Based in Kirtlington, IRIS VBS provides market-leading fire and security services across Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties. They are NSI Gold and BAFE accredited and are part of Ventol Group, a family-owned company that delivers facilities management, repair, maintenance, mechanical and electrical, and fire and security services across the UK.

Danny, who has strong roots in the community, is a Director of the business and a familiar face at Oxford City. We recently sat down with him to discuss his journey, the business, and his unique place in the club’s history.

“I knew you’d bring that up first,” he says with a grin as we settle into a chat at their spacious offices. “Playing for the club was an incredible experience. I grew up in Abingdon and signed for City as a youngster. Things were going well, and then we played Shoreham in the FA Cup. I started on the bench, which was frustrating, but after just 16 minutes, Simon Abercrombie got injured, and I got the call. I came on, scored, and felt great—then I got a second. Suddenly, I was thinking about a hat-trick. When that went in, I thought, ‘He won’t bench me next week!’ Then came a fourth, and unbelievably, a fifth. We won 10-1, and scoring five as a substitute caught the media’s attention.”

“It’s hard to believe that was 25 years ago, but I’ve stayed connected to the club ever since. Andy Sinnott was my manager, Andy Ballard was my teammate, and Justin Merritt joined shortly after me—now he owns the club.”

“I think those connections are what keep the club feeling like a family. It also strengthens the links to the local business community. Earlier this season, we came to a game and started discussing IRIS VBS and our values. Supporting the club just felt like a natural fit.”

“We work with universities, government organisations, commercial enterprises, domestic properties, and large private estates. We tailor our fire and security services to meet the specific needs of each client and pride ourselves on being approachable and professional,” he says, gesturing toward his team. “Every member of our staff upholds the highest standards, not only in their work but also in how they interact with customers. All our engineers are also BAFE registered and continuously upskill because the industry is always evolving”

“When I was speaking with Justin the other day, he was telling me how proud he is of the Velocity and Ignite programmes at the MGroup Stadium. They focus on helping people reach their full potential, which is something we strongly believe in as well. We have a lot of shared values.”

“It’s fantastic to be back around the club and to see them moving forward. Being just two games from a Wembley final is exciting, but beyond that, there are some incredible developments happening off the pitch too—and we want to be part of that.”

Find out more about IRIS VBS here: www.irisvbs.co.uk

Want to find out more about how Oxford City can help your business? Then email GM@Oxcityfc.co.uk