SERIAL entrepreneur and ex-footballer - Simon Hume-Kendall and John Salako - make unusual boardroom bedfellows but their teamwork aims to score with younger bank clients.

Clydesdale Bank, part of National Australia Bank, has hired the former Crystal Palace winger and five-times England international as its Kent deputy chairman.

He will join Hume-Kendall, the local chairman, to promote the bank to the public and clients called members by Clydesdale and act as ambassadors.

Nigeria-born Salako, 38, is now a property developer and a presenter with Sky Sports.

The move reunites him with Hume-Kendall, former deputy chairman of Crystal Palace and now the owner of the Hop Farm Country Park and Lamberhurst Vineyards, with numerous other business interests, including Chapel Down, English Wines and the Wonders of the Weald tourism project.

Mr Hume-Kendall said Salako's appointment broadened the bank's appeal.

He said: "We're not a traditional British bank. John gives us a different dimension. He is a very disciplined young guy, extremely charismatic with the ability to bring conversations and meetings to light. He has an array of contacts in the field of sport and other areas of entertainment."

Clydesdale's managing partner Adrian Wenn said many young people were wealthy and Salako's appointment "fights the stuffy image we might have".

Salako was in the Crystal Palace side that lost the 1990 FA Cup final 1-0 to Manchester United after a replay. He also played for Reading, Charlton and Brentford.

The father-of-two grew up in Westerham and went to school in Sevenoaks.

"Business people are thinking about their banking more and more these days and I hope I can help make their perception of the banking process a little less boring and more enjoyable," he said.

Clydesdale employs 24 people at Turkey Mill, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells. Mr Wenn said more senior business bankers were being sought to cope with growth.