Ray Trew | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ray Trew |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Owner of Contracting Solutions Group |
Raymond Arthur Trew (born December 1954) [1] is a businessman and former football club chairman from Lincolnshire. He is a former board member of Lincoln City F.C., Notts County F.C., and Notts County Ladies F.C.
Trew achieved his wealth through recruitment, [2] having founded Contracting Solutions Group in 1995. [3] The company posted a £3.7m profit in 2009. [4] Trew also maintains numerous other private companies, [1] though in 2019 his application for a gangmaster's license was turned down on the grounds that his previous business conduct was not 'fit and proper'. [5] [6]
On 5 August 2003, Trew became an associate director at Lincoln City [7] becoming a full director at the end of the month. [8] In August 2005 he was appointed chairman of football with Steff Wright succeeding Rob Bradley as chairman of the board. [9] He departed in January 2006 after a boardroom dispute which saw manager Keith Alexander placed on gardening leave, then re-instated. [10] In April three of Trew's companies then terminated their sponsorship deals with the club. [11]
A subsequent bid to buy the club and provide substantial investment was blocked by the Lincoln City board, with chairman Steff Wright publicly questioning Trew's motives. [12] [13]
In 2006 Trew joined the committee of Lincoln City Ladies. In addition to an £8,000-per-season sponsorship through his SportsTV company, Trew provided additional backing of up to £10,000 to aid the club's promotion bid. [14] In 2008 the club changed its name to OOH Lincoln Ladies, due to a sponsorship deal with Trew's Out Of Home marketing company. [15]
Trew also backed the club's successful FA WSL application, [15] but in 2014 Trew controversially moved the club to Nottingham and rebranded it Notts County Ladies. [16] [17]
Trew purchased Notts County for £1 in February 2010 following the departure of Qadbak Investments. He inherited liabilities of £7m from the former owners. [18] On 25 February 2016, Trew stepped down as chairman of Notts County and announced that the club was for sale, [19] [20] but on 10 September 2016, Trew announced he had reinstated himself as chairman of Notts County. [21] On 12 January 2017, Trew sold the club to local businessman Alan Hardy, [22] but one of Trew's companies named Pinnacle Advantage was owed a substantial sum of money by the club. This threatened to force the club into liquidation until an agreement was reached in May 2017. [23]
In July 2010 Trew took control of Nottingham Rugby Club, via Meadow Lane plc. [24] On 28 September 2011 Trew relinquished his interest in Nottingham Rugby Club. [25]