Dave Whelan was the chairman and owner of Wigan Athletic for two decades, and at his peak his net worth was £190m - making him the richest football figure in the UK
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Dave Whelan.
Dave Whelan was once the richest ex-footballer in the UK(Image: JON SUPER/AFP via Getty Images)
Dave Whelan was worth more than former Manchester United ace David Beckham at the height of his ownership with Wigan Athletic - and had he gone ahead with plans to buy the Red Devils, his wealth could have soared even higher. Whelan, who served as chairman and owner of the current League One club for 20 years, steered them through an eight-year stint in the Premier League, including a thrilling FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in 2013.
Although the 88-year-old is no longer active in the sport he cherishes, Whelan remains a significant figure of wealth in British sport. In 2011, when Beckham was playing for LA Galaxy, Whelan was officially recognised as the wealthiest Brit still involved in football, surpassing the former England captain.
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After a playing career with Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra concluded, he made his fortune by establishing his own chain of shops, drawing on his market trading background. According to the Sunday Times Sport Rich List, Whelan's net worth was an impressive £190million, which was significantly more than Beckham's estimated £135m at the time.
Whelan's net worth is now estimated at over £162m, a testament to his financial acumen given that he's not as immersed in the sporting realm as before. Beckham, however, has surged ahead, boasting an impressive fortune of more than £450m.
The former JJB Sports owner could have been on track to billionaire status had he made a modest investment in the 1980s. After discussions with Old Trafford's hierarchy, reports had emerged that Whelan had a basic agreement with United official Martin Edwards about taking over the club during that era.
Reflecting on what might have been, the businessman said: "I made the wrong decision in regards to Manchester United, because it is interesting to see what has happened since.
David Beckham.
David Beckham is now worth around £450m(Image: Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)
"The purchase of Manchester United was all sorted with Martin Edwards and was going to be sealed within 28 days."
Yet, when Whelan shared the news of the potential deal with his wife, her hesitations concerning his success with JJB Sports swayed his decision. He said: "Later I went home and said to my wife Patricia that I'd pulled off a good deal to buy Manchester United - £11.5m was a lot of money then. She said 'what?'
"I was in JJB and expanding so she said, 'do you think all the people in London, Liverpool, Birmingham will come and shop at your stores when you own Manchester United – the greatest enemy the teams they support have?'"
Dave Whelan.
Dave Whelan could have become the owner of United in the 1980s(Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Whelan added: "I said 'you might have a point!' So instead I went back to Martin Edwards and Manchester United and said the deal is done but told him that if he floated Manchester United on the stock market, he would get a lot more than £11.5m."
This choice could be seen as a massive oversight, especially considering United's current valuation of an eye-watering £5.2bn, according to Forbes.
Currently, the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe jointly own United after Ratcliffe acquired a 25% share in February 2024, with his INEOS team taking over football operations.
Yet, had Whelan taken the plunge in the 1980s and secured the club for £11.5m - now worth around £50m when adjusted for inflation - the destiny of both Whelan and Manchester United might have been drastically altered.