LIFELONG Boro fan Steve is the man who liked the product so much he bought the company.

He joined the board as the club's youngest ever director at the tender age of 26, while Willie Maddren was manager, and in 1986, he formed the consortium that saved the club from liquidation.

In 1994 he somewhat reluctantly succeeded Colin Henderson as club chairman. It was his vision that saw Boro leave Ayresome Park for the new all-seater Riverside Stadium in 1995.

Steve's appointment of Bryan Robson as manager in May 1994 helped launch the Riverside Revolution that saw Boro leave behind 100 years of mediocrity and achieve three Wembley cup final appearances within 12 months during 1997 and 1998. 

One of football's most popular chairman, the biggest cheer during Boro's 2004 Carling Cup final win over Bolton came when Steve's face was shown on the giant screen at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
 
During the same year he celebrated ten years at the top of the club and was given the Freedom of Middlesbrough in recognition of his work for the town.

He now owns more than 90% of the shares in the club and is managing director of Bulkhaul, which he began in his early 20s by borrowing £1,000 from his father.

The firm specialises in transporting chemicals around the world and has grown to become one of the UK's top private companies.