Latest news with #StephenVaughan
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Relaunched Worcester out to 'create own history'
Worcester Warriors chief executive Stephen Vaughan insists the club will be ready when they return to professional rugby this autumn. The Warriors' brand-new squad trained for the first time last week as they build towards their first season since administration at the start of the 2022-23 campaign. They were admitted to the second-tier Champ Rugby in April and will make their much-anticipated return at home to Coventry on 4 October. Under head coach Matt Everard, the Warriors have recruited a blend of former Premiership players alongside young newcomers. "We obviously started with a blank piece of paper a few months ago," Vaughan told BBC Hereford and Worcester. "It's quite a proud moment, really, to see it all come from an embryonic thought and suggestion to reality now." Despite the experience brought in, such as former British and Irish Lions back Billy Twelvetrees and Saracens prop Fraser Balmain, Everard faces a big challenge to mould together his quickly-assembled squad. "Naturally, we will not have the combinations that other teams will have and all the rest of it, but we're not seeing that as a weakness," Vaughan said. "We're seeing it as an opportunity to create our own history." 'Worcester is a Premiership set-up' The Warriors were a Premiership side for all but two seasons from promotion in 2004 until 2022, and Vaughan is keen for a return to the top flight, but he has also tempered talk of immediate promotion. "Worcester Warriors and Sixways is a Premiership set-up," he added. "It needs to be in the top flight at some point, but considering where it was from administration to where we are now, I think it would be crazy of us to start putting ridiculous targets in place. "But naturally, we'll go out to try and win every game." Vaughan, who was group CEO with Wasps when they also went into administration in October 2022, soon after Worcester, says the club will be "unapologetically commercial" to avoid history repeating itself. Plans were submitted to develop their Sixways home last November and Vaughan wants to host concerts and events at the stadium to give the club a sustainable future. "We have to make sure that we're more commercial going forward, develop the site, because that's the way we can then invest more money into the rugby," he added. "But not in a way where you can create investor fatigue or a situation where you're relying on one single individual, because we've seen what's happened in the past." Listen: Sport's Strangest Crimes - Bloodgate Listen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Relaunched Worcester out to 'create own history'
Worcester Warriors chief executive Stephen Vaughan insists the club will be ready when they return to professional rugby this Warriors' brand-new squad trained for the first time last week as they build towards their first season since administration at the start of the 2022-23 were admitted to the second-tier Champ Rugby in April and will make their much-anticipated return at home to Coventry on 4 head coach Matt Everard, the Warriors have recruited a blend of former Premiership players alongside young newcomers."We obviously started with a blank piece of paper a few months ago," Vaughan told BBC Hereford and Worcester."It's quite a proud moment, really, to see it all come from an embryonic thought and suggestion to reality now."Despite the experience brought in, such as former British and Irish Lions back Billy Twelvetrees and Saracens prop Fraser Balmain, Everard faces a big challenge to mould together his quickly-assembled squad. "Naturally, we will not have the combinations that other teams will have and all the rest of it, but we're not seeing that as a weakness," Vaughan said. "We're seeing it as an opportunity to create our own history." 'Worcester is a Premiership set-up' The Warriors were a Premiership side for all but two seasons from promotion in 2004 until 2022, and Vaughan is keen for a return to the top flight, but he has also tempered talk of immediate promotion."Worcester Warriors and Sixways is a Premiership set-up," he added."It needs to be in the top flight at some point, but considering where it was from administration to where we are now, I think it would be crazy of us to start putting ridiculous targets in place."But naturally, we'll go out to try and win every game."Vaughan, who was group CEO with Wasps when they also went into administration in October 2022, soon after Worcester, says the club will be "unapologetically commercial" to avoid history repeating were submitted to develop their Sixways home last November and Vaughan wants to host concerts and events at the stadium to give the club a sustainable future."We have to make sure that we're more commercial going forward, develop the site, because that's the way we can then invest more money into the rugby," he added."But not in a way where you can create investor fatigue or a situation where you're relying on one single individual, because we've seen what's happened in the past."
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Controversial businessman Stephen Vaughan dies as son hails 'best man I've ever known'
Controversial Liverpool businessman Stephen Vaughan has died, his son has announced. The former football club owner's death was announced by his son, of the same name, in a Facebook post. Stephen Vaughan Jr, a former Liverpool reserves player, posted on social media: "Absolutely devastated the best man I've ever known RIP Dad our hero." Vaughan's football legacy is controversial after her bought Chester in 2001 from American Terry Smith and oversaw the club's promotion back to the Football League in 2004. The club ran into financial difficulty and collapsed into administration with debts of £8 million following relegation in 2009 – the same year Mr Vaughan also became the first owner to fail the Football Association's 'fit and proper person' test. READ MORE: Live updates as main road shut after police incident READ MORE: Woman who collapsed in holiday hotel room given devastating news It came after he had six fraud charges involving deception and obtaining high value cars dropped at Liverpool Crown Court in March 2008 while still serving as Chester City owner. They were alleged to have occurred between March, 2005, and March, 2006. The Liverpool-born businessman was also over the years a boxing promoter, a director of rugby league club Widnes Vikings and owner and chairman of Barrow. In late 2009 Mr Vaughan was disqualified from acting as the director of any company for 11 years following his involvement in an alleged £500,000 VAT fraud while he was owner of Widnes Vikings. Posting on Facebook, Liverpool-born former boxer Derry Mathews wrote: "They say he only takes the best and he's taking one of the greatest men ever, my first ever manager who got George out of retirement to train me, thank you for everything Ste people in the boxing world are going miss you. "No one could do a prep talk before a fight like you, you would have me wanting to walk through walls and with you by my side in changing rooms we could beat anyone. Gutted for my mate @stephen_vaughan_85, Pat and all the family on the loss. Goodnight God bless Ste." Mr Vaughan also bought Maltese club Floriana in April 2012 with his son, who captained Chester during his father's ownership and was appointed president soon after. The Vaughan family ended its association with Floriana in February 2014 but continued to have an involvement in Maltese football as sponsors of Mosta and Hibernians. The off-duty policeman died after he was struck in Colquitt Street in the early hours of Friday, December 19. His son's Facebook post was filled with tributes from friends and family, with many simply posting 'RIP' and broken heart emojis, while another said: 'So sorry to hear this sad news Ste, condolences to you and the family'. A second added: 'Condolences to the family Ste! What a gent your dad was!' And a third said: 'So sorry to hear this awful news about your Dad RIP. Sending my deepest sympathy and condolences and prayers to you and all your beautiful family.'
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Stephen Vaughan, controversial former football club owner, dies
A controversial Merseyside businessman, boxing promoter and owner of football and rugby league clubs has died aged 62. Stephen Vaughan's death was announced by his son and business partner Stephen Vaughan Jr, who described him as his "hero". Mr Vaughan had spells as majority stakeholder in Chester City, Barrow AFC and Widnes 2009, while in charge at Chester, Mr Vaughan became the first person to fail the Football Association's 'fit and proper person' test over his involvement in a £500,000 VAT fraud. Former professional boxer Derry Matthews, from Birkenhead, also paid tribute to his "first ever manager" - writing on Facebook: "No one could do a prep talk before a fight like you." Mr Vaughan was banned from acting as a company director for 10 years after an Insolvency Service investigation concluded he had been involved in a "carousel fraud" while a director at Widnes Vikings in 2006. Carousel frauds involve the cross-border trading of goods aimed at illegally reclaiming had entered into administration in October 2007 with liabilities of more than £ the FA struck off Mr Vaughan in 2009, he was forced to handover the reigns at Chester and sold his stake to his son. Prison sentence Mr Vaughan took over Barrow FC in 1995. But he resigned as chair in 1997 after being named in a Customs and Excise money laundering probe centred around Liverpool drugs baron Curtis Warren. The case was eventually dropped and he returned as chairman before leaving the club permanently in 1998. In 2010 Mr Vaughan was convicted of an affray and the assault of a police officer in Wirral and received a 15 month prison sentence. He was released the following year and in 2012 moved to Malta, where he purchased local club Floriana FC and appointed Stephen Vaughan Jnr as chairman. In 2016, the pair were linked to a buy-out at Bangor City FC in North Wales, and Mr Vaughan Jr was player-manager until 2019. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fans can show their support for returning Warriors at Sixways Summer Bash
SIXWAYS Stadium are gearing up for their Summer Bash festival, where all the profits will go back into the Worcester Warriors playing department. The one-day event will take place at the stadium on Saturday July 19, with Warriors CEO Stephen Vaughan considering it a great way to get behind the returning side. Mr Vaughan said: "There are a lot of things happening off the pitch this summer. "The Summer Bash is going to be an amazing day for all of the family. Amazing events, food, drink and entertainment. "These are the things where people can really show their support." The family-friendly event will host a variety of on and off-pitch activities, including nine-hole mini golf, rodeo rugby and laser clay pigeon shooting. Alongside this, there will be a variety of food and bars open for business and live music. The festival will finish with an 80s tribute concert. READ MORE: Worcester Warriors to announce player signings in coming days READ MORE: Worcester beer festival returns as latest plans and prices revealed READ MORE: Matt Everard announced as Worcester Warriors head coach Mr Vaughan added: "So many people have said to me in the street, 'how can we get behind the club? What can we do?' "These are the things, outside of the obvious of coming to watch us, season tickets, hospitality and everything else. "Try to come and support as many events as you can - every single penny of generated profit from that is going right back into the playing department, so do your bit."
