I’m on my 4th expresso, but I’m still rubbing my eyes at the statement on the club website. “We are proud and delighted to announce East Street Investments have agreed the purchase of Charlton Athletic Football Club.” East Street Investments, named no doubt for the road in London SE7 where a group of teenagers used to kick a ball about and formed Charlton Athletic in 1905, is a company that will be chaired by Matt Southall (photo), with the board existing of His Excellency Tahnoon Nimer who is the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Business Development, which is the private office of Sheikh Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan and Jonathan Heller, who is CEO of Abu Dhabi Business Development. All subject to the ratification of those bright folks at the EFL of course. There’s all kind of stuff on line, although those Arabic family names are confusing and very intertwined, but on first looks Sheikh Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan appears to have some serious family wealth, the Al Nahyan family are one of the six ruling families of the UAE. The baby-faced Sheikh is under 30 and a lover of football. Let’s hope he soon realizes that there is football and then there is Charlton Atheltic. Early stories are that the new owners plan to build on Lee Bowyer’s success and offer him an extended contract, as well as sit down with Lyle Taylor and discuss a new contract. The Valley is also thought to be part of the purchase by East Street Investments. I think we all thought we’d never see the day when Roland Duchatelet is consigned to history. Good riddance, and a huge Addicks welcome to East Street Investments. From Chicago Addick...
"The Valley is also thought to be part of the purchase by East Street Investments". Hopefully this will be confirmed.
Not at all. If it turned out Roland still owns the Valley, then celebrations are off as far as I'm concerned. The Belgian had better be 100% OUT.
Into the Valley: Abu Dhabi’s East Street ends Duchâtelet era at Charlton 29th November 2019 please log in to view this image By David Owen November 29 – Nearly two years after he put the club up for sale, the Roland Duchâtelet era at Charlton Athletic finally looks to be over. The famous old East London club, FA Cup winners in 1947, announced today that an Abu Dhabi-controlled venture named East Street Investments had agreed the purchase of tier-two Charlton. The deal is subject to EFL approval and no price was disclosed. Mindful perhaps of the Belgian investor’s difficult relationship with Charlton fans, a lengthy statement disclosing the deal sought to underline the importance of football club supporters. “While we may be the club owners, truly we are only the custodians,” the statement proclaimed purplishly. “The true spirit of this football club rests with the fans, it is nothing without them. Their support throughout some difficult times both recently and in the past has been inspirational and we intend to build on that loyalty. Our priority will be immediate contact with fan groups in order that their views play a major role in the club going forward.” A businessman called Tahnoon Nimer is said to be majority shareholder of East Street Investments, through Abu Dhabi-based Panorama Magic General Contracting. Nimer is also chairman of Abu Dhabi Business Development. It is intended that he will sit on the new Charlton board. Two other involved individuals are named in today’s statement. Matt Southall, East Street’s chairman, is said to have spent the past five years advising on mergers and acquisitions between the UK and the Middle East. Previous activities have included e-commerce and sports management, “working alongside high profile sports agencies and their clients”. He was once a student at the Blackburn Rovers school of excellence. Jonathan Heller is chief executive of Abu Dhabi Business Development. Heller is said to have held “prominent positions” in the UK nuclear industry before becoming head of European development for Prudential Investments. After promotion last season and a strong start to life in the Championship, the Addicks have slipped off the pace in recent weeks and currently lie 17th, albeit with a bigger gap separating them from 18th-placed Reading than eighth-placed Brentford. East Street expressed confidence in manager and former Charlton player Lee Bowyer, saying it believed the “football side of the club is in excellent hands” and pledging to do “everything possible” to support him. It also thanked Duchâtelet for “helping to facilitate a quick and smooth sale”, adding that the Belgian and his team “leave the club with solid foundations on which we can invest and build”. The new era begins with a home game against another famous old club, Sheffield Wednesday, at the Valley tomorrow.
@lardiman @Beware of the Virus Louis Mendez has confirmed that Duchatelet has gone- lock, stock & barrel. will @Beware of the Virus manage to get a ticket for tomorrow now ?
Working ...doesn’t stop you going to the non league in the afternoons. Stop playing hard to get on here and CL and get your ragged little arse down to the Valley tomorrow.
Seems a shame that Gallen is no longer a Director ESI deal for Charlton will see them own The Valley and training ground – with EFL owner test process already underway 29th November 2019 BY RICHARD CAWLEY East Street Investments’ agreement to buy Charlton Athletic involves owning The Valley and the Championship side’s training ground. And the South London Press understands that there has been no discussion about the club moving in the future, with a clear understanding that their current base is their spiritual home. The board will be Tahnoon Nimer – the majority shareholder in East Street Investments – Matt Southall and Jonathan Heller. Southall will be the new chairman. Steve Gallen, recently appointed as a director, will no longer carry that title but will still operate as head of recruitment. It means that Richard Murray, who joined Charlton’s board in the early 1990s and was chairman in their Premier League hey days, will not be part of the new-look set-up. There has been no indication of how much ESI will pay Roland Duchatelet as his unpopular reign as Addicks owner looks set to come to an end. They have been in negotiations over a deal for around four months. ESI have started the process of satisfying the owners’ and directors’ test with the EFL. No timescale has been put on that procedure but it seems a safe bet that they will want it wrapped up in time to be active in the January transfer window. Charlton are at home tomorrow against Sheffield Wednesday and the news that Duchatelet’s days are numbered is expected to boost the crowd – despite it being a televised match – to around the 20,000 mark. The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet [CARD] – who have campaigned so vociferously and persistently during the darkest days of the Belgian’s regime – have issued their own statement. It said: The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) warmly welcomes the news that Charlton Athletic will have new owners, East Street Investments, and the commitment they have made to manager Lee Bowyer and promise to engage with fans’ groups. “Over the last 18 months Bowyer has restored much of the credibility of the club and enabled many supporters, previously alienated by the disrespect, ineptitude and sheer stupidity of the Duchatelet regime, to re-engage with the team. As a result, the club is well placed to move forward under new owners, subject of course to their approval by the EFL. “We hope that all supporters will now get firmly behind the new administration so that Charlton can advance again. CARD was formed in January 2016 as an umbrella group bringing together a variety of organisations, groups, platforms and individuals, because it had become clear to all of them that Duchatelet’s ownership was beyond redemption. “We are deeply grateful to all the volunteers who helped us deliver the protests that followed and which helped cement the national and international media’s understanding of the issues at our club, as well as push Duchatelet to a point where he was willing to sell. It has been a long and frustrating wait, but with the sale of the club CARD’s job is done. “It is for the elements that made up the coalition, particularly the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust, to take matters forward and build relationships with the new owners. “As with the Valley Party in the 1990s, we should all be proud to say that Charlton fans did not stand idly by when the future of their club was under threat. “We do, however, have one final task to perform. For almost two years we have been holding 1,000 red and white scarves ready for this moment to symbolically replace the black and white protest ones we previously distributed. “These will be available, free of charge, from 11.30am on Saturday by the big Charlton badge at the back of the Covered End. CARD thanks you for your ideas, support and resilience over the last four years and encourages everyone to join us at The Valley tomorrow for one hell of a celebration. Come on, you Reds!”
Lashed out at the 5 Bells, £4:05p a pint at the Allotment Society lunch. Still buzzing with the news.
