“No quick fix” – Thomas Sandgaard on acquiring Charlton Women and plans to turn them into a top WSL side

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Thomas Sandgaard is targeting Charlton Athletic being major players in the Women’s Super League – but knows there is no quick fix.

It was announced last week that the US-based businessman is acquiring the club from Stephen King subject to approval by the governing bodies.

Sandgaard admits he did not realise that the women’s team was not part of the package he struck when he acquired the Addicks men’s side at the end of September.

It will be the first time that the two clubs are under the same ownership since 2007.

Sandgaard is set to follow in the footsteps of Aston Villa, who phased in their transition to full-time.

It would see some of their players remain part-time next season before completely switching over in the following campaign.

“It was after I acquired the club that I realised the women’s team was a whole separate entity,” said Sandgaard. “Things were so hectic when I negotiated with all these characters to acquire this club [the men’s side] and keep them away.

“There was not a whole lot of attention on what was included. It was more about making sure we got the right agreements around the stadium, training grounds and all that.

“More than 10 years ago when Charlton got relegated from the Premier League they made some very drastic decisions at board level – one was to abandon the women’s team.

“Stephen King took it over on a relatively low level and was able to maintain the club. He has done a really good job with very little financial support. There has been a little bit of help from Charlton in terms of an agreement, and for a few more years they could still use Charlton’s badge and call themselves Charlton Athletic Women’s team.

“But I definitely felt that was such an oddball to have sitting out there.

“As soon as things stabilised here in late fall, well before Christmas, I started negotiating with Stephen King to acquire the club. We quickly saw this was the right thing to do.

“It’s a signed agreement now.”

Charlton won the FA Cup in 2005 and have twice been runners up in this millennium – as well as claiming League Cup silverware in 2004 and 2005. During their peak years they had high-profile players such as Casey Stoney, Eniola Aluko and Katie Chapman – the latter duo going on to play professionally in the USA.

Sandgaard says the expenditure on the current Charlton side is set to explode as they target a WSL spot.

“We are developing the budget for the next couple of years,” he explained. “We can say the costs of running the club up until now have been less than £500,000 a year. Very quickly it will become multiple millions of pounds a year.

“Over the next two years we are going to develop the women’s team to a full-time engagement for the players so we can compete with the biggest clubs in England.

“We are already in discussion with the Women’s FA when it comes to how we develop the club to be full-time and they are very supportive of our initiatives.

“With the appropriate financial backing we will slowly build the club up to be in the Women’s Super League and start competing at a higher level.

“But, just like the men’s team, it is going to take many years before we are at the top of the league.”

The USA is one of the countries where women’s football is high profile – something that Colorado-based Sandgaard is fully aware of.

“I expect the same trend that we already see in Europe to continue,” he said. “It’s important for Charlton to participate in women’s football as well. It will be a big thing 10 years from now.

“You can already see the developments that there are in terms of the TV money which is starting to show up – it’s not insignificant any more.”