James Bord's planned takeover of Sheffield Wednesday is definitively over after his investment vehicle agreed to acquire French club Girondins de Bordeaux for a symbolic €1. The deal, confirmed to a commercial court in Bordeaux on Wednesday, resolves the financial crisis that had stalled his bid for the English club and solidifies the ownership of David Storch's Arise Capital Partners at Hillsborough.

Representatives of Bordeaux's outgoing owner Gerard Lopez and Bord's Park Bench company informed the court that an agreement had been reached. As part of the arrangement, Lopez is renouncing half of the debts owed to him, with the club carrying total liabilities of around €26 million. The six-time French champions, who were excluded from national competitions this summer and placed in the sixth-tier Régional 1, faced possible liquidation.

Storch consortium's Wednesday rescue

Bord's Park Bench was named the preferred bidder by Sheffield Wednesday's administrator, Begbies Traynor, last December. The consortium, which includes business partner Evan Sofer, could not ultimately agree on a valuation to complete the purchase. That failure cleared the way for US businessman David Storch and his Arise Capital Partners to complete a rescue deal earlier this year, saving the club from administration after its relegation to League One.

The club has stabilised under the new ownership, sitting second in the table with 14 points from seven games. Their recent form is strong, unbeaten in five with three wins and two draws.

Bord's background and portfolio

James Bord, 45, has a diverse background in finance, sports analytics, and professional poker. He previously worked as a banker at Citigroup and for Tony Bloom's sports betting analysis firm Starlizard before founding data company Short Circuit Science. He also served as an advisor to Sheffield United, where he helped implement a data-driven recruitment model.

His football portfolio already includes Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic, a stake in Spanish club Córdoba, and an interest in Bulgaria's Septemvri Sofia. The acquisition of Bordeaux, a club relegated from Ligue 1 in 2022 and then administratively from Ligue 2 in 2024, represents his most significant move yet.

The resolution of the ownership saga allows Sheffield Wednesday to focus fully on its League One campaign. The squad, which you can review on our squad page, travels to face Stevenage on September 26 looking to extend its unbeaten run.

First reported at City AM