As a proud Hearts supporter, Ford has maintained an active interest in the club since his playing retirement. He played a significant role in persuading Wallace Mercer to invest in the club in the early 1980s, at a time when it teetered on the financial precipice. Within 5 years of Mercer's involvement the club had returned to the top flight and European football. Similarly, he was a vocal advocate of the fans campaign to prevent the sale of Tynecastle Stadium to clear debts by then Hearts chairman Chris Robinson during the 2004–05 season .