Simon Sadler, born on 18 October 1969 in Blackpool, is a British entrepreneur and the founder of Segantii Capital Management. He became the owner of Blackpool Football Club in 2019, purchasing a 96.2% stake and ending the Oyston family’s 32-year control. In his second full season at the helm, Sadler oversaw the club’s promotion to the Championship, marking their return to the second tier of English football after a six-year absence. Sadler grew up on Bispham Road in Blackpool and had a summer job renting deckchairs. He attended Moor Park Primary School, Warbreck School, and Blackpool and the Fylde College before going on to study Business Science at UMIST. He owns a pug named Kenny, named after Kenny Dougall, who scored both goals in Blackpool’s 2021 EFL League One play-off final victory. Sadler is married to Gillian, and they have two children. During the pandemic, the family relocated from Hong Kong to London, where Sadler shifted his focus from Segantii’s Hong Kong operations to overseeing the football club.
Sadler’s career in investment banking took him to London, Moscow, and Hong Kong, where he worked for major firms such as HSBC. In 2007, he founded Segantii Capital, which he named after a pre-Roman tribe from the Blackpool area. By 2022, the firm’s portfolio was worth £3.5 billion. Known for his direct and fair approach in business, Sadler gained a reputation as a respected figure in the financial world. In 2014, Sadler bought the 1953 FA Cup winner’s medal belonging to football legend Stanley Matthews for £220,000. Five years later, he bought Blackpool FC for around £10 million. Under his ownership, the club achieved promotion to the Championship in his first full season. Following this achievement, Sadler emphasised that the club’s success was supported by the fans, particularly through season-ticket purchases, as he alone could not fund all the necessary investments.
By 2024, Sadler had found himself facing new challenges. In May, Segantii announced it would be shutting down its hedge fund after Hong Kong authorities charged the firm with insider trading. This came amid large withdrawal requests from investors. By January 2025, Sadler was reportedly considering selling Blackpool FC as he faced ongoing investigations into insider trading at Segantii. Over his first five years as owner, Sadler had appointed six full-time managers for the club: Simon Grayson (2019–2020), Neil Critchley (2020–2022 and 2023–2024), Michael Appleton (2022–2023), Mick McCarthy (2023), and Steve Bruce (2024–).
Simon Sadler, owner of Blackpool FC, at one of the games
