August 1982 FC Manchester City kicked off the new season with shirt sponsors for the 1st time negotiating a 2 year deal with SAAB, although the deal was made trough the local Manchester based Saab importer, and not with the Swedish company as such.

Shirt sponsoring was big news at the time. Liverpool lead the way with Hitachi then Everton with Hafnia.

Swedish car manufacturers Saab became City’s first shirt sponsor in 1982, but Japanese company Brother who primarily produce printers, photocopiers etc., are the sponsors still often associated with the club despite not appearing on a City shirt since 1999.

Oldham Athletic and Saab

Except of City, local Saab dealer sponsored another football club in Manchester – Oldham Athletic. The dealership Pentagon Saab, based on Chadderton Way, covered the 2011/12 npower League One season.