The John David Group Plc has long been established as the leading UK specialised multiple retailer of fashionable branded and own brand sports and casual wear, principally through the growth of its main retail fascia, JD Sports.

The group now has over 400 stores but it all started when John David Sports was founded in 1981 with one shop in Bury. By 1983 the fledgling business was expanding into the Arndale Centre in Manchester and throughout the 1980s there were further openings, largely in the North and Midlands. The first London store was opened in Oxford Street in 1989 and by the time of JD’s stock market flotation in 1996 there were 61 stores. Maximum advantage was being taken from the growth in sales of international sports brands such as Adidas, Nike, Reebok and Puma and the trend to wear sportswear more and more in everyday life rather than largely on sports fields. Additionally, JD had already developed its reputation as the most innovative visual merchandiser of sportswear with the best and most exclusive and stylish ranges.

The business continued to grow organically until 2002 and then acquired nearly 200 further stores with the acquisition of First Sport from Blacks Leisure Group. Nearly all the stores retained from this acquired portfolio have subsequently been converted to the JD Sports fascia. In 2005 JD also purchased over 70 stores from the Administrators of Allsports (Retail) Limited thereby further consolidating its position as the leading UK retailer of fashionable sports and casual wear.

The company has been 57% owned by Pentland Group Plc since mid 2005, a group whose principal interests are in Sports and Fashion Brands, such as Lacoste and Speedo.