Mickleover FC’s home ground has officially become the Vibrant Doors Arena as part of a new three-year partnership supporting local football, community activity and the club’s future development.
We’re incredibly proud to announce that Vibrant Doors is the new lead sponsor of Mickleover FC’s home ground.
As a Derby-based business with longstanding ties to Mickleover through our MD John Shaw, this partnership means a great deal to us. It brings together two local organisations that are keen to grow, create opportunities and contribute something positive to the local community around them.
Of course, as part of the deal, there is a new name above the gate. More importantly for us though, the partnership will provide valuable investment to help Mickleover FC continue developing both on and off the pitch.
Much More Than a New Name
Under the three-year agreement, the club’s home ground will now be known as the Vibrant Doors Arena.
While the naming rights are the most visible part of the partnership, this is about far more than changing the signage. Local sport brings people together, gives young players something to work towards and creates a shared sense of pride that extends well beyond the final whistle.
The additional investment from us will support Mickleover FC’s ambitions across its facilities, infrastructure, youth development, community initiatives and matchday experience. The aim is to help make the ground an even better place for players, supporters, volunteers, visiting teams and local families.
Darren Kay, Club Secretary at Mickleover Football Club, said:
“Everyone at Mickleover FC is delighted to get involved in a new long-term stadium sponsorship with Vibrant Doors, marking the beginning of an exciting partnership that brings together two organisations with deep roots in the local community and a shared ambition for growth.
A massive thank you to John and his team for being so professional and courteous throughout the process as we become the Vibrant Doors Arena.
The additional investment will be a huge help and will allow the club to pursue improvements across a range of areas. We’re really looking forward to what the future will bring as a result of the partnership.”
A Home for Football, Families and the Wider Community
Mickleover FC’s ground already plays a much bigger role in Derbyshire sport than many people may realise.
Alongside Mickleover FC, the ground is also home to Derby County Women’s team, who compete in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division and have played at the facility for several years.
The club also has longstanding connections with Derby County. Former Mickleover FC Chairman Don Amott was previously part of the ownership group at Derby County, while Derby County Community Trust currently runs an education and football programme at the ground.
Away from senior football, the site is used by children’s teams, charities and community groups. It has also recently welcomed Mickleover Padel, with four new padel courts adding another sport (and another reason for local people to visit) to the facility.
Then there are the events that have become popular fixtures in the local calendar. The ground’s Fireworks Night attracts more than 3,000 people, while Hot August Night brings families and friends together for an all-Sunday-afternoon tribute festival.
That mix of sport, education, entertainment and community activity is exactly what makes the partnership so exciting for us and we can’t wait to get more involved! The Vibrant Doors Arena is not only somewhere to watch football. It’s a place used by people of different ages, interests and backgrounds throughout the entire year and that means an awful lot to us.
A Partnership That’s Close to Home
Vibrant Doors may supply customers and projects throughout the UK, but our roots are firmly in Derby.
Our Managing Director, John Shaw, has lived in Mickleover for more than 25 years. Several members of the Vibrant Doors team also live nearby, while some have followed the club since childhood.
Supporting a well-established local facility and a sport many of us already enjoy, felt like a natural fit.
John said:
“I’m really pleased to be sponsoring Mickleover FC’s ground on a three-year deal. For me personally, as a long-time resident of Mickleover, it’s been great to see how the club has developed over the years. To be able to help support the next stage of its development is genuinely exciting.
With a number of Vibrant Doors employees also living close by, and some following the club since they were kids, it made sense to make an investment into local community facilities and into a sport we all enjoy.
With both the club and Vibrant Doors sharing a similar vision of what success looks like, we hope the additional investment will allow the team and facilities to grow further, making the matchday experience even more enjoyable and creating a community hub that the residents of Mickleover and beyond can be proud of and support in even greater numbers.”
Getting Involved Beyond Matchdays
We’re keen for Vibrant Doors to become an active and positive presence at the club rather than simply a name around the ground.
As the partnership develops, we hope to explore opportunities including pop-up events, supporter offers and volunteer initiatives. We’ll also be looking at the potential for student work placements in collaboration with the University of Derby, with a view to help young people gain practical experience while creating stronger links between local education and business.
These plans will develop over time, but our intentions are clear… to make the partnership useful, engaging and rooted in the community.
Looking Forward to the Next Three Years
The Vibrant Doors Arena name marks the beginning of a fresh era for Mickleover FC, but the heart of the club remains exactly where it has always been: with its players, supporters, volunteers, families and the many local groups that use the ground.
We’re excited to see what the next three years bring and proud to play a part in the club’s continued growth.
But most of all, we hope the partnership helps Mickleover FC remain a welcoming and ambitious club, with the Vibrant Doors Arena becoming a community hub that local people feel genuinely proud to call their own.
Keep an eye on the Vibrant Doors website or follow our Linkedin and Facebook social channels for ongoing news about our collab with Mickleover FC, events and opportunities to get involved.
