Jack Walker

Jack was an industrialist from Blackburn, Lancashire. Making a fortune in the steel industry. Jack
is Blackburn Rover's biggest fan and his name is sang by the Rover's Fans at every match.

Leaving school at 14, Walker worked as a sheet metal worker and a conscript craftsman in the Royal
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before taking over the family business with his brother, Fred
Walker. Together, they transformed the business into a steel stockholding concern, which, in 1990,
Walker sold to British Steel for £360m, before retiring to St Helier, Jersey.

Rises in the fortunes of Blackburn Rovers attributed to Walker include the redevelopment of the
club's stadium, Ewood Park, persuading Kenny Dalglish to come out of retirement to manage Blackburn
in 1991 and twice breaking the British record for the most expensive transfer of a football player,
signing Alan Shearer from Southampton for £3.3m in 1992 and Chris Sutton from Norwich for £5m in
1994. And in the 1994-95 season, Blackburn Rovers won the Premiership title. Walker was also
involved with Jersey club First Tower United from the 1970s.

Jack also had a keen aviation interest. In November 1983 the WalkerSteel group took over Jersey
European Airways, already being the parent company to Blackpool based airline Spacegrand. The two
airlines were initially run separately until 1985 when they were amalgamated and Exeter became the
airline's headquarters and base for technical services. The airline grew throughout the 1990s and
was recognised in 1993 and 1994 when it won 'Best UK Regional Airline'. The new millennium saw the
airline announce a new brand name at the beginning of May: British European. The rebrand reflected
the true size and scope of what was now the UK’s third-largest scheduled airline. July 2002 saw
the start of a new beginning for the airline, British European was forced to dramatically change its
business model to survive in such a highly competitive and aggressive new low cost travel era. Flybe
was born and along with it a bright modern brand and changes to commercial, fleet and operational
policies that were to transform the airline. The Walker Trust own 69% of the company with the
remaining shares owned by British Airways (15%) and staff through an employee share scheme. At the
airlines Head Office in Exeter there are two buildings named in his honour: Jack Walker House and
the New Walker Hangar both based on the Exeter International Airport complex.

Never Forgotton, RIP Jack.