SMITH OF THE STAR - Hobson's choice for scrap man Dennis
IT'S about as far from a Skegness February as it's possible to be.
A shaded seat on the terrace of a 10 million, five-star hotel, azure skies above, turquoise seas below.
This is Dennis Hobson today, in 80 degree sunshine outside La Haule Manor which he part owns in Jersey's St Aubin's district.
Chip-Pan alley it ain't.
At the age of 47 Dennis Hobson, scrapman, boxing promoter and property developer has homes on the island, in Tenerife and Sheffield.
He and two business partners in S T Developments own hotels, apartments and holiday homes on Jersey worth around 40 million.
But there was a time when even the basic delights of the Lincolnshire coast were more than he could afford.
At the age of 18 the Attercliffe-born former trainee chef who left school at 15 drove to Stoke with his mother to buy crockery to sell on Ingoldmells market.
It was a nightmare.
"I lived in a 10ft caravan throughout the year and I was rubbish at selling pots," said multi-millionaire Dennis who once tossed a coin for 50,000 with Frank Warren - and lost.
"I remember going to bed night after night with the gas fire on and wearing tracksuits with the hood up and being absolutely freezing cold and waking up even colder an hour later.
"I lived on tins of rice pudding and Irish stew. I used to go in the supermarket and swap the price tickets on meat so I could get a bigger piece."
The man who steered Clinton Woods to a world light heavyweight boxing title eventually left the market stall and came back to Sheffield to work in a chip shop.
A lifelong Wednesdayite and a good semi-pro player, it was a Wednesday star who inadvertently gave Dennis Hobson the break that changed his life.
"We used to keep greyhounds and in those days I didn't have any money," he said."I sold one called Hellaby Black to Terry Curran who played for Sheffield Wednesday at the time for 250. With the money I got from that I went out and bought my first pick-up truck. I started going round one or two engineering companies asking if I could take their waste metal and weigh it in.
"I gradually built the business up and I was able to buy a house in Woodhouse. I didn't just want to be my father's son, I wanted to achieve something for myself.
"My dad, Dennis Snr, should have been one of the wealthiest men in Sheffield from his scrap business but he was out every night, at the dogs or casinos, he enjoyed going out more than being an out-and-out family man.
"He's 76 now but he must have had a thousand fist fights. There have been times when we've not been speaking but we get on fine now."
Though there are always those that will look down on a man who made his money from scrap and scrapping Dennis Hobson Jnr has never been in trouble with the law.
But any man who has worked a market stall, bought and sold scrap metal, promoted world title boxing matches and negotiated with men like Don King and Bob Arum knows how to get a deal done.
And it was through boxing that Dennis Hobson made his name.
"I had always loved boxing and had a few fights when I was younger," he said.
"When I lived at Woodhouse the local gym got knocked down so people started coming to my house. I eventually got a place for 15 a week and opened a gym there.
"Someone asked me if I'd be a second for them in the ring so I got my second's licence and someone asked me if I'd be their manager so I got a manager's licence.
"Then one day Clinton walked in. He said 'I've heard there's a gym here, can I come and keep fit?'
The rest is history.
Clinton Woods' raw ability, heart and energy, guided by some shrewd matchmaking by Dennis Hobson, took him to a world Light Heavyweight title, fame and fortune."Clinton really helped me to take off," said Hobson.
"It was a learning curve for both of us, he was so raw, because I had boxed I held him back and was protective of him.
"We will always be pals, he's a great lad who could have been one of the best British boxers ever and beaten Joe Calzaghe if things had gone differently with injuries and a few political issues."
Dennis Hobson moved to Jersey eight years ago and began to invest there as a 'non-qualified' resident. He organises char ity boxing shows, helps out the local boxing club and underwrites a summer festival at Havre des Pas on the island. And he's settled with girlfriend Sarah Thompson.
"I've known Sarah for 10 years now. We're not married, we're both happy as we are. She's a great lass, I met her when she came to the gym one day.
"We started going out and having the odd dance but I didn't think it was going to be long-term at first. I'm 47 and she's 28 and people said it wouldn't work.
"But, I married someone my own age once before and that didn't work, so who's to say what works and what doesn't?"
'I can put a million or two into Owls'
LIFELONG Wednesday fan Dennis Hobson is desperate to get involved at Hillsborough.
He was linked with the ill-fated Club 9 bid that the Wednesday board rejected last month - but his interest does not end there.
"I will get on board with any group that has the best interests of Sheffield Wednesday at heart," he said. "I don't need to be chairman or on the board, it's not an ego thing with me.
"I have said all along that the best thing for the club would be to get a group of wealthy fans to put in money and we can have a fresh start.
I can put a million or two in but it's not just about money, you need the nous.
"I met David Blunkett at the weekend and he agrees that the fans have been treated badly over the years and should have a voice in the way the club is run in future.
"I think he would make a great ambassador for the club.
"It's time for a fresh start, a new board and some new ideas. I don't really understand why this board is hanging on, what have they got to hide.
"To be honest I'm surprised I have not been asked to get involved before now, perhaps Howard Wilkinson should be approaching me to get involved.
"I have the experience and know-how from years in the boxing and other businesses. I know I could make a difference to the club. I can make things happen for Wednesday."In tune with music world
DENNIS isn't the only Hobson making the news.
His 19-year-old daughter Jessica is a talented singer who made the last 20 of the BBC's Over The Rainbow show searching for a perfomer to play Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz.
Around 9,000 were auditioned and although Jessica went out in the early rounds she appeared on TV and her talent was noticed.
"She's just finished a Performing Arts course at Norton College and she likes to act and sing," said he proud dad.
"Singing is her first love and I hope she will push herself and make the most of her talent. She's going for auditions now for acting roles and if she keeps knocking on the door, one might open for her."
There is also a boy band in the Hobson stable.
"I'm involved with promoting and managing a boy band called Access All Areas. We were over in Sheffield for a boxing show at the Hilton Hotel and they came on and did a session for us. They were excellent and they are a good group of lads.
"They are flying out to Orlando, Florida, this week to do some recording and I'm hoping to get the boxer Roy Jones, who sings now, to do a rap on one of their tracks.
"They're doing a photo and video shoot and recording three tracks on this trip and we'll be presenting those to record companies."
Got a view? Leave a comment below.
Follow The Star on Twitter and Facebook:
For breaking news and sport follow The Star on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sheffieldstar and Facebook at www.facebook.com/sheffieldstar.
JOIN THE STAR READER PANEL: The Star is YOUR newspaper, so tell us what you think about it and what you want to see - CLICK HERE.
Don't miss our daily pull-outs - only in the The Star: Monday Star Sport, Tuesday Class Act; Wednesday Business; Thursday Grassroots; Friday Time Out; Saturday Retro. Subscribe to The Star - CLICK HERE
READ MORE
Join the Star reader panel
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light snow
Temperature: -6 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
