Typically, shirt sponsors for soccer clubs run the gamut from internet gambling sites, software giants (and minows), beverage purveyors, tire warehouses, etc. The Scottish Championship’s Raith Rovers, however, will feature the website of crime novelist Val McDermid next season, with Rovers’ marketing guru telling The Scotsman “it is an honour for a provincial club like Raith Rover to be involved with a world famous author.”
Despite living in the North of England, the author is often spotted at Rovers matches, including their Scottish Cup quarter-final tie with St Johnstone in March.
She said: “The benefit has never been clearer than in this coming season.”
“With the arrival of Rangers, Hibernian and Hearts in our division, there will be many more visitors to Stark’s Park.
“There will be massively more media interest, with photographers and TV cameras sending images of our ground and our players all round the world.”
McDermid’s main novels have been series based on the characters Lindsay Gordon, Kate Brannigan, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan.