Vision and ventures: Who is Chris Musgrave, the would-be saviour of Hartlepool United?

Tycoon, charity champion and a business visionary - Chris Musgrave is the Hartlepool man behind huge plans which aim to transform the future of the area.
Chris Musgrave, the managing director of Wynyard Park.Chris Musgrave, the managing director of Wynyard Park.
Chris Musgrave, the managing director of Wynyard Park.

The redevelopment boss has been revealed as the potential investor who was involved in talks to help rescue Hartlepool United from administration.

However, talks over the future of the club have failed to lead to an agreement.Chris follows in the footsteps of his late father Joe, who founded Wynyard Park and was also a founding patron of Alice House Hospice.

Fans pictured at Saturday's match between Hartlepool United v Wrexham, which the home side lose 2-0 to the visitors.Fans pictured at Saturday's match between Hartlepool United v Wrexham, which the home side lose 2-0 to the visitors.
Fans pictured at Saturday's match between Hartlepool United v Wrexham, which the home side lose 2-0 to the visitors.
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As well as being business-minded in his work life, Chris and his family have continued to support the cause, with a celebration of Joe’s life at Sedgefield Races helping to boost its funds by £50,000 last September.

The help of Joe’s widow Mary and son Chris - one of the couple’s three children alongside Lynn and Lesley - most recently helping to fund the conversion of two bedrooms in its long term unit.

His proposal to help Hartlepool United is the latest in a line of ventures to help businesses for the benefit of others - albeit one which failed to find the net this time.

He has previously been part of a bid to save the Corus steelworks in Redcar in 2010.

Fans pictured at Saturday's match between Hartlepool United v Wrexham, which the home side lose 2-0 to the visitors.Fans pictured at Saturday's match between Hartlepool United v Wrexham, which the home side lose 2-0 to the visitors.
Fans pictured at Saturday's match between Hartlepool United v Wrexham, which the home side lose 2-0 to the visitors.
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Wynyard Park became the focus of redevelopment when he bought the land after Samsung closed its plant with the loss of 1,000 jobs in 2005.

The company says the park “is truly splendid” and is expected to offer hundreds of new homes.

Its website adds it is “the last element in the transformation of the historic Wynyard country estate into a different concept for living and working” and will “grow into a self-sustaining, exclusive community with its own shops, school, healthcare, pub, cafes and transportation.”

The land had been due to become home to a new NHS hospital for the Hartlepool and North Tees area, but that section of the plans failed to materialise when cash cuts hit.