Ray Ranson, the former footballer and mogul of sports finance and insurance, confirmed yesterday that he is considering another bid for Aston Villa rumoured to be worth about £45 million. Villa rejected a £30 million bid last year from a consortium led by Mr Ranson and businessman Richard Thompson.
Doug Ellis, the Villa chairman, who is currently recovering from heart surgery, said then that the group would have to double its offer. Mr Thompson backed out, which led Mr Ranson to withdraw as well. Now Villa supporters are clamouring for change, with some saying that the savvy businessman could inject new vigour into the club.
Born in Lancashire, Mr Ranson was a member of England’s Under-21 team before joining Manchester City in 1978. He played in more than 450 matches with City, Birmingham and Newcastle before retiring in 1995 because of injury. Matthew Harding, the late vice-chairman of Chelsea, then took Mr Ranson under his wing at Benfield Grieg, the finance company, where he immersed himself in business. He had an advantage in his foray into football finance because he could connect well with players, yet also walk the walk in the boardroom with financiers.
It was through these opportunities that he forged his lucrative trademark scheme, the “sale and leaseback” of players, which allowed clubs to procure players as easily as leasing a car. He left Benfield to create an independent financing business of his own, Registered European Football Finance (REFF), which lends out millions. That built Mr Ranson, 45, a fortune considered to be worth more than £30 million.