William Westwood, 2nd Baron Westwood

William Westwood, 2nd Baron Westwood (25 December 1907 – 8 November 1991) was a British peer, director of Hornby Railways and former chairman of Newcastle United.

Biography

Westwood inherited his father's title and estate, on his father's death in 1953. After losing one of his eyes in a car accident in 1956, he always wore an eye patch.

Westwood became a director of Newcastle United in 1960 and became chairman in 1963. He was chairman when the team won the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. He became president of the Football League in 1974, went on to be vice-chairman of the Football Association and also served on the UEFA professional committee. He had a sharp wit and was a regular after dinner speaker.

In 1977, six leading players threatened resign from the club. Having claimed that both he and the team manager, Richard Dinnis, had been "knifed in the back", Westwood stopped all staff from talking to the press. After a string of defeats, culminating in a loss to Arsenal at St James Park, fans called for his resignation with shouts of Westwood out. There was fighting in the streets and there were 10 arrests.

Westwood died on 8 November 1991.