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Press release

Thus launches ClubCall football brand on the Web

Thus plc has e-enabled its football telephone service, ClubCall.

ClubCall and Haymarket Publishing have joined forces to combine the fast, factual news reporting of ClubCall with the 'stories behind the headlines' of Haymarket's FourFourTwo, the UK's top football magazine. This is the first football Web site to launch in association with an established football magazine.

ClubCall has brought together a new team of dedicated Web journalists to provide content for the site. Just as ClubCall brings the breaking news, FourFourTwo will provide the same high quality features fans have come to expect each month. The new Web site will continue with, and build upon, the traditions of both ClubCall and FourFourTwo, with the emphasis on clarity, authority, speed and fun.

The clear and simple navigation of the site gives football fans easy access to their favourite club's news. Fans are also offered the choice of personalisation (i.e. auto log-on to their favourite club's page, customised greetings, customised e-mail news, and more). However, clubcall.com not only focuses on the football news element, but also puts a clear emphasis on communication with and between the football fans, thus aiming to build an online community.

In the 'Terraces' area of the site, which features an interactive bulletin board, fans are able to post their messages and initiate or develop an ongoing dialogue. Users are also encouraged to communicate directly with the site editors.

"We're extending our ClubCall portfolio with ClubCall.com, to address our online audience with the same ambition that drives our successful audio lines. These distinct products are designed to work together to keep ClubCall as the UK's number one football information service. Our exclusive relationship with FourFourTwo magazine provides the site with first class features and analysis to complement our proven track record in newsgathering," said John Blake, head of Interactive Brands at Thus.

"Football is all about opinions and loyalty and we want fans to use our site as the place to shout about their team. We will also be providing online games in the near future to make the whole experience even more entertaining," Blake continued.

The official launch party will be held at the Sports Café, Haymarket, London on 31 August 2000 at 7.30pm.

For further information please go to www.clubcall.com.