Jack Walker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Walker
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Jack Walker at Ewood Park at an unknown date between 1991 and 2000
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| Born | 19 May 1929 Blackburn, Lancashire, England
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| Died | 17 August 2000 (aged 71) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Businessman Industrialist |
| Years active | 1942–2000 |
| Title | Owner of Walkersteel (1951–1989) Owner of Blackburn Rovers F.C. (1991–2000) |
Jack Walker (born May 19, 1929 – died August 17, 2000) was a British businessman. He made a huge fortune in the steel industry. Later, he became the owner of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. Under his leadership, the team won the 1994–95 FA Premier League!
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Jack Walker's Businesses
Building Walkersteel
Jack was born in Blackburn, England. He left school when he was 13 years old. He worked with metal and also served in the army.
In 1951, after his father passed away, Jack took over the family metal business. He turned a small scrap metal business into a huge company called Walkersteel. By 1990, Walkersteel was the biggest steel company in Britain. It had 3,400 employees working at 50 different locations.
In 1988, the company was making a lot of money. Jack decided it was a good time to sell his business. He sold Walkersteel for a very high price.
Owning an Airline
In 1983, Jack Walker's company also bought an airline called Jersey European Airways. They already owned another airline called Spacegrand. In 1985, these two airlines joined together. Their main office moved to Exeter.
The airline grew a lot during the 1990s. It even won awards for being the 'Best UK Regional Airline'. In 2000, the airline changed its name to British European. It became the third-largest scheduled airline in the UK.
Later, in 2002, the airline changed its name again to Flybe. This was to help it compete better in the airline industry. Flybe stopped flying in 2020.
At the airline's main office in Exeter, two buildings are named after Jack Walker. These are Jack Walker House and the New Walker Hangar.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club
Taking Over the Club
Jack Walker was a big fan of Blackburn Rovers. In 1988, he helped pay for a new stand at their stadium, Ewood Park. He also helped the club buy new players.
In 1991, Jack Walker took full control of Blackburn Rovers. He wanted to make them the best football club in England. He spent a lot of money on new players. For example, he bought Alan Shearer in 1992 and Chris Sutton in 1994. These were record-breaking transfers at the time.
He also spent over £20 million to rebuild the Ewood Park stadium. It now holds more than 30,000 fans. A new stand there is called the Jack Walker Stand. New training areas and a youth academy were also built.
Road to Success
When Jack Walker bought Rovers, the team was struggling. They had not been in the top division since 1966. Their last major trophy was won in 1928.
Jack wanted Rovers to return to the top league. He wanted them to become one of the best teams in England and Europe. In 1991, Kenny Dalglish became the manager. By 1992, Rovers were promoted to the new Premier League.
In the 1994-95 season, Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League title! This was their first top division title in 81 years. It was their first major trophy in 67 years.
Not Selling Alan Shearer
In 1996, Alan Shearer was a top goalscorer. Many big clubs wanted to buy him. Manchester United was very interested. But Jack Walker did not want to sell Shearer to Manchester United. He wanted to keep his best player at Blackburn Rovers. Alan Shearer eventually moved to Newcastle United.
Jack Walker's Life and Legacy
Away from his businesses, Jack Walker also invested in buildings around Blackburn. He supported other sports clubs too, like First Tower United F.C. and Jersey Rugby Club. He moved to St Helier in 1974.
Jack Walker's most famous saying was "think big."
He passed away on August 17, 2000, at the age of 71, from cancer.
Before he died, Jack set up a family trust to own his businesses, including the football club. In 2010, Blackburn Rovers was sold by this trust to a company called Venky's.
In 2001, the Jack Walker Memorial Garden was opened at Ewood Park. It has a statue of Jack Walker in the middle. A road near the stadium is also named "Jack Walker Way" in his honor.
Some people who worked with Jack Walker have talked about his family's role after his death. They felt that the family trust should have supported the club more.
