Lionel Pickering

Lionel Victor Pickering (4 December 1932 – 2 September 2006) was an English businessman, best known as the owner of Derby County F.C. between 1991 and 2003. A self-made millionaire, he previously built up a free local newspaper business, making his fortune primarily from the advertising revenue it generated.

In 1991, Pickering purchased Derby County Football Club for just over £1 million from Robert Maxwell and invested heavily in players over the next two years, spending nearly £10 million.

In January 1992, with Arthur Cox's low budget team just in touch with the leading pack, Pickering embarked on a spending increase, the biggest in the club's history, with the £1 m signing of Marco Gabbiadini from Crystal Palace. Joining him in that season were Paul Kitson, Tommy Johnson & Paul Simpson, followed by Steve Sutton, Mark Pembridge, Darren Wassall, Craig Short & Martin Kuhl a year later.

In 1995, Pickering appointed Jim Smith in order to change the club's fortunes. With a string of superb signings and the hiring of future England and Derby County head coach, Steve McClaren as assistant manager, Smith took the club to the top level of competition in his first season.

Pickering put Derby at the forefront of English football by building Pride Park Stadium while many other clubs were still thinking about similar moves. Lionel also presided over the development of the academy for young footballers at Moor Farm, Oakwood.

As the club's fortunes levelled off and subsequently began to slump, there was a moderate amount of disquiet amongst fans. Lionel went onto Radio Derby and said: "If you can do better, where's your money - and if you don't like it, go and watch Forest.”

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