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      Rock ‘n roll businessman Thomas Sandgaard in Charlton talks… and vows take Addicks to never-never land

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      THOMAS SANDGAARD has two loves – rock music and football.
      And while most people are thinking towards their retirement at the age of 62, the US-based Danish businessman has decided to pursue new careers involving his biggest passions.

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      Rock ‘n’ roll businessman Thomas Sandgaard is in talks to buy CharltonCredit: Instagram / @sandgaardfnd
      Having acquired a personal wealth believed to be in excess of £400million supplying medical devices, Sandgaard is recording a debut rock album as lead guitarist of his newly-formed band The Guardian Angel.
      But that work is on hold because he is negotiating to buy Charlton Athletic.
      And the musician has a Eurovision dream – to rock The Valley with European football.
      He told SunSport: “I’m competitive so want Charlton going for trophies.

      “The more important ones are when you’re in the Premier League – but to do that you need infrastructure supporting it.

      SANDGAARD ON LEE BOWYER

      LEE has done a superb job and plays a positive high-energy game that you need to be successful.

      It’s the football I like to watch as a fan. He clearly has all the players playing for him and my first aim if I take over will be to make him my best friend.

      “Then we can be playing for silverware on a European level and I mean the Europa League and Champions League.”
      That is some claim for a club that has been out of the top flight for 13 seasons and had THREE different chairmen in the last year.
      And a team that has been relegated to League One and in danger of going into administration if a takeover deal is not completed by the time the season kicks off on September 12. 

      But Sandgaard says he and his legal team have had “constructive, encouraging and positive dialogue” with current club owners ESI as well as former owner Roland Duchatelet, who still owns The Valley and their Sparrows Lane training base – having sold the Addicks separately for a quid in December.
      On paper, it is a mess. 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.

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      Sandgaard plays in a rock band and is recording their debut albumCredit: Instagram / @sandgaardfnd
      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.
      But Sandgaard said: “It doesn’t scare me. It’s not as complicated as some make out.
      “We all know where Roland stands in this and his history with the club. The difficult part was getting him to start communicating and the same thing with the whole Nimer-Southall part and then Elliott and Farnell. 
      “Once you take the drama away, there’s a deal that can easily be done ahead of the new season – one that ideally includes everything, the club, stadium and training ground. 

      Sandgaard on avoiding administration

      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. 

      “I’ve hired attorneys from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer – a huge international legal firm – and where my lack of experience in negotiating in English football falls short, they’ve been brilliant in cutting through and seeing the simplicity.
      “And regardless of who is in charge of ESI, there’s a solution.”
      But the big question since Sandgaard revealed his hand last Thursday is why would a Dane living in the US want to buy a League One club in turmoil?
      He said: “I’ve two passions – rock music and football.
      “I was a bit of a nerd when I was 13 so decided to go out and buy a guitar because I wanted to be one of the cool kids and be a rock musician. 

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      Sandgaard made his £400m fortune supplying medical devicesCredit: Instagram @sandgaardfnd
      “But I also played football at amateur level in Denmark and started to love the English game when I watched on TV Chelsea winning the FA Cup in 1970.
      “I moved to the States more than 20 years ago to start my own business out of a one-bedroom flat and spent years personally bankrupting myself to make sure wages and bills were paid. 
      “But in the last few years I’ve reached a point financially where I can do something like this.
      “Three months ago, a friend asked, ‘Have you thought about owning an English football club?’
      “And I thought, ‘Wow, that could be one of the more positive things I could do in my life.’”

      Sandgaard on relationship with Charlton fans

      I WENT on social media mainly to try to get communicating with Roland Duchatelet and ESI, who were hesitant on picking up the phone at the start.

      But the happy side effect of that was I’ve started having great dialogue with the fans. I’ve learned so much from them and they’ve actually helped me a lot in my negotiations to buy the club.

      So Sandgaard networked with various clubs as well as coaching staff at several teams.
      He held talks with QPR but “they wanted a couple of hundred million” then looked at Sunderland before settling for Charlton.
      The Dane explained: “They stood out. Take the ownership drama and relegation out of the equation and everything is good.
      “The foundations are right, they’ve an amazing history and had a lot of Danish players over the years like Allan Simonsen, Dennis Rommedahl and Claus Jensen.
      “I went to The Valley and training ground two weeks ago. The stadium was shut and I almost attempted to climb the fence – but I could see from the outside it was a fantastic arena. They’ve a passionate fanbase too.”

      Sandgaard on immediate plans

      THE club needs stability.

      I am not going to make a wild claim that we will be in the Premier League in x-amount of years. No, we will focus on getting this club stable for the next two years and build from there.

      If his takeover is successful, Sandgaard wants to keep Lee Bowyer as manager and vowed not to make sweeping changes to the long-suffering staff who have been trying to run the club in difficult circumstances.
      However, he will recruit experienced football executives to provide leadership.
      One person he will offer a role to is Peter Varney, who not only is a lifelong fan but was CEO when the club were in the Premier League.
      And he also has pledged to make sure the club remain at The Valley and their training ground with fears among fans that both could be sold for housing.
      And – although Sandgaard acknowledges there is a need for clubs to operate within their financial means – he has vowed to give Bowyer funds to strengthen.

      Sandgaard on his favourite player

      ALAN SIMONSEN – who joined Charlton from Barcelona – was one of the best Danish players ever.

      He had great visiion and, like a chess player, could see four or five plays ahead. It’s crazy to think he signed for Charlton after scoring the deciding goal for Barcelona in the European Cup Winners Cup final in 1982.

      He said: “I want to strike a balance between investing to be successful and sticking to within the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules. It’s about being smart and the best in the environment you’re in.
      “Fans were unhappy with Roland’s vision for the club and his investment. It’s maybe not how I’d have done things because we have different philosophies.
      “I’d focus more on football than just looking at Charlton as a capital investment.”
      So when will Sandgaard have time to finish this album? He has been working with Danish drummer Kenny Aranoff, who played with greats such as Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, BB King, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Bon Jovi and Meat Loaf.
      And he in turn roped in Bon Jovi lead guitarist Phil X and Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney.
      Sandgaard – who has Deep Purple’s Smoke on the Water as his personal mobile dialling tone – said: “We got together for five days straight in a studio for 12 hours solid and recorded nine tracks.

      “Covid-19 – and now Charlton – have delayed things but I’ve been buying up all the domain names for when we finally launch.”
      And he might do a gig at The Valley and invite assistant-manager and guitar-playing singer Johnnie Jackson to join him.
      He laughed: “I never knew about Johnnie but been checking him out online. He’s really good. If we get promoted, we’ll have to do a gig.”

      England wonderkid Jeremy Sarmiento impresses at Benfica after Charlton move More

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      Gauthier Ganaye leading shock last-ditch bid to save stricken Wigan with rescue package needed before end of month

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      GAUTHIER GANAYE has emerged as a shock late bidder to save crisis club Wigan Athletic. 
      Ganaye is chief executive at Belgian side Oostende after previous spells in senior roles at Barnsley and French club Nice. 

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      Frenchman Gauthier Ganaye has emerged as a shock late bidder to save crisis club Wigan AthleticCredit: AFP
      He is fronting a move for Latics and flew to England to look round their facilities and meet the administrators seeking a rescue package before the end of the month. 
      Ganaye has links with several money men through his contacts in the game and the identity of the new foreign bidders should emerge this week. 
      The Frenchman works closely with Chinese billionaire Chien Lee and Americans Krishen Sud and Paul Conway. 
      Lee and Conway are currently involved with Barnsley and could not have a stake in two English teams.

      However there are other people in their network who are looking to take charge of an English club. 
      Gauthier refused to reveal his backroom team and said: “I do not wish to comment on that.”

      The young Frenchman has also been linked with a takeover at Toulouse and even a role at Charlton. 
      However Wigan insiders reveal he was ‘plausible’ when he met them last week. 

      The administrators have set a deadline for the club to be bought by the end of the month or its future is in peril.  More

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      EFL wanted to RELEGATE Sheffield Wednesday – but bungled case to save Owls and send Charlton down instead

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      THE EFL wanted to relegate Sheffield Wednesday — but bungled their handling of the case.
      An explosive report by an independent disciplinary commission explains why the Owls escaped with a Financial Fair Play penalty that was suspended until next season.

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      Sheffield Wednesday survived at Charlton’s expenseCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      It went against the EFL’s push for a full 12 points to be stripped from Wednesday for going £18million above their limit during a three-year period.
      Such a punishment would have put Wednesday in the Championship’s bottom three and saved Charlton from the drop.
      Instead the IDC panel let off the Owls because the EFL took too long to bring charges — as well as pursuing the wrong case first.
      The governing body initially wanted Wednesday officials to be sanctioned for their part in owner Dejphon Chansiri buying the Hillsborough stadium.

      That case was dismissed and by the time their focus turned to the FFP offence, it was too late for them to handle it quickly.
      The report said the penalty for the first breach should have been imposed before the end of the 2018-19 season. However, that would not have sent the club down in that campaign — so the EFL went after them in the season just ended.
      Football chiefs also revealed they planned to dock points from Derby if they are found guilty of a similar offence and apply that penalty next season too.
      INCONSISTENCY
      The inconsistency in the EFL’s punishments has also been hammered in the report, which will be published tomorrow.

      The commission felt the eventual Wednesday hearing was held so late, it would have been unfair to dock them points this season.
      It said: “If the penalty had been applied at a very much earlier stage, the club would have had the opportunity to improve its position by performance. Because of the delayed hearing it will have been deprived of that opportunity.
      “The evidence  indicates that the club resumed with a reduced squad as some players would not play beyond June 30, leading to an under-strength team.

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      Lee Bowyer’s side were relegated on the final dayCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      “This, in our view, is another factor to be borne in mind in assessing the fairness and proportionality of imposing the  deduction.”
      Wednesday will now start next season with the 12-point penalty. They can appeal after receiving the  findings.
      It will cause anger at Charlton, where they felt the Yorkshire club should have been relegated instead of them.

      Simon Jordan outlines his plan for a fairer future for the Premier League and EFL More

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      EFL wanted to RELEGATE Sheffield Wednesday – but bungled case saved the Owls at Charlton’s expense

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      THE EFL wanted to relegate Sheffield Wednesday — but bungled how they handled the case. An explosive report by an independent disciplinary commission explains why the Owls escaped with a Financial Fair Play penalty that was suspended to next season. It went against the EFL’s push for a full 12 points to be stripped from […] More

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      Macclesfield relegated after EFL win points deduction appeal as Stevenage stay up despite winning THREE games

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      MACCLESFIELD were left shocked after being booted back into non-league football as the EFL won their appeal against the Silkmen’s suspended points deduction.
      In a stunning move, an independent arbitration panel backed the EFL who argued the four-point penalty imposed and suspended in June should apply immediately.

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      Macclesfield Town have been relegated from League Two after a points deductionCredit: PA:Press Association
      With the decision “final and binding”, the Cheshire club were plunged to the foot of the League Two table and sent through the trapdoor back into the National League for the second time in their history.
      And it meant a dramatic reprieve for Stevenage, after the Hertfordshire side finished bottom of the pile after picking up just 22 points from their 36 games before the shutdown.
      Instead, Macclesfield paid the ultimate price for a series of financial problems which left players unpaid, fixtures postponed and the deduction of a total of 17 points over the campaign.
      Macclesfield had seven points deducted – with a further three point loss suspended – for failing to fulfil their local derby at Crewe in December.

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      It’s great news for Stevenage who are now staying upCredit: Reuters
      In May, they lost those three points, plus four more – with an extra two suspended – when their home game with Plymouth was postponed because of no safety certificate.
      And in June they appeared to have survived when the independent commission docked them just two points for failing to pay March wages and not acting in good faith, with another four point loss again suspended into next season.
      With League Two positions determined on a points per game basis, Macclesfield remained above Stevenage but the EFL announced last month it was appealing.
      That appeal verdict, meaning the Silkmen’s 19 points from 37 games takes them below Stevenage, was announced last night.

      Macclesfield’s official website merely reported the EFL’s statement, ending briefly: “The club will be providing further comment in due course.”

      But fans accused the EFL of orchestrating a “farce”, accusing League chiefs of “corruption at its finest” although one added: “Fans have a right to be angry – let down by their club and poor ownership and management.”
      Stevenage, who had been incandescent at the initial punishment, offered a muted official response.
      The club’s Twitter feed reported: “The outcome of today’s EFL hearing means that StevenageFC will remain in SkyBet League Two next season.”

      Arsenal icon Sol Campbell reveals Macclesfield have not paid him for two months… but he ‘won’t give up on them’ More

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      Charlton face being booted out of EFL with ownership shambles among worrying parallels with Bury

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      CHARLTON are in danger of heading the same way as Bury unless owners ESI sell the club.
      SunSport understands an appeal lodged by the Addicks against the EFL’s decision to ban chairman Paul Elliott and club lawyer Chris Farnell from taking over is doomed.

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      Charlton are in danger of becoming another Bury – unless current owners ESI sellCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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      Ex-Southampton manager Dave Jones was set to be made Charlton’s special football adviser, but that appointment may be delayedCredit: PA:Press Association
      The League are currently instructing an independent panel to hear the case but their original decision is deemed bullet proof by EFL legal eagle Nick Craig.
      Worryingly, for Addicks fans, Farnell was the lawyer acting for Bury last summer before they were booted out of the EFL after failing to provide proof of funding.
      While – in another twist – Farnell was planning to appoint former Southampton and Wolves boss Dave Jones today as special football adviser.
      Jones also held the same role at Bury last summer.

      But that may now be put back after a video showed Charlton supporters interrupting a meeting Farnell was staging with Jones at his Manchester office on Friday – as they sought to confront him.

      The owners are telling the fans all is good yet behind the scenes they’re looking to sell prized assets as they’re desperate for cash.
      SunSport source

      Jones is, however, already working on selling fans’ favourite and keeper Dillon Phillips and has recommended three overseas players to the club although they are currently under a transfer embargo.
      A well-placed source told SunSport: “The current owners are telling the fans all is good yet behind the scenes they’re looking to sell prized assets because they’re desperate for cash.”
      Farnell resigned his position yesterday as a director of ESI but remains as club lawyer.

      SunSport understands by removing himself from that position, he is hoping that will satisfy one of the EFL’s conditions for passing the test.
      Former chief executive Peter Varney and ex-Ritz owner Andrew Barclay both still want to take-over the club.
      And the two have the finances in place to complete a deal – but as things stand they are unable to negotiate as no-one is sure yet who owns the club.
      If Farnell and Elliott fail their appeal, the club will either revert back to the control of ESI majority shareholder Tahnoon Nimer or to other individuals appointed by ESI, who will then be subjected to the League’s fit and proper owners’ test.

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      Ex-chief executive Peter Varney, as well as former Ritz owner Andrew Barclay, are both still keen to take over the AddicksCredit: PA:Press Association
      If it is the former, the Abu Dhabi businessman will be keen to negotiate a deal with Varney and Barclay.
      The situation is complicated by the fact the Addicks no longer own The Valley or training ground – which was retained by former owner Roland Duchatelet.
      Nimer wants shot of the club to rid himself of a £50m commitment to buy back the land from the Belgian.
      ‘ALMOST MIRROR IMAGE’ OF BURY
      The big concern is, with the club appealing a decision they know is certain to fail, they run the risk of being in a Bury situation next month.
      An insider told SunSport: “It’s almost a mirror image. The EFL could postpone their first fixture and say they need evidence of someone funding the club.
      “Tahnoon has already failed to provide proof of funds so probably won’t be able to this time either.

      “If the club is then not sold, they will almost certainly run a huge risk of expulsion.”
      The EFL has told SunSport there is no timeframe for the appeal process to be completed although they were hoping it would be concluded “as soon as possible”.
      It is understood one thing that could go in Charlton’s favour, unlike Bury, is they do not currently have any insolvency issues. More

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      Charlton owner Paul Elliott BLOCKED from running club by EFL after failing directors’ test but launches immediate appeal

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      CHARLTON owner Paul Elliott has been blocked from running the club by the EFL.
      Manchester-based Elliott was told that he has been disqualified from taking control after a directors test

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      Charlton’s proposed takeover looks in doubt after three people failed the English Football League’s Owners and Directors’ Test
      Elliott had been quizzed about his takeover of the company and the EFL were unhappy with the answers.
      Now Elliott has immediately appealed and plans to go to the High Court to fight the decision.
      Romanian Andrei Mihail, a director of East Street Investments who own the club, was also ruled out by the EFL but has now resigned.
      And in a further twist Charlton have seen doubts raised about the imminent signings of Conor Washington and Alex Gilbey.

      Striker Washington is due to join from Scottish side Hearts while midfielder Gilbey is leaving MK Dons at the end of his contract.
      A third player, Aussie starlet Matt Dench, has flown in from Perth to sign but should be allowed to stay on as an academy player.

      Charlton notified the EFL at the start of the week that they were planning to sign players under “soft embargo” rules.
      However the EFL are now claiming they are under a more strict embargo after notifying former owner Roland Duchatelet about that decision – rather than the club.

      That decision is also to be contested by Elliott as he fights to stay in control and get a team on the park next month.
      The in-fighting also escalated when Charlton lawyer Chris Farnell was harassed by fans at his offices in Manchester.
      Farnell called the police after a group of masked supporters came into his HQ.

      Furious first minister Nicola Sturgeon slams eight Aberdeen stars for ‘blatantly breaking rules’ and says they risk Scottish football’s return More