Sam Hammam

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Samir "Sam" Hammam (Arabic: سام همّام‎) (born 1948 in Beirut)[1] is a Lebanese businessman, most notable for his high profile involvement in British football clubs.

Having trained as civil engineer, Hammam made his fortune as a building contractor in the Middle East. After emigrating to Britain in 1975, Hammam bought a majority stake in his local football team Wimbledon F.C., becoming Chairman of the club.

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[edit] Wimbledon FC

Originally moving to the area due to being a keen tennis fan Hammam soon became involved in football by buying £40,000 worth of shares at Wimbledon in two years.[2] Hammam was in charge of the unfashionable South London club during its meteoric and record-breaking rise through the football league to the top flight and the infamous 1988 FA cup victory.

While the club's on-the-field success during Hammam's tenure as Chairman was undeniable, the situation off the pitch however was more colourful. Typically, merely hours after the club's FA Cup final victory, Hammam announced that the entire first team was up for sale. Hammam fostered the "Crazy Gang" image at the club, encouraging bizare 'rewards' and initiation ceremonies for new players - Hammam pledged to buy leading striker Dean Holdsworth a camel should he score 20 goals in a season, while at his first day at the club record signing John Hartson had his kit set on fire by his new team mates. Unfortunately however these eccentricities were not the extent of Hammam's controversial chairmanship, which led to him being dubbed "Sam the Sham" by Wimbledon supporters.

Hammam had arranged for ownership of the club's Plough Lane home ground to be held by a private company, of which Hammam himself was a director. After Wimbledon were forced to move out of their ground and groundshare at Selhurst Park with local rivals Crystal Palace in 1992, Hammam opened discussions with the Council to lift a covenant on the site, requiring it to be retained for sporting use. Once this was removed, Hammam went on to sell the site to supermarket giants, Safeway, for a substantial profit, leaving the club without a home ground.

Hammam was subsequently unsuccessful with his initial proposals for the club to relocate to, among other places, Dublin, Cardiff and Milton Keynes and eventually sold his stake in the homeless club to two Norwegian businessmen for a substantial fortune, reported at around £30 million. However it was his sale of the club's home ground which gave subsequent owners, Charles Koppel and Pete Winkleman, the opportunity to buy a football club for franchising to Milton Keynes.

[edit] Cardiff City FC

Having sold his interests in Wimbledon, Hammam purchased control of Cardiff City at the end of 2000, where he quickly picked up where he left off with Wimbledon. Shortly after taking over at Cardiff, Hammam controversially pledged to get the entire Welsh nation to support Cardiff by renaming the club "The Cardiff Celts" and changing the club colours to green, red and white,[3],[4]although it was decided against this.

After failing to get the new stadium plans agreed by Cardiff Council due to concerns over financial security in 2006, Hammam agreed to a £27 million takeover by a consortium led by new chairman Peter Ridsdale and including lead developer of the new stadia Paul Guy. However, the takeover was in doubt until 22 December 2006 with the club in threat of administration until the consortium agreed to pay Hammam's company Rudgwick an extra £500,000 and £90,000 to Hammam's brother. Ex-Wales rugby captain Mike Hall said after the deal was completed: "That was money which would have been spent on players. But instead it's gone into Sam's pocket. It was the only way the deal was going to be done. I know people say he's a complex character, but at the end it was total greed and self-interest. It was amazing, but football is a murky world."[5]

In March 2008 Cardiff City began a court case against financial backers Langston over the repayment of a loan believed to be worth around £31 million. During the hearing the barrister representing the club named Sam Hammam as the man they believe to be behind the company.[6]

[edit] Controversies

Sam has achieved a level of notoriety in English football for his unusual antics at matches, frequently walking around the pitchside during games, and his eccentric methods of publicising himself and his players.

Sam Hammam is a signed-up member of Wimbledons Crazy Gang.

He has threatened poorly performing players with trips to the Opera.

In 1994 he was caught scrawling abusive graffiti in the away dressing room at Upton Park.

When signing Robbie Earle from Port Vale, he locked the midfielder in his study until he signed.

At Cardiff City he became a cult-hero with fans for taking part in their head-patting 'do the Ayatollah' chant

[edit] Quotes

"We have to remain the English bulldog SAS club. We have to sustain ourselves by power and the attitude that we kick ass. Before we go down we'll leave a trail of blood from here to Timbuktu." - As owner of Wimbledon, March 1999.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Borras, Kevin & Slater, Matt (1996-10-17), “All for one!”, Match of the Day magazine (BBC) (no. 10): pp10–13 
  2. ^ "The Guardian: Still crazy"
  3. ^ BBC Wales: Hammam: 'I will die for Cardiff Celts'
  4. ^ BBC Wales: Fans are Hammam's big worry
  5. ^ BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Cardiff City | Hammam accused of Cardiff 'greed'
  6. ^ "Hammam named in Cardiff loan case" BBC Retrieved on 14 March 2008,

Image:Sam hammam.jpg