Kenny Waugh

Kenneth Waugh (4 February 1937 – 5 September 2015), commonly known as Kenny Waugh, was a Scottish businessman, bookmaker and football club chairman. He built a chain of betting shops and public houses in and around Edinburgh and later became the owner and chairman of Hibernian F.C. He had previously attempted to acquire Hibernian's Edinburgh rivals, Heart of Midlothian F.C., in 1981, losing a contest for control of the club to Wallace Mercer.

Early life and business career

Waugh was born on 4 February 1937 in Prestonfield, Edinburgh, the son of Danny Waugh, a former soldier, and his wife Annie. He grew up in the south-east of the city and later moved with his parents and five sisters to Bingham.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Waugh acquired betting shops around Edinburgh and expanded into the licensed trade. By 1981 he owned 11 betting shops and three public houses. He subsequently expanded his bookmaking interests into Scotbet, which became Scotland's largest independent bookmaker, and remained involved in the family's licensed-trade businesses later in his life.

Waugh was also involved in greyhound racing. He worked as a bookmaker at Powderhall Stadium and later owned the greyhound track at Armadale.

Football

Heart of Midlothian takeover bid

Waugh came to wider public attention in 1981 when he attempted to acquire a majority shareholding in Heart of Midlothian F.C., which was experiencing serious financial difficulties. Although Waugh was known as a Hibernian supporter, he said that his interest arose from wanting to improve football in Edinburgh and that Hearts required stronger commercial management.

Waugh offered £350,000 for control of Hearts. Former Hearts player Donald Ford later recalled that the club's board had been close to agreeing a sale to Waugh before Ford contacted Edinburgh property developer Wallace Mercer and persuaded him to make a competing offer. Mercer ultimately secured control of Hearts.

Hibernian

Later in 1981, Waugh acquired the majority shareholding in Hibernian F.C. from builder Tom Hart, becoming chairman the following year. One of his early changes was the replacement of manager Bertie Auld by former Hibernian captain Pat Stanton. Stanton was followed by John Blackley and, in 1986, Alex Miller. During Waugh's ownership Hibernian reached the 1985 Scottish League Cup final, losing to Aberdeen, but did not win a major trophy.

Waugh also oversaw substantial alterations to Easter Road. The east terracing was reduced in height and roofed during the 1980s, reducing the stadium's capacity to about 27,000. Contemporary accounts reported that Waugh regarded the ageing stadium as requiring major improvement.

In 1987 Waugh sold his controlling interest in Hibernian to a consortium led by solicitor David Duff, ending six years of ownership. Waugh later opposed the proposed takeover of Hibernian by Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer in 1990 and worked behind the scenes in support of the club remaining independent.

In December 2016, sports journalist Ray Hepburn said that Waugh had told him in 1986 that Hibernian youth coach Gordon Neely had been dismissed after two sets of parents complained that Neely had sexually abused their sons. According to Hepburn, Waugh did not report the allegations to the police. Hibernian said that it had no record of complaints against Neely from his time at the club and encouraged Hepburn to provide his information to the police.

Personal life and death

Waugh was married to Dorothy Waugh for nearly 60 years. She died in July 2014. The couple had two children.

Waugh died at a hospice in Edinburgh on 5 September 2015, aged 78, following an illness.