Sports presenter Gabby Logan to launch National Pub Football Week
Top sports presenter Gabby Logan is to launch National Pub Football Week along with a number of famous former internationals.
Logan, who presents ITV's Saturday lunchtime football show On The Ball, is to host the launch event in London on September 3 along with Northern Ireland legend Norman Whiteside, Scottish icon Gordon McQueen and the first ever black player to wear an England shirt, Viv Anderson.
National Pub Football Week is backed by The Publican and the British Institute of Innkeeping and takes place during September 6-13 as England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland compete in the final qualifying stages for Euro 2004.
Thousands of promotions and competitions will run in participating pubs around the key matches, which include England's clash with Macedonia and the crunch Wales versus Italy tie.
The event is designed to promote the British pub as the place to watch football. Thousands of special promotional packs have been produced and 500 are being given away free. To claim your free pack, containing two fixture posters and two empty belly posters, visit www.nationalpubweek.co.uk.
The not-for-profit company behind the event says it has been overwhelmed with inquiries since plans were exclusively revealed on thePublican.com on 4 July.
Several pub groups have said they want to get involved in the annual event next year.
A spokesman said: "There has already been great interest. The feast of vital Euro 2004 qualifiers for our national teams will launch National Pub Football Week on a wave of anticipation."
Almost all of the featured matches are to be shown free on terrestrial television. Coupled with the not-for-profit nature of the event, organisers say it represents a low-cost way to build up trade.
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Pubcos join forces to kick off National Pub Football Week Published (4 July 2003)
