Mr Moneyball buys Barnsley

LONDON — A consortium led by Chinese investor Chien Lee and including baseball statistics pioneer Billy Beane has taken over Barnsley, the English second-tier club announced on Tuesday.

US investors Paul Conway and Grace Hung are also investing in the Yorkshire club, nicknamed the Tykes.

The new patrons succeed Barnsley’s long-standing owner Patrick Cryne, who in September revealed he has terminal cancer.

“The club has gained English Football League approval for the change in majority shareholder and our new shareholders have now taken up their positions on the board of Barnsley Football Club,” Barnsley said in a statement.

Beane found fame by using statistical analysis to find undervalued talent as general manager of baseball team the Oakland A’s. His story was told in the 2011 film Moneyball starring Brad Pitt.

Lee bought 80 percent of French club Nice last year.

He sits on the board at the Ligue 1 club alongside Conway, who leads Pacific Media Group along with Hung.

Lee and Conway will become co-chairmen at Barnsley, which spent one season in the Premier League in 1997-98 and currently sits 20th in England’s 24-team second-tier Championship.

“Similar to our investment in OGC Nice, we expect to further enhance the academy, playing squad, commercial operations and fan experience of Barnsley Football Club,” Conway said.

“Barnsley has some of the most passionate fans in England and we look forward to meeting many of them in the upcoming weeks.”

Barnsley, which plays its home games at the 23,000capacity Oakwell stadium, is the fourth Championship team to fall under Chinese control after Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In the Premier League, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion are Chinese-owned, while Chinese consortium CMC Capital owns a 13-percent stake in Manchester City.