Paul Duffen
Encyclopedia
Paul Jeremy Duffen is the ex-chairman of Hull City A.F.C.
and was formerly Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Media Group plc (formerly Newsplayer
Group plc), where other board members included Sir David Frost
and Steven Smith. He had previously worked in sales and marketing roles for Procter & Gamble
and distribution company P J Holloway.
Duffen, in a consortium
with majority shareholder Russell Bartlett
, purchased Hull City from Adam Pearson
for £12 million in June 2007 and replaced him as chairman. They had already made unsuccessful attempts to take over West Ham United
and Cardiff City
. He pledged to invest in the team with the aim of achieving promotion to the top flight for the first time in the club's history. He delivered on his promise of investment with the million pound signing of striker
Caleb Folan
from Wigan
, shattering City's previous transfer record, and bringing in other high earners such as former Nigeria
captain and BBC African Footballer of the Year
Jay-Jay Okocha
and his former Bolton
teammate Henrik Pedersen
to almost double the club's wage bill.
Under Phil Brown's management, Hull City exceeded Duffen's ambitious targets by finishing third in the Championship in his first season at the helm, equaling their highest ever finish in 1909-10. They went on to make their first ever appearance at Wembley
, defeating Bristol City
1–0 in the Championship play-off final
to secure promotion to the top flight for the first time in the club's 104-year history. He once again pledged to invest in the team, stating (prior to the final) that "the vast majority of the money that would come in from being in the Premier League would go to Phil for team strengthening and increasing the wage bill". He also offered to fund a 7,000-seat extension to the KC Stadium
.
On 29 October 2009, with the club reportedly in financial difficulty, Duffen resigned from his position as Hull Chairman, stating that he believed he should take ultimate responsibility for the Football Club's poor results in 2009. He later admitted disagreements and friction in his working relationship with Bartlett, but defended his stewardship of the club and the financial position in which he left it.
Before taking over at Hull City, Duffen was a fan of Tottenham Hotspur
.
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and was formerly Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Media Group plc (formerly Newsplayer
Newsplayer
Newsplayer is a streaming video website of historical news footage.The service provides online access to newsreel video clips and television news reports spanning the last 100 years...
Group plc), where other board members included Sir David Frost
David Frost
Sir David Frost is a British broadcaster.David Frost may also refer to:*David Frost , South African golfer*David Frost , classical record producer*David Frost *Dave Frost, baseball pitcher...
and Steven Smith. He had previously worked in sales and marketing roles for Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
and distribution company P J Holloway.
Duffen, in a consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
with majority shareholder Russell Bartlett
Russell Bartlett
Russell Bartlett is a businessman and property investor and the former chairman and majority shareholder of Hull City football club.He purchased Hull City from Adam Pearson in June 2007 as part of a consortium with Paul Duffen and Martin Walker. They had made unsuccessful attempts to take over...
, purchased Hull City from Adam Pearson
Adam Pearson
Adam Pearson is Head of Football Operations of Hull City and owner of Hull F.C. rugby league club. He is the former chairman of English association football club Derby County.-Career:...
for £12 million in June 2007 and replaced him as chairman. They had already made unsuccessful attempts to take over West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. He pledged to invest in the team with the aim of achieving promotion to the top flight for the first time in the club's history. He delivered on his promise of investment with the million pound signing of striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
Caleb Folan
Caleb Folan
Caleb Colman Folan is an Irish footballer who plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer as a striker. He qualifies to play for the Republic of Ireland through his grandfather, who was from Inis Mór, and his grandmother, from Galway.-Early career:Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Folan started...
from Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, shattering City's previous transfer record, and bringing in other high earners such as former Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
captain and BBC African Footballer of the Year
BBC African Footballer of the Year
The BBC African Footballer of the Year is an annual award given to the best African footballer of the year as voted by the BBC radio listeners.-Winners:-External links:******...
Jay-Jay Okocha
Jay-Jay Okocha
Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He is known for his stepovers, skill, technique, and being 'so good that they named him twice'...
and his former Bolton
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
teammate Henrik Pedersen
Henrik Pedersen
Henrik Pedersen is a Danish footballer who currently plays as a striker for Silkeborg IF, having left Hull City by mutual consent for family reasons. He has played three games for the Danish national team.-Career:...
to almost double the club's wage bill.
Under Phil Brown's management, Hull City exceeded Duffen's ambitious targets by finishing third in the Championship in his first season at the helm, equaling their highest ever finish in 1909-10. They went on to make their first ever appearance at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, defeating Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
1–0 in the Championship play-off final
2008 Football League Championship playoff final
The 2008 Football League Championship play-off Final was contested between Bristol City and Hull City. The match was won by Hull City through a 38th minute goal from Dean Windass. The victory meant that this was the first time in the history of Hull City that they would be competing in the top...
to secure promotion to the top flight for the first time in the club's 104-year history. He once again pledged to invest in the team, stating (prior to the final) that "the vast majority of the money that would come in from being in the Premier League would go to Phil for team strengthening and increasing the wage bill". He also offered to fund a 7,000-seat extension to the KC Stadium
KC Stadium
The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,...
.
On 29 October 2009, with the club reportedly in financial difficulty, Duffen resigned from his position as Hull Chairman, stating that he believed he should take ultimate responsibility for the Football Club's poor results in 2009. He later admitted disagreements and friction in his working relationship with Bartlett, but defended his stewardship of the club and the financial position in which he left it.
Before taking over at Hull City, Duffen was a fan of Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
.