I went from working in a greengrocers and selling electronics out of a van before buying Premier League club for £8m
LORD SUGAR went from working in a greengrocers to buying a Premier League club for £8million.
The Apprentice star spent a decade as chairman of Tottenham between 1991 and 2001.
GettyLord Sugar went from selling electricals out of a van to owning a Premier League club[/caption]
News Group Newspapers LtdSugar bought a majority stake in Tottenham for £8million in 1991[/caption]
However, his career started in different surroundings after he left school.
The Hackney-born businessman worked at a greengrocers and had a job within the civil service before setting up his first company.
He would get his start after using his savings to buy a van, selling electricals out of the back of it.
By the time he was 21, Sugar had set up his own firm, Amstrad, and was selling turntable covers, car radios and other electrical items.
Amstrad’s launch of their PC in 1984 boosted their net worth to a staggering £1.2billion.
The 1987 stock market crash and a rise in competitors impacted the firm, though, and they were ultimately sold to BSkyB in 2007 for £125million.
Before then, though, Sugar spent a decade as Spurs’ chairman and owner.
Alongside Terry Venables, he initially invested £3.25million each in 1991 before increasing his stake to £8million to become the majority shareholder.
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Sugar would remain at the helm at White Hart Lane until he sold his stake to current owners ENIC International for £47million in 2001.
During his ownership, Spurs secured a string of top-half finishes, with their highest coming in 1996 as they finished seventh in the Premier League.
He also oversaw a League Cup triumph in 1999, ending an eight-year wait for silverware.
PA:Press AssociationSugar is known by many for his role on The Apprentice[/caption]
Spurs also played in Europe on three separate occasions with Sugar as owner.
Their best performance came during the first campaign after his takeover in 1991/92.
Managed by Peter Shreeves, Spurs reached the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners’ Cup before losing on aggregate to Feyenoord.
Nowadays, Sugar is best known for his role on hit BBC show The Apprentice.
The 76-year-old has been the central figure on the show since its inception in 2005, with candidates competing to become his latest business partner.
On the show, Sugar is joined on “The Board” by West Ham vice-chairperson Karren Brady and former winner Tim Campbell.
