Advisor for Notts County takeover attempt and failed 2018 Chesterfield bid reportedly a 'jailed fraudster'

Alex May is a director of Tram Sports, who were involved in a bid to buy the Spireites in 2018.

Former Mansfield and Sheffield United player Tony Kenworthy and ex Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United secretary Dick Chester are also Tram Sports directors.

The takeover attempt fell apart in late July however, when the consortium missed deadlines and Chesterfield called a halt to talks, prompting then manager Martin Allen to speak of his relief.

Company secretary Ashley Carson said at the time: "When it came down to actually transferring the money, they missed two or three deadlines and at some stage someone has to say no, this isn't happening. We've pulled the plug on it."

Chesterfield owner Dave Allen said in January of this year that the club was no longer up for sale: "We're not going to be selling the club, we're going to get the club back into the Football League."

May has since become involved with a bid for crisis club Notts County, who will compete with Chesterfield in the National League next season.

He's advising a consortium led by lawyer Colin Dodd.

And a Daily Mirror story has now reported that May was previously known as Alick Kapikanya and has a criminal past.

The paper said he was jailed in 2014 for six years for leading a gang of fraudsters who targeted elderly homeowners in a multi million pound scam from 2007.

Dodd told the Mirror: “Alex May, when we were first introduced, disclosed everyone about his conviction. He has changed his name. He came clean and told us and everyone involved in this transaction is aware of that.

“He deserves a second chance, everyone makes mistakes in life and that is what we are doing."

Notts County owner Alan Hardy has put them up for sale and staved off a winding-up order over an unpaid tax bill in the High Court this week.