# Brooks Mileson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Brooks_Mileson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Brooks_Mileson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Mileson > Source revision: 1311415618 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British businessman (1947–2008)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{More citations needed|date=November 2008}} {{Infobox person | birth_name = Brooks John Joseph Mileson | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1947|11|13}} | birth_place = [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland), England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2008|11|3|1947|11|13}} | death_place = [Carlisle](/source/Carlisle), England | occupation = {{hlist|Businessman|philanthropist}} }} '''Brooks John Joseph Mileson''' (13 November 1947 – 3 November 2008) was an English businessman and the owner of now dissolved professional [football](/source/Association_football) club [Gretna](/source/Gretna_F.C.) as well as being a philanthropist to 70 [non-League](/source/Non-League_football) clubs. ==Early life== The eldest son of parents who were both members of [the Salvation Army](/source/the_Salvation_Army), Mileson and his four siblings were born in [Pennywell](/source/Pennywell), an estate in [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland), England. All the children were committed [Christians](/source/Christians) who were given a good education, brought up in a poor household. Told he would never make the sports team after breaking his back in a [quarry](/source/quarry) aged 11, Mileson took up [running](/source/running). He won the bronze medal in the 1967 English [cross country](/source/Cross_country_running) junior championships – then immediately stopped: "It was the happiest day of my life. I hated every minute of running, but I had something to prove."{{cite web|url=http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/A-dream-gone-up-in.3882969.jp|title=A dream gone up in smoke — Profile: Brooks Mileson|publisher=The Scotsman|date=2008-03-16|accessdate=2008-11-03}} ==Business== Starting out from school and working in the construction industry. After the then [Durham](/source/Durham%2C_England)-based Mileson was made redundant in 1982, he set up his first construction firm, before branching out into [insurance](/source/insurance). Although estimates of his wealth varied, he was said to have sold two companies for £17m and £48.6m, with the highest tabloid estimates at over £75 million, according to a profile in ''[The Sun](/source/The_Sun_(United_Kingdom))''. Towards the end of his tenure at [Gretna](/source/Gretna_F.C.), Mileson was reported to be heavily in debt, with his personal bank account reported to be overdrawn by almost £500,000. Mileson was posthumously declared bankrupt in February 2010, after a businessman who was owed £1.85 million by Mileson made an application to Carlisle County Court.{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/gretnafc/Sad-decline-of-Brooks-Mileson39s.6250967.jp|title=Sad decline of Brooks Mileson's mansion as judge approves repossession|first=Patrick|last=Hill|work=[The Scotsman](/source/The_Scotsman)|date=24 April 2010|accessdate=22 April 2011}} ==Sport== Mileson was a devotee of grassroots football,{{cite news|title=Mileson to help fans buy Dundee|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2006-05-20|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/dundee/5001272.stm|access-date=2008-03-21}} and made donations to several football trusts, including [Carlisle](/source/Carlisle_United_F.C.)'s United Trust, [Dundee United](/source/Dundee_United_F.C.)'s Arab Trust, [Ayr United](/source/Ayr_United_F.C.)'s Honest Men Trust, [Dundee](/source/Dundee_F.C.)'s Dee4life Trust and [Berwick Rangers](/source/Berwick_Rangers_F.C.)'s Supporters Trust.{{cite news|first=Stephen|last=Halliday|title=Gretna bubbly as promotion looms|publisher=[The Scotsman](/source/The_Scotsman) |url=http://sport.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=393&id=241992005|date=2005-03-05|accessdate=2006-03-28}} Mileson was made an honorary vice president of the [Stockport County](/source/Stockport_County_F.C.) Supporters' Trust for the support and guidance he provided during their takeover of the club.{{cite news|title=Brookes Mileson becomes Honorary Vice-President|publisher=Stockport County Trust|date=August 2005|url=http://www.stockportcountytrust.com/news/n0605_brookes.asp|accessdate=2008-03-21}} He was also the president of [Whitby Town](/source/Whitby_Town_F.C.),{{cite web|title=The Club|publisher=Whitby Town|url=http://www.whitby-town.com/info.php|accessdate=2008-03-21|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130209052335/http://www.whitby-town.com/info.php|archivedate=2013-02-09}} and sponsor of the [Northern League](/source/Northern_League_(football)). Mileson was a supporter of [Carlisle United](/source/Carlisle_United_F.C.) and made an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the club.{{cite news|last=Harris|first=Nick|title=Brooks Mileson: 'This club is in my soul. I would have ended up croaking if I had not come to Gretna'|work=The Independent|date=2006-02-04|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/scottish/brooks-mileson-this-club-is-in-my-soul-i-would-have-ended-up-croaking-if-i-had-not-come-to-gretna-465509.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405093543/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/scottish/brooks-mileson-this-club-is-in-my-soul-i-would-have-ended-up-croaking-if-i-had-not-come-to-gretna-465509.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 5, 2008| accessdate=2008-03-21}} [Gretna](/source/Gretna_F.C.) were admitted to the [Scottish Football League](/source/Scottish_Football_League) in 2002 in place of [Airdrie](/source/Airdrieonians_F.C._(1878)). Mileson took control of the club and invested heavily in the team, and they were promoted from the [Scottish Third Division](/source/Scottish_Football_League_Third_Division) to the [Scottish Premier League](/source/Scottish_Premier_League) in three consecutive seasons.{{cite news|title=Gretna fairytale continues |publisher=BBC Sport|date=28 April 2007|first=Colin|last=Moffat|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gretna/6530071.stm|access-date=22 April 2011}} Gretna also reached the [2006 Scottish Cup Final](/source/2006_Scottish_Cup_Final) as a [Second Division](/source/Scottish_Football_League_Second_Division) club, only losing to [Hearts](/source/Heart_of_Midlothian_F.C.) in a [penalty shoot-out](/source/Penalty_shoot-out_(association_football)). Mileson had been in poor health from his many years as a chain smoker, subsequently undergoing two stomach operations. He also suffered from [chronic fatigue syndrome](/source/chronic_fatigue_syndrome) (CFS). He was admitted to hospital once again on 12 February 2008, suffering from a brain infection.{{cite news|title=Gretna owner Mileson in hospital|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2008-02-12|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gretna/7241041.stm|access-date=2008-03-21}} After this event, his financial support for Gretna was withdrawn, bankrupting the club and leaving Gretna without a football team to play at [Raydale Park](/source/Raydale_Park).{{cite news|title=Gretna relinquish league status|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2008-06-03|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gretna/7433470.stm|access-date=2008-06-15}} A new club called [Gretna 2008](/source/Gretna_F.C._2008) was founded in its place.{{cite news|url=http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/1.202623|title=GRETNA ARE SAVED — BUT THEY WILL BE PLAYING IN ANNAN|publisher=The Cumberland News|date=2008-07-12|accessdate=2008-10-19|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090314001623/http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/1.202623|archivedate=2009-03-14}} Mileson was not universally popular within [Scottish football](/source/football_in_Scotland). [St Johnstone](/source/St_Johnstone_F.C.) chairman [Geoff Brown](/source/Geoff_Brown_(businessman)) described Mileson's ownership of Gretna as an "ego trip", which had experienced a "day of reckoning" when the club went out of business.{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/gretnafc/Mileson-39ego39--to-blame.4147964.jp|title=Mileson 'ego' to blame, says Saints chief Brown|first=Angus|last=Wright|work=[The Scotsman](/source/The_Scotsman)|date=4 June 2008|accessdate=22 April 2011}} ==Death== Mileson was found unconscious on his land at his home in the village of [Blackford](/source/Blackford%2C_Cumbria) on the morning of 3 November 2008. He was taken to the [Cumberland Infirmary](/source/Cumberland_Infirmary) in Carlisle, where he died a few hours after arrival.{{cite news|title=Football world in shock at ex-Gretna chief Brooks Mileson's death|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1.264484|publisher=News & Star|date=2008-11-04|accessdate=2008-11-10|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081107094159/http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1.264484|archivedate=2008-11-07}} A coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death, caused by Mileson suffering a [heart attack](/source/Myocardial_infarction) and then falling into a garden pond.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/sfl/2011/04/22/mileson-s-death-an-accident-as-gardener-recounts-how-he-found-gretna-legend-afloat-in-pond-86908-23078724/|title=Brook Mileson's death an accident as gardener recounts how he found Gretna legend afloat in pond |first=Patrick|last=Hill|work=[Daily Record](/source/Daily_Record_(Scotland))|date=22 April 2011|accessdate=22 April 2011}} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mileson, Brooks}} Category:People from Sunderland Category:Businesspeople from Tyne and Wear Category:English Christians Category:Gretna F.C. Category:Chairmen and investors of football clubs in Scotland Category:1947 births Category:2008 deaths Category:People with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome Category:20th-century Scottish businesspeople --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Brooks Mileson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Mileson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Mileson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.