Peter Swann (born 29 October 1965) is a British businessman and the former chairman of football clubs Gainsborough Trinity and Scunthorpe United, having taken over at the latter from the retiring Steve Wharton in 2013.
[4] On 14 November 2011, Swann announced he had agreed a deal in principle to move Trinity to a new stadium on the site of the former Castle Hills secondary school.
[6] Trinity under new manager Steve Housham advance into the Conference North play-off final after beating FC Halifax Town 3-2 on aggregate, with Swann saying the club had over-achieved.
[20] On 31 March 2022 with the club 10 points adrift at the bottom of League Two and his position attracting considerable public criticism, Swann announced his resignation as chairman with immediate effect.
[24] The deal failed to be finalised and on 11 January 2023, Scunthorpe United were served a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs over an apparent unpaid tax bill, on which Swann declined to comment.
[25] On 14 January 2023, United fans invaded the pitch during the second half of their 2–0 National League defeat by Woking, in a protest against Swann[26] (also involved in separate court action regarding gambling debts).
[28][29] The deal included the stadium and surrounding land, and provided a four-month exclusivity period for Hilton to conclude a £3m agreement to buy the property.
[30] However, Hilton’s legal team raised concerns about the valuation, the stadium's status as a community asset and issues of planning permission and access.
[30] Hilton did not buy the stadium within the agreed timeframe;[31] instead he found a loophole solution: a lease agreement that let the club stay at Glanford Park for 7p a week rent - something Swann considered to be trespass and squatting.
[34][35][better source needed] Swann began legal proceedings to sue both Hilton and the club, with an initial court hearing being adjourned until between January 2024 and March 2024.