RESULTS FOR 2008
Ranking: 54
Worth: £1,398m
Source of wealth: Sports goods

The Toon Army has an unlikely champion in the shape of Ashley, 43, who paid £133m to gain control of Newcastle United football club last year. The sportswear retailer, often seen at matches wearing the club shirt, pocketed £929m in one day when he floated his company Sports Direct on the stock market last year. With his Newcastle holding, past property deals, dividends, salaries and any remaining cash, Ashley would normally be worth £1.527 billion. We knock that back, however, by the £129m he was reported to have lost recently betting on the share price of HBOS bank.

RESULTS FOR 2007
Ranking: 25=
Worth: £1,900m
Source of wealth: Sports goods