New book to detail life of Yorkshire entrepreneur behind Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium

He also founded one of the UK’s most successful pharmaceutical companies, Galpharm, which went on to sponsor the stadium. He has since dedicated his life to helping other businesses and charities.

Mr Leslie’s book, which marks 30 years since the first match at the new stadium, is called Ahead Of The Curve and will be launched in the Terriers Together suite at the stadium on July 26, at 10.30am at an event open to the public.

Mr Leslie said: “I left school with no recognised qualifications after an academic life blighted by dyslexia and came from a financially poor middle-class family.

“But I was so lucky I had strong values instilled in me by such wonderful parents who had endured poverty, trauma and hardship and those qualities gave me the confidence, determination and never-say-die spirit to persevere no matter what odds were stacked against me.”

The stadium’s famous blueprint with its innovative banana-shaped trusses was so striking and different at the time that it helped set the standard for all other UK sports grounds to follow, and ultimately inspired the new Wembley stadium. In his book, Mr Leslie reveals the perilous state of Huddersfield Town’s finances at the time of the changes, including how close the club came to plunging into administration and why Leeds Road had to be demolished and replaced.

Mr Leslie, who received the CBE in 2017 for services to entrepreneurship, also changed the way medicines such as ibuprofen could be sold in the UK, massively bringing down the cost and saving the NHS between an estimated £400m to £500m a year.

Mr Leslie was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Huddersfield and later became Resident Professor of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship there.

His autobiography also reveals how he now intends to change the way the music industry works and also gives business tips including how companies can double their profits in a year.

All proceeds from the book will go to the charity Making Waves, in Slaithwaite, which supports the Waves day care centre for people aged 18 and over with learning and/or physical difficulties from across Huddersfield and beyond. It’s one of the most innovative day care centres in the UK.

The book will be available to purchase on the launch day when Mr Leslie will be signing copies. It will also be on sale in bookshops, the Huddersfield Town shop and online.

The launch will feature Mr Leslie along with Huddersfield Town legends Andy Booth, Peter Jackson and Kieran O’Regan who will talk about their playing days and the stadium.

A group of members from Waves will be singing a song Mr Leslie composed called United Together at the launch.

The song has only been performed publicly before by London-based gospel Kingdom Choir who are famous for singing at the King’s Coronation and Harry and Meghan’s wedding.