Rugby club doomed by 2e2 disaster rescued by Manx reseller

A small reseller on the Isle of Man has not only snapped up collapsed 2e2's operations on the island, but also agreed to sponsor a rugby club previously backed by the crashed integrator.

All eyes were on 2e2's staff, customers and creditors when the biz hit the skids six weeks ago, but Douglas Rugby Union Football club - whose players' shirts feature the 2e2 logo - was also braced for the worst.

Today club chairman Peter Horsthuis told The Channel that 2e2 Isle of Man's new owners, Argon Technologies Ltd - a reseller that salvaged the operation and 27 island jobs - has come to the sport team's rescue, too.

"We were coming to the end of year two in a three-year sponsorship," he said. "The club's president met with the new owners [Argon] to agree shirt rebranding and sponsorship."

Horsthuis said Argon's branding will emblazon players' tops and fresh kits will be dished out next season.

Douglas Rugby Union Football club is the oldest of its kind on the island and sits in second place in the South Lancs-Cheshire second division, although promotion is seemingly a dead cert after 19 wins out of 21.

The Argon logo will appear not only on the shirts and the club's stadium, but will have pride of place on Quarterbridge - the "busiest" roundabout on the island, the chairman said. Horsthuis would not disclose the terms of the deal, and would only say it was "good value". Presumably players can expect oranges at half time from their new sponsor. ®