Following a decade of “transformation”, South Shields FC has received new investment, to kick on with its quest to ascend the English football pyramid. ORY Investment Holdings has backed the club, after an exploration carried out by FRP Advisory.
Competing in the sixth tier of the English football pyramid, South Shields Football Club has existed in one form or another for more than 130 years. Based in Tyne-and-Wear, the club was initially founded in 1888 as South Shields Adelaide Athletic, but was reformed in 1976 as the South Shields FC of the modern era.
In the summer of 2015, local businessman Geoff Thompson, founder of Utilitywise, became chairman and bought the original Filtrona Park. With this backing, South Shields FC enjoyed a new era of success – winning the FA Vase at Wembley in 2017.
Three successive promotions meanwhile meant that by 2023, the club was competing in the National League North. It also narrowly missed out on promotion to the National League for the 2025/26 season – losing 2-0 to Kidderminster Harriers in the division play-off final.
As the club dusts itself down to go again, in its bid to reach English football’s fifth tier, however, expectations may have just risen – as the club has confirmed new ownership to “grow and develop” its operations on and off the pitch. Confirming the news via a statement on the club’s website, Thompson noted that the last decade has been “transformative” – but that a group of overseas investors will now help to take this to the next level.
Thompson added, “We plan to build on this momentum by developing a sustainable football club that can continue to progress on the pitch while delivering lasting benefits for our supporters and the wider area. This investment gives us a strong platform to do just that, bringing in partners with the experience to support our continued development while keeping the club at the heart of the community. We look forward to working with ORY and the wider consortium to make that ambition a reality and represent North East grass roots football on a global stage.”
The new ownership group is anchored by ORY Investment Holdings and led by Jason Ye. The consortium brings together investors from the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore with experience across capital markets and business investment, as well as a shared interest in sports investment. The transaction reflects a growing international interest in heritage football clubs with strong community foundations, as investors increasingly look beyond the topflight game to clubs that play an important role in their local economies and communities.
Jason Ye, on behalf of ORY Investment Holdings, remarked, “It is a privilege to join an organisation that embodies such a rich heritage, strong community spirit, and a location at the heart of one of the world’s most prolific regions for football talent. 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. We truly believe SSFC can grow into a strong force both on and off the pitch. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Geoff for welcoming our group into the SSFC family, and we’re looking forward to meeting the fans and sharing this journey together.”
By bringing ORY onboard, the club said it hoped to attract new overseas partners to help it grow – while it also confirmed ORY would help develop its youth academy so it could “nurture local talent” while “recruiting promising players from around the world”. In the meantime, the off-season would also be used to prioritise strengthening the men’s first-team.
Dealmakers
The transaction received approval from The Football Association and the National League, with the new ownership structure taking effect on 29 May 2026. Legal support for the vendor was provided by Mark Lazenby and Declan Fahey of Square One Law. On the sell-side, meanwhile, FRP Advisory’s Newcastle corporate finance team was appointed by the club to help explore long-term ownership options.
Building on a long-standing advisory relationship between South Shields FC’s chair and FRP, partner Phil Williams was supported on the deal by associate director Graham Brown. The team supported a global search process that involved discussions with potential investors from the UK and overseas before identifying the successful consortium.
Williams commented, “From the outset our priority was to find the right long-term custodian for South Shields FC. The club has a strong identity and a deep connection with its supporters, so it was important that any investor group shared this ambition while respecting what makes the club special. ORY and the wider consortium showed real commitment throughout the process, taking time to understand the club’s heritage and its priorities for the future. It has been a privilege to support on a transaction that marks a new chapter for a club of such importance to its local community.”
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