Convicted fraudster goes fishing for investment with League Two club

Blundell Park, home of Grimsby Town FC

A convicted fraudster who was reportedly interested in buying Notts County last year is thought to be involved with raising funds for League Two side Grimsby Town.

Alex May was allegedly heading up a group that was interested in buying Notts County from Alan Hardy in June 2019. The consortium, headed up by lawyer Colin Dodd, went as far as meeting with Nottingham City Council over plans to buy the Meadow Lane Club – a move which failed after widespread opposition from Magpies fans.

In April 2019, Dodd registered a company called Meadow Lane Project. It’s address was listed as 7 The Ropewalk, Nottingham. This was changed in September last year to Blundell Park Project (Grimsby Town play their home games at Blundell Park). He is the sole director of the company. However, on November 10 of this year, the company was given notice that it would be struck off the register of companies after its confirmation statement was well overdue.

Now, it has been confirmed that May has been present on more than one occasion at Grimsby Town home games and is, according to supporters’ organsisation Mariners Trust, in discussions about helping

Alex May

with a “potential development that would be of benefit to the club”.

A statement later on Sunday afternoon from the Trust said: “Following a board meeting this afternoon, the Mariners Trust board would like to make it known that we oppose the involvement of Alex May in the football club and we have made the chairman of GTFC aware of our position.”

Meanwhile, it appeared from documents filed at Companies House that Grimsby Town’s majority shareholder and former chairman John Fenty has a stake in a company called Town Centre Living alongside May. This company was set up on April 27 this year. May was also a director of the company, but this role was terminated on November 25.

Fenty is also the deputy leader of North-East Lincolnshire Council.

However, in a statement to Grimsby Live last night, Fenty said that he was no longer a business partner of May.

He said: “I wholly own the company called TCL which has yet to trade, and when it commences trading I will declare it on my declarations of interest accordingly.

“The original purpose of TCL was to trade some business in a joint-private venture with Alex May.

“That was put on hold, so I acquired his shareholding and he resigned as a director at the same time.

“Companies House records will show this.

“I have been working on some private development projects in Whitchurch, Liverpool and Halifax, and they will be traded through this new company accordingly.”

The news has caused disquiet among Mariners fans because May, who has changed his name by deed poll and was previously known as Alick Kapikanya, was jailed in 2014 for six years for heading up a group which targeted elderly homeowners in Manchester from 2007.

Reports suggest that May and his accomplices at the time stole their identities, seized ownership of their houses then repeatedly remortgaged them – walking away with £3.5m.

A statement from the Mariners Trust, which holds a place on the board at Grimsby Town, on Saturday evening (December 12) said: “Following the reports in the Grimsby Telegraph, our club board representatives have confirmed that Alex May was at Blundell Park today and has been there previously. Due to confidentiality agreements the rest of the Trust board have not been aware of these visits. Obviously this raises lots of questions and we are convening an urgent board meeting for tomorrow to discuss. As we understand it Mr May is in discussions about helping with a potential development that would be of benefit to the club. Any investment would be for this and not the day to day running of the club. Mr May would not be able to be a director of the club.

“We are also having discussions with other parties who have previously shown interest in the club. Following this and the board meeting we will be in a position to give an update to fans of the situation which we will do asap.”

Grimsby Town drew 1-1 with Mansfield Town on Saturday and currently lie in 20th place in League Two.

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