Carlisle United have renamed a stand at Brunton Park after long-serving chairman Andrew Jenkins.
The East Stand at the ground will now be known as The Andrew Jenkins Stand.
It sees permanent recognition at Brunton Park for the veteran director who first joined the Blues board back in 1959.
Jenkins remains one of United’s co-owners and has been at the helm – and often financially supported the club through loans from his business Pioneer – for much of his time in charge.
The 86-year-old businessman’s recognition in the stand renaming was confirmed by Carlisle ahead of the new 2023/24 season in League One.
The East Stand’s most recent sponsor was Pioneer.
Images of work to instal the new lettering at the top of the stand had been leaked on social media on Wednesday night when a cherry-picker was spotted inside Brunton Park.
The new-look stand will be formally unveiled ahead of Saturday's game against Fleetwood Town, the club said.
Discussions over the renaming of the stand have involved Jenkins' sons David and Graham.
The United chairman said he was taken aback by the gesture.
“The first thing I have to say is thank you to everyone because I can’t actually believe that it’s been done," he told United's website.
“I feel very proud. 64 years is a long time but this is a very special place and a wonderful club. Some people are in it for the glory, I’ve never thought of it like that. I just love Carlisle United.
“It came as a lovely surprise because my sons told me that we needed to come to the ground to look at the placement of groundboards.
“I walked down the tunnel and out to the side of the pitch, and I never even thought to look up at the roof opposite. It was Nigel [Clibbens, chief executive] who asked me what I thought about the new sign, and it was a shock to see it.
“I’m not really one for the limelight, I prefer just to work away in the background, but yes, I do feel very proud.
“I’m getting on in years now, and all I want is for somebody to come in who will feel the same, and who wants to look after it in the same way.
“We’ve had some tough times, and some very good times, and through it all I’ve only ever tried to do the best thing for the club. It’s been a huge part of my life and this is a very nice gesture – thank you.”
Carlisle's manager Paul Simpson said it was a deserved tribute to Jenkins after his 64 years of involvement at United.
"It’s an incredible achievement and he thoroughly deserves it," Simpson said.
"I know that everybody has opinions as football supporters, and they all believe that when things are going badly that directors should throw more money at it.
"I think our chairman has thrown a lot of money at this football club. He’s lived his life through this football club, he’s passionate about it.
"I think that’s a fantastic gesture. I think his sons have been the ones working away in the background to get this sanctioned and I think it’s a very fitting tribute to somebody who has dedicated his life to Pioneer and the business but also so many hours and so much of his own money to this football club.
"Who knows where this club would have been without his support? Hopefully he can come and enjoy looking at that stand for many years to come."
Blues chief executive Clibbens said the club had bestowed a "rare honour" on Jenkins, adding: “This is a tribute from the club to honour a lifetime of service by Andrew to his hometown team.
"It ensures his memory and legacy remains in the fabric of the club.
"Having secured promotion, and as Andrew starts his 65th season at the club, the timing seemed right to do this now.”
Jenkins' fellow owner John Nixon said it was "a great tribute to a man who’s served longer than anyone else in the Football League." while director Lord Clark of Windermere also endorsed the move by saying: "This is a great idea and a worthy tribute to the man who has given his all to Carlisle United.”
The club’s move is the latest stage in the East Stand’s eventful history since it was built under Michael Knighton’s controversial ownership in 1995-6.
The construction opened to supporters in 1996 but much of its interior was unfinished and remained incomplete for years.
The stand was also built some 21 metres out of line with the rest of the ground, initial plans under Knighton having been to develop the other stands accordingly.
But such plans did not come off and it was not until 2016 that Carlisle, through insurance payouts after the 2015 Storm Desmond floods, refurbished the stand’s interior and moved their business operations into the building.
Planned executive boxes were also never finished or occupied but the stand remains a popular home for fans, with a number of improvements to bars and catering having been seen recently.
The stand features bars named after former Blues favourites such as Allan Ross, Tony Hopper and John Halpin.
Jenkins, speaking to the News & Star on the stand’s 20th anniversary in 2016, said: "It's skewiff, but we've sort of got used to it...”
Read more: The off-centre legacy of Carlisle United's East Stand (article from 2016)
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