George Reynolds
George Reynolds (b.
1937) is a controversial
British businessman best known for his time as chairman of
Darlington Football Club.
In his early years Reynolds was a safeblower in a bank-robbing criminal gang. He was caught and served time in jail. When he left prison he still had his money. He used this to set up a relative empire of businesses, including a £25m kitchen surface factory based in
Shildon, and went on to amass a £300 million fortune. He was chairman of
Darlington Football Club and built the team a
new stadium, which he named after himself. Reynolds was originally very popular with fans but he then took the club into
administration, and left the club in January 2004. The stadium was renamed shortly afterwards.
He married and had a child, named Paul. He built the Witton Hall mansion on the grounds on a cottage in the village. Some extravagant purchases included jets, helicopters, and a swimming pool.
He was tried for charges of laundering drug money after being stopped with £500,000 of cash in the boot of his car. In October 2005 Reynolds was found guilty of tax evasion and sentenced to three years imprisonment.
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George Reynolds in the stands at Darlington Football Club*
BBC story on Reynold's conviction for tax evasion.
