‘Charlton doesn’t fit in League One’ – Global Football Partners ‘entire focus’ on promotion

Charlie Methven says that Charlton Athletic’s new owners have made getting promoted out of League One their priority – adding the South Londoners “doesn’t really fit” in England’s third tier.

The Addicks are gearing up for a fourth straight season at that level.

Thomas Sandgaard sold the football club to Global Football Partners at the end of last week.

It was Methven, who is one of seven shareholders that owns at least a five per cent stake, who brokered the deal for Charlton.

He was also part-owner of Sunderland before selling his stake as part of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ buyout in 2022.

Sandgaard made bullish claims about Charlton quickly becoming a Premier League side and bringing European football to SE7 after he acquired the club in 2020.

Global Football Partners’ press release after sealing a deal with Sandgaard talked about “intention to bring uncertainty to an end through actions rather than words or grand promises”.

Methven told the South London Press: “The entire focus and attention of this football club must be on getting out of League One. This club doesn’t really fit in League One. You can try your best to make it fit in League One, but it’s got a 30,000-seater stadium, a superb training ground and a big fanbase with a big history. That is always going to be an awkward fit in League One whether that is Sunderland, Charlton, Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds or Ipswich.

“It behoves whoever is in charge to have a really fierce focus on what it takes to get out of League One. That is the chief thing we have tasked the senior management team with – what is required to get out of League One in a sustainable and progressive way? There is no point getting out of League One and coming straight back down – that’s hopeless. It happened recently. It has to be to get out, like Sunderland have, and you progress from there.

“That’s a tough challenge, because there are a number of other clubs in that position where they would naturally feel they should be out of League One – it’s not a given. But when I say intense focus, I mean a significant proportion of every decision needs to be judged on whether it helps this club get out of League One in a sustainable way.

“Medium-term it is not going to be a happy club in League One.
 We have set the senior management team key performance indicators. It is professionally respectful to them that those KPIs stay in house and they understand they will get judged by the ownership group on those KPIs over a period of time in a calm, sensible and respectful way.

“It’s clear that any new owner who takes over Charlton Athletic and doesn’t have an objective to get promoted from League One is, in my mind, not understanding the situation. We absolutely comprehend that this club has to progress from League One but, at the same time, is very respectful that there are several other clubs feeling exactly the same way. That’s the fun and the challenge of it. If it was easy then the win would never be so satisfying.”

See Friday’s South London Press for more reaction to the Charlton Athletic takeover.