I really don't understand the clamour for Simon Jordan, I know he likes to mention us but are we really that easily swayed?
Simon Jordan owned Crystal Palace from 2000 to 2010, and during his tenure, the club experienced a mix of highs and lows, including promotion to the Premier League and financial struggles that ultimately led to administration. Here's a breakdown of their performance during his ownership:
2000–2004: Early Struggles in the Championship
Jordan bought the club in July 2000 after they had narrowly avoided relegation to the third tier.
Palace spent most of the early years under his ownership as a mid-table Championship side, going through several managerial changes, including Steve Bruce (who left controversially for Birmingham) and Trevor Francis.
2003–2005: Promotion and Relegation
In 2003, Jordan appointed Iain Dowie, who led a dramatic turnaround.
Palace went from relegation-threatened to winning the play-offs, securing promotion to the Premier League in 2004.
However, they were relegated immediately in 2005, finishing 18th in the top flight.
2005–2010: Financial Decline and Administration
After relegation, Palace failed to return to the Premier League, despite reaching the 2006 play-offs under Dowie.
Several managerial changes followed, including Peter Taylor, Neil Warnock, and Paul Hart.
Jordan's spending on players and efforts to bankroll the club without external investment eventually caught up with him.
By 2010, Palace went into administration, leading to a 10-point deduction and financial uncertainty.
The club was eventually saved by the CPFC 2010 consortium, ending Jordan's ownership.
Summary of Simon Jordan’s Era
Highs:
Promotion to the Premier League in 2004.
Strong performances in the Championship under Iain Dowie.
Commitment to the club, spending personal funds to keep it afloat.
Lows:
Relegation from the Premier League in 2005.
Constant managerial instability.
Financial mismanagement leading to administration in 2010.
All the good stuff recently from Palace is after the new consortium bought them (2010 onwards) and that happened after administration. He was also involved in a pretty shifty deal that involved the ground being sold to a property development company, which complicated the deal when the good owners took over.
They were a Leon Clarke's metatarsal from dropping into League One, and who knows what would have happened then?