Phil Wallace
Encyclopedia
Phil Wallace is a British businessman and chairman of Football League One
association football club Stevenage F.C.
. He became a director in 1975 and was appointed managing director and majority shareholder in the early 1980s. Since then the company has added offices around the world and the continuing growth in the Group lead to a US$ 50 million management buyout in 2006, with Phil Wallace retaining a majority holding in the newly formed parent, Lamex Food Group. He continues to lead the Group from his bases in the UK and US. He was a director of The Football Conference
for 5 years and served as Vice Chairman for 2 years, resigning his position in 2006 to concentrate on his US business interests.
season, Stevenage reached the FA Trophy
final at Villa Park, but lost 2–0 in the final. Wallace continued to run a tight ship as Stevenage showed signs of gradual improvement. Stevenage became the first side to win a competitive final at the new Wembley Stadium
in May 2007; winning 3–2 in the final in front of a competition record crowd of 53,262. This success was repeated again in 2009, when Stevenage Borough defeated York City
in the final 2–0. Both finals, in prize money alone, generated the club a total of £184,000, without taking into consideration the revenue earned from ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorship. The club earned a similar amount of revenue in 2010, as they competed in the FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium once again.
During Wallace's time as chairman of the club, the club have also sold several first-team players for sizeable sums of money. George Boyd
was sold to Peterborough United in 2006 for a Conference National
record of £260,000, whilst three players moved to Gillingham for a total of £90,000. Steve Morison
was also sold to Millwall for £130,000 in 2009. The following year, on 17 April 2010, Stevenage were promoted to the Football League for the first time in the club's history with two games to spare. Promotion was secured thanks to a 2–0 win at Kidderminster Harriers. The title win subsequently means that Wallace will be a chairman of a Football League club for the first time during the club's 2010–11
campaign.
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
association football club Stevenage F.C.
Business interests
Phil Wallace is the CEO of Lamex Food Group, a global food trading company with 15 offices in 12 countries. He joined in 1972 when the company, then known as L+M Foods, were a small food importer based in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He became a director in 1975 and was appointed managing director and majority shareholder in the early 1980s. Since then the company has added offices around the world and the continuing growth in the Group lead to a US$ 50 million management buyout in 2006, with Phil Wallace retaining a majority holding in the newly formed parent, Lamex Food Group. He continues to lead the Group from his bases in the UK and US. He was a director of The Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
for 5 years and served as Vice Chairman for 2 years, resigning his position in 2006 to concentrate on his US business interests.
Chairman of Stevenage F.C.
In 1999 he purchased a 90% holding in Stevenage F.C. after it was reported that the club were days from closing. Since then the clubs finances have been rebuilt and the stadium improved to a 7,100 capacity. The improvements implemented by Wallace included a new £600,000 stand opening, providing a computer learning centre underneath and work on a new £2.5 million training facility was announced for nearby Shephalbury Park - which subsequently opened in Autumn 2002. The club has also continued to improve on the pitch under Wallace's chairmanship. During the 2001–022001-02 in English football
The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the...
season, Stevenage reached the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
final at Villa Park, but lost 2–0 in the final. Wallace continued to run a tight ship as Stevenage showed signs of gradual improvement. Stevenage became the first side to win a competitive final at the new Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in May 2007; winning 3–2 in the final in front of a competition record crowd of 53,262. This success was repeated again in 2009, when Stevenage Borough defeated York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
in the final 2–0. Both finals, in prize money alone, generated the club a total of £184,000, without taking into consideration the revenue earned from ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorship. The club earned a similar amount of revenue in 2010, as they competed in the FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium once again.
During Wallace's time as chairman of the club, the club have also sold several first-team players for sizeable sums of money. George Boyd
George Boyd (footballer)
George Ian Boyd is a footballer who plays for Peterborough United as a winger.Boyd started his career in the Charlton Athletic youth system, joining Stevenage Borough of the Conference National in 2001 and making his first-team debut in 2002. Boyd spent five seasons at Stevenage, scoring over...
was sold to Peterborough United in 2006 for a 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...
record of £260,000, whilst three players moved to Gillingham for a total of £90,000. Steve Morison
Steve Morison
Steven William "Steve" Morison is a Welsh international footballer who plays for Norwich City as a striker.Morison started his career at Northampton Town at the age of 16, progressing through the club's centre of excellence...
was also sold to Millwall for £130,000 in 2009. The following year, on 17 April 2010, Stevenage were promoted to the Football League for the first time in the club's history with two games to spare. Promotion was secured thanks to a 2–0 win at Kidderminster Harriers. The title win subsequently means that Wallace will be a chairman of a Football League club for the first time during the club's 2010–11
2010–11 in English football
The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May...
campaign.