Motoring! Charlton Athletic fans stand a chance of winning one of ‘infamous’ Range Rovers – as Thomas Sandgaard makes it prize in competition

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Charlton Athletic owner Thomas Sandgaard has made one of the club’s company Range Rovers the prize in a new competition – claiming he wants it to highlight his push for change in regulations for owning a club.

The top-of-the-range vehicle cost more than £90,000 and a fleet of them were acquired at the start of 2020 by East Street Investments after they announced they had bought the SE7 outfit.

The luxury vehicles – described as “infamous” in a Charlton Athletic press release today – have been used by a number of individuals purporting to have control of the club.

Now Sandgaard, who took control at the end of September, has launched the competition with the slogan ‘Our club, your car’. It is open to anyone in England, Scotland and Wales.

The American-based Dane, whose takeover was approved by the EFL and saw a long-standing transfer embargo lifted, said: “These cars have been like a dark cloud hanging over Charlton. When I bought the club, I couldn’t believe how much had been committed to spend on Range Rovers.

“It was more than £700,000! For a club at our current level, that is a lot of money and using that money elsewhere, on the squad for example, can make a real difference.

“One of the first things we have had to do is get the cars repossessed from individuals who have previously been involved at the club and sold most of them to minimise the losses this unnecessary expense has cost the club. It has been a difficult year for the fans, so we wanted to give one person an extra-special gift this holiday and that is why we are giving this one away as part of this competition.

“Hopefully, in doing so, we can highlight the challenges clubs have with ownership and be a part of change. Too many clubs have had ownership issues in recent years, I am pleased the EFL have made important changes on this and it is something I will continue to speak with them about. I want to help to continue to improve the change of ownership process.”

To be in with a chance of winning the Range Rover, supporters who purchase a live streaming video pass on Valley Pass for one of the club’s games between today and 11.59pm on December 20 will have an entry into a prize draw.

The winner will be announced live on the club’s video streaming platform Valley Pass at half-time of Charlton’s Boxing Day game against Plymouth Argyle.

To purchase your live streaming pass and enter the competition, being run in partnership with Knapman & Sons, click here.

Each purchase counts as one entry, so supporters can enter multiple times.

To enter, you must purchase a streaming pass for one of the following fixtures in November and December 2020 by 11.59pm on December 20th – Gillingham, Burton Albion, Ipswich Town, MK Dons, Shrewsbury Town, AFC Wimbledon, Bristol Rovers, Swindon Town and Plymouth Argyle.

Any streams that have been purchased for the club’s matches against Gillingham (November 21, 2020), Burton Albion (24th November 24, 2020) or Ipswich Town (November 28, 2020) prior to the start of the competition will be counted as an entry into the competition. Any purchases for other fixtures that occurred before these matches will not be counted as an entry.

Any supporter, fitting the terms and conditions, who purchases a December bundle with CAFC Cash, which will give them access to watch four games will get four entries into the draw as part of their purchase. Supporters with money owed to them from season ticket purchase, can use CAFC Cash to purchase streams.

To read the full terms and conditions, click here.