GEORGE Reynolds, the flamboyant former chairman of Darlington Football Club, today pleaded guilty to cheating the public revenue of £650,000.
His cousin Richard Tennick admitted the same offence - which occurred between April 5 1998 and June 15 2004 - at Newcastle Crown Court.
The amount concerned the sale of their company Direct Worktops and the earnings from George Reynolds UK, the one-time owner of Darlington Football Club.
Reynolds entered three not guilty pleas to other charges of deception and two not guilty pleas to money laundering charges.
He also pleaded not guilty to conspiring to defraud the Football Stadia Improvement Fund.
Tennick pleaded not guilty to other deception charges as did Reynolds' assistant Ian Robinson.
Evidence was not offered against Mr Robinson and he walked free from court.
Don't miss Friday's Northern Echo for special reports on the Reynolds trial sensation
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