Derby County fan buys into club after making £500m in Candy Crush investment



Mel Morris from Derby wanted to 'invest in and support the club's promotion ambitions'

Businessman made about half a billion pounds by investing in mobile app Candy Crush

Derby narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League after Queens Park Rangers won 1-0 in the playoff final on Saturday



A businessman who made about £500million from investing in mobile app Candy Crush has bought shares in Derby County to join the exclusively north-American ownership group.

Mel Morris, a club director between 2006 and 2007, has purchased a significant minority shareholding in Derby and will join the board.

The move strengthens Steve McClaren’s hand in the transfer market with the 58-year-old, who was born in the city, looking to ‘invest in and support the club’s promotion ambitions’.



VIDEO Scroll down to see what all the fuss is about with mobile app Candy Crush



Turnover: Derby will look to join QPR in the Premier League next year with the hefty new investment

Sucker punch: skipper Keogh (left) must rally his players to go again next year after Bobby Zamora's winner Boost: Manager Steve McClaren will be bolstered by the money when looking in the transfer market

Morris made his money through digital investments and earned a huge windfall in March when King Digital Entertainment, makers of the massively popular Candy Crush game, floated on the New York Stock Exchange.



His 11.5 per cent share was worth about £500m.

Morris, who left school at 16 to set up a hardwood flooring firm, was propelled to a similar wealth to Harry Potter author JK Rowling and Dragons’ Den investor Peter Jones.

He joins an ownership group which had been solely American and Canadian.

Morris paid tribute to McClaren and said: ‘It is evident to me that Derby County is a very well-run operation and I hope, by coming on board, I can further strengthen the incredibly positive position that the club enjoys both on and off the pitch.’