Profile: Ray Ranson

When Ray Ranson retired from football eight years ago, he took the unusual step of swapping the playing fields for the world of insurance.

Mr Ranson, born in Lancashire, had made his league debut playing for Manchester City in 1978 before going on to join Birmingham and Newcastle United.

The highlight of his sporting career was playing in the FA Cup final for Manchester City in 1981 (despite losing 3-2 to Spurs).

When his career was cut short by injury in 1995he decided to switch from using his feet to his brain.

He initially worked for the late Matthew Harding, the vice-chairman of Chelsea, at his finance company Benfield Grieg.

It was while working for him that Mr Ranson developed the use of "sale and leaseback" arrangements in football which have since been used by various Premiership sides. Under the scheme,clubs raise money by selling players to financiers and then, in effect, renting them back again.

He then left the company and set up his own independent financing business, which reportedly made him a millionaire and was one of Bradford City's major creditors when the club went into administration.