Ray Ranson

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ray "Rambo" Ranson


fullname = Raymond Ranson
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1960|6|12|df=yes
cityofbirth = St Helens
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
currentclub = Coventry City (Chairman)
height = 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
position = Defender
youthyears = 1976–1978
youthclubs = Manchester City
years = 1978–1984
1984–1988
1988–1993
1993
1993–1995
clubs = Manchester City
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Manchester City
Reading
caps(goals) = 184 0(1)
137 0(0)
083 0(1)
017 0(0)
024 0(0)
nationalyears = 1979–1981
nationalteam = England U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 010 0(0)

Raymond "Ray" Ranson (born 12 June 1960 in St Helens, Merseyside) is an English entrepreneur, currently Chairman of Coventry City F.C., and a former professional 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 and on 14 December 2007 he successfully led a consortium to take over Coventry City.

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. [cite web | url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=3770 | title=Ray Ranson - Manchester City | work=Football Heroes | accessdate=2007-01-30] He went on to be capped several times by England at under-21 level [cite book |last=Clayton |first=David |title=Everything under the blue moon: the complete book of Manchester City FC - and more! |publisher=Mainstream publishing |location=Edinburgh |date=2002 |id=ISBN 1-84018-687-9] 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. [cite web | url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=3186 | title=Ray Ranson - Newcastle United | work=Football Heroes | accessdate=2007-01-30] 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.

Overall he amassed 445 professional league appearances over 17 years, scoring twice and earned 10 international caps at England under-21 level.

Business career

Ranson's playing career ended due to injury in 1995.cite web | url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20031029/ai_n12726313 | title=Profile - Ray Ranson | work=The Independent | date=2003-10-29 | accessdate=2007-01-30] 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. [cite web | url=http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=6741&type=1 | title=Could Aston Villa soon be benefiting from the business skills of former Man City star Ranson? | publisher=Professional Footballers' Association | date=2005-07-06 | accessdate=2007-01-30]

In recent years, Ranson has taken an interest in taking over a football club. 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. [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/4203934.stm | title=Villa reject Ranson takeover bid | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2005-09-01 | accessdate=2007-01-30] In April 2007, he then bid an offer of what is thought to be £90million to buy former club Manchester City. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6589373.stm | title=Ranson bids to take over Man City | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2007-04-24 | accessdate=2007-04-24] However, on 30 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. [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6705819.stm | title=Ranson withdraws Man City offer | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2007-05-30 | accessdate=2007-05-30]

In October 2007, Ranson attempted to takeover Southampton on behalf of hedge fund company SISU; [cite news | title=No Saints board seat for Ranson | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-11-01 | date=2007-10-24 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7059797.stm] however in December 2007 Ranson completed a deal to takeover Coventry City, with just 30 minutes before the club was set to go into administration. [cite news | title=Coventry saved by late takeover | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-12-18 | date=2007-12-14 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/7139107.stm]

References

External links

*soccerbase|6580|Ray Ranson

Persondata
NAME=Ranson, Raymond
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Ranson, Ray
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=1960-06-12
PLACE OF BIRTH=St Helens, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=