Local business leaders take significant stake in Coventry United Ladies FC with aim of accelerating plans to turn the Club professional

The three owners of Coventry based firm, Mirius, have bought in to CULFC. Mirius own the Hycolin brand which was unveiled as CULFC’s new shirt sponsor last month.

New ownership structure will see CULFC accelerate plans to turn professional by or before the start of the 2022/23 season

Initial investment will enable an increase in activity across the transfer window, with the Club aiming to strengthen the squad in January.

The three owner-directors of Coventry based business Mirius, which owns the cleaning brand Hycolin, have today confirmed they are to take a 49% stake in the Club, with the aim of accelerating CULFC’s ambition to turn professional.

Steve Quinlan, Darren Langdon and Paul Marsh, who own and run Mirius, a leading global manufacturer of cleaning and hygiene products, initially chose to support the club via a shirt sponsorship arrangement, but once involved in the Club took the decision to increase their commitment by taking an ownership stake. The new partnership will see existing CULFC Directors, Jason Timms and Marcus Green, retain majority control but the Hycolin team will be closely involved and will utilise their extensive business network and experience for the benefit of the Club.

The initial investment will be used to help the Club bolster their squad in the January transfer window, with the aim of helping the team improve results in the second half of the season and avoid relegation. The Club then have their sights firmly set on turning professional in the short to medium term, with the new ownership agreeing that turning full-time by – or before – the start of the 2022/23 is a realistic objective. There are also plans to develop Club infrastructure and off-field resource.

Explaining their involvement in more detail, Mirius Director Darren Langdon, said; “From the moment we became involved with Coventry United Ladies, we could see there were so many synergies between our two organisations. CULFC have consistently outperformed against larger and better financed Clubs by thinking creatively and approaching challenges differently, and the same can certainly be said of Mirius and our brand Hycolin.

“We also absolutely share a love and a passion for our community of Coventry. Mirius is a business based in the city and we are really proud of our roots. CULFC certainly already holds a special place within the local area, but we look forward to building on this in the coming months and years. By working together we aim to create a real force to be reckoned with within the women’s game, and will build a sustainable, successful model which the whole of Coventry can celebrate and feel a part of. We really do have big ambitions and believe that by combining our sporting and business knowledge, as well as our energy, drive and determination we will be able to achieve huge things for this Club and this city.”

The initial ambition is to lift CULFC out of the bottom three of the Championship table and Jade Ogle, Director of Women’s Football at the Club, is aiming to strengthen the squad in the transfer window. The hope is that the accelerated plans for turning professional – alongside dual employment opportunities and access to fully paid scholarships via a relationship the Club has with Coventry University – may help attract a marquee signing.

Coventry United currently sit 9th in an increasingly competitive Women’s Championship. A number of Clubs in the League have recently announced an increase in investment as they vie for promotion to the WSL, and Coventry United are now one of a handful of teams in the League to not yet be full time. Despite this, they regularly attract some of the biggest crowds in the League, with just shy of 1,000 supporters turning out for their FA Cup clash with Tottenham in February.

About Mirius:

Mirius (formerly Coventry Chemicals) was founded in 1963 and is a market leader in the manufacture and supply of cleaning liquids, powders, and tablets to suit all professional, retail and healthcare cleaning and hygiene requirements. The global company is committed to sharing its expertise in driving innovation within the cleaning and hygiene industry.

About Hycolin:

Hycolin is a sub-brand of Mirius (formerly Coventry Chemicals), a market leader in the manufacture and supply of cleaning products. Hycolin is a new to market retail brand that offers a range of innovative Antiviral disinfectants. The new brand is committed to providing consumers powerful, effective and safe cleaning solutions for the home.

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