Sir Bob Murray: New book tells story of former Sunderland chairman who created Stadium of Light

He spent a year on the dole. This setback was the making of him. He realised that, through sheer hard work, a place at university could be within his grasp. It took him 10 years working during the day and studying part time and at night to qualify for a place at Leeds Polytechnic.

Education looms large in his autobiography, “I’d do it all again”, which is published next week, with all the proceeds from sales going to the Foundation of Light, a charity Sir Bob set up to help thousands of people from all walks of life to live happier and healthier lives.

The book takes the reader from the the terraced and dust-choked streets of 1950s’ Consett to his current role as Chancellor at Leeds Beckett University. He’s also the driving force behind two flourishing enterprises, Omega, the kitchen company, and Sterling Capitol, the property development and investment company.

Sir Bob told The Yorkshire Post: “I was from a terraced council house, two up, two down. I was no good with my hands in a place where everybody worked in manual labour.”

He discovered a passion for business after qualifying as a Chartered Certified Accountant from Leeds Polytechnic – now Leeds Beckett – in 1972

"I was headhunted by a guy in Halifax and went to work for him,’’ Sir Bob recalled. “He became a tax exile, he sold his business and we had a bit of capital so we set up Spring Ram (the bathroom and kitchen products group) in some old mills in Sowerby Bridge. We ended up with 3,000 employees and 3m sq ft and £25m in profits. We started in late 1979 and floated in 1983 and went on the full market in 1985.”

He is arguably best known for his 20-year stint as chairman of Sunderland, which began in 1986, when football was in a dark place.

"My dad was a Sunderland miner originally,’’ he said. “He took me to games. So I was always a Sunderland supporter. In the 1980s football was blighted by hooliganism and dangerous stadiums. It was at its lowest point really. Shortly after I became chairman, Sunderland found itself in the third division for the first time in its history. I appointed a very good manager in Denis Smith. It was a really astute move. We not only achieved promotion, we got into the Premiership.

" At that stage, I realised we didn't have the stadium or the infrastructure to stay in the Premiership. The Taylor report into stadium safety came out and it became quite obvious to me that Roker Park (Sunderland’s historic ground) was past its sell by date by a long time.”

After much discussion about potential sites, Sunderland found their new home on the site of a former pit. When it opened in 1997, the stadium's capacity was 42,000 but this was later increased to 49,000 after the construction of an extra tier on the North Stand.

“It was a good thing that it was in the city and we've now got an Olympic pool next to it,’’ said Sir Bob. “When I built the stadium, I built it for concerts as well, with tunnels in. When they have big stars like Rihanna performing there it is a very rewarding feeling. When we had the Lionesses (England women’s football team) there recently, the stadium sold out. If you look at Leeds (United) at the moment, ,they need a new stadium.

" Leeds is a pan-European city that lacks a football stadium that reflects that. We've got great universities which attract 80,000 students to the city. Leeds has got so much right. The number of students who move permanently to Leeds is phenomenal. It's a very attractive city to live in.”

Sir Bob was awarded an honorary doctorate by Leeds Beckett in 2008, before being installed as Chancellor in January 2013.

"I play a support role at the university,’’ he said. “I feel like the Queen Mother. I'm rolled out on Royal occasions. The university is massively successful in terms of its ranking in the league tables and financially.”

Initially he was reluctant to take on a senior role in academia.

He recalled. “I got a call to meet a senior figure at the university at a house warming. We pulled up outside the house and I said to my wife, 'I know what they're going to do, they are going to ask me to join the board of directors. I'm going to say no.’

"I went in and they said, 'We would like you to be the Chancellor.’ When you're a lad from Consett and you know what it's like to be unemployed for a year, that's quite something. I accepted. I want to stay at Leeds Beckett because it’s inspirational work and very rewarding.

“I am extremely proud of the success we have achieved at Omega. The 400-strong workforce there is inspirational and the loyalty and selflessness they showed to the company during the challenging period of Covid was exceptional.”

Just before Covid, Omega unveiled a major extension to the factory, at Thorne, near Doncaster, which was opened by Sophie, then Duchess of Wessex.

"I've created about 20,000 jobs in Yorkshire in partnership with the local authorities. We've had three successful planning permission this year with Sterling Capitol.”

These successful applications include a 100 acre extension to Capitol Park Leeds, which is off junction 28 of the M62.

"I believe the hallmark of a good owner is somebody who leaves a place in a better condition than when they arrived,’’ he said.

Anybody admiring the Stadium of Light cannot question Sir Bob’s commitment to the community that shaped him.

His autobiography is being sold exclusively through the publisher at www.sirbobmurraybook.com and Sunderland AFC from 12 October.