A BUSINESSMAN who has promised to invest £300,000 in a struggling football club worked as a cleaner to pay off a debt to Torquay United just two years ago, it is claimed.
Stephen Beer, 39, is currently in hospital in Dorchester after suffering a minor stroke moments before he was due to be unveiled as the 'saviour' of Weymouth Football Club.
Two years ago he and his wife were living in a one-bedroom housing association flat at Clarence House on Newton Road.
It is alleged Mr Beer, who has no outstanding debts with Torquay United, still owes money to another of the region's largest sporting clubs.
The club, which does not want to be named, said it wanted to contact Mr Beer about his failure to pay around £5,000 for corporate hospitality.
But yesterday, Gary Calder, chief executive of Weymouth FC, said the club had carried out checks on Mr Beer and had documents lodged with his and their lawyers confirming the money was in place.
As the owner of Wipe Away Cleaning Services, Mr Beer is alleged to have left behind a number of other creditors when he vacated his flat in Newton Road.
He now lives with his wife Lyn in a flat near Torquay police station.
When the Herald Express put the allegations to Mrs Beer she said they were 'complete lies'.
She added: "We did live at Clarence House but the rest of it is lies.
"Stephen is in hospital and that is all I am thinking about.
"I don't even know if the thing with Weymouth is still going to happen."
John Tyrrell, who lived next door to Mr Beer at Clarence House, said: "I nearly choked on my coffee when I saw his picture in the paper.
"He could barely rub two coins together when he was here."
Neighbours claim a number of people visited the flat in the months after the couple left claiming they were owed money by Mr Beer.
Mr Beer's company was employed as a contract cleaner for Torquay United for one year at the start of the 2007-08 season.
Colin Lee, Torquay United chief executive, said Mr Beer had taken corporate space at the Tony Boyce suite but had not been able to pay for it.
Mr Lee said: "Wipe Away were doing the cleaning contract for the club. The contract lasted one season.
"They took on a box near the end of the contract and we talked about him paying it off through doing cleaning.
"We had a discussion over payments and basically made a contra deal where he could pay what he owed by doing the cleaning.
"We've got no issue with him over the work he did for us for 12 months and at the end went our separate ways.
"I don't know the financial standing of Stephen Beer's company and it's nothing to do with me or the club.
"We were surprised he appeared on the back of a newspaper the other day as being able to support and help Weymouth, but in life you don't know."
In a Torquay United match day programme from August 12, 2007, Mr Beer's company was named as the match ball sponsor.
The programme notes for the game against Grays Athletic state that Wipe Away Cleaning Services hold the British Institute of Cleaning Sciences (BICS) standards award.
The programme also states that Wipe Away 'undertook the task of hand cleaning each and every seat in the family stand and have been cleaning the terraces and toilets following our pre-season matches'.
The Herald Express also contacted one of the region's largest sporting clubs, which wished to remain anonymous.
It said Mr Beer had taken out corporate hospitality for this season but had not paid.
A spokesman for the club said: "We are currently pursuing an unpaid debt from Stephen Beer of around £5,000."
Paul Hall, who ran Colour Work Print and Design in Totnes, alleges he is still owed £160 by Mr Beer.
"He sent me two cheques that both bounced and when I arranged to meet him at his house he was never there."
Mr Beer came to public attention after he promised to invest £300,000 of his own money into Weymouth FC.
The Blue Square Premier side has massive debts and in February had to field a team of youth players after the first-team squad went on strike over pay.
A week ago Mr Beer revealed his motivations: "I was staying in Weymouth at the Russell Hotel and that was when I saw the club was in a mess.
"You see, I am just a normal football fan and a private person. I run a cleaning business and I am also involved in the hotel trade and haulage — that is me.
"I do not want to be the owner of Weymouth FC, I just want to be a supporter that has paid extra for his season ticket."
Mr Calder confirmed Mr Beer had made the first approach to the club.
He said: "I have met with Mr Beer today and his lawyers at the hospital.
"Our finance director did the full due diligence checks on Mr Beer and we have documents lodged with his lawyers and our lawyers confirming the funds were in place.
"I have no comment to make on the state of the investment.
"We will wait to see how Mr Beer recovers and take it from there."
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Housing, which runs Clarence House, confirmed Mr Beer had been a tenant.
She added: "Housing association properties like Clarence House are for people on low or no income.You don't have to be claiming benefits to live there but you certainly wouldn't be a high earner."
Mr Beer previously appeared on national television on ITV's Jeremy Kyle show in 2006 to discuss his weight problems.
A spokesman for Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester said Mr Beer was in a stable condition yesterday.
Do you know Stephen Beer? If so, call the Herald Express newsdesk on 01803 676223 or e-mail newsdesk@heraldexpress.co.uk
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