Really interesting take on the nuanced world of football ownership.
When undertaking our research at LCP, the Charlton Athletic case was one of the most fascinating examples we found. From the brink of administration in 2020, there was a complicated deal which saw Thomas Sandgaard purchase the club, but requiring to give up control of the stadium and training ground to the previous owner, Roland Duchâtelet, required to offset a £45m loan that was outstanding at the point of purchase (who remains in control despite the new ownership!).
Thomas Sandgaard, through Clear Ocean Capital Limited, injected funding of £10.5m (mixture of debt and equity) following the takeover, but this was not enough to build the team required to fulfil his ambitious promises of reaching the Premier League within a couple of years, and European football in 15!
Overall, a clear example of how uncertain the future of a club can be when in the hands of an owner (or in this case multiple different owners over time)!
It will be interesting to see how the new structure will operate, and whether they will have the ability to invest smartly and quickly to get Charlton back up the pyramid.
Rather surprising to see on the Gracenote/Nielsen medal tally prediction chart that Britain, in fourth place, is represented with the flag of St. George.
Excellent, as always. Particularly agree with the cricket comments. I remain sceptical that Formula 1 will really level the pitch for female drivers: there's a great deal more strength involved in driving an F1 car than is often acknowledged
Thanks Stephen! Be great to see you proven wrong on women in F1 in due course. Let’s see if the Academy gives them a genuine platform and profile to match
Excellent insight. A couple of thoughts on your numbers: -
6. a) It's time to stop 'umpire's call'. Batters are being given out for balls that would have hit less of the stumps than other batters that are being given not out.
b) It is only 'definitely' hitting the stumps if the seam of the ball is inside the middle of stumps and bails. Not out for 'clipping' the stumps.
7. Have you seen that England has been docked two thirds of its World Test Championship points? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66384125 I fear that the WCC doesn't matter enough in its current format for this to be controversial, or even the right way to deal with it.
Thanks David! I bow to your knowledge on what exactly constitutes out, and agree completely that umpire’s calm should be scrapped. Either the tech works or it doesn’t. And certainly the fallibility of umpires negates the worth of ‘umpire’s call’.
As to docking World points, it’s risible. Either the ICC wants the best two teams to make the final or it doesn’t. Not English sour grapes, although those may come into play if England are beaten to a place by any nation they’ve beaten in a series during the qualification period. Much work still to be done to give this ranking plus final proper traction
Really interesting take on the nuanced world of football ownership.
When undertaking our research at LCP, the Charlton Athletic case was one of the most fascinating examples we found. From the brink of administration in 2020, there was a complicated deal which saw Thomas Sandgaard purchase the club, but requiring to give up control of the stadium and training ground to the previous owner, Roland Duchâtelet, required to offset a £45m loan that was outstanding at the point of purchase (who remains in control despite the new ownership!).
Thomas Sandgaard, through Clear Ocean Capital Limited, injected funding of £10.5m (mixture of debt and equity) following the takeover, but this was not enough to build the team required to fulfil his ambitious promises of reaching the Premier League within a couple of years, and European football in 15!
Overall, a clear example of how uncertain the future of a club can be when in the hands of an owner (or in this case multiple different owners over time)!
It will be interesting to see how the new structure will operate, and whether they will have the ability to invest smartly and quickly to get Charlton back up the pyramid.
Thanks John! Certainly a lot has happened since Charlton relegated ‘my’ Palace from the Prem in 2005. A sorry saga for CAFC pretty much ever since
Rather surprising to see on the Gracenote/Nielsen medal tally prediction chart that Britain, in fourth place, is represented with the flag of St. George.
More research needed?
Hadn’t spotted that! Schoolkid error by Gracenote
Excellent, as always. Particularly agree with the cricket comments. I remain sceptical that Formula 1 will really level the pitch for female drivers: there's a great deal more strength involved in driving an F1 car than is often acknowledged
Thanks Stephen! Be great to see you proven wrong on women in F1 in due course. Let’s see if the Academy gives them a genuine platform and profile to match
Excellent insight. A couple of thoughts on your numbers: -
6. a) It's time to stop 'umpire's call'. Batters are being given out for balls that would have hit less of the stumps than other batters that are being given not out.
b) It is only 'definitely' hitting the stumps if the seam of the ball is inside the middle of stumps and bails. Not out for 'clipping' the stumps.
7. Have you seen that England has been docked two thirds of its World Test Championship points? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66384125 I fear that the WCC doesn't matter enough in its current format for this to be controversial, or even the right way to deal with it.
David Smith
Thanks David! I bow to your knowledge on what exactly constitutes out, and agree completely that umpire’s calm should be scrapped. Either the tech works or it doesn’t. And certainly the fallibility of umpires negates the worth of ‘umpire’s call’.
As to docking World points, it’s risible. Either the ICC wants the best two teams to make the final or it doesn’t. Not English sour grapes, although those may come into play if England are beaten to a place by any nation they’ve beaten in a series during the qualification period. Much work still to be done to give this ranking plus final proper traction