CAST shared the results of our recent survey concerning what Addicks care about most with both Peter Storrie and Jim Rodwell last week:

https://www.castrust.org/2023/06/what-do-addicks-care-about-most/

Both have responded positively to the information. Jim Rodwell is due to be Chair of CAFC subject to completion of the takeover. We spoke briefly with him on Thursday. He thanked us for sharing the survey results and commented that the Addicks’ Charter was “rudimentary and sensible” and would be “good practice” as the basis of a relationship between the club and fans.  

He reported that the EFL process is time-consuming but ongoing according to plan. It is still likely to take several more weeks to complete as there are a number of parties involved and most of them are overseas-based. Once the EFL checks are complete, he hopes that the full make up of the consortium of investors will be made public as there is “nothing nefarious”. In the meantime he confirmed that ACA Football Partners of Singapore would hold a minority stake in the club. ACA Football Partners is part of ACA Group, a large investment fund. They already have stakes in clubs in Belgium (KMSK Deinze) and Spain (Juventud Torremolinos). Obviously Charlton does not have happy recent history with European-wide football networks under Duchatelet and Rodwell is fully aware of this. He said this would be a “strategic partnership” but was not in a position to add specific details at this stage. ACA Football Partners state publicly that their “ultimate goal is to enhance and accelerate the global development of Europe/Asia football”.

In conclusion Jim Rodwell was keen to reassure fans that wheels are firmly in motion and that “everyone is pulling together to get it over the line”. The EFL have been “good” and “realistically it is likely to be towards the end of July” before finalised. In the meantime it rests with Dean Holden, Peter Storrie and Thomas Sandgaard to build the squad and prepare for the coming season. The new consortium have no influence in what is happening, but Jim Rodwell believes there is “plenty going on”.