Aston Villa announce MG Rover Group as official club sponsor

30 May 2002: Aston Villa Football Club and MG Rover Group have announced a shirt sponsorship deal encompassing the next two seasons.

The Midlands’ biggest British car manufacturer obtained "Premiership" status by linking up with the region’s premier football club to ensure an extension to an ongoing commercial partnership to almost twenty years.

The deal will enable MG Rover to market the brand at national and international level.

The home and away kit will feature the Rover and MG brands respectively rather than having MG Rover Group on both. The home kit is available for order now and goes on sale in the club shop on 15 July.

To celebrate the deal, MG Rover has produced a special one-off vehicle, an ‘Aston Villa Rover 25’ (pictured above).

The car, which will include the club colours, crest and special features, will be given away as the prize in a special competition to be announced later in the summer.

May 2002