The chief stumbling block to Mr Blindell gaining control of Exeter City was his insistence that the board sell him St James' Park - which the club then owned - so that he would then rent it back to the Grecians. This led to an early end to proceedings and within a year he was to turn his attentions elsewhere.

A colourful and controversial presence in Westcountry football Mr Blindell, who had made his fortune from shoe manufacturing, had been on the board of Torquay United before gaining control of Plymouth Argyle in 1952. With him eventually stepping aside at Home Park, his Exeter City venture marked an attempt to have a second try at football club ownership.

But, after failing to take over City, Mr Blindell was more successful at Brentford where he rescued the club and became chairman in 1967. A year later, with debts mounting and the owner of Queen's Park Rangers eyeing a takeover, he announced plans to move the Bees several miles west to the home of Hillingdon Borough with tentative plans for the club to be known as Brentford Borough. A former director produced a loan which saved the club a few months ahead of Mr Blindell's death in January 1969.

At the time of his death he lived at Tittenhurst House in Ascot, a house he bought from Peter Cadbury chairman of Westward TV, that was later owned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono between 1969 and 1971.

Picture credit: Greens on Screen