Former Tranmere Rovers footballer named on the Sunday Times Rich List

Castore co-founders Phil and Tom Beahon (left) are pictured as The Rangers Store is officially re-opened at Ibrox Stadium, on August 6, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Phil and Tom Beahon (left) are pictured as The Rangers Store is officially re-opened (Image credit: Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)

When it comes to former footballers who go on to make enormous wealth after hanging up their boots, you tend to think of the likes of David Beckham and Robbie Fowler.

But sometimes it's some of the more obscure names to have played the game who go on to be much more famous for their exploits in the business world.

That's the case for former Tranmere Rovers trainee Tom Beahon, who never quite made the grade at Prenton Park but has gone on to become one of the richest men in the UK.

Castore co-founders enter Sunday Times Rich List

Castore co-founders Phil and Tom Beahon (left) are pictured with Rangers' Commercial and Marketing Director James Bisgrove (centre) as The Rangers Store is officially re-opened at Ibrox Stadium, on August 6, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland.

Rangers have been in Castore kits this season (Image credit: Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)

That's because alongside brother Phil, Beahon is the co-founder of Castore, the kit manufacturer that launched on the Wirral in 2015 and has gone on to establish itself as one of the most distinctive kit logos in the world.

Alongside a series of high-street shops, Castore are the current supplier for big-name clubs like Everton, Burnley, Rangers, Bayer Leverkusen, Athletic Club and Feyernoord.

Ashley Young in action for Everton

Everton are Castore's only current Premier League client but will be joined next season by Burnley following their promotion from the Championship (Image credit: Getty Images)

Those deals, plus a shedload of partnerships in other sports, have led to the Beahon brothers entering the Sunday Times Rich List for the first time.

The long-running annual feature, first published in 1989, estimates the wealth of people who mainly live or work in the UK.

Indian-British tycoon Gopi Hinduja tops this year's list with a net worth of £35.3bn - around a hundred times that of the Castore founders, who are valued at around £350m.

The Beahon brothers are also jointly named as the 14th-wealthiest people under 40 in the country.

Aston Villa's infamous wet-look kit

Aston Villa had issues with their Castore kit in 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Castore did run into some teething problems during their rapid expansion, particularly in 2023.

The company moved to apologise to Rangers fans that summer after complaints about the quality of some of their merchandise, while Aston Villa's unintentional 'wet look' kits the same year led to Castore having to correct the issue. The midlands club nonetheless ended their contract and moved to adidas

Steven Chicken

Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.