Training Ground

Bit of worrying article at the bottom of the Lyle Taylor story.ESI have confirmed they own The Valley but they have a commitment to buy the training ground in six months time. I think I owe @lardiman an apology as I was told that they owned the Valley and the Training ground.

 

The ESI explanation for not owning the training ground yet is that they want to focus on stabilising us as a Championship club. Personally I’m not sure what that has to do with owning the training ground, particularly if the owner is as wealthy as is claimed. Ultimately, as with our previous owners, long term fans shall judge them by their actions. The priority for now must be strengthening the team to keep us up.

 

@AllHellLetLoose dog is free to continue dropping his packet every day at SL

 

I was told ages ago that Douchatelet had no interest in keeping The Valley or Sparrows Lane. The rumour that he wanted add-ons for any player transferred out was rubbish too. My source was Dave the Bass, whom AHLL has met, and whose wife is a health and safety officer who worked with Mick Everitt, although she has since left that job. I didn't discount the possibility that she could have been wrong, but as it happened she was right.

 

First we are told ESI owns everything.
Now we are told they don't own the training ground - they have a 'contractual agreement' to buy it in the summer.

Spot the difference folks.
This raises the obvious question - what else have we not been told yet?

The implication is also that the price of Sparrows Lane was not part of the money ESI have already paid Duchatelet.

 

We've been told enough for me to be happy that Douchatelet is gone.

 

Have another read of what ESI said Lardy.

Contractual problems with Sparrows Lane = No takeover in January = relegation.

 

I wouldn't mind betting that the Belgian was desperate to get rid of Charlton, he probably wanted a clause in the sale of Sparrows Lane saying that if it were ever developed for housing then he wanted a share of the profit (he has previous) ... I doubt if our new owners were happy with that... so they completed the deal on the sale of Charlton and agreed to resolve the Sparrows issue later..

Does Murray still have a charge over Sparrows Lane, I know when the Chuckle Brothers owned us he did?

 

My little man does not leave his business in public places

 

My understanding is that all 7 ex Directors have been settled in full, and left the building. Very welcome news in Murray’s case. The likes of Dave White & Bob Whitehand were absolute heroes.

 

Yes, those loans were a separate issue to Murray's charge on SL..

 

If Murray was still around in any form, I’m sure we would have heard about it from his fan’s representatives. He wasn’t exactly discreet.

 

1 league win in the last 17.

We wouldn’t have stayed up if Duchatelet had been with us at the end of January.

Worrying about Sparrows Lane will be a lot easier this summer if we are still in the Championship under ESI.

 

Do we know the actual fee for the club yet? Maybe the jan price was £40m with another £20m once the sparrows lane stuff is completed

 

Mine does.

 

I see the failed fans director and perma- pompous lardarse has got 6 public questions for ESI.

#whoguessed

Matt Southall should publicly tell Hayes to f*ck off.

 

Elfs your back ! We obviously didn’t raise enough funds or they couldn’t put up with you any longer

 

I'm very happy the take-over has been 'completed' in time for ESI to drive and fund the January transfer window.
It was absolutely crucial.
It is a damning indictment of Duchatelet that it had to be that way, to avoid certain relegation under his incompetent stewardship.
But that's beside the point.

The point is, we were led to believe that the take-over was complete, and a clean break.
ESI owned everything, folks said over and over again.
Duchatelet no longer has any connection whatsoever with Charlton Athletic.

Now we know that is not the current situation at all.

• It is still not known who owns the land the Valley stadium is built on.
• It is still not known who owns the land the Sparrows Lane training facilities are built on.
• It is known that Roland Duchatelet still owns the Sparrows Lane training facilities - pretty sure that qualifies as a connection to Charlton Athletic.

What else is going to turn out to be different from the story we have been told?

I understand there is an interview with Matt Southall on the OS tonight at 7pm.
Will that be posted for every fan to see? Or will it be behind a paywall.

And there is going to be a press conference on Thursday.
I very much hope that the questions above will be addressed by ESI.
They are not trivial details. They are whopping big details.

 

The Matt Southall interview will be for everyone. Am I being naive, but if he bought the Valley doesn't the land go with it? If I buy a house I buy the land it is built on. Or are they two separate entities. Same with the Training ground. It has already been explained about the Training ground. It will be bought within six months and 15 Million will be put in to upgrade it.

When you say the story we have been told. Are you meaning from Charlton Supporters or from ESI because as far as I know they haven't told us much at all, ergo the interview with Southall and the Thursday press conference.
They have only just taken us over, give them a chance.