Simon Jordan is one of the best-known and controversial personalities in English football. Going from the success of developing a mobile phone retail chain to the ownership and chairmanship of Crystal Palace, his career spanned business, football, media, publishing and entertainment sectors. In particular, Jordan became famous for his outspoken opinions regarding football ownership, transfers, managers, players and the business aspects of the game.
Raised in South London as a Crystal Palace fan and born in South London, Jordan eventually realized his boyhood dream of acquiring the club in 2000. His decade with Crystal Palace included their promotion to the Premier League, investments and some of the most tumultuous times in the club’s recent history. Leaving football ownership behind him, Jordan became a broadcaster and pundit on talkSPORT.
Currently, Jordan is still involved in sports broadcasting. He continues to appear on Outspoken with Jim White and Simon Jordan and is participating in the coverage of boxing through talkSPORT’s programs. Moreover, Jordan is set to publish his second book, Poke the Bear, in October 2026.
Who Is Simon Jordan?
Simon Jordan is a businessman, author and sports journalist from England who was once the owner of a football club. He earned his money in the mobile phones retail business before he acquired Crystal Palace in 2000.
Jordan’s business experience provided him with the financial base to become a football club owner; however, at Palace, he received his lesson that shows how challenging it is to combine ambition, emotions and business decisions in football. After his experience at Crystal Palace, he wrote a bestseller called Be Careful What You Wish For.
Currently, Simon Jordan is more known to football fans as an honest journalist than as a businessman, because he always challenges managers, owners, players, agents and football authorities in Britain.
Simon Jordan Biography
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Simon Jordan |
| Date of Birth | 24 September 1967 |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Birthplace | Thornton Heath, South London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Businessman, Broadcaster, Author, Former Football Chairman |
| Famous For | Crystal Palace ownership and football punditry |
| Former Club | Crystal Palace |
| Crystal Palace Ownership | 2000–2010 |
| Business | The Pocket Phone Shop |
| Major Media Role | talkSPORT |
| Famous Programme | Outspoken with Jim White and Simon Jordan |
| First Book | Be Careful What You Wish For |
| Upcoming Book | Poke the Bear |
| Partner | Michelle Dewberry |
| Children | Two |
| Education | Purley High School for Boys |
Simon Jordan Age and Birth
Simon Jordan was born on 24 September 1967 in Thornton Heath, South London, England. Simon Jordan turned 59 years old in September 2026.
His upbringing in South London played a very important role in his life in the future since Crystal Palace formed a very important part of his life. Indeed, his father, Peter Jordan, worked with that club, and young Simon grew with a deep link to Palace.
Thus, growing up with that club, he created one of the main stories in his life as the boy supporting Crystal Palace became one of the most prominent owners of the club.
Simon Jordan Early Life and Education
Simon Jordan grew up in South London and went to school at Purley High School for Boys. The childhood of Jordan was not characterized by any existing family business.
Indeed, Jordan had to become an entrepreneur rather early in his life as he understood how to find business opportunities, and then he managed to make his biggest step in the rapidly developing market of mobile phones.
Also, his connection to football remained very strong as he followed Crystal Palace since his childhood and watched how it grew near his home.
Simon Jordan Personal Life & Family
Simon Jordan was born on 24 September 1967, in Thornton Heath, South London. Football and Crystal Palace were an integral part of the young man’s upbringing due to his father, Peter Jordan’s connection with the team. His father’s involvement with the club was one of the main reasons why Simon developed an interest in Crystal Palace at a very early age.
Some parts of Simon’s personal life remain somewhat private. For example, he has been in a relationship with Michelle Dewberry, a businesswoman and TV personality. She is also the winner of The Apprentice. Simon has two children – his son and his daughter Cameron from his former relationships.
| Family Member / Detail | Name / Information |
|---|---|
| Father | Peter Jordan |
| Mother | Not publicly disclosed |
| Siblings | Dominic Jordan |
| Partner | Michelle Dewberry |
| Daughter | Cameron |
| Daughter’s Birth | January 2008 |
| Son | Name not publicly disclosed |
| Son’s Birth | July 2020 |
| Family Football Connection | Peter Jordan had an association with Crystal Palace |
| Relationship Status | Long-term relationship with Michelle Dewberry |
Simon Jordan Career Journey
Simon Jordan Business Career
Prior to being the football chairman, Simon Jordan earned his fortune in the mobile phone industry.
He collaborated with Andrew Briggs to found The Pocket Phone Shop in 1994. It is alleged that both men put £15,000 of their own money into starting this business. It did not take long for the company to prosper due to the rising popularity of the mobile phones in Britain.
In time, The Pocket Phone Shop turned into a big independent mobile phone retailer because of its tough price policy and growing chain of stores.
One2One bought the company for around £73 million in 2000, thus giving Jordan £36.5 million from the deal.
As a result, this deal made Jordan a multi-millionaire and provided him with capital for his next venture.
How Simon Jordan Made His Fortune
It was from the mobile phone selling business that Simon Jordan originally got his wealth.
This was due to the realization of the great potential in mobile communications that existed in the 1990s. Pocket Phone Shop developed from a small business into a larger one and made sales of over £100 million a year as reported then.
Selling the company in the year 2000 enabled him to have enough money to achieve his lifelong dream of becoming the owner of Crystal Palace.
This is a very important thing to note when talking about Simon Jordan’s wealth because it is his initial fortune that he had before venturing into football.
Simon Jordan and Crystal Palace
The club was bought by Simon Jordan in 2000 soon after he sold his mobile phone company.
For Jordan, the club had a lot of sentimental value. Jordan’s dad was a supporter of Crystal Palace, Jordan grew up near Selhurst Park and had been following the team since his childhood. Buying the club thus went beyond the ordinary business venture.
At the age of 32, Jordan became one of the youngest owners of English football clubs. Jordan brought along a whole lot of money as well as an extremely ambitious attitude.
Jordan aimed at turning Crystal Palace into a Premier League club.
Simon Jordan as Crystal Palace Chairman
There were both accomplishments and problems associated with Jordan’s decade as chairman of Crystal Palace.
The most prominent accomplishment occurred in 2004 when Crystal Palace gained promotion to the Premier League, thus fulfilling Jordan’s dream of bringing his hometown club into the English Premier League.
Jordan made considerable investments into the club and even acquired Selhurst Park, thus securing the future of the club. In the current press coverage, the acquisition of the stadium was portrayed as one of the means that Jordan used in order to ensure more stability for the club.
Nonetheless, the financial obligations of playing in the Premier League and the dangers associated with such investments eventually became too heavy a burden for the club.
Crystal Palace Administration and Simon Jordan’s Exit
These were tough times for Jordan when it came to running Palace.
In spite of all the money that he personally put in, Crystal Palace finally went into administration in 2010. Jordan’s stint with Palace finally came to an end after a decade; a decade that represented some of the most eventful years of Jordan’s business life.
Later on, Jordan admitted that a great deal of his money was spent while managing Palace. The whole episode of running Palace formed the crux of Jordan’s autobiography where he dissected the finances and people of owning a football club.
Simon Jordan’s Biggest Achievement at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace’s promotion to the Premier League in 2004 can be considered the greatest sporting achievement during Jordan’s ownership.
This proved the ability of the man to deliver tangible sporting success, as he brought back Palace to the top flight under the management of Iain Dowie. Even though the first season in the Premier League was rather short, promotion is still one of the greatest achievements of the Jordan era.
Simon Jordan and Football Managers
In his Palace days, Jordan has had dealings with some good managers, and is famed for having views on football management.
Among those is the one he had with Iain Dowie, who brought Palace back into the Premier League. Jordan has also signed up Neil Warnock, who will become another great period in his chairmanship.
The chairman’s relationships with coaches have been intense because he takes part in football management. His character has also made him make public what goes on between him and the coaches and the other chairmen.
Neil Warnock, who used to be the Palace manager, has even mentioned his relationship with Jordan, including how an issue with a player brought them together.
Simon Jordan After Leaving Crystal Palace
Jordan’s departure from Crystal Palace marked the beginning, rather than the end, of his association with football.
Jordan began to steer his way into becoming a sports journalist and commentator. Unlike other journalists, Jordan’s prior experience of being a club owner made him view football from a very different angle.
Jordan could analyze football from the angle of a businessman who had negotiated transfers, dealt with managers, and even funded a Premier League team himself.
Simon Jordan’s Media Career
Jordan’s profile as a football commentator and TV personality rose significantly after he left Crystal Palace.
He made appearances on different sports shows and even entertainment programs, earning him a reputation as a talker. His media career ultimately paved the way for his eventual link to talkSPORT. Instead of sticking to analysis, Jordan often talks about:
- Football ownership
- Transfer negotiations
- Premier League finances
- Club management
- Football governance
- Managers and tactics
- Player contracts
- Boxing
- Sports business
Simon Jordan and talkSPORT
Jordan Simon joined TalkSPORT as a frequent guest and ended up being one of the station’s most popular voices.
Their collaboration turned into the successful Outspoken with White and Jordan show which concentrates on important football news, sports controversies and debates.
This podcast continues to operate in 2026; its episodes deal with Premier League matters, English affairs, football management, transfers and important sports news.
Jordan’s unique position is that his opinion is formed based on his experiences as a club owner rather than just being a commentator.
Simon Jordan and Boxing
Although football continues to be his most famous topic, boxing is gradually becoming one of Jordan’s key topics in the media world.
Jordan frequently talks about boxers, promoters, matchmaking, broadcast rights and the business side of boxing. Being a successful businessman and sports executive, Jordan has a natural predisposition towards the business side of the game.
In 2026, Jordan keeps on appearing as a commentator for talkSPORT boxing shows, including talkBOXING hosted by Simon Jordan and Spencer Oliver.
Simon Jordan Books
Being both businessman and sports executive, Simon Jordan had written several books on those subjects.
Be Careful What You Wish For
Jordan published his autobiography Be Careful What You Wish For in 2013.
The book tells about the author’s career in the mobile-phone business and his purchasing of Crystal Palace, with all financial and emotional roller-coaster that accompanied that event.
It became a finalist in major sports books’ awards.
Poke the Bear
Jordan’s new book, titled Poke the Bear, will also be published in October 2026.
The book looks into the inside world of modern-day football and its various aspects, ranging from club owners to agents, players, tactics and the world of football business. According to the publisher, it is an investigation of what really happens in the world of football from the point of view of Jordan himself, who had been a club owner and was also media savvy.
Simon Jordan’s Film and Entertainment Work
It is not only the sport that had interested Jordan.
He was also a shareholder in some entertainment ventures and worked on productions which were related to theatres and films. One of such productions was Telstar, a film dedicated to the life of the music producer, Joe Meek.
Simon Jordan and Michelle Dewberry
Michelle Dewberry is a woman in business, broadcasting, and TV who has been Jordan’s partner for many years.
The two had a baby boy in 2020. Furthermore, Dewberry has always supported Jordan through various challenging times in life and his health status.
Jordan’s association with Dewberry is one of the fewest complicated relationships in his personal life after several other well-publicised relationships early in his life.
Simon Jordan’s Health Status
On August 2023, Simon Jordan made a revelation about his prostate cancer surgery.
In his post, Jordan mentioned that he went through a serious surgery and used the opportunity to convince men to consider getting themselves checked up medically. He also talked about the importance of consulting physicians on the right tests.
It was a significant personal moment for Jordan since he had been known for being vocal on football than his health issues.
Simon Jordan Net Worth
Simon Jordan’s present net worth is unofficially valued at about $5 million, having lost a lot of money through investing most of his previous multi-million-pound net worth into the sport of football.
Simon Jordan Income Sources
His major historical and current income sources include:
- Mobile-phone business
- Business investments
- Football ownership
- Broadcasting and punditry
- talkSPORT appearances
- Podcasting
- Newspaper and media writing
- Book publishing
- Entertainment investments
- Film and theatre projects
- Speaking and media engagements
Simon Jordan Career Timeline
| Year | Career Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1967 | Born in Thornton Heath, South London |
| 1994 | Co-founded The Pocket Phone Shop |
| 2000 | Pocket Phone Shop sold for about £73 million |
| 2000 | Purchased Crystal Palace |
| 2004 | Led Palace to Premier League promotion |
| 2006 | Expanded into hospitality and entertainment ventures |
| 2008 | Produced the film Telstar |
| 2010 | Crystal Palace entered administration and Jordan’s ownership ended |
| 2013 | Published Be Careful What You Wish For |
| 2018 | Began becoming a regular talkSPORT personality |
| 2020 | Became a regular part of the Jim White and Jordan broadcasting partnership |
| 2023 | Revealed his recovery from prostate cancer surgery |
| 2025 | Continued prominent football commentary and wrote about his experiences with football executives |
| 2026 | Continues work across talkSPORT, football and boxing media |
| 2026 | Poke the Bear scheduled for October release |
Simon Jordan Major Achievements and Award
Simon Jordan’s career contains achievements in several different industries.
| Field / Sector | Year / Date | Achievement or Award |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcasting | 2021 & 2023 | Audio Show of the Year – SJA British Sports Journalism Awards |
| Publishing / Author | 2012 | William Hill Sports Book of the Year – Finalist |
| Publishing / Author | 2013 | British Sports Book Award – Best Autobiography Shortlisted |
| Football Ownership | 2000 | Youngest Football Chairman |
| Football Ownership | May 2004 | Premier League Promotion |
| Business | 2000 | Major Business Sale |
| Business & Media | 2002–2006 | Octane Magazine Co-Founder |
| Film Production | 2005–2008 | Film Producer / Investor |
What Makes Simon Jordan Famous?
Simon Jordan is famous because of his business acumen, involvement in football as a club owner and also for the way that he communicates.
He is not like other football pundits because he has experience of the game in a non-playing capacity. He knows how to make deals with players, hire managers, run a team financially and also how to deal with the fans.
The personality of Simon Jordan also makes him unique. He does not hide any opinion that he may have about any issue that he believes is contentious.
Simon Jordan Social Media
Simon Jordan’s media presence is primarily connected with his professional broadcasting work and sports commentary.
| Platform / Network | Handle / Channel | Followers / Reach |
|---|---|---|
| X (Twitter) | @SJOpinion10 | ~325,000+ followers |
| Simon Jordan | 2.5K+ | |
| YouTube – talkSPORT | @talkSPORT | 1.96M+ subscribers |
| talkSPORT Podcasts | White and Jordan | 700,000+ monthly listens |
| William Hill / Media | Up Front with Simon Jordan | Multi-platform distribution |
Lesser-Known Facts About Simon Jordan
- Simon Jordan had supported Crystal Palace before acquiring the club.
- His father had a connection to Crystal Palace.
- He started The Pocket Phone Shop with Andrew Briggs.
- The shop started off on a smaller scale before growing into a major retailer.
- He acquired Palace just after selling his mobile phone company.
- His ten years of being Palace owner involved Premier League promotion in 2004.
- He had lost a great deal of his personal wealth via football.
- He has written a lot about the realties of being a football owner.
- He has experience in film and theatrical production.
- His autobiography has been nominated for sports book awards.
- He became a notable talkSPORT figure after leaving football ownership.
- He has become very interested in boxing coverage on television.
- His second major football book, Poke the Bear, is due out in October 2026.
Simon Jordan Latest News and Updates in 2026
The biggest event in Jordan’s career development in 2026 has been his continuous development as a sportscaster and an author.
He is still part of the program Outspoken with White and Jordan, where he speaks about the top stories in football and sports in general.
In addition, his work on boxing has been ongoing through talkSPORT, where he has done episodes in 2026 that talk about boxers, promoters and fights coming up.
Another important development in Jordan’s career has been his new book called Poke the Bear, which comes out on 29 October 2026.
Simon Jordan’s Legacy
It should be noted that the peculiarities of Simon Jordan’s heritage stem from the fact that it includes both worlds.
In the business realm, he symbolizes the entrepreneurial success story brought about by the fast growth of mobile phones in the 1990s. For the world of football, he personifies the epoch of bold private entrepreneurs who were able to buy clubs and try to change them using their own money.
Jordan’s history with Crystal Palace is not just a tale of success or failure. Jordan turned his boyhood team into the Premier League team, made large investments and helped build the necessary infrastructure, but, finally, felt all the heavy costs of owning a football club.
Therefore, it can be said that his most remarkable accomplishment after leaving the club is that he reinvented himself.
Conclusion
Simon Jordan has managed to become a person of great aspiration, entrepreneur, football personality and reinventor. Simon made himself a millionaire in the mobile phone industry and utilized his money to buy his childhood team, Crystal Palace, and saw great success and financial downfall in the process of being a chairman in the league for ten years.
After departing Crystal Palace, Simon managed to make his career in the field of broadcasting very successful. His straightforward opinion and businessman’s point of view helped him in becoming a prominent figure in the world of football broadcasting especially with talkSPORT and Jim White.
In 2026, he is still active in the area of football and boxing broadcasting and making preparations for the launch of Poke the Bear.
FAQs
How old is Simon Jordan in 2026?
Simon Jordan is 59 years old. He was born on 24 September 1967.
What is Simon Jordan famous for?
He is best known as the former owner and chairman of Crystal Palace and as a football broadcaster and pundit on talkSPORT.
When did Simon Jordan own Crystal Palace?
Simon Jordan owned Crystal Palace from 2000 until 2010.
Did Simon Jordan take Crystal Palace to the Premier League?
Yes. Crystal Palace won promotion to the Premier League in 2004 during Jordan’s ownership.
How did Simon Jordan make his money?
He originally made his fortune through The Pocket Phone Shop, a mobile-phone retail business he co-founded in 1994.
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