Darling's Pharmacy announced as one of South Shields FC's shirt sponsors for new season in Northern Premier League

Darling’s Pharmacy was announced by the club on Monday, June 27 – with the company’s name set to appear on the back of the Mariners’ men’s first-team shirts throughout the 2022/23 season.

It will also be included on all replica shirts sold to supporters, and on the back of the club’s new away shirts on Friday, July 1 when they are released.

Darling’s chairman Paul Darling said: “My brother Ian and I are delighted to support the club by sponsoring the back of the shirts and having the name of the pharmacy printed there.

“As Shields folk will see, Darling’s is investing very heavily in its fleet of delivery vans and in redeveloping all of our pharmacies, and so this is a personal sponsorship by Ian and me.

“With this sponsorship we honour the memory of those who have built the pharmacies in the last 125 years: our great-great uncle John, grandparents William and Muriel, parents Bill and Ann, and this generation Ian and myself.

"Ian and I will also be making contributions to other sports in our town.

“The family has always believed passionately in Shields having its own successful football club and we are delighted to support the Mariners’ efforts this season.”

Announcing the partnership, SSFC said support from local companies like Darling’s is “invaluable” and adds to the growing sense of community surrounding the club.

First established in 1905 by John Darling, the pharmacy has since been passed through generations of the family.

But ward directories outlining South Shields’ history first make reference to the Darling family in pharmacies by mention of the firm of Walker & Darling in 1897 and 1898.

Today, Darling’s has branches at Chichester Corner, Dean Road and next to Farnham Medical Centre.

South Shields FC executive director Glen Stidolph added: “We are delighted to greatly strengthen our partnership with Darling’s Pharmacy, which has such an incredible history in our town.

“The family has been serving the people of South Shields and the wider South Tyneside area for well over 100 years now and for them to use their 125th anniversary celebrations to extend that support to the football club is extremely humbling for us."