Peter Kenyon
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Peter Kenyon (born 1954 in Stalybridge, Cheshire) is a British businessman who has served as the chief executive of English Premier League clubs Manchester United Football Club and Chelsea Football Club, where he has been involved in contentious transfer dealings.[1]
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[edit] Early life
Kenyon was educated in Tameside at West Hill School and The King's School, Macclesfield.
[edit] Career
Kenyon was a director and chief executive of sportswear firm Umbro.[2]
[edit] Manchester United
Kenyon took up the role of deputy chief executive at his boyhood team Manchester United in 1997, where he sat on the Board of Directors. He was promoted to chief executive in August 2000 following the departure of Martin Edwards. Kenyon was influential in persuading long-serving manager Alex Ferguson to remain at the club despite Ferguson's original intention to retire in 2002. One of the other notable aspects of Kenyon's time in charge was the fact that the club dismissed their rigid wage structure and spent large sums of money on players such as Juan Sebastian Veron and Rio Ferdinand.[citation needed] During his time in his role, the club actually became one of the most financially stable, while simultaneously expanding their global appeal.
He was targeted by Chelsea shortly after Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club.[citation needed]
[edit] Chelsea
Kenyon was the main spokesman for the non-footballing side of Chelsea as Roman Abramovich does not give interviews or attend press conferences and Chelsea's chairman Bruce Buck keeps a low profile. Kenyon's background is in marketing, and he was recruited by Chelsea to increase the club's commercial income.[citation needed]
His move to Chelsea was controversial, not least as he proclaimed himself as a lifelong Manchester United supporter, and the fact that Chelsea's wealth was seen as a major threat to United's almost unbroken dominance of the English game since the early 1990s.[3]
Since joining Chelsea, Kenyon has been involved in high-profile controversies including an attempt to persuade the manager of the England national team Sven-Göran Eriksson to become manager of Chelsea, and the tapping-up of former Arsenal and current England left-back Ashley Cole.[4]
On 16 September 2009, Chelsea announced that Kenyon would be leaving his chief executive role at Chelsea at the end of October.[5]
Kenyon departed his post amid a flurry of speculation that he would replace Garry Cook at Manchester City, the team he supported as a boy.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ McCarra, Kevin (10 June 2005). "The Guardian profile: Peter Kenyon". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jun/10/football.comment. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ McKenzie, Andrew (8 September 2003). "Profile: Peter Kenyon". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/3091546.stm. Retrieved 25 October 2007.
- ^ Stone, Simon (14 July 2009). The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/tevez-joins-man-city-revolution-1745310.html?action=Gallery&ino=11.
- ^ "Chelsea's Peter Kenyon: Profile". The Guardian (London). 16 September 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/6199338/Chelseas-Peter-Kenyon-profile.html. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
- ^ "Chelsea chief Kenyon leaves role". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 16 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8259112.stm. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
- ^ Sale, Charles (5 January 2010). "Sheffield steeled for court battle". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1240633/Charles-Sale-Sheffield-steeled-court-battle.html. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
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