Noades and Bates linked with Palace bid

Last updated : 18 June 2004 By Nik Taylor

Former Palace chairman Ron Noades has revealed he may consider a sensational return to Selhurst Park, along with ex-Chelsea supremo Ken Bates.

Current owner Simon Jordan has recently commented he may be ready to sell his interest in the club, now the Eagles are back in the Premiership.

Should that happen, Noades could return to the club as chairman, with Bates buying the side from Jordan.

"I am as confident in my own mind as Jordan that I can run a football club as well as anybody else," Noades told the Croydon Advertiser. "I have learned a heck of a lot as chairman of Palace and Brentford and I can advise any club on the right way to do things.

"Simon Jordan has realised how stressful a football club chairman's job is and I am not surprised after his four years in charge. I can understand his opinion and frustration and the position in which he finds himself.

"Losses have been sustained by Palace but we never had that sort of money to put in to the club during my time in charge. We would not have run the club with the sort of money that Jordan has put in, with losses running extremely high.

"Ken and I can work together and my wife, Novella, and I are good friends with Ken and Susanna. I would be delighted if Ken bought Crystal Palace. He has spent his life in football and he knows all the pitfalls in the game.

"We will have to wait and see what Simon does."