Looking Back At 11 Incredible Years With Vanarama

From the moment Vanarama joined, the League found not just a sponsor, but a passionate ally who understood what the National League and its clubs and their communities are about. They just get it.

When the world stood still during the pandemic, Vanarama stayed. When clubs struggled, they rallied. Vanarama have helped us celebrate promotions and title wins and created iconic moments that will talked about forever.

As the book closes on this incredible chapter in the history of the National League, we have looked back at just a handful of the iconic moments Vanarama have produced. From the Darren Currie curry to raising a staggering amount of money and awareness for Prostate Cancer UK and everything in between.

Vanarama will forever be etched into the rich tapestry of the National League, and they leave behind a long-lasting orange and black legacy that will be remembered fondly.

Vanarama Partners with Local Curry House to Honour Barnet Manager Darren Currie

In a delightful fusion of football and culinary creativity, Vanarama collaborated with a local curry house to celebrate then Barnet manager Darren Currie. The announcement saw the introduction of the ‘Darren Curry’ at local curry house Shapla.

The specially crafted dish paid homage to the manager's name and his contributions to the club after overseeing an FA Cup giant-killing against then Championship leaders Sheffield United in his third game at the helm before forcing a replay against a Brentford side that featured future England stars such as Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa.

Ahead of the tie with Sheffield United, Vanarama served up the spicy offering to fans from their ‘Vandoori’ delivery van outside Barnet’s Hive Stadium.

MANarama Campaign Raises £200,000 For Prostate Cancer UK And Blue Balls!

Launched in 2018, Vanarama’s MANarama campaign marked a historic moment in English football when the National League rebranded mid-season to the MANarama National League for a month. The rebranding aimed to highlight the alarming statistic that one man dies every 45 minutes from prostate cancer in the UK.

The campaign’s slogan, ‘Lease a Van, Save a Man’ encouraged fans to lease vehicles from Vanarama who then donated £50 for every lease to Prostate Cancer UK. The initiative surpassed all expectations and raised an incredible £150,000 in just 43 days – with a presentation held before FC Halifax Town and Chesterfield on Non-League Day. The presentation also featured ultra-marathon hero Kevin Webber who was given a guard of honour by both sides after he had just completed seven walking marathons in seven days. His incredible journey took him walk over 180 miles from Blyth Spartans to FC Halifax Town

The multi-award-winning campaign returned in 2019 with even greater impact. Football legend and Hollywood hardman Vinnie Jones joined Vanarama as an ambassador. The campaign went up a notch when the National League match between Chesterfield and Notts County featured a blue and orange football for the first-ever time in English football. The one-off ball was adorned with quotes from men living with prostate cancer. Vanarama also encouraged National League clubs to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK with all clubs taking part entered into a draw to win a free minibus. Guiseley were the lucky recipients of the prize as clubs raised over £25,000 – taking the total raised over the two years of MANarama to more than £200,000.

Hollywood-Inspired Wrexham Sign Goes Viral

You probably heard about the time when Wrexham were taken over by Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny. The pair invested in the Welsh club in 2021 and with it came worldwide eyes on the National League. Tongues were wagging when a Hollywood-style sign spelling out ‘Wrexham’ randomly appeared on top of the town’s famous slag heap. It was the whodunnit of the year with social media and the press alive with possible culprits to the stunt.

The gossip was silenced when our friends at Vanarama revealed it was indeed they who were behind the sign to announce the ‘premiere’ of the new National League season. At a moment in time when the proposed European Super League had been announced, Vanarama said they wanted to ‘shine a light on the football we all know and love’ ahead of what turned out to be one of the most electrifying seasons on record. For Wrexham, it wasn’t to be that season but the following year they pipped Notts County to the title in an all-timer title race that saw multiple records fall, including attendances breaking the three million barrier for the first time in National League history.

Promotion Final Match Ball Delivered In Style

The guys at Vanarama were clearly watching closely when a small remote-controlled car delivered the match ball onto the pitch ahead of the Italy v Turkey game. The car nicknamed ‘Tiny Football Car’ after going viral even ended up with its own social media account. And it got Vanarama thinking. That’s probably why the match ball for the 2021 Vanarama National League Promotion Final was delivered with the help of a Vanarama-branded car.

Lincoln City’s Captivating FA Cup Run Powered By Vanarama

It was one of the greatest FA Cup runs that started with a goalless draw against Guiseley and ended in front of 60,000 fans at Premier League giants Arsenal. The Imps became the first Non-League side in over a century to reach the quarter finals, seeing off three EFL sides and then Premier League Burnley to setup a mouthwatering encounter at the Emirates Stadium.

That tie at Turf Moor is the image that sticks in most fans’ minds when they think of that memorable run. Sean Raggett peeling away to the euphoric Lincoln fans having just nodded past Tom Heaton with seconds to spare in the tie. Vanarama sponsored the Imps’ progress all the way to the end of the road for Danny Cowley’s men who went on to secure the Vanarama National League title later that same season.