Ron Noades
Ron Noades is a
British businessman.
In his time, he has been a director of
Wimbledon Football Club. (now
Milton Keynes Dons Football Club), and, from 1981-1998, was chairman of
Crystal Palace Football Club, leading them through their brightest period, which included promotion to the old
First Division (
1989), an
FA Cup final (
1990), a third-placed finish in the First Division (
1991), and a win in the
Zenith Data Systems Cup (also
1991).
In 1998, Noades sold his interest in Palace to computer tycoon
Mark Goldberg, for a fee of £22,000,000 (although Noades actually lent Goldberg £5,000,000 of this, as he could not afford it). The fee included the club, but not
Selhurst Park Stadium, Palace's home ground.
However, with the deal complete, Goldberg's financers withdrew their interest, and he found himself in debt to Noades. The club went through a subsequent administration, which lasted until
2000.
After leaving Palace, he became chairman and manager of
Brentford Football Club, from 1998, taking the side to
Division Two as
Division Three champions. He ended both roles in 2000, despite keeping the club in Division Two.
Today, he still owns Selhurst Park Stadium (along with several
golf courses in the south-east of England including Surrey National).
Current Palace chairman
Simon Jordan has made public his intentions to either purchase and re-develop Selhurst Park, or move to a new stadium, however Noades announced in April
2006 that Jordan had not made any offers for the stadium, and that he had no intention of selling the stadium, either.
