‘Steve Parish’s future at Crystal Palace faces threat after trio of high-level exits’
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is facing an uncertain future at the club amid ongoing change, with a huge one potentially on the horizon.
The 59-year-old has been chairman of the club since leading a consortium to rescue the club from administration back in 2010, and owns a 10% stake in the club.
Currently, Parish effectively retains overall control of the club, holding the casting vote over key decisions on the Eagles’ board of directors, who all have equal voting rights.
However his position at Crystal Palace now looks as though it is coming under threat with negotiations underway over new investment in the club.
Steve Parish and John Textor rivalry ignites
On the pitch this has been an excellent season for the club, who have again impressed in the Premier League.
Beyond that, Crystal Palace have also reached the FA Cup final where they will take on Man City at Wembley next weekend.
Off the pitch though, it appears things could be set to change, with The Guardian reporting that John Textor is attempting a takeover of the club.
The Lyon owner is apparently in talks to buy fellow American shareholders David Blitzer and Josh Harris’ stakes in the club, which would give him an 81% share in the club.
Textor increased his stake in the club to 45% in 2023, after which he and Parish fell out with the pair said to still be distant.
| Crystal Palace last five games | Result |
| Newcastle United(A) | Lost 5-0 |
| Bournemouth (H) | Drew 0-0 |
| Arsenal (A) | Drew 2-2 |
| Aston Villa (N) | Won 3-0 |
| Nottingham Forest (H) | Drew 1-1 |
As a result, if the American agreed that deal with Blitzer and Harris, it would reportedly “threaten the future” of Parish at Selhurst Park.
For his part, the current club chairman is said to have held preliminary talks with New York Jets owner Woody Johnson about buying out those other shareholders at Selhurst Park, in a rival move to Textor’s.
There have already been significant departures off the pitch around the club this season, with sporting director Dougie Freedman leaving Crystal Palace to move to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, chief operating officer Sharon Lacy has joined American side Fort Lauderdale, with chief financial officer Sean O’Loughlin also departing during the week, and Parish could follow if things go Textor’s way.
Crystal Palace need to secure off-field stability
Football Insider Verdict
Amid all that uncertainty around the situation behind-the-scenes at Selhurst Park, some certainty over who is going to be holding what role will surely be needed.
Having done a brilliant job again this season, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is attracting interest from RB Leipzig as the Bundesliga side search for a new boss.
If he feels the lack of clarity over the ownership and other backroom roles at his current side will affect how he is supported, that could tempt Glasner to look for a move such as that in the summer.
Given he has somewhat transformed the fortunes of the club since he arrived in February last year, it would be a major blow for them to lose the Austrian now.
With that in mind, it appears that the board members at Crystal Palace may need to come to a consensus quickly that at least ensures they are in a strong position to keep their first-team manager.
If they fail to do that then all concerned may have questions to answer about their failure to retain the services of someone who surely has the potential to take the club to the next level.