Crystal Palace co-owner says fan banners are ‘nonsense’ – ‘I don’t care if they trust me’

Crystal Palace’s American co-owner John Textor has hit back at unhappy supporters who have criticised his involvement in the Premier League club

The American businessman, who as well as his stake in Palace owns Lyon plus clubs in Brazil, Belgium and the United States, is among those to come under fire from Eagles fans for a perceived lack of investment and ambition. Supporters have produced banners to air their disgust at the club hierarchy with one in particular taking aim at Textor. It read: “Multi-club ownership. Stock market gambling. Textor, we don’t trust you.”

Textor, whose stake in the Premier League club is around 45%, has addressed fans’ concerns over his involvement in the club head-on. The 58-year-old insists he isn’t bothered about the banners in question and says fans “don’t need” to trust him.

“There’s a lot of talk of that but it’s misguided,” he told the BBC. “I read these banners which are nonsense. I showed up a couple of years ago and I do nothing but support as one of four members of the board and then I see banners which say ‘Textor we don’t trust you’. I don’t care.

“They don’t need to trust me, I’m not running the club. People say they want fan ownership and transparency but there’s nothing more transparent than a US public company that reports material contracts within four days.”

Addressing the stance of the political stance of the Palace ultras who produce the banner and his ownership of multiple clubs, he added: “They don’t like capitalism apparently in the ultras at Crystal Palace. So I went to talk to them about it. I met them outside Selhurst Park and they said, ‘John, you bought Lyon, are you aware of the politics of your ultras in Lyon?’ I said, ‘God no, what are they?’

“They said, ‘Well, they are right, and we at Palace are left.’ Well, I don’t care, this has nothing to do with football. I have an opinion of Crystal Palace and the culture and the fans which I love – but ultras in some clubs…

“I was drawn to this relationship of club and community. It’s organised fan groups which hijack that relationship. Some very smart people in football told me, ‘John, pay attention to the ultras, they can be wonderful, they can be passionate, they can be supportive but make sure you know who your fans are – all of them.’

“I developed a belief that I work for the anonymous fan that I don’t know, and he or she is 10 years old and they love the club because their father loves the club. I don’t work for the ultras.”