Simon Jordan, the outspoken English entrepreneur and former Crystal Palace owner, has lived a business life filled with high-stakes ventures, dramatic financial swings, and headline-grabbing controversies. As of 2025, the 57-year-old is estimated to have a net worth of around $5 million, though some sources speculate his true wealth could range much higher, depending on remaining assets and unpublicized ventures.
Early Life and Roots in Football
Born on September 24, 1967, in Thornton Heath, South London, Simon Jordan was exposed to football early. His father, Peter Jordan, played professionally for Crystal Palace, a club Simon would later buy in one of the boldest moves of his career. As a teenager, Simon was also a promising player himself, signing schoolboy contracts with both Chelsea F.C. and Crystal Palace F.C. Though he didn’t pursue football professionally, the sport remained central in his life.
Business Beginnings and the Pocket Phone Shop Fortune
Jordan’s first major success came in telecommunications. Alongside business partner Andrew Briggs, he co-founded Pocket Phone Shop, a mobile phone retail business. With just £15,000 each in initial investment, the duo grew the company into a nationwide operation, boasting over 150 locations. At its peak, it became the second-largest independent phone retailer in the UK, behind Carphone Warehouse.
In a lucrative 2000 deal, Jordan sold the business to One2One, which later became T-Mobile. The sale earned him a staggering £36.5 million (around $50 million at the time). This windfall not only catapulted him into the public eye but also gave him the financial firepower to chase a long-held ambition—owning a football club.
Buying Crystal Palace F.C.
Using proceeds from the Pocket Phone Shop sale, Jordan orchestrated the purchase of Crystal Palace F.C. in July 2000. The deal was carried out through Jerry Lim, a businessman who temporarily acquired the club and then transferred ownership to Jordan via a newly formed entity, CPFC 2000 Ltd. Jordan bought the company for £10 million, effectively becoming the youngest-ever chairman in the Football League at just 32.
Initially hailed as a passionate, hands-on owner with bold plans, Jordan quickly became a polarizing figure. He clashed with football authorities, managers, and the media, and his time at Palace was as combative as it was ambitious.
Despite early success—Crystal Palace gained promotion to the Premier League in the 2003–04 season—financial issues began to mount. By 2010, the club had fallen into administration. Jordan, reportedly £20 million in debt, lost control of the club and claimed to have lost over £50 million during his decade-long tenure.
Financial Hits and Real Estate Losses
Simon Jordan’s financial decline didn’t stop with Crystal Palace. He admitted in a 2018 interview that he was hit hard by the Spanish and American real estate market crashes, which severely damaged his investment portfolio. At one point, he had £4 million invested with Lehman Brothers, which collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis. That portfolio was cut in half overnight.
To add to his misfortune, Jordan was robbed at gunpoint in 2018, losing a watch reportedly worth £135,000.
Bankruptcy Claims and Eddie Hearn Clash
In March 2023, during a heated live exchange on talkSPORT, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn accused Simon Jordan of filing for bankruptcy, a claim Jordan vehemently denied. While Jordan has admitted to serious financial losses and debts over the years, there is no confirmed public record of him declaring bankruptcy. The clash only fueled speculation about the real state of his finances.
Media and Business Ventures Post-Crystal Palace
After stepping away from club ownership, Jordan shifted his focus to media, writing, and broadcasting. He has written for newspapers, appeared in documentaries, and become a regular fixture on talkSPORT, where he co-hosts “Outspoken with White & Jordan.” Known for his sharp tongue and brutal honesty, Jordan’s style has gained him a mix of praise and criticism—but it keeps him relevant in the world of football punditry.
He also dabbled in film production and magazine publishing, co-founding the car magazine Octane, which he later sold in 2006. Though none of these ventures rivaled the scale of Pocket Phone Shop, they kept his business profile alive.
Personal Life
Simon Jordan is currently in a relationship with Michelle Dewberry, a former winner of The Apprentice UK. The couple shares two children. Jordan, who once enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle, now appears to maintain a more measured, lower-profile approach to wealth and public life.
Despite his reduced net worth and financial controversies, Jordan remains a respected voice in football—not for his diplomacy, but for his unfiltered takes and deep-rooted industry experience.
Final Word
As of 2025, Simon Jordan’s net worth is estimated around $5 million, a steep drop from the heights of his early 2000s fortune. Yet his story is far from just a tale of riches lost. It’s also one of resilience, reinvention, and an ongoing presence in the world he loves—football.
From making millions with mobile phones to losing tens of millions in football and real estate, Jordan’s journey shows how quickly fortunes can shift. But even with fewer zeros in the bank, he still holds influence, insight, and a microphone—often louder than ever.
