Richard Murray
Encyclopedia
Richard Alan Murray is an English
businessman and the former chairman of Charlton Athletic F.C.
Murray founded Avesco plc, the specialist services provider to the entertainment & sports industry in 1984, where he was Chairman for almost 20 years; he is the Chairman of Investinmedia plc and has other non-executive directorships which include Welsh Industrial Investment Trust plc and Medal Entertainment and Media plc.
Murray first started watching Charlton Athletic F.C.
during the 1980s when the club was playing its home games at Selhurst Park
as the club's ground, The Valley, had been forcibly closed. He joined the board of Charlton in the early 1990s and is credited with helping the club return to The Valley in 1992. He became chairman of the plc
board at Charlton in 1995, after which he appointed Alan Curbishley
as the club's sole manager (Curbishley had previously been joint manager with Steve Gritt
). The first twelve years of Murray's tenure saw two promotions to the Premier League and seven seasons in the top flight, the club's most successful spell since the years preceding and after World War II
.
Since 2005, Murray has attracted headlines over his relationship with Crystal Palace Football Club
counterpart Simon Jordan
. This relates to incidents between the two which occurred when Charlton relegated Crystal Palace from the Premier League in May 2005, and a year later when manager Iain Dowie
moved from Palace to Charlton, when Jordan felt Dowie had agreed to take over at Charlton before leaving Palace. At the subsequent court trial, the verdict was that Charlton had not interviewed Dowie before he left Palace.
The club's fortunes on the pitch declined after Curbishley's departure from Charlton in 2006, suffering relegation from the Premier League in 2007. In early 2008, a re-organisation at the club meant Murray was moved to become chairman of Charlton Athletic Football Club Limited, thus taking greater responsibility over football matters. He was replaced as plc chairman by Derek Chappell
. However, a poor 2008–09 season saw Charlton suffer a second relegation in as many years. Chappell resigned in 2009 and Murray returned as plc chairman.
Over a period of several years—in 2007, 2008 and 2009—Charlton were linked with a series of takeovers. These were actively encouraged by Murray as a means of solving Charlton's increasing financial problems; former Chief Executive Peter Varney was tasked with identifying potential owners. In the summer of 2010, a restructure of the club saw the plc effectively wound up with the club's assets transferred to a company controlled by Murray. In December 2010, it was announced that the club had been sold to Charlton Athletic Holdings Ltd, a Swiss
-registered company owned by Michael Slater and Tony Jimenez
; Slater immediately replaced Murray as chairman. Murray remains a director of Charlton Athletic, and retains a ten per cent ownership of the club.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
businessman and the former chairman of Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
Murray founded Avesco plc, the specialist services provider to the entertainment & sports industry in 1984, where he was Chairman for almost 20 years; he is the Chairman of Investinmedia plc and has other non-executive directorships which include Welsh Industrial Investment Trust plc and Medal Entertainment and Media plc.
Murray first started watching Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
during the 1980s when the club was playing its home games at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
as the club's ground, The Valley, had been forcibly closed. He joined the board of Charlton in the early 1990s and is credited with helping the club return to The Valley in 1992. He became chairman of the plc
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
board at Charlton in 1995, after which he appointed Alan Curbishley
Alan Curbishley
Llewellyn Charles "Alan" Curbishley is an English football manager and former professional player....
as the club's sole manager (Curbishley had previously been joint manager with Steve Gritt
Steve Gritt
Stephen John "Steve" Gritt is a former English football player and manager. His playing career included spells at Charlton Athletic, Bournemouth and Walsall.-Playing career:...
). The first twelve years of Murray's tenure saw two promotions to the Premier League and seven seasons in the top flight, the club's most successful spell since the years preceding and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Since 2005, Murray has attracted headlines over his relationship with Crystal Palace Football Club
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
counterpart Simon Jordan
Simon Jordan
Simon Jordan is an English businessman who made his fortune in the mobile phone industry. In 2000 he purchased Crystal Palace Football Club and remained chairman of the club until they entered administration in early 2010....
. This relates to incidents between the two which occurred when Charlton relegated Crystal Palace from the Premier League in May 2005, and a year later when manager Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie is a former footballer and manager. He is currently without a club. He has previously managed Hull City and Queens Park Rangers and was assistant manager of Newcastle United...
moved from Palace to Charlton, when Jordan felt Dowie had agreed to take over at Charlton before leaving Palace. At the subsequent court trial, the verdict was that Charlton had not interviewed Dowie before he left Palace.
The club's fortunes on the pitch declined after Curbishley's departure from Charlton in 2006, suffering relegation from the Premier League in 2007. In early 2008, a re-organisation at the club meant Murray was moved to become chairman of Charlton Athletic Football Club Limited, thus taking greater responsibility over football matters. He was replaced as plc chairman by Derek Chappell
Derek Chappell
Derek G. Chappell is a British businessman and the plc chairman of Charlton Athletic F.C.Born in Dartford, Chappell was born into a Charlton supporting family. His grandfather had been a season ticket holder in the 1920s, whilst Chappell himself first had a season ticket in the 1960s...
. However, a poor 2008–09 season saw Charlton suffer a second relegation in as many years. Chappell resigned in 2009 and Murray returned as plc chairman.
Over a period of several years—in 2007, 2008 and 2009—Charlton were linked with a series of takeovers. These were actively encouraged by Murray as a means of solving Charlton's increasing financial problems; former Chief Executive Peter Varney was tasked with identifying potential owners. In the summer of 2010, a restructure of the club saw the plc effectively wound up with the club's assets transferred to a company controlled by Murray. In December 2010, it was announced that the club had been sold to Charlton Athletic Holdings Ltd, a Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
-registered company owned by Michael Slater and Tony Jimenez
Tony Jimenez
Tony Jimenez is a London-based property developer and former Vice President for Newcastle United. He is a millionaire because of a series of property developments, which have included hotels and golf courses in Spain, England, and Dubai.Jimenez is friend of former Tottenham boss Juande Ramos and...
; Slater immediately replaced Murray as chairman. Murray remains a director of Charlton Athletic, and retains a ten per cent ownership of the club.