Ray Evans

Former Kitbag managing director Ray Evans has been drafted in to repair JJB Sport’s ailing football division, which the retailer has identified as key to the revival of its fortunes.

“It’s had problems in football. To put it simply, my job is to fix them,” he says.

And it’s a job that will take some doing. As it unveiled Evans as its director of football, JJB also revealed the extent to which it was being thrashed in the football category. The retailer’s like-for-like decline – down 17.7% in the half year to July 31 – would have been cut to 5.5% without the negative impact of the category.

Evans says the football offer has “gone through a lot of change, and [JJB] doesn’t have any expertise in the category”. Evans could be the expert JJB is looking for. He has spent nearly 12 years leading online sports retailer Kitbag, helping it grow from a start-up to a company annually turning over £60m.

Kitbag was the fastest-growing part of owner home shopping group Findel’s business, and revenue soared 20% in its last financial year. The growth of Kitbag helped Evans pick up the Business Personality of the Year trophy at this year’s Manchester Business Awards.

The football boss takes up the JJB role as the retailer begins its turnaround programme. The chain escaped administration earlier this year after it managed to a secure life-saving CVA which allowed it to shed 43 of its stores.

So what attracted Evans to the difficult role at JJB? “Two words: Keith Jones. He played a massive part in persuading me. He’s a true retailer and absolutely understands the consumer.”

Evans says he likes a challenge and he clearly has one on his hands at JJB.

“JJB has been seen as the poor relation [to Sports Direct and JD Sports] in recent times, but it’s a brand that everyone knows. There’s a lot of work to do but I can really make a difference there.”

He is confident in Jones’ turnaround plan, but has some ideas of his own for when he takes the football reins in January.

Along with its own online shop, Kitbag holds the exclusive rights to operate the official online stores of clubs including Manchester City and Chelsea.

JJB has a similar arrangement with Glasgow Rangers but has no Premier League clubs signed up. Evans is keen to grow this side of the business.

Evans’ online background will also come to the fore as JJB strives to become a fully multichannel business. Its online sales are set to grow this year from 3% of the total to at least 6% and the idea to increase that further.

Although Evans comes from the world of online, he wants to improve JJB’s 200-strong store portfolio. He says that he is interested in football shopping concepts and counts Apple as his inspiration.

“Whenever you walk past its stores you see people enjoying its products who are fully engaged with the brand,” says Evans who is keen to inject such theatre into JJB’s football offer.

Unsurprisingly, Evans is a fan of the beautiful game and is a lifelong Liverpool fan. Born and bred in Huyton, Liverpool –  or “Steven Gerrard country” as Evans calls it – the new JJB recruit  says it would be a personal dream to run the Reds’ retail operation. He is confident that both his beloved Reds, and JJB, can return to their former glory.

“JJB is a bit like Liverpool,” he says. “We’re not having the best run, but we’ll come good in the end.”

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