Parents who have spent a fortune on Manchester United duvet covers, pillowcases and curtains for their football-crazy children may be able to make some money themselves out of the frenzy.
Downtex, the Manchester-based maker of household merchandising for most of the top FA Premiership and Scottish Premier League clubs, is planning a stock market flotation and is offering millions of shares to the public. The company plans to float on London's Alternative Investment Market for small companies offering the shares at 25p each.
As well as producing merchandise for a host of British clubs such as Aston Villa, Arsenal and Celtic, Manchester-based Downtex hopes to move into the European market.
It plans to raise around £1 million from the flotation to fund expansion which could include lucrative contracts with Inter Milan, Benfica and Ajax. Downtex sells its products through the football clubs as well as via mail order catalogues like Great Universal Stores and Littlewoods.
The full Downtex football club livery for a fan's bedroom costs around £120 in the shops. It consists of curtains, wallpaper, lampshades, duvet covers, beanbags, towels, pillowcases and bed valances.
