John Fenty
Encyclopedia
John Shelton Fenty born (28 November 1961 in Grimsby
, North East Lincolnshire
) is a Conservative
councillor for the Humberston and New Waltham ward of North East Lincolnshire Council
.
By the time the business was sold, it employed over 280 people and was highly respected in the business. It sold in April 2004 for £20 million to the Real Good Food Company.
He finally stood down as Chairman at the start of 2007 and finally left the company in August 2007 after 27 years at the helm.
councillor
for the Humberston
and New Waltham
ward of North East Lincolnshire Council.
in 2001, when at the time Doug Everitt was chairman and a resulting tax bill due to HM Revenue and Customs. This has led to Fenty making considerable funds available to the club to prevent it collapsing. However in January 2006, the club were finally able to submit plans for Grimsby Town
's new Conoco Stadium
, a project which the chairman has continually promoted.
In October 2008 Fenty expressed his frustration and some took it that he was threatening to sell the club, after he became bewildered at the local council's support in helping the clubs move from Blundell Park
to the Conoco Stadium
, and also coupled with criticism from the clubs supporters surrounding a search for a new manager following the dismissal of Alan Buckley
.
In November 2010 Fenty rejected former manager Russell Slade
's application for the vacant Grimsby Town manager's job and gave the job to inexperienced youth team manager Neil Woods
instead. Fenty's was vindicated for his decision when Neil Woods led Grimsby Town out of the Football League at the first time of asking and into the Conference National
for the first time in the club's history. On 23 February 2011 Fenty sacked Neil Woods
. On the 19th of September 2011 Fenty resigned as chairman of Grimsby Town F.C
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire is a unitary authority in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, bordering the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire and the administrative county of Lincolnshire...
) is a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
councillor for the Humberston and New Waltham ward of North East Lincolnshire Council
North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire is a unitary authority in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, bordering the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire and the administrative county of Lincolnshire...
.
Business
At the age of 18 in 1980 he took over a failed Haulage business that his father had started. Though he made his wealth through his development from scratch, a food processing company called Five Star Fish Ltd’’, a company that achieved market dominance in the food service sector and won many accolades for excellence.By the time the business was sold, it employed over 280 people and was highly respected in the business. It sold in April 2004 for £20 million to the Real Good Food Company.
He finally stood down as Chairman at the start of 2007 and finally left the company in August 2007 after 27 years at the helm.
Politics
In May 2008 Fenty was elected as a Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
for the Humberston
Humberston
Humberston is a large village and civil parish to the south of Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire...
and New Waltham
New Waltham
New Waltham is a village and civil parish in North East Lincolnshire. It is located just south of Grimsby and Cleethorpes close to the A16 , and is situated between the villages of Waltham and Humberston. Previously part of Waltham parish, the parish of New Waltham was created in 1961...
ward of North East Lincolnshire Council.
Football
In the late 1990s he was co-opted onto the board of Grimsby Town FC after buying a number of shares in the club he had supported since childhood. In 2003 he became chairman after Peter Furneaux stood down after many years in charge, and currently has a controlling interest. During this time the club has suffered serious problems arising from the collapse of ITV DigitalITV Digital
ITV Digital was a British digital terrestrial television broadcaster, which launched a pay-TV service on the world's first digital terrestrial television network as ONdigital in 1998 and briefly re-branded as ITV Digital in July 2001, before the service ceased in May 2002. Its main shareholders...
in 2001, when at the time Doug Everitt was chairman and a resulting tax bill due to HM Revenue and Customs. This has led to Fenty making considerable funds available to the club to prevent it collapsing. However in January 2006, the club were finally able to submit plans for Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
's new Conoco Stadium
Conoco Stadium
The Conoco Stadium was the project name for the proposed new football stadium for Grimsby Town Football Club, with no current dates scheduled for work beginning or being completed...
, a project which the chairman has continually promoted.
In October 2008 Fenty expressed his frustration and some took it that he was threatening to sell the club, after he became bewildered at the local council's support in helping the clubs move from Blundell Park
Blundell Park
Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
to the Conoco Stadium
Conoco Stadium
The Conoco Stadium was the project name for the proposed new football stadium for Grimsby Town Football Club, with no current dates scheduled for work beginning or being completed...
, and also coupled with criticism from the clubs supporters surrounding a search for a new manager following the dismissal of Alan Buckley
Alan Buckley
Alan Peter Buckley is an English football manager. He was manager of League Two side Grimsby Town until his dismissal in September 2008...
.
In November 2010 Fenty rejected former manager Russell Slade
Russell Slade
Russell Slade is an English football manager currently in charge of League One side Leyton Orient.-Notts County:Slade was assistant manager to Mick Walker at Notts County, and took over as caretaker manager when Walker was sacked in September 1994. When County appointed Howard Kendall as manager...
's application for the vacant Grimsby Town manager's job and gave the job to inexperienced youth team manager Neil Woods
Neil Woods
Neil Stephen Woods is a former English footballer who played as a striker and former manager of Grimsby Town where he also played between 1990 and 1998. He now works as the Head of Youth at Football League One side Walsall...
instead. Fenty's was vindicated for his decision when Neil Woods led Grimsby Town out of the Football League at the first time of asking and into the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
for the first time in the club's history. On 23 February 2011 Fenty sacked Neil Woods
Neil Woods
Neil Stephen Woods is a former English footballer who played as a striker and former manager of Grimsby Town where he also played between 1990 and 1998. He now works as the Head of Youth at Football League One side Walsall...
. On the 19th of September 2011 Fenty resigned as chairman of Grimsby Town F.C