Charlie Methven still 'expects' Charlton takeover amid threat of legal action

It's all getting messy between former Sunderland owner Charlie Methven and Charlton...

Former Sunderland owner Charlie Methven has threatened legal action to get his takeover of Charlton back on track.

Charlton announced last week that the deal was off, with owner Thomas Sandgaard accusing Methven and his group of backing out of the agreed terms.

That saw the team that Methven had assembled and even already appointed at Charlton, including former Sunderland CEO Jim Rodwell, leave the club as Sandgaard claimed he was not talking with other interested parties.

Methven, though, has issued a statement threatening Sandgaard to try and get his deal back on.

"Our group refutes Thomas Sandgaard's claim last Friday February 10 that we are in breach of the signed agreement to buy Clear Ocean Capital, the holding company of Charlton Athletic,” Methven told Sky Sports.

"We were expecting to complete the deal last Thursday, February 9. A substantial deposit had been paid, the agreed purchase price had not changed, the money required was in the relevant bank accounts and Owners and Directors Test applications had been lodged with the EFL.

"Our clear legal advice is that we are still in exclusivity to complete the purchase and we still expect to do so imminently, as stipulated by the agreement of December 20 signed by Mr Sandgaard.

"We note Mr Sandgaard's statement that he has been conducting discussions with other potential investors and had been working on 'a Plan B'. Such actions were, and are, in contravention of the exclusivity agreement, and any third party participating in such discussions would be committing tortious interference, for which the penalties are significant.

"We note also Mr Sandgaard's removal of the entire senior management of Charlton Athletic, also in contravention of the December 20 agreement.

"This, together with attempting to renege on the deal, has introduced unwelcome uncertainty and instability to the club and its' fans, after a brief period when a competent management team had started to plan constructively for the club's future.

"We urge Mr Sandgaard to complete the signed deal he previously agreed without the necessity for legal action."

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