David Gold (businessman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Gold
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Gold in 2014
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| Born | 9 September 1936 Stepney, London, England
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| Died | 4 January 2023 (aged 86) |
| Occupation | Joint chairman, West Ham United Owner and Chairman of Gold Group International, incorporating Ann Summers |
| Spouse(s) |
Beryl Hunt
(m. 1957; div. 1972) |
| Partner(s) | Lesley Manning |
| Children | 2, including Jacqueline Gold |
David Gold (born 9 September 1936 – died 4 January 2023) was a well-known British businessman. He was famous for his involvement in football. He served as the chairman of Birmingham City Football Club until 2009. Later, from 2010 until he passed away in 2023, he was the joint chairman of West Ham United.
Early Life
David Gold was born in Stepney and grew up in East London. His childhood home was very close to West Ham's old football stadium, the Boleyn Ground. As a young boy, he loved football and even played for West Ham's youth team. He was offered a chance to become a professional player for the first team, but his father did not agree to it. His father, Godfrey, had some legal troubles during David's early years. David's father was Jewish, and his mother was a Christian.
Business Ventures
David Gold owned a large company called Gold Group International (GGI). This company included popular retail stores like Ann Summers and the lingerie chain Knickerbox. David owned GGI together with his brother, Ralph, until he bought out Ralph's share in 2008.
He also co-owned a publishing company called Gold Star Publications (GSP) with his brother. They sold their shares in this company in 2006. In 2007, the brothers also sold their part of Sport Newspapers.
Gold owned a company that provided private air services, called Gold Air International. He sold this business in 2006.
Football Clubs
David Gold was once the chairman of Birmingham City F.C.. In 2007, he and his brother were planning to sell their shares in the club. After the club was moved down to a lower league in 2008, Gold thought about stepping down from his role. He eventually sold his shares in Birmingham City in 2009.
In May 2005, David Gold bought the second FA Cup trophy at an auction. He paid a lot of money for it, saying he wanted to make sure it stayed in England and was not bought by someone from another country.
In January 2010, David Gold and David Sullivan bought a 50% share of West Ham United. This gave them control over how the club was run. They were both made joint chairmen. They increased their share of the club to 30% each in May 2010.
His time as chairman of West Ham had some notable moments. In August 2010, his car was damaged by fans of Aston Villa after West Ham lost a game. He said it was "the most frightening experience of my football life."
In November 2010, Gold spoke out against Birmingham City's new owners. He felt they did not keep their promise to let him stay on as chairman. Because of this, Birmingham City banned Gold from their stadium, St Andrew's, for a game against West Ham. Gold later apologized for his comments.
After seeing some football clubs get into financial trouble, Gold believed that there should be rules about how much debt clubs could have. He thought it was unfair for a team to take on debts they could not pay back.
Personal Life and Death
In 1957, David Gold married Beryl Hunt. They divorced in 1972. Beryl passed away in 2003. They had two daughters:
- Jacqueline Gold (born 1960) is the CEO of Ann Summers and Knickerbox Ltd.
- Vanessa Gold (born 1966) is the managing director of Ann Summers and Knickerbox Ltd.
In 2005, Gold wrote his autobiography, Pure Gold, with Bob Harris. The book talks about his childhood, how he became successful in business, and his time with Birmingham City.
As of May 2012, he lived with his fiancée, Lesley Manning, in Caterham, Surrey.
After West Ham moved from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium in 2016, some West Ham supporters were unhappy with the move. They expressed their concerns to Gold about the changes.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2020, David Gold and his family were worth a lot of money, around £460 million.
David Gold passed away on the morning of 4 January 2023, at the age of 86.
See also
In Spanish: David Gold para niños
