MILLIONAIRE businessman and former chairman of Salisbury City Football Club Ray McEnhill has died at his Laverstock home, aged 64.

Mr McEnhill, who made his name in commercial and industrial cleaning services before turning his attention to other interests through his locally based Endless Holdings company, stood down as chairman of the football club after suffering a stroke, which left him wheelchair-bound, in November 2000.

It ended an 18-year link with the club, which he had bankrolled over many seasons since taking over as chairman in 1982.

He pumped in thousands of pounds of his own money and was the driving force behind the building of a new stadium for City FC, which opened in 1997 and bears his name.

Born in Ireland, Mr McEnhill moved to Salisbury with his parents as a child and attended the city's St Osmund's School before winning a scholarship to Shaftesbury Grammar School.

He went on to become the boss for many years of the highly-successful 20th Century Cleaning Company.

He sold that company in 1979 but re-entered the cleaning business a year later, when he bought the Gardner Merchant concern, which at that time had 1,100 employees, from Trust House Forte.

The company was renamed Endless Cleaning and Maintenance and, in 1981, following a number of investments both in this country and America, Mr McEnhill launched his holding company, Endless Holdings, which he headed as chairman.

Operating from Century House, in Endless Street, Salisbury, the holding company developed various business interests on both sides of the Atlantic, ranging from commercial and industrial cleaning to high-technology energy conservation.

Then, in 1987, through Endless Holdings, Mr McEnhill entered the bus company market, forming a transport company called Drawlane and buying the Bournemouth-based Shamrock and Rambler coach firm. Mr McEnhill went on to acquire other bus companies, before selling Drawline to the company's other directors, who went on to set up British Bus.

In 1991, Mr McEnhill was appointed chief executive of National Express and, after a successful spell there, during which he turned the company's fortunes round, he resigned to take up other businesses interests.

He bought the nightclub group Northern Leisure and later became involved in property. He also had business interests in pubs and a furniture store.

Mr McEnhill, who died at his home in Duck Lane, Laverstock, on Tuesday, leaves a widow, Jenny, a son, Andrew, a daughter, Helen, and five grandchildren.

Among those to pay tribute to him this week was former business colleague and friend of 40 years Bill Osmond, who also lives at Laverstock.

He said: "Ray is going to be terribly missed.

"He had many friends in and around Salisbury and was always helping people less fortunate than himself.

"He was a very generous man."

In a joint statement, directors of Salisbury City FC Nev Beal and Stu McGlashan, said: "Ray was a great supporter of the club and we are more than grateful for everything he did for us, in taking us to the high standard of football we now play.

"On behalf of the club, we extend our deepest sympathy to Jenny and her family."