Friday, 20 June 2025

Board member says Charlton want to stay at The Valley

Charlton board member Jim Rodwell confirmed that Roland Duchatelet still owns The Valley and training ground - asked the question by talkSPORT's Simon Jordan: "We make no secret our ownership would like to buy the stadium or enter into a longer lease. We have still got a considerable amount of time left. I know that fans like certainty and so do businessmen."

Some accounts suggest that there are only a few years left before we come up against the EFL ten year rule on leased grounds.   The barmy Belgian (not so barmy when it comes to money) is still asking for a huge sum for The Valley and Sparrows Lane.

Asked about if there is a possibility of moving: "It's always a possibility. I think the desire would be to stay at The Valley. We want certainty of tenure."  He refused to answer whether cost of the lease has gone up after promotion to the Championship.

He commented in relation to transfers: “The silly season is upon us. People go on holiday and it will all get very real in the next week or two."

I have just received the accounts for property investment company Charlton Athletic Holdings Ltd.  The ultimate owner is one R Duchatelet, resident in Belgium.    The Valley and the training ground are valued at £56m.

Rick Everitt reports that Baton 2010 company accounts show Charlton paid Duchatelet £621,000 in rent in 2023/24. Valley lease, which is most of that, is due to expire in January 2035.


Saturday, 7 June 2025

Massives defender could join Addicks

Sheffield sources are linking Charlton with a bid for highly rated defender Akin Famewo who has already had two successful loan spells at The Valley and was with Nathan Jones at Luton.  The Massives are currently having difficulty paying player wages: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/charlton-athletic-sheffield-wednesday-akin-famewo-5162900

We say farewell to Thierry Small who has been snapped up by Preston North End.   Most people would accept a better offer, although I did turn down a substantially better one towards the end of my career because I was happy where I was.

It is also costs less to live in Preston than London.

Friday, 6 June 2025

Jones signs new deal

Richard Cawley reports that Nathan Jones is expected to sign a new deal.  It would increase the compensation to be paid by any club that tried to poach him, believed to be just £1m at present.

The club has now officially confirmed that he has signed the contract/

Wednesday, 4 June 2025

Why any sensible manager would go nowhere near Cardiff

Some fans still seem to be concerned about Nathan Jones going to Cardiff despite the authoritative Richard Cawley knocking the story on its head.

Rational argument often doesn't do well against clickbait and the social media echo chamber, but let's try.

Nathan Jones has just got Charlton promoted, Cardiff have just been relegated.   He has the backing of the board, the team, and most fans apart from a few perennial malcontents.

Vincent Tan at Cardiff is a hopeless owner.   Despite pouring money into the club and continually changing manager, they have failed on the pitch.

He even tried to change the club's kit from their traditional kit to a red-based kit that was supposed to appeal to Asian fans, most of whom have no idea where Wales is, let alone Cardiff.

He only backed down when his mum told him he was a very naughty boy.

Jones wants to wipe out the memory of Southampton and Charlton gives him the chance to do that.

I have now booked a few days on the Kent coast which is a particular haunt of Charlton pessimists such as Desmond from Deal and Derek from Dymchurch.   I will wear my Charlton badge and will be happy to buy a pint for any fan, even the moaners.

Monday, 2 June 2025

Oracle denies Jones rumours

Sometimes I despair of Charlton fans who are so susceptible to a mood of hysterical pessimism.   A journalist in South Wales starts a clickbait story that Nathan Jones is going to Cardiff and immediately a large segment of the Addickted believe it.  

We all know that many South Walians are chancers, e.g., Rob Brydon pretending to be his own agent.

Thankfully Richard Cawley has stated: 'Indications I've had is that there is no chance of Nathan Jones going to Cardiff. Not to say they wouldn't have loved the Charlton boss to try and bounce them straight back out of League One.'

Nathan Jones may be mercurial, but he is not an idiot.

In further good news, Cawley has indicated that he may be back online before long.