Leeds United Football Club has been bought by a Dubai-based investment bank, making a former Cornishman reporter one of its new directors.
David Haigh, who grew up in Sancreed, was spearheading the bid for a Middle Eastern bank to take full control of the Championship side.
GFH Capital has now started a one-month transitional period and, following Football League approval, will become 100% shareholder of the club.
Executives from the bank, Hisham Alrayes, David Haigh and Salem Patel will join the Board of Leeds United.
Mr Haigh, a former Cape Cornwall school pupil, joined The Cornishman's Down Your Way reporting team at the age of 13 – a job he continued to do for about seven years.
He said the company was proud to have completed the deal, which involved a long process of international negotiations.
"A brief but important transitional period now begins in terms of the changeover of ownership: we have today injected further funds into the club and now we look to the future and start the exciting journey to take Leeds United FC back into a prime position in English football once again," he said.
"From a Leeds family myself and a supporter of The Whites since childhood, I know that football is at the very heart of the people of Leeds and the wider community. We want to thank all the fans in UK and around the world for their patience and support while the negotiations have been taking place. Let's now march on together, taking the club back to the Premier League as soon as possible."
