Survey of Charlton Athletic fans show they don’t expect Andrew Muir to break the bank on spending
By Richard Cawley
richard@slpmedia.co.uk
Charlton Athletic fans are not expecting Andrew Muir to majorly splash the cash – with the Australian businessman finally set to clinch a takeover which softens the blow of League One play-off failure.
Muir has been in lengthy negotiations to end Roland Duchatelet’s disastrous reign as owner and broke cover last week as he attended Thursday’s defeat to Shrewsbury Town.
Muir attended the match with business associate Gerard Murphy and former Charlton, Chelsea and Pisa defender Paul Elliott, who is expected to get a place on the board under the new structure.
Muir is set to take the role of chairman with Murphy, who also went to Sunday’s play-off semi-final second leg in Shropshire, becoming the new chief executive.
Charlton’s dreams of promotion were ended by a 2-0 aggregate loss to Shrewsbury.
And Charlton Supporters’ Trust chairman Richard Wiseman said: “It will be an immense relief when the takeover happens. A new start is absolutely essential.
“We had become a laughing stock in football and new owners almost can’t fail.
“There are people just waiting by their phone and computer to get season ticket applications in as soon as it is announced. There will be a groundswell of goodwill.
“The trust has just done its annual survey which closed on Sunday and about 600 of the 900 who filled it out made comments – we asked what they would say to new owners.
“Very, very few said put in millions of pounds and get us in the Premier League next week.
“The word that came through was respect, I highlighted it. It was mentioned about 10 times on each page. Charlton supporters want the tradition of the club respected, they want new owners to engage with them and show some ambition. If they do that, it will open the floodgates in terms of support. I don’t think that is too difficult to do.
“People said look at what Duchatelet did – and then do the complete opposite.”
Muir’s consortium have been in talks with Duchatelet since April of last year. Not much about his personal wealth is known, apart from the fact he sold The Good Guys – a retail business – for around £480million in September 2016.
The consortium’s preferred managerial appointment is Chris Powell, but his loyalty to Southend may stop a dream return.
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Sound good. As far as the fans are concerned, the club may as well have closed down for the last 4 years. While Dash robbed the club, of its dignity and talent, ££££ you know? It would be a dream if Chris came back, for us and him.