Russell Bartlett is a businessman and property investor and the former chairman and majority shareholder of Hull City football club.^[1]

He purchased Hull City from Adam Pearson in June 2007 as part of a consortium with Paul Duffen and (reportedly at the time) Martin Walker.^[2] They had made unsuccessful attempts to take over West Ham United and Cardiff City.^[3] Bartlett and Walker jointly own the Fortis property company.^[4] Duffen later stated, however, that Walker is not a shareholder in Hull City.^[1]

On 29 October 2009, with the club reportedly in financial difficulty, Duffen left his position at Hull City following disagreements with Bartlett over the direction of the club.^[5] Bartlett re-appointed Adam Pearson as chairman on 2 November, with one of his objectives being to attract outside investment - Bartlett is reportedly willing to sell up to 20% of his stake in the club.^[6]

Following Hull City's relegation from the Premier League in May 2010, a boardroom reshuffle took place at the club, seeing Adam Pearson step down as club chairman, a position which Bartlett himself then took up.^[7]

On 10 November 2010, it was reported that the owner of East Yorkshire-based Allam Marine, Assam Allam along with his son Ehab Allam had agreed to purchase a controlling interest in Hull City from Russell Bartlett. It was announced that Bartlett would remain involved in the club, although no information regarding his position as chairman was released.^[8]

On 17 December 2010, following a protracted period of due diligence, it was confirmed that Bartlett had sold his entire shareholding in Hull City to the Allam family for the nominal fee of £1, severing all links with the club and its liabilities. He was succeeded as chairman by Assem Allam.^[9]