Salford City co-owner Gary Neville has launched a nationwide £100,000 competition to celebrate the local businesses that form the backbone of the club's community. The initiative, run by the EFL's official accounting software partner Sage, invites fans across all 72 EFL clubs to nominate a deserving local enterprise for a share of the festive prize fund.

Neville, speaking at a special event held at the Peninsula Stadium this week, stated that football clubs sit at the heart of their communities but that local businesses are what bring them to life. The event brought together small business owners from across Greater Manchester, including bakers, barbers and home fragrance makers, for a behind-the-scenes stadium tour, a festive meal and a discussion on the links between football, business and community.

Hosted by Sky Sports presenter David Prutton, the gathering also featured Salford City players Joe Powell and Paolo Mariani. Simon Peers, owner of Phoenix Flooring in Salford, highlighted how key Christmas deadlines are for customer satisfaction, a sentiment echoed by Sage's Senior Director of Global Sponsorship, Sally Moore, who noted the festive season relies on the hard work of small businesses.

Sage's EFL Secret Santa initiative

The Sage Secret Santa competition officially launches on 2nd November. It represents a significant investment in the local economies that surround every EFL club. Fans can nominate businesses via the competition's official website, with the celebration set to continue at similar events at AFC Wimbledon and Middlesbrough in early November.

This community focus comes as Salford City enjoy their best form of the season on the pitch. The club sits first in League Two with 28 points from 13 games, holding a three-point lead at the top. Their recent fixtures have yielded a formidable run of four wins and a draw, including a 4-2 victory at Walsall last time out. That win at Walsall on Monday 26 October saw goals from Macaulay Langstaff, Jorge Grant, Kallum Cesay and Adebola Oluwo. The team's top scorer this season, R. Graydon, has contributed 11 goals to a tally of 23 scored, with 14 conceded for a goal difference of plus nine.

That momentum provides a perfect backdrop for recognising the off-field partnerships that support the club. The next opportunity to celebrate those ties comes quickly, with Salford City returning to action at home against Exeter City this Saturday 31 October. The visitors currently sit 8th in the table, presenting another test for a side on a four-game winning run. The recent form of four wins and a draw from the last five matches, which also included victories over Bristol Rovers, Crawley Town and Cheltenham, has stays at the summit.

First reported at prolificnorth.co.uk