SPORTSWEAR retailer JJB Sports is back in the takeover spotlight, amid speculation that chief executive Chris Ronnie may be seeking a management buyout.

Sport has always been one of the main passions in his life, and he once even represented Scotland at squash.

But the 46-year-old Glasgow-born executive has lived in the north west since the age of 13, when his father relocated to Manchester to work at the Daily Express - and this is the part of the world he now regards as home.

Mr Ronnie openly confesses that school was `not for him' and he was glad to leave the world of education behind.

In fact - by his own admission - sport and retail are all that he has ever known.

He began working in the industry at a sports shop in Bramhall at the age of 16. He has worked for Arrow Sports, then Mitre Sports as UK sales and marketing director, and on to Pentland Industries where he was managing director of Ellesse UK. He then joined Sir Tom Hunter at Sports Division, where he stayed until it was bought by Wigan-based JJB 10 years ago for £300m.

Mr Ronnie became the biggest shareholder and chief executive of JJB last year after he bought Dave Whelan's shares.

His large office at JJB's headquarters is decorated with a framed tennis racquet, a portrait of George Best and Sir Matt Busby, a picture of Mohammed Ali, a gallery of English cricketers and a golfing scene. Tweet