Carlisle
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It’s not often a barman working in an Indian restaurant and living in an old people’s home attempts to buy a 25% controlling stake in a football club. Carlisle United unfortunately found themselves in that unenviable position when former chairman Michael Knighton thought he had found a suitable buyer for his shares in the club. Stephen Brown appeared at a news conference at Brunton Park claiming to have £6m to invest into the club after the sale of a Spanish hotel. All well and good if you are a Carlisle fan.
But it transpired Brown was nothing more than a ‘Timeshare’ flat salesman whose only experience in sports administration was an unsuccessful spell as commercial manager of Scottish club Gala Fairydean. And the non-league club were so dissatisfied with his performance, they let him go after only three months. Brown had also unsuccessfully tried to buy a controlling stake in Scottish Second Division side Partick Thistle three years ago, along with failed attempts to buy into two Scottish rugby union clubs. The Carlisle farce prompted local MP Eric Martlew to demand an inquiry into the financial administration at the club. |
