Last link to Walker family leaves Ewood Park

BLACKBURN Rovers’ final link to the Jack Walker family has been severed following the departure of Richard Matthewman from the board.

According to documents at Companies House Mr Matthewman, who is married to the late Mr Walker’s daughter Lynda, has resigned as a director.

In November the club was sold by a trust owned by the family of Mr Walker for £23m to the Indian poultry business Venky’s, short for Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group.

Earlier this year Venky’s appointed its own representatives, Gandhi Babu and Mahesh Gupta, to the board. Robert Coar, chairman during Kenny Dalglish’s reign as manager in the 1990s, remains a director at the club.

Mr Matthewman, managing director at Neales Waste Management in Blackburn, could not be reached for comment about his departure.

Jack Walker, who made his fortune from steel, took control of Blackburn in 1991 and invested heavily in players and a new stadium. In 1995 the club picked up its first title in 81 years. Mr Walker died in 2000 at the age of 71.

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