Crystal Palace Ownership Shake-Up: Textor Sells to NFL Owner Johnson

With the ink barely dry on the contract, most Palace fans awoke to the news this Monday morning that John Textor had successfully sold 43% of his shares in ‘Eagle Football Holdings’ to Mr. Johnson. Worth an eye-watering £190m+ and pending Premier League approval, this should go some way toward lifting the weight of the multi-club ownership shadow that’s been lurking in the distance since that glorious day at Wembley last month. (When will that sink in?)

John Textor

With an announcement due any day now regarding Europa participation, this latest deal will sever the ties between Lyon and Palace, respectively.

So, who exactly is Robert “Woody” Johnson? The American businessman and billionaire is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $9.92 billion, an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company and current co-owner of the NFL’s New York Jets, which he purchased twenty-five years ago for a staggering $635m.

Woody Johnson

A record amount at the time for such a purchase involving an NFL franchise. Balancing sport and politics, another notch in his credentials saw him serve as ambassador to the U.K.

between 2017 and 2021 during the first Trump administration.

He is a notable donor to the American Republican Party. His penchant for marquee sports team acquisitions was evident as recent as 2022, when he coughed up a considerable bid in the region of £2 billion to purchase Chelsea FC. For whatever reason, this procurement never came to fruition.

Woody Johnson

So, the Crystal Palace rollercoaster has yet another twist. Only time will tell how this next chapter will pan out. I’m fairly confident that Mr. Parish will continue to steady the ship ~as well as being quite and remain staunch in preventing meddling hands from getting in the way.

Ol’ “Woody” doesn’t seem to be without his controversial past, it would seem. As such as a fanbase like ours, who’ve barely had time to draw breath over the last 15 years, it would be nice to tread a trouble-free path for a bit as we soak in the most successful period in our little club’s history.

It’s never dull. Up the Palace.

Written Clinton Davey