John Lawrence Radford (born 1965) is an English businessman and owner of Mansfield Town Football Club, which he bought in 2010. He also founded and is CEO of One Call Insurance, which sponsors Mansfield Town Football Club.
Mansfield Town In 2010, Radford invested into Mansfield Town from then-owners Steve Hymas, Steve Middleton and chairman Andy Saunders, purchasing the club for £1. The club's ground Field Mill (known as One Call Stadium for sponsorship purposes) remained in ownership of Keith Haslam until Radford's purchase in 2012. Then a Football Conference side, Radford promised to return them to the Football League, which was achieved in 2013.
Radford created controversy by appointing his then-girlfriend Carolyn Still, whom he later married, to the position of Chief Executive Officer at the football club in September 2011.'We want to stay at Field Mill', Mansfield Chad (local newspaper) 19 October 2011, pp.4-5. "New Stags chief executive Carolyn Still gave her first interview to the media over the club's stadium plans on Saturday". Retrieved 24 February 2018
When buying, Radford had pledged to invest £500,000 into the club; his investment, however, was higher at an estimated £100,000 per month. He had already given the club £250,000 to save it from administration.
In February 2013, following an 8–1 win for Mansfield against Barrow, Radford donated an Aston Martin DB9 car valued at £80,000 to manager Paul Cox as a reward. Radford had wanted to reward Cox for improving on the previous season when they had beaten Barrow, 7–0. Cox departed in November 2014 by "mutual consent".
Hotel projects In early 2018, Radford announced a business proposal to establish a six-floor hotel at the club's stadium, in conjunction with an international brand.Plans for multi-million pound hotel at Mansfield Town FC to be discussed at meeting Nottingham Post, 6 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018 No formal planning application had been submitted to Mansfield District Council at the time of discussions at the club's ground,A third hotel could be in the pipeline for a Notts town Nottingham Post, 28 January 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018 but a later application was authorised by the council in July 2018.New hotel incorporating 100 bedrooms, restaurant and food and beverage areas, Leisure Suite, ticketing area and club shop Mansfield District Council Planning decision, 4 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018
Radford announced his intention to proceed with a hotel project after his previous plan to build on the town's old bus station in mid-2017 was unsuccessful, with the local council choosing another developer as 'preferred bidder'.Luxury brand Hilton to build a new hotel at Mansfield Town FC Nottingham Post, 30 July 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018Stags confirm plans for 108-bed hotel in Mansfield Chad, 3 November 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018
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