Football
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Barnsley owner Patrick Cryne to step down from duties due to illness

Barnsley owner Patrick Cryne will step down from his duties at Oakwell as he receives treatment for cancer, the club have announced.

Cryne, 65, took control at Barnsley following his takeover in 2004 and the club have been debt-free during his time at the helm.

"Today, the Cryne family informed the club that Patrick is suffering from cancer," read a statement on the club's official website.

"He will withdraw from any involvement with the football club for the foreseeable future while he receives treatment. The family's lawyer continues to hold the Barnsley FC shares in trust.

"All at Barnsley FC wish Patrick a full recovery.

"Linton Brown has been appointed chief executive of the Barnsley FC board with immediate effect. Robert Zuk will be appointed to the board as finance director in due course."

Brown was appointed acting chief executive at Barnsley in June following Ben Mansford's departure to take up a similar role with Leeds.

"Barnsley FC operates a policy of complete transparency with regard to ownership and governance matters, hence this statement," the club added.

Cryne, who made his fortune from the sale of computer software company iSoft in 2007, held talks with an Italian consortium keen on a takeover at Oakwell in 2012, but no "concrete offer" materialised.

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