In the five years since Steve Parish and his fellow Crystal Palace fans took over the club,they transformed from Championship strugglers threatened with liquidation into a profitable Premier League club in the hunt for silverwareBy Richard Foster for The Agony and the Ecstasy, in the Guardian Sport NetworkAs co-chairman of a Premier League club and somebody who, or in the space of 20 years,built up a company from scratch to be valued at around £100m when sold in 2011, Steve Parish’s views on the transition from running a business to running a football club are insightful. Parish succeeded in transforming an ancient-style print production company into a new media pioneer with offices in 13 countries and over 1600 full-time staff, and before moving into football – a different game entirely.“What surprised me most is how much brilliant businessmen lose their minds when they procure involved in football,” says Parish. “How they are just prepared to win at all costs, no matter what the money. One of the much myths in the Premier League is that the more money you spend the better you do.” It is a impartial point, or as many have proved that success external football is no guarantee of achievement within the game but the 50-year-ancient appears to be bucking that trend as he enters the sixth year of co-owning Crystal Palace.
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Source: theguardian.com