Sources: Dramatic Charlton takeover collapse details revealed as £1m fee already received
Charlton Athletic owner Thomas Sandgaard had already taken a £1m holding fee from a takeover group led by former Sunderland supremo Charlie Methven before then altering his demands, sources have told Football Insider.
Both Sandgaard and Methven-fronted group SE7 Partners have now confirmed that talks have collapsed despite having previously briefed that an £8.5million deal was all but done.
It can now be revealed that Sandgaard originally wanted to retain a 10 per cent stake in the club but upped that figure to 20 per cent after SE7 Partners had already made a £1m deposit.
It is understood that, after negotiations with SE7 Partners, the controversial owner moved to 18 per cent, but that figure was still not deemed acceptable.
“Effectively, he has brought an interested party in, taken £1m, shored up the budget and then decided he wanted to retain a more significant stake,” a source close to the negotiations told Football Insider.
Sangaard has since claimed that he was forced to abandon the deal because SE7 Partners did not comply “with very specific terms.”
The news represents a dramatic U-turn given that Methven oversaw a raft of behind-the-scenes appointments at The Valley of under the proviso that he would soon co-own the Addicks.
As well as new manager Dean Holden, Jim Rodwell was installed as chief operating officer, Ed Warrick as finance director, and Andy Scott as technical director.
Sangaard claims he is confident that Holden, who has overseen an impressive run of results of late, will remain in situ.
Rodwell, Warrick and Scott, however, have now all departed the club.
This site revealed on Tuesday (7 February) that at least two other consortia are interested in buying Charlton.
Many supporters claim that a lack of fan engagement, a malfunctioning transfer department, and a trigger-happy approach to hiring and firing staff will define Sandgaard’s legacy when he does eventually sell up.
There have also been questions about the unofficial involvement of the 61-year-old’s wife, Raelynn Maloney, in behind-the-scenes operations.
In other news, Newcastle United clashing with “Big Six” amid behind-the-scenes finance talks.