Charlie Methven says Charlton’s long-suffering fans can expect action rather than words after Global Football Partners finally completed their takeover this evening.
The Valley faithful have certainly been through the mill under various owners since their relegation from the Premier League in 2007, the latest being Dane Thomas Sandgaard.
Sandgaard’s initial popularity quickly waned after ultimately failing to deliver success on the pitch, becoming just the latest in a long line of Charlton owners who have been unable to revive the club’s fortunes.
But Methven, who is now one of seven GFP board members holding more than a five percent stake in the League One side, knows supporters don’t want to hear about yet another false dawn.
He said: “As an ownership group, my fellow shareholders and I are excited to begin this new chapter at Charlton whilst being respectful of the scale of the task that faces our management team in restoring the fortunes of this great club.
“Getting to this point has been a long road that has left Charlton’s loyal fans uncertain about the future direction of their club.
“We intend to bring that uncertainty to an end through actions rather than words or grand promises.
“However, we do want to place on record at this point that GFP’s ambition is to build a football club noted for its professionalism, integrity and intense focus on success.
“To that end, we are appointing and empowering a Senior Management Team (SMT) that we believe has the relevant experiences and energy to drive the club forward.”
The other members of the GFP board holding five percent or more are Gabriel Brener, Joshua Friedman, Warren Rosenfeld, Singapore-based ACA Football Partners, Munir Javeri and Marc Boyan.
Jim Rodwell becomes the senior management team’s managing director, Ed Warrick is the new group finance officer while Steve Sutherland, a key figure in the club’s 1990s Valley return and subsequent revival, is back in SE7 as interim commercial manager.
Former PFA chairman and Charlton player Paul Elliot and Addicks supporter Gavin Carter are poised to become non-executive board directors once the Football League give the green light.
Mr Rodwell will also act as club board chairman this season.
He said: “The hard work begins now. The brief given by the ownership group to the Senior Management Team is clear – to bring our experience to bear in pursuit of incremental and continual improvement throughout every aspect of the club.
“We recognise that this process will at times be challenging, and that progress will not always be linear, but we will always operate with the best interests of the club in mind.
“Charlton Athletic is famed within football for what it has achieved when united in purpose – our objective is to do what needs to be done to regain that spirit of togetherness and move forward together.”
