CHARLTON fans have stormed the club’s boardroom at The Valley in protest against EFL rules on club ownership.
SunSport exclusively revealed how the Addicks face being booted out of the EFL unless current owners ESI sell the League One side.
Danish businessman Thomas Sandgaard, who is worth more than £350million, has registered an interest in buying the Londoners.
Yet current chairman Paul Elliott wants to take legal action against ESI majority shareholder Tahnoon Nimer after insisting he had a written agreement the club would be sold to him.
He is currently seeking an injunction to stop any sale – despite having failed the EFL’s owners and directors’ test.
That all comes months after ex-chairman Matt Southall was removed from his post by Nimer in March and club lawyer Chris Farnell sacked last week.
And Charlton remain in danger of going into administration if a takeover deal is not completed by the time the season kicks off on September 12.
If this direct action does not bring about change for football clubs then we are left with no choice to attend the EFL Headquarters and in turn take direct action against them
An estimated 500 supporters then gathered for a peaceful protest outside the club’s home on Saturday.
Elsewhere, other fans were seen eating cheese and wine in the boardroom while displaying a notice that read: “Our pound is bigger and better than yours, #ESIOUT”.
Some were even flashing £1 coins in reference to Roland Duchatelet’s infamous sale of Charlton earlier this year.
The group Fans4Fans issued a statement to say some Charlton supporters “will not be leaving [the boardroom] until the current owners of Charlton Athletic Football Club formally request, in person, that we vacate the premises with immediate effect.
“We also request an extensive update on why Paul Elliott has been able to formally lodge an injunction preventing the sale of Charlton Athletic Football Club and when this case is to be heard.
“In addition, how can a man who has failed the owners and directors test, appeal the sale of a business he will not be able to sufficiently control or finance?
“If this direct action does not bring about change for football clubs then we are left with no choice to attend the English Football League Headquarters and its sponsors offices and in turn take direct action against them.”
Meanwhile, US-based businessman Sandgaard recently admitted he was desperate to avoid administration.
He told SunSport: “I’m trying everything I can to get a deal done before the start of the new season to avoid a scenario of the club going into administration.
“I’d rather pay more money now, than picking it up cheaper later, because there would be too many negatives involved.
“We’d have a 12-point deduction and much more rebuilding would need to be done. I want to avoid that and we can.”
US-based Danish businessman Thomas Sandgaard is in talks to buy Charlton
Charlton fan manages to take out one of their players in celebrations of winning goal against Accrington Stanley
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
