Cup Sponsor Steps In For Chelsea Clash

Shrewsbury Town FC will play in front of a record crowd when Chelsea FC visit in Round 4 of the Capital One Cup later this month, after the title sponsor of the competition stepped in to secure temporary seating for the League Two side.

The minnows, managed by Micky Mellon (above), will take on Jose Mourinho’s star-studded Chelsea team in their biggest League Cup fixture since 1961, and thanks to financial help from Capital One, the Shropshire club have installed temporary seating to break through the 10,000 capacity barrier at their Greenhous Meadow Stadium for the first time.

The credit card company is funding the installation of an extra 486 home seats – split evenly across the South East and South West corners of the stadium – to allow more Shrews fans the chance to watch the team’s clash with the Premier League giants.

The additional seating will also provide Shrewsbury Town with a cash boost, driven by an increase in ticket sales and match day revenue.

Matt Williams, chief executive of Shrewsbury Town Football Club, said: ‘The tie with Chelsea has really captured the imagination of our fans, wherever you go in the town people are talking about it. The demand in tickets has been huge and to be able to accommodate an extra 486 fans is fantastic. We’re hugely grateful to Capital One as this wouldn’t have been possible without its financial support.’

Jason Carr, head of sponsorship at Capital One, said: ‘As soon as we heard that the club wanted additional seating, we were determined to help. This is one of the biggest games in Shrewsbury Town’s recent history and we’re delighted that we can help as many fans as possible be there at the stadium to watch the match live. It should be a night to remember.’