Stephen Vaughan, Sr. - Chester City F.C.

Chester City F.C.

Vaughan was linked with attempts to buy a number of clubs, and finally took over at Chester City in 2001. Soon, however, Chester were drawn to play Barrow in the FA Cup. Under Football Association rules, Vaughan could not own shares in both teams and a few days prior to the match, he transferred his Barrow shares to a local painter and decorator for a nominal sum. After the game, the shares were transferred back. A few days later, new Barrow chairman Brian Keen completed the purchase of Vaughan's shares.

At Chester, Vaughan again invested heavily and brought success. He improved the club's facilities Deva Stadium and took them to victory in the Football Conference in 2004. In February 2002, Vaughan bought shares in rugby league club Widnes Vikings, completing his takeover in 2006. Difficulties in securing a ground in Chester lead to suggestions that the football club might move to Widnes, and even change its name to reflect this, but nothing came of this and Vaughan quit as Widnes chairman in April 2007. A few months later, he also stood down as chairman of Chester following a controversy in which he arranged for the club to hold a minute's silence following the death of Colin Smith, a murdered Liverpool gangster and associate of Curtis Warren. Nevertheless, Vaughan remained the majority shareholder in the club, which began to run into financial problems. A sale was announced to Gary Metcalf, a Liverpool-based businessman who never came up with the funds so ownership of the club was eventually transferred to Stephen Vaughan, Jr., Vaughan's son, in April 2009. Eventually, Chester City went into voluntary administration and were bought back by Chester City Ltd (2004), a company entirely owned by members of the Vaughan family, including Stephen.