Peter Johnson
Encyclopedia
Peter Robert Johnson is a Birkenhead
based business man and football investor.
The son of a butcher, Johnson helped build the family business into Park Foods, the leading supplier of Christmas
hampers in the early 1990s. From this base, Johnson took Tranmere Rovers from the foot of the Football League to the Championship, and was chairman of Everton F.C.
until 1999.
After having an estimated fortune of £150M in the early 1990s, Johnson's fortune has dropped to £58M in 2004.
, Johnson branched the family butchery business out into a Christmas
Savings club in 1967. The Park Hamper Company was formed in 1969, and Park Foods became a major player in the weekly cash savings business.
By the early 1990s, Birkenhead
based Park Foods had made Johnson one of the UK's richest people, with an estimated fortune of £150M. At its peak, Park Foods packed 1m Christmas hampers and delivered them to people who had saved up to £5 a week all year. Johnson also became chairman of Nightfreight GB when in went public on the London Stock Exchange
in 1993.
However, it was in the mid-1990s that Johnson got dynamic, and branched his interests out into both football and flavoured crisps, the later of which sent Park Foods into a downward spiral - it lost £6.2M in first half of 1997. By Christmas 2004, due partly to intense competition from supermarkets, Park packed just 75,000 - the UK public continued to save, but preferred to spend loan club cash on shopping vouchers or hi-tech goods like TVs and videos. Park Group's cash lending book - where loans are typically £300 - between 2003 and 2004 grew 82% to £24.6m.
In October 2004, Johnson put the group valued at around £49M up for sale, after the failure of the both the flavoured crisp and door-step loan businesses. Park Group plc, today valued at £33M, with a market capitalisation of 35.08M , consists of:
supporter, a one time share holder.
In 1987, Johnson was approached by local football club Tranmere Rovers, to take over running of the club and restore stability, after American
Bruce Osterman ran up large debts. Johnson duly took control of the then Fourth Division club, and got them up to the Second Division by 1990.
After Everton avoided relegation in 1994, Johnson agreed to inject £10M via a rights issue into Everton F.C.
, as advised by NM Rothschild from a Jersey
based family trust
In agreement with Football Association, Johnson agreed to sell shares in one club by 1998, and resultantly appointed his then girlfriend Lorraine Rogers
to look after his interests at Tranmere. It was believed that Johnson would sell his shares in Tranmere, and it was speculated by the press on more than one occasion that he had. But as his Park Foods business began to dwindle, Johnson needed to sell big and quickly. Suddenly, rumours persisted that he was touting Everton around as a £50M valued club. On Christmas Eve
1999, Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright
struck a deal ahead of other consortia, including one headed by Johnson's rival meat-seller Gerry White, to buy Johnson's 68% controlling stake in Everton for £20M - thus valuing the club at £30M.
Johnson returned to Tranmere as President and made Rogers chairman, but has had the club up for sale since 2002. In summer 2006, Tranmere revealed accounts which showed the club owed Johnson £6M, and had plans to sell-off their second training ground at Ingleborough Road as a residential development. Peter Johnson hit the headlines again in August 2009 when it was revealed that his football club Tranmere Rovers had been put up for sale of eBay.com. Mr Johnson had hired Dornoch Capital a specialist in selling sports franchises to sell his shareholding. The listing was removed immeditaley following a public outcry
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
based business man and football investor.
The son of a butcher, Johnson helped build the family business into Park Foods, the leading supplier of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
hampers in the early 1990s. From this base, Johnson took Tranmere Rovers from the foot of the Football League to the Championship, and was chairman of Everton F.C.
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
until 1999.
After having an estimated fortune of £150M in the early 1990s, Johnson's fortune has dropped to £58M in 2004.
Park Foods
The son of a butcherButcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
, Johnson branched the family butchery business out into a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Savings club in 1967. The Park Hamper Company was formed in 1969, and Park Foods became a major player in the weekly cash savings business.
By the early 1990s, Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
based Park Foods had made Johnson one of the UK's richest people, with an estimated fortune of £150M. At its peak, Park Foods packed 1m Christmas hampers and delivered them to people who had saved up to £5 a week all year. Johnson also became chairman of Nightfreight GB when in went public on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in 1993.
However, it was in the mid-1990s that Johnson got dynamic, and branched his interests out into both football and flavoured crisps, the later of which sent Park Foods into a downward spiral - it lost £6.2M in first half of 1997. By Christmas 2004, due partly to intense competition from supermarkets, Park packed just 75,000 - the UK public continued to save, but preferred to spend loan club cash on shopping vouchers or hi-tech goods like TVs and videos. Park Group's cash lending book - where loans are typically £300 - between 2003 and 2004 grew 82% to £24.6m.
In October 2004, Johnson put the group valued at around £49M up for sale, after the failure of the both the flavoured crisp and door-step loan businesses. Park Group plc, today valued at £33M, with a market capitalisation of 35.08M , consists of:
- Park Retail - the savings club, the Country Christmas Savings club, and the High Street Gift voucher
- Park Travel - a full service travel agent
- Park Direct Credit - provides credit services
- Park Financial Services - includes loan broker Imagine Finance
- Park Direct Insurance
- Love2Reward- Corporate Incentives and Reward and Recognition Schemes
- highstreetvouchers.com- UK's Largest Voucher Retailer
Football
Johnson was born a Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
supporter, a one time share holder.
In 1987, Johnson was approached by local football club Tranmere Rovers, to take over running of the club and restore stability, after American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bruce Osterman ran up large debts. Johnson duly took control of the then Fourth Division club, and got them up to the Second Division by 1990.
After Everton avoided relegation in 1994, Johnson agreed to inject £10M via a rights issue into Everton F.C.
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, as advised by NM Rothschild from a Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
based family trust
In agreement with Football Association, Johnson agreed to sell shares in one club by 1998, and resultantly appointed his then girlfriend Lorraine Rogers
Lorraine Rogers
Lorraine Rogers is a former Chairwoman of Tranmere Rovers F.C..She is also a member of the Football League board.Lorraine Rogers is the nephew of Alan Rogers, a well travelled football manager who enjoyed success in Iran and Cyprus during his career....
to look after his interests at Tranmere. It was believed that Johnson would sell his shares in Tranmere, and it was speculated by the press on more than one occasion that he had. But as his Park Foods business began to dwindle, Johnson needed to sell big and quickly. Suddenly, rumours persisted that he was touting Everton around as a £50M valued club. On Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
1999, Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
struck a deal ahead of other consortia, including one headed by Johnson's rival meat-seller Gerry White, to buy Johnson's 68% controlling stake in Everton for £20M - thus valuing the club at £30M.
Johnson returned to Tranmere as President and made Rogers chairman, but has had the club up for sale since 2002. In summer 2006, Tranmere revealed accounts which showed the club owed Johnson £6M, and had plans to sell-off their second training ground at Ingleborough Road as a residential development. Peter Johnson hit the headlines again in August 2009 when it was revealed that his football club Tranmere Rovers had been put up for sale of eBay.com. Mr Johnson had hired Dornoch Capital a specialist in selling sports franchises to sell his shareholding. The listing was removed immeditaley following a public outcry