Top 5 most hated owners in Premiership history
The last decade has seen an influx of foreign owners come to the Premiership and exert their financial muscle by buying a football club. It started in 2003 when Roman Abramovich brought his limitless chequebook to Chelsea, and now the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Man City and West Ham have been taken over by new owners. Some have been popular (Abramovich, Randy Lerner at Villa) and some are downright despised. An owner can be hated for meddling with team affairs, needlessly sacking managers, selling off star players or caring more about profit margins than the well being of the club. Some owners haven’t even visited their club (which I am sure Portsmouth fans can attest to).Here are the top five most hated owners that have graced the Premiership since it’s inception and angered fans across the country.
Tottenham (1991-2001)
Before hiring and firing fame-hungry “entrepreneurs” on the Apprentice, Sir Alan bought Spurs in 1991. Because Sir Alan treated Spurs purely from a business perspective, it made him extremely unpopular amongst Spurs fans. He may have flashed the cash to bring Jurgen Klinsmann to White Hart Lane in his time at the club, but Sugar’s unwillingness to spend money for Spurs and a lack of ambition angered fans. Arguments with star players Klinsmann and Teddy Sheringham; sacking Terry Venables the night before the FA Cup Final and bringing in former Arsenal boss George Graham hardly endeared Sugar to Spurs fans. In his time as chairman, Spurs never finished in the top six in the league. If only Nick and Margaret were there to help him…
Leeds (1997-2003)
Unlike Sugar, Ridsdale had a problem not spending money. In Ridsdale’s reign as chairman, Leeds borrowed £60 million against future gate receipts and when the club failed to qualify for the Champions League, it went into freefall. Spending money that Leeds didn’t have, the whole squad had to be sold to balance the books; with the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Jonathon Woodgate, Robbie Keane and Harry Kewell forced to leave Elland Road. Ridsdale stepped down in 2003, leaving the club £103 million in debt, with the club falling into administration and being relegated to League One. Ridsdale then worked his magic with Barnsley, nearly bankrupting the club, and then brought his impressive CV to Cardiff.
3) Sulaiman Al-Fahim and Ali Al-Faraj
Portsmouth (2009-2010)
These two are both being grouped together because they were as bad as each other. Al-Fahim was in charge for only six weeks before realising he had no money. Al-Faraj then took over and his reign saw players and staff paid late four times, TV money taken away to pay outstanding debts to other clubs and a winding-up order being slapped on the club for unpaid taxes. Al-Faraj’s complete disinterest in Portsmouth is evident as the Saudi businessman didn’t even bother to visit Fratton Park. This off-field drama has led to Pompey being rooted to the bottom of the Premiership, only having won four games this season.
2) Tom Hicks and George Gillett
Liverpool (2007 – present)
Two owners that are more interested in making money than preserving the heritage of their football club. Broken promises, plotting behind Rafa Benitez’s back to replace the Spaniard as manager with Jurgen Klinsmann and the constant airing of their dirty laundry in public mean the American’s are hated on Merseyside. Reportedly £237 million in debt, the American’s do not want to back Benitez financially. Gillett has had to sell his stake in Ice Hockey team Montreal Canadiens for £350 million, whilst Hicks is looking to offload his Texas Rangers baseball team. The sooner this pair sell up and leave Anfield won’t be a moment too soon for Liverpool fans.
1) Mike Ashley
Newcastle (2007 – present)
It had to be Mike Ashley here. No owner experiences as much hatred from fans as the Newcastle owner. Hated for being a Cockney; driving Kevin Keegan out as manager; installing Dennis Wise as Director of Football and getting the club relegated after 16 years in the top flight, Ashley still goes to games despite being despised by every Newcastle fan. Ashley failed to sell the club following relegation and had the audacity to rename the stadium “Sports direct@ St James Park. It’s hard to believe that Ashley was reasonably popular at the start of his reign at Newcastle.
The Next few hated owners: The Glazers (Manchester United), Kjell Inge Rokke and Bjorn Rune Gjelsten (Wimbledon’s Norwegian owners who moved the side to Milton Keynes), Doug Ellis (Aston Villa’s owner from 1968-75 and 1982-2006).
What do you think? Are there any other Premiership owners that deserve to be on this list?
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Surely the Glazer’s should make the list in some capacity, even over the Hicks/Gillet. Just because ManUre has won the Premiership and Champions League during their tenure doesn’t mean the fans like them any less.
Sulaiman Al-Fahim and Ali Al-Faraj are NOT hated owners.
And to be honest, I’m getting sick of the constant ‘flop of the century’, ‘worst owner of the century’ article stuff.
Please do something a little different.
Mike Ashley isnt hated by all at the toon, you just have to look at Portsmouth, Liverpool, Man U and the rest to see the debt they are in, one slip and they are out of business, MA brought us back from the brink, yes he’s made some big mistakes, but he’s doing the right things now.
No mention of the biggest crook of all Ken Bates…….and Sugar had to fire Venables, who was basically taking the piss with the clubs finances.
I do not agree with your comments about A.Sugar he did not sack T.V. on the eve of a cup final and when you consider the debt we were in when he bought the club and the sound financial position he left it in I for one will always be grateful for what he did for our club.
What about Freddie Shepherd at Newcastle? Spending the kitty in brothels.
I can’t ever remember new owners of a club forcing fans to create an alternative team, the way the Glazers did with United. Making thousands turn away from the most successful side in modern history to go and watch FC must surely put them in the top 5. The fact that the supporters have also tried to get Fergie to resign in protest, staged numerous protests and are now planning to boycott the opening 20 mins of the milan game merely underlines how hated the Glazers are.
I agree that the Glazers should be in this list, and if it was a top ten then they would definitely be in there. I personally thought the other 5 were slightly more hated because of the way their teams struggled on the pitch so much more, and ranked the Glazers just behind as United have still been successful under their reign.
Justin – you make some good points, but I remember Wimbledon fans creating AFC Wimbledon because of the boycott of the club’s move to Milton Keynes. I’ll be writing more on the Glazers and whether United fans should boycott the club tomorrow.
Actually, I think Nick Hewer was helping Sir Alan at Spurs, not so sure about Maggie though….
Rupert Lowe!