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Douglas Craig gained infamy in the city of York, in the north of England, as he attempted to sell off the assets of the city's football team for his own personal gain.
Early Years
Craig took over the club in the late 1980s, and enjoyed some early success. However it wasn't until the early 1990s when, under the guidance of manager John Ward and, later, Alan Little, York enjoyed their best period in recent years. The club won promotion to what was then the English Second Division (now the First Division) in 1994 before making headlines with its giant-killing cup exploits, beating Manchester United over two legs in the League Cup. The cup glory continued the following year, as City knocked out Everton in the same competition at Goodison Park. That season ended in disappointment, however, as City were beaten by Stockport in the Division Two playoff semi-final.
Latter Years; Sell Off and Results
The following years under Craig were bleak for York, with relegation to Division Three and several managers coming and going.
Craig really fell out of favour when he decided to sell off the club's major asset, its ground, for personal profit. This sent York into serious financial turmoil, and the club went into administration shortly after Craig had sold it, minus all fixed assets, to John Batchelor for a fee rumoured to be 50p. This left a particularly bitter taste in supporters' mouths, as a seemingly solvent club was asset-stripped for Douglas Craig's personal gain. Whilst Craig did not break any specific laws, his actions were seen as highly immoral, with some Parliamentarians becoming involved in campaigns for stricter laws regarding this practice as a result.
York City was later rescued by a trust, which had been set up by the club's supporters. Craig sold the ground back to the Supporter's Trust, but for a figure that was many times larger than the reputed £50,000 that he reputedly paid for the club, many years earlier.