THE largesse of Tony Brown continues and fans will be doing cartwheels of delight as he provides further backing to Newport Gwent Dragons and Rodney Parade.

His previous multi-million pound backing for Newport and then the Dragons elevated him to almost cult status, not just because of the money he poured in and the great names he brought over, but for the way he proved a man of the people, even selling match day programmes from the terraces.

Though he grew tired of his constant battles with the Welsh Rugby Union and the regular journeys down the M4 from his Guildford home, resulting in his departure from the scene, he has never gone away completely.

He retains an enduring friendship with Dragons chairman Martyn Hazell and, of course, has a Bisley Office Furniture factory in Newport employing almost 1,000 staff.

Though not enjoying the best of health in recent years, his affection for the place remains undiminished and he recently joined the Dragons board.

Together with the chairman he is funding the new £4m stand and hospitality suite and boxes currently being built.

Now comes the news that his company Bisley is to be the Dragons main sponsor and the new stand covering the length of the pitch on the Corporation Road side of the ground will be called the Bisley Stand.

Brown’s legacy is assured and his continuing association with and part funding of the Dragons will delight fans and help secure their future.

Having had a tour of the new complex last week, the hospitality section is certainly far bigger than might be appreciated, the suite capable of holding 300 people whether on a match day or for a host of functions like wedding receptions, business meetings, conferences and seminars.

Bookings are currently being taken for weddings two years ahead while extra staff have been taken on to try to ensure it is a seven days a week operation.

A presentation was made to the local business community last Friday when Dragons coaching staff and players were among the audience at the well attended meeting.

It is planned to take this presentation, which is illustrated by video, out into the region as well in an effort to draw in support from a wider area.

The end of season form shown by the Dragons with derby victories over the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues showed how the team is improving on the field.

Now the facilities being provided off the field will transform Rodney Parade and the continuing support of Tony Brown will provide even greater impetus for the new season. At the end of the day, though, it will inevitably come down to results and it should be stressed Brown and Bisley’s backing will not involve attracting new players as the company are replacing Motorpoint as the main sponsors so in that sense it’s not new money.

But the continuing involvement of Brown plus the new Bisley Stand coupled with the revival in playing fortunes provides a further boost after years of being the poor relations and seemingly going nowhere.

Fans now await the Amlin Challenge draw which is being made tomorrow. It will be harder for the Dragons than the last time they were in the competition four years ago when they reached the semi-finals.

Only the group winnners qualify for the quarter-finals now, the five who top their group joined by three runners-up from the Heineken Cup after the best two second placed teams who make the last eight in the Heineken. If the Dragons draw Stade Francais or Perpignan, both familiar opponents from previous Heineken campaigns, or Toulon, who would be completely new, then even with their new found enthusiasm and the strides they have made it will be mighty difficult to reach the knock-out stages. But one thing for sure, wherever they have to travel they will take loads of fans with them.

CANADIAN GRAND PRIX SIMPLY MAGICAL

THE most exciting sporting event of the year? Without a doubt the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Those who claim motor racing is boring, little more than a procession had their words thrust down their throats as we witnessed one of the most spectacular races of all time in Montreal.

The interminable waiting, an anti-climax of a start via the safety car followed by a delay of over two hours because of heavy rain was well worth it as a race of epic proportions unfolded.

The Formula One season had in truth become a bit predictable with Sebastian Vettel turning it into a one-man show, seemingly set to retain his title before the series was even halfway through.

But Jenson Button had other ideas once the Canadian race finally got underway, even then after half-a-dozen dreary laps behind the safety car. But suddenly the race came to life, ironically not until Button almost disappeared from sight right down to last place after colliding with Fernando Alonso, ending the Spaniard’s interest in proceedings.

Exactly the same thing happened earlier with McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton after yet another controversial manoeuvre by the increasingly daring Hamilton – moving former great Niki Lauda to claim he would kill someone if he carried on driving like that while Button screamed over the team radio “What is he doing?”

Despite the two collisions – and six pit stops compared with Vettel’s three – Button was still in it though without much hope at the back of the field.

But then in an absolutely rivetting, breathtaking sequence Button threaded his way through the field, driving on the very limit, spray flying everywhere as parts of the track were still under water until he was actually challenging.

Surely he couldn’t go the whole hog, surely he couldn’t leap from last to first? Oh yes he could, for on the very last lap his constant pressure told and the previously unstoppable Vettel, who had again led from the start, made a mistake and Button stormed through.

On he careered, over the line amid rapturous scenes to win the most incredible of races. He stood tall and proud as the national anthem greeted his triumph to round off one of the truly great sporting spectacles. Roll on Valencia in 12 days time.