Louis Edwards

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Louis Edwards (June 15, 1914—February 25, 1980) was an English businessman and chairman of Manchester United from 1965 to 1980.

1 Biography
- 1.1 Manchester United
2 Controversies
- 2.1 Meat Contracts Corruption and Malpractice
- 2.2 Youth Team Corruption
3 References

[edit] Biography

[edit] Manchester United

Edwards made his fortune in meat packaging, and from the late 1950s was an investor in Manchester United. He became club chairman in 1965 and by the 1970s was the majority shareholder.

Edwards died of a heart attack in 1980, just four weeks after a World in Action TV investigation into his alleged involvement in illegal share trading and slush funds.^[1] His son, Martin, succeeded him as chairman.

[edit] Controversies

[edit] Meat Contracts Corruption and Malpractice

Edwards' meat packaging business dominated the market in the North of England in the 1970s generating a great deal of moeny for Edwards. A World in Action investigation exposed that such dominance had in fact been achieved through bribing school officials in order to win lucrative contracts in cities such as Manchester.^[2]

The Granada investigation also showed that his company supplied condemned meat that was unfit for human consumption to be used in school dinners. They were later prosecuted for doing so. ^[3]

[edit] Youth Team Corruption

The investigation also exposed how Manchester United had a secret fund for bribing parents of young players the club wished to recruit. In one case in the early 1960's it was alleged that a bribe of £5,000 was paid to the parents of Peter Lorimer, a promising young player whom the club had wanted to recruit. The bung was in fact later returned when the player chose Leeds United instead though this was a clear breach of football association rules. ^[4] Investigations by the police into Edwards' dealings were never fully completed due to his death soon after the inquiries began. ^[5] The FA decided against ia formal investigation and merely discussed the issue instead. [1]