Wiggin advises ORY Investment Holding consortium on its acquisition of a majority interest in South Shields Football Club

The Wiggin Sport team is pleased to confirm it has advised ORY Investment Holding, which has led a consortium of investors in acquiring a majority interest in South Shields Football Club from Geoffrey Thompson. ORY Investment Holding, led by Jason Ye, is the anchor investor in a consortium which brings together international investors with experience across capital markets, private equity, and real estate development. The deal completed on Friday 29 May.

The Wiggin team was led by Partner and Head of Sport, David Hinchliffe; Legal Director, Christian Slinger and Senior Associate, Tim Howden. They were supported by Shaney Stevens-Neale, Sue Crawford, Christian Burchardt, Charlotte Palmer and Ellie Sergeant.

Reflecting on the deal, Jason Ye said “It is an absolute privilege to become part of the South Shields FC ownership. We know there’s plenty of hard work ahead, but we’re fully committed to building on the fantastic foundation Geoff and the team have already created. On behalf of ORY and the rest of the consortium, I’d like to thank David, Christian, Tim and the rest of the Wiggin team for all of their hard work and support on the transaction.”

Christian Slinger commented: “We’re delighted to have been able to work with Jason and his team to make this deal a reality. The transaction structure was complex, with a number of different steps, parties and jurisdictions involved to achieve the intended structure. It was a brilliant effort from everyone involved, and Geoff Thompson and his team were a pleasure to work with throughout. We’re looking forward to seeing how the consortium and the existing management team take the Club forward, and to see some of the fantastic plans they have come to life. It’s an incredibly exciting time for South Shields FC!”

The deal reinforces the position of Wiggin’s Sport team as leading experts in football M&A work. The team regularly advises on deals at all levels of the football pyramid in England and around the World.