October 6 – Milan Mandaric, the businessman whose drive and affection for the game reshaped clubs on both sides of the Atlantic, has died aged 87 after a short illness.
Born in what is now Serbia, Mandaric made his fortune in the United States before turning his attention to football, where his personality made him one of the sport’s more colourful ownership figures.
He bought Portsmouth out of administration in 1999 and, four years later, watched them surge back into the Premier League for the first time in 15 years. The promotion awarded him the Freedom of the City of Portsmouth and earned him a reputation as a chairman who could turn struggling clubs into believers again.
News of his death was confirmed by his family in a statement on Portsmouth’s official website on Saturday evening.
“The family of Milan Mandaric are deeply saddened to announce his passing earlier today in a Belgrade hospital following a short illness,” the statement read.
“Milan will be fondly remembered as chairman and owner of Portsmouth, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday in the United Kingdom, along with a number of United States and European clubs.
“His love for football was only surpassed by that for his family; he will be sadly missed by his two daughters and three grandchildren. The family have asked for privacy at this sad time.”
Mandaric went on to take charge at Leicester City and later Sheffield Wednesday, steering the latter to promotion from League One in 2012. His influence stretched further afield, too – long before his time in England, he helped establish the San Jose Earthquakes, the city’s first professional sports franchise, and was later inducted into their Hall of Fame.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]