Profile of Karren Brady

Karren Brady, erstwhile chief exec of Birmingham City football club, is profiled in today's Observer.

After selling advertising airtime at LBC, she was soon spotted by David Sullivan (the then owner of the dreadful Daily Sport "newspaper") who offered her a directorship on the paper. She then convinced him to buy Birmingham City which was in administration and he made her managing director – at the age of 23. She took the club into profit within a year.

The Observer story recounts an interesting exchange between Brady and one of the squad when she first met them. He quipped "I can see your tits in that shirt", to which Brady replied: "Well, don't worry, when I sell you to Crewe, you won't be able to see them from there, will you?" He was transferred soon after.

The Birmingham manager also learned that she was anything but a "bimbo", coming to the conclusion that she was "one hard bastard", probably when she sacked him.