RAY RANSON

'Ray Ranson' (born 12 June, 1960 in St Helens, Merseyside) is an English entrepreneur and a former footballer. He started his football career with Manchester City, and played for Birmingham City, Newcastle United and Reading. After his playing career ended, he amassed a multimillion pound fortune in insurance and sports finance. In 2005, Ranson headed a consortium in an attempt to purchase Aston Villa.

Contents

Playing career

Business career

Footnotes

Playing career

Ranson's sporting career began when he was signed as an apprentice by Manchester City in 1976. A defender who usually played at right-back, he made his senior debut in a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest on 23 December, 1978.^[1] He went on to be capped several times by England at under-21 level^[2] and was part of the Manchester City team which reached the 1981 FA Cup final.
In November 1984 Ranson was transferred to Birmingham City, where he played 137 times in the League. With Birmingham he won promotion to the First Division in 1985, but the club were relegated the following season. He spent nearly five years at Birmingham before joining Newcastle United, for whom he made his debut on 26 December, 1988 in a 2-1 win against Sheffield Wednesday, the first of 83 League appearances for the club.^[3] In January 1993 he returned to Manchester City, making 17 appearances to bring his total for Manchester City to 233. At the end of the season, he joined Reading, where he finished his playing career.

Business career

Ranson's playing career ended due to injury in 1995.^[4] A year later he took a job working for Benfield Grieg, the insurance company owned by Chelsea director Matthew Harding. Ranson invested heavily in the company, and sold his stake for several million pounds in 2002. He then started a venture funding football transfers on a sale and leaseback basis, including several deals with then Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale.^[5]
Ranson twice headed a consortium in unsuccessful attempt to purchase Aston Villa. The first bid £30 million in April 2004, and the second takeover attempt was valued at £45 million.^[6]
In April 2007, he then bid an offer of what is thought to be £90million to buy former club Manchester City.^[7]
However, on 30th May 2007, he pulled out of the proposed takeover of bid of Manchester City after failing to come to an agreement with the current board. ^[8]

Footnotes

1. Ray Ranson - Manchester City
2. Everything under the blue moon: the complete book of Manchester City FC - and more!, , David, Clayton, Mainstream publishing, , ISBN 1-84018-687-9
3. Ray Ranson - Newcastle United
4. Profile - Ray Ranson
5. Could Aston Villa soon be benefiting from the business skills of former Man City star Ranson?
6. Villa reject Ranson takeover bid
7. Ranson bids to take over Man City
8. ((cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6705819.stm | title=Ranson withdraws Man City offer | work=BBC | accessdate=2007-05-30))