Who is Simon Jordan?
Simon Jordan, a successful English entrepreneur, earned his wealth in the mobile phone sector. He acquired Crystal Palace Football Club in 2000, serving as its chairman until the club entered administration in early 2010. In 2002, he co-founded Octane, a car magazine, eventually selling his 50% stake in 2006. Further expanding his business ventures, Jordan opened Club Bar and Dining on Warwick Street in London in 2006. This establishment was later sold to the Ottolenghi Group in 2010, who rebranded it as Nopi.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Simon Jordan |
| Net Worth | £50 million |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Height | 1.83m |
| Age | 55 years |
Born on September 24, 1967, Simon Jordan, now 55 years old, comes from Thornton, United Kingdom. His father, Peter Jordan, had connections to Crystal Palace F.C., though he never played for their main team. In his youth, Simon Jordan demonstrated notable football skills, having signed with both Chelsea and Crystal Palace as a schoolboy. He acknowledged his potential for a professional career in football but admitted to a lack of mental interest, saying, “I had the talent, but not the application.” This period of his life unfolded while he was a student at Purley High School for Boys in Old Coulsdon.
During the late 1980s or early 1990s, Simon Jordan received an invitation from his friend, James Wright, to become a part of Wright Connections, a business focused on selling mobile phones. They advertised their products in publications like Loot Exchange and Mart. Jordan and Wright set up their operations in an office leased from Delta 5, another company in the mobile phone market. After a brief period, they rebranded their venture as Corporate Cellular Ltd (CCL). However, this enterprise also did not achieve notable success, leading Jordan to depart from the business in the early 1990s.
In 1994, Simon Jordan, together with Andrew Briggs, launched a mobile phone retail venture named the Pocket Phone Shop. Starting with a capital of £30,000 and a 3,500 square feet facility in Slough, their business saw rapid growth following a partnership with the service provider Astec.
By the year 2000, the Pocket Phone Shop had expanded to 208 stores across the nation, employing 1,100 staff, and was projected to achieve a turnover of £102 million for the 1999/2000 financial year. The business emerged as a significant competitor to The Carphone Warehouse, the leading company in the sector and a former employer of both Jordan and Briggs.
During its peak, the Pocket Phone Shop engaged Ulrika Jonsson for promotional events for its new store launches. However, this collaboration eventually led to a legal dispute, with Jordan suing Jonsson for allegedly not fulfilling her promotional obligations. The result of this legal matter remains undisclosed.
Is Simon Jordan rich?
Experiencing success from an early age, Simon Jordan was influenced by his father, Peter, who played professionally for Crystal Palace. This football club, now competing in the Premier League, was one of several enterprises and services that Simon Jordan had ownership of. His involvement with these ventures significantly contributed to the accumulation of his net worth.
How did Simon Jordan make his money?
The exact net worth of Simon Jordan is not publicly known. In a discussion with The Sun, Jordan disclosed that he suffered substantial financial losses in the Spanish and American real estate market downturns. Additionally, his investment portfolio with the former financial institution Lehman Brothers, originally valued at 4 million pounds, diminished to 2 million pounds. Adding to his financial challenges, in 2018, Jordan was the victim of an armed robbery where a watch valued at 135,000 pounds was stolen from him.
Despite the lack of a confirmed net worth, estimates regarding Jordan’s wealth vary widely. Some speculate that his net worth could range from as low as $5 million to as high as $100 million.
Simon Jordan How much did sell Crystal Palace F.C. for?
In his youth, Simon Jordan showed promise as a footballer, signing schoolboy contracts with Chelsea F.C. and Crystal Palace F.C. These contracts, typically lasting two years, are offered to young athletes aged between nine and 16 and come with benefits like paid education and football training. The club may decide to renew the contract, integrate the player into their youth program, or conclude the agreement depending on the player’s progress.
Jordan leveraged the 36.5 million pounds he earned from selling his mobile phone business to acquire Crystal Palace F.C. in July 2000. The purchase wasn’t direct; instead, he arranged for businessman Jerry Lim to buy the club on his behalf.
As Jordan narrates, Lim formed a company, CPFC 2000 Ltd., to facilitate the purchase, then promptly sold it to Jordan for 10 million pounds. Upon taking over, Jordan, as the new chairman, became the youngest in the Football League’s history.
However, by January 2010, Jordan faced over 20 million pounds in debt and was unsuccessful in selling the club, leading Crystal Palace to enter administration. Consequently, Jordan relinquished control to an appointed administrator. Reflecting on his tenure, Jordan stated that his ownership of the team, spanning a decade, resulted in a loss exceeding 50 million pounds.
What Were the Management Changes During Simon Jordan’s Ownership of Crystal Palace?
Simon Jordan, early in his ownership of Crystal Palace, developed a reputation for frequent managerial changes, though this aspect evolved over time. From 2000 to 2003, the club saw five managers leave their positions: Steve Coppell (August 2000), Alan Smith (April 2001), Steve Bruce (November 2001), Trevor Francis (April 2003), and Steve Kember (November 2003). Among these, Coppell and Bruce departed voluntarily, with Coppell leaving due to a personality conflict and Bruce’s resignation leading to a lawsuit.
In December 2003, Iain Dowie was appointed, and under his leadership, the club dramatically improved from relegation threats to achieving promotion in May 2004. This ascent was capped off by a play-off final victory over West Ham United at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, realizing Jordan’s promise of promoting the club within five years.
Despite this success, Crystal Palace only remained in the Premier League for one season, facing relegation in 2005. In May 2006, despite shared objectives, Dowie left the club by mutual consent. However, controversy arose when Dowie soon joined Charlton Athletic, leading Jordan to file a legal complaint against him for allegedly misrepresenting his reasons for leaving.
Peter Taylor, a former Palace player, was appointed as manager on June 13, 2006. His stint, however, lasted just over a year, ending with his dismissal on October 8, 2007. Jordan expressed his wish for Taylor to be remembered more for his playing days at Palace rather than his managerial tenure. On October 11, during a press conference, Jordan announced Neil Warnock as the new manager, a decision that was not unexpected due to their reported friendship.
The club experienced a remarkable turnaround, climbing from relegation positions to the play-offs for the 2007–08 season. However, this partnership ended in disagreement when Warnock departed to join Queens Park Rangers, coinciding with the club entering administration.
Simon Jordan’s Wife
Simon Jordan is currently in a relationship with Michelle Dewberry, a businesswoman and broadcaster. In July 2020, the couple welcomed a baby boy. Jordan has lived in both Marbella and London. Previously, in January 2006, the Daily Mirror’s website reported that Jordan had gifted his then-girlfriend Meg Mathews, ex-wife of Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, a £100,000 Porsche with a personalized number plate for Christmas. They had reportedly been in a relationship since July 2005.
In March 2006, Jordan publicly acknowledged the end of his relationship with Mathews, countering a News of the World report that he had left her. In his Observer column, he expressed that the article had diminished the significance of Mathews, who had been important to him for the last nine months.
In a separate incident in October 2006, Tara Stout was convicted of harassing Jordan, resulting in a restraining order against her. Jordan also has a daughter named Cameron, born in January 2008, with his former partner Suzi Walker.
