A GWENT contact centre has signed a deal to handle Internet business on behalf of Manchester United - the world's biggest football club.

dial, Wales' only independent contract contact centre, based in Cwmbran, will provide Manchester United broadband which went on sale this week.

Under the arrangement dial will take incoming calls from Manchester United fans wishing to sign up for the Red Devils' monster 1MB Internet service.

The combination of a club e-mail address, exclusive content and a broadband service is likely to prove tantalising to fans.

And through the unlimited download service fans can access as much football, music and entertainment as they like.

dial senior agent and United fan Dan Bevan, aged 25, of Ladyhill Close, Usk, is excited at getting the chance to work for his idols.

Soccer star Dan, who has scored 30 goals so far this season playing as a striker for Usk Town in the Gwent County league, said: "Winning this work is a great opportunity for dial and everyone working here. Manchester United is huge and is known all over the world and that has to be good for dial."

And dial managing director and owner Lionel Phillips said: "In true football terminology 'we're over the moon'. It's fantastic news for us.

"It's not only a coup for us at the dial contact centre but also for Wales to have won this business against stiff global competition.

"Manchester United is one of the true global brands - it is recognised wherever you are in the world. It is a real feather in the cap for the team at dial and shows that we can compete on a level playing field with any other contact centre in the world for business."

Manchester United are currently lying second in the Premiership behind Chelsea and the club currently has a million registered users of its official club website and 600,000 subscribers to its weekly newsletter.

Mr Phillips said: "The staff are really buzzing. Winning this deal is real kudos for us and we expect to be able to announce other similar wins in the near future on the back of this major success.

"To begin with we have assigned 35 staff to the account but we just don't know how big it'll be - judging by the success and interest in Manchester United it could be huge."

dial, which employs some 290 people and has an annual turnover of £5m, was established in March last year following a management buy-out.

The centre undertakes work for several major companies including British Gas, Yes Loans, Carphone Ware-house and the Basic Skills Agency.