Ex-footballer creates field of dreams
Nov 11 2008 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal
A FORMER Newcastle United player has set up a business venture to raise funds for grassroots football clubs.
Anth Cole, who also played for Middlesbrough in an injury-plagued career in the 90s, will give youngsters the chance to emulate their football heroes through specially designed pictures for their bedroom walls.
Mr Cole will use the creative imaging technology at his Gateshead printing firm JMF Print Group to transform children into soccer superstars like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo or Michael Owen.
The pictures, complete with the child’s signature and name on the back of the shirt, will be sold to the parents of budding young footballers at the North East’s amateur clubs.
The entrepreneur will then donate a percentage of the revenue back to the football club as part of his attempt to help the continual development of grassroots football in the region.
Mr Cole said the enterprise would initially be run as a part-time business but, amid increasing demand for the posters, could eventually grow into something substantially bigger.
He also hinted he might seek the involvement of the North East’s Premier League giants. “The demand we have had from people so far has been huge – it’s every kid’s dream to have their own poster on their wall. I’ll put some of the money back into grassroots football, which often gets overlooked.
“I haven’t approached Newcastle United yet, but I would like to think I could do something with them. My little boy is seven and I got the idea from him, and then his mates all asked for one as well.”
Mr Cole went through the ranks as a youngster at Newcastle United in the same crop of players as Lee Clark, Steve Watson and Robbie Elliott. In 1990, at 17, he was on the verge of becoming the youngest player ever to play on Newcastle’s first team.
But, he tore a medial ligament in a reserve game hours before his planned debut against Wolves.
In 1992, against the wishes of the club’s then manager Kevin Keegan, Cole decided to move to Middlesbrough. But as he prepared for an FA Cup tie, he broke a foot.
Today the managing director heads a printing empire with more than 700 corporate customers nationally and 20 staff.
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