Nottingham Forests potential new owner John Jay Moores tipped to be a big success

But will the former baseball bigwig, who tried and failed to buy Everton and Swansea, end up as hero or villain in the land of Robin Hood?

The Football League have yet to ratify the deal, but with Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi saying goodbye to fans on Twitter today, it seems a buy-out is imminent.

And those close to the former San Diego Padres owner are convinced the 72-year-old is destined to be a big hit in England.

One former Padres director who has spent years working with Moores told Starsport: “If he’s anything like he was in San Diego, he’ll be a spectacular success.

“San Diego are forever indebted to John Moores for saving baseball. His legacy is huge. The best years this team ever had were under John. He rescued the franchise.”

But opinion is mixed. A hugely successful businessman, Moores has given millions to charity over the years. He built the Padres a new stadium and took them to the World Series.

But his time in San Diego was also littered with controversy, and when he finally sold the team, for a huge profit, he left behind plenty of angry fans.

Another source with extensive knowledge of Moores told Starsport: “Is he a generous philanthropist or a robber baron? It depends who you talk to.

“Some people in San Diego feel used by him. He got us to pay for his stadium. It was paid for with public money. But he made huge profits.

“He bought his way into the World Series, but with players the team couldn’t afford.

“Once they had moved into the new stadium the payroll dropped and they never did anything again. Then he disappeared. He’s hardly been seen in San Diego since.

“Fans feel milked by him – and the stadium costs $13m to keep every year. The city can’t afford it.”

Moores has been described as “a hands-off owner, not a meddler” who finds the best people and lets them get on with their job.

But he has a prickly relationship with the media. A journalist once received a copy of a story Moores did not like wrapped around a dead fish, with the Texan’s business card in its mouth.

He has also long been advised against investing in football by many of those close to him. But he and business partner Charles Noell have always been determined to own a team.

They might be about to get their wish.

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