more

people to start supporting Clydebank but people do strange things in

life ... like running a small football club.''

The club is also hoping that it can reach an agreement for the band to

play a concert at its Kilbowie Park ground and said the band would have

various ''benefits'' such as free admission to all home games.

Wet Wet Wet were unavailable for comment yesterday but the band's

manager, Mr Elliot Davis, said he was delighted.

''It's a great idea which will put the Wets' name into sports shops

while we intend selling the Clydebank jerseys at our concerts. We like

to be the first at trying things and we hope this will lead to many

other deals between pop groups and football clubs.''