Thomas Sandgaard still “100 per cent” confident of Charlton deal – with claims agreement for football club has been struck

Thomas Sandgaard says his move to buy Charlton Athletic is going “exactly as planned” – despite a Court of Appeal
ruling yesterday which appeared to push back the sale of the football club.

Lord Justice Arnold granted Lex Dominus permission to appeal the fact they saw an injunction blocked in a Manchester court last week. The case is not set to be heard until the week commencing September 14 or 21.

But there were rumours yesterday that Sandgaard could have found a legal loophole which allows him to acquire the League One club off Roland Duchatelet.

The Danish businessman would not comment on that when approached by the South London Press last night.

But he told our paper earlier yesterday afternoon after the Court of Appeal development that he was “100 per cent confident” of doing a deal for Charlton. He said: “This is going exactly as planned.

“There is no reason for the fans to worry – which is probably the most important thing. All the uncertainty and worrying – there is no reason to worry.

“For the West Ham game [next Tuesday in the EFL Cup] we might be able to have a team that can really give them a run for it.”

When asked if he was close to completing his takeover, Sandgaard replied: “We’re at a point now where I can’t really answer that – I look at that as a very positive answer.”

Charlton have been under a transfer embargo since the start of January and that has been hardened by the EFL around April time. Their cap on wages offered to new signings is set at £1,300 a week – £700 below the league’s spending cap which was recently voted in.

And the EFL have also ruled they had a 23-man squad as they included any youngsters with first-team experience. One slot has been made vacant after Tom Lockyer quit for Luton Town.

Judge Richard Pearce had initially rejected Paul Elliott’s attempts to obtain an injunction preventing Panorama Magic, who own a controlling 65 per cent stake in the League One club through East Street Investments, from selling.

But then last Wednesday QC Paul Chaisty, representing Elliott’s company Lex Dominus, was granted a short-term interim injunction as they sought to appeal Pearce’s ruling the day before.

But Arnold looked at documentation yesterday and granted permission for Lex Dominus to appeal.

He said: “I consider that the appellant has a real prospect of successfully contending that (a) damages will be an adequate remedy for the respondent alternatively (b) the balance of the risk of injustice favours the grant of an injunction, in particular since refusal of an injunction appears likely to result in the appellant’s claim being rendered nugatory.

“I am not convinced that the EFL deadline of 12 September is necessarily as significant as the respondent contends: the deadline may in fact prove to be extendible and/or the respondent may be able to provide the necessary evidence and/or the EFL may accept contingent evidence from the respondent’s intended purchaser and/or any sanction imposed by EFL may be revocable or not be as severe as the respondent fears.

“The respondent must not until the determination of the appeal sell, transfer, charge, dispose of or otherwise deal with any of the shares in East Street Investments Ltd whether currently registered in its name or in the name of Matthew Southall or any other party.”

PICTURES: KYLE ANDREWS