West Midlands mayor hopeful Sion Simon back tracks over 'West Midlands Rovers' Wolves merger plan

Sion Simon invoked the fury of football fans in the region when he told a Labour Party conference meeting that the area's brand would be better served by a 'West Midlands Rovers' or a successful team with 'Birmingham' in the title.

In what has been seen as a snub by some to the region's sides, Mr Simon added that Liverpool and Manchester, which are also due to elect mayors next May, have a 'massive advantage' because of their football teams.

The Baggies season ticket holder and West Midlands Labour MEP has since said that he never proposed a 'merger' and described it as a 'ridiculous idea'.

It was reported that during the meeting he said: "I think the only thing we can do is simply start again with a new brand."

Before allegedly adding: "The West Midlands is not the catchiest name in the world and there isn't unfortunately a West Midlands Rovers..."

In a statement to the Express & Star he then said: "I know how important football is to many people.

"But I also know that what we lack in the West Midlands is a big, internationally recognised football brand. Not many people in China are buying Baggies shirts like they do with Liverpool and Manchester and the London teams. There's not many flying the West Midlands flag.

"And that's a more serious issue for our region than it sounds. The global reach of football these days is massive. Big football teams bring investment and tourism, and we're missing out on that.

"Football has the ability to bring us together as a region. But we have to be realistic about where our weaknesses lie.

"We have some great clubs in the West Midlands, with great histories.

"But to really thrive, we need a bigger future As a mayor I'll be sitting down will all the local clubs, and thrashing out what I can do to help them push on to the next level."

But in a follow-up press statement he said: "I have never said we should have a West Midlands football team. That is completely untrue. It's a ridiculous idea.

"In answer to a question on the West Midlands 'brand' I said that, in branding terms, the West Midlands suffers from the lack of a super-premium global football brand containing the name of the region. Partly for that reason (and others) the name 'West Midlands' as a brand is quite weak. Very few West Midlands people would identify primarily as that. They would be Black Country, or Birmingham or Coventry, for instance."

The West Midlands teams are some of the most successful and famous in the history of the game with Wolves, Albion and Villa being among the 12 founder members of the football league. The three clubs were also bought by Chinese investors in multi-million pound deals over the summer.

Wolves pioneered European football in the 1950s and Villa won the European Cup in 1982.

UKIP MEP and Wolves fan Bill Etheridge who is also Dudley councillor for Sedgley, said "This is typical Labour negativity. What this region needs is some positive support, not continued criticism.

"Talking about a failure to sell football shirts in China is particularly stupid when one considers that three of our local clubs are Chinese owned.

"All are benefitting from that investment and, rather than running them down, Mr Simon should be out there promoting them."

Mr Simon is currently the bookies favourite to become the first West Midlands mayor next year.

He will be up against John Lewis managing director Andy Street for the Conservatives and businesswoman Beverley Nielsen for the Liberal Democrats.

The winner will be responsible for transport, housing, economic growth and mental health provision worth a combined £36 million-a-year, as well as representing the region with national and international business leaders and politicians.