A Glasgow-based firm has launched a product designed to allow football fans send their own image to football matches to create a cut-out virtual crowd.

The Football Company says Fans At The Game will enable supporters from clubs across the UK to order a recyclable, waterproof cardboard cut-out of themselves which will be placed inside stadiums across the country.

The firm's technology will enable supporters to visit a club branded Fans At The Game website, take their picture, and place their order in less than three minutes.

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Cut-outs will be produced, delivered and installed at the stadiums of all participating clubs by the firm.

The Football Company has partnered with Electrify Marketing & Communications to deliver a proprietary web app which will work on both Apple (Safari) and Android (Chrome) operating systems.

With games set to take place behind closed doors for many months because of Covid-19, it is expected that clubs will be able to develop a valuable new revenue stream and engage closely with supporters, the firm said.

In doing so, Fans At The Game will help clubs create a new "setting" for the TV cameras, it is claimed.

The Football Company bring a vast amount of experience in sales and digital solutions, having supplied the UK football market with Ultra HD LED advertising, at over 135 football matches throughout the UK in 2019-20.

Their track records include the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and international matches. The Football Company works with some of the UK’s leading racecourses.

Kenny Wittmann, managing director at the Football Company said: "We have seen the global attention that this type of project has generated in countries such as Germany, South Korea and Australia, and so we are delighted to launch this brand new, scalable technology.

"With our track record working with some of the biggest clubs and governing bodies in world sport, we are ideally placed to deliver a solution which we think will sweep the nation.

“What is important is that this is the first time that a single company has a complete end to end solution that will enable dozens of clubs across the UK to have their supporters ‘get back in the ground’.

“We’re all missing live sport, and we know that supporters are desperate to get behind their clubs, and so we think this is a great way of channelling that passion.”

The firm said a number of sports clubs have signed up, or are at now at "contract stage", and each club will make their own announcement "to maximise coverage and attention with their own supporters".

Food store Iceland is back in British hands after founder Sir Malcolm Walker bought out his South African partners.

Sir Malcolm teamed up with with chief executive Tarsem Dhaliwal to snap up Brait's shares in the company.

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The duo will pay £115 million for the 63% stake, bringing Iceland totally under their control.

"It is particularly satisfying to turn this new page in Iceland's history just before the 50th anniversary of the opening of our first shop on November 18 1970," Sir Malcolm said.

"Having started the business in partnership with a friend, I am delighted to have come full circle and own what are now more than 1,000 stores with another good friend in 2020."

It takes the frozen food supermarket back into British hands eight years after the South African firm first bought into the company.

The move had been on the cards since November last year, when Brait signalled a new strategy that led to the eventual sale.

Sir Malcolm and Mr Dhaliwal have long been keen to buy their partner's stake.
Mr Dhaliwal said: "We are grateful to Brait for giving us this opportunity to take full ownership of Iceland.

"We have always been a genuine family business and it is not just Sir Malcolm and I but many of our colleagues who have children working for the company.
"We are totally committed to running and growing this business for the long-term benefit of all our stakeholders and their families."

Sir Malcolm paid tribute to Brait as they parted.

"Over the last half century we have had a series of external investors in our business but I have no hesitation in saying that Brait has been the best," he said.
"They have been consistently understanding and supportive, and were friends as well as business partners.
"I am sure that friendship will endure and Tarsem and I wish them every success in the future."

More than one million businesses have applied for a Government-backed loan to help them get through the economic destruction caused by the pandemic.

Meanwhile British businesses have furloughed nearly nine million jobs, under a scheme where the Government pays up to 80% of an employee's salary while they stay at home.

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Three Government-backed loan schemes, which are administered by high-street lenders, have paid out £34.9 billion to around 830,000 businesses up and down the country.

Almost 1.06 million businesses had applied for one of the Government's three schemes by the start of this week.

By far the most popular was the bounce-back loans, designed to quickly funnel up to £50,000 to small firms.

Nearly £24 billion bounce-back loans have been paid to more than 782,000 companies.

The news comes as applications are set to close for the furlough scheme.
In total, 8.9 million jobs have been furloughed since the scheme launched. It has cost the Government £19.6 billion to date.

UK Finance, the trade body representing the banks, said that its members have lent another £3.6 billion to 85,000 businesses in the past week.

Mike Conroy, director of commercial finance at UK Finance, said: "The banking and finance sector has a clear plan to help businesses of all sizes get through these challenging times.

"The industry acknowledges the role it must play and is providing an unprecedented level of support, with £35 billion approved to 830,000 businesses through Government-backed lending schemes in less than three months.

"This sits alongside the broad package of measures the industry has introduced to help businesses access the support they need, including overdraft extensions and capital repayment holidays.

"It's important to remember that any lending provided under Government-backed schemes is a debt not a grant, and so firms should carefully consider their ability to repay before applying."

The Bank of England has also set up a separate loan system to help larger businesses.

Last week it was revealed that close to £2 billion has been lent to four major airlines by the Bank under the scheme.

Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways owner IAG, and Wizz Air were all given between £300 million and £600 million.

The Bank has also lent hundreds of millions to a German chemicals giant, defence company Chemring, and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.