Newcastle Eagles star, Andrew Thomson, doubles his day job and joins Esh Group team. 

“The partnership between Esh Group and Newcastle Eagles is not just about money, it’s about supporting each other’s staff and our ambitions both on and off the court.”

Brian Manning, Chief Executive, Esh Group 

Monday 8^th December 2014 – Andrew (Andy) Thomson, one of the stars of championship basketball team Newcastle Eagles has doubled up his day job by joining Esh Group on secondment working in the business as well as playing for the Eagles.

The appointment reinforces the strong connection between Newcastle Eagles and Esh Group – which has been a main sponsor of the club for main sponsor of the club for last 5 years having started with the wheelchair squad in 2008.

Andy is working as part of the Esh Added Value team which delivers the Building My Skills and Esh Communities programmes across the North East, Cumbria and Yorkshire regions to school students and community groups.

At the same time as sharing his knowledge and passion through the programmes Andy is developing his own business experience and knowledge, he explained:

“I’m really pleased to have joined Esh Group and to be working with the Added Value team.  The work is expanding my understanding and knowledge of the business world which is sure to be important in my future when my playing career ends.”

Clearly very supportive of Andy’s secondment, Paul Blake, director of Newcastle Eagles said:

“It is great to be working in partnership in yet another way with our main sponsors Esh Group.  Andy is an excellent ambassador for the Eagles and I’m confident he will soak up this opportunity and create value for Esh Group, the Club and himself.

“He is very experienced at delivering the work we do at the Eagles with young people through our Hoops for Health programme – spreading messages about well-being, commitment and personal responsibility – and I expect he will develop in leaps and bounds through being involved with other programmes and a different working environment.”

Brian Manning, Chief Executive of Esh Group, commented:

“We’re delighted to have Andy on board as part of the Added Value Team.  The partnership between Esh Group and Newcastle Eagles is not just about money, it’s about supporting each other’s staff and our ambitions both on and off the court.”

Andy’s work off the court has included working with the Mersey Tigers’ and Newcastle Eagles’Hoops for Health programmes since 2009 and in 2013 he coached youngsters at his then club La Rochelle in France as part of their own community basketball programme.

Andy concluded:

“In the few weeks I’ve been working at Esh Group I’ve worked in Cumbria and the North East and in the New Year will  be working in Yorkshire and the Scottish Borders.  I’m learning lots – and getting experience of a number of business environments working closely both with Esh Group and its business partners that are involved in delivering the Building my Skills programme.

“Even though the role is part time it’s made a big impact on me and is highlighting how much there is to learn – opening my eyes to stuff I’d never thought of before.  I’m really interested to see where it might lead both myself and for other professional sports players after their sporting retirement.

Andy also has aspirations to complete his Physical Education degree which he started in Catawba College, North Carolina.