April 24 2003

Simon Jordan

Simon Jordan said Ron Noades faces defeat in the High Court if he goes ahead and sues for unpaid Selhurst Park rent.

Jordan said: "I hope he does take us to the High Court because then you will see a big picture of me smiling and holding a cheque from Ron.

"We have ended up overpaying him by £144,000 because we mistakenly paid him in advance for amounts that are not due to him.

"I have taken advice from the leading property QC in the country and Ron's got no case. If I did not think I was going to win, there is no way I would let the case go to court."

And with rumours circulating that Noades is set to buy back the club, Jordan added: "We cannot even reach agreement over the rent so how are we going to sort out the sale of the club? It is ludicrous.

"Ron said to me three years ago he would like to come back to Palace, but I have never had a discussion with him about buying the club back.

"I am not sure Ron would have the money to buy it, but in any case I own the football club and have no intention of selling it."

"I have only been in the business three years and cannot profess to know as much as someone like Ron who has done it for 30 years. Of course, Ron would have done things differently, he would not have put his hand in his pocket!

"I admit I have bought some players who have been very poor acquisitions, but Ron's record wasn't perfect - look at Marco Gabbiadini for £1.8m or Gareth Taylor for £1.25m."