{{short description|British consultant, journalist and publisher (born 1976)}} {{EngvarB|date=March 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Charlie Methven |birth_name=Charles Harry Finlayson Methven |birth_date=June 1976<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/qjbbUqHJBM8yaAuvP2hUDXHX3XI/appointments|title=Charles Harry Finlayson METHVEN personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK}}</ref> | education = Eton College | alma_mater = Exeter College, Oxford | occupation = Public relations consultant, journalist and publisher }} '''Charles Harry Finlayson Methven''' is an English football executive, adviser and podcaster. Earlier in his career he worked as a journalist and communications consultant.
==Early life and education== Methven was born in June 1976 and brought up largely in rural Oxfordshire and went to Eton College. He went on to read Theology at Exeter College, Oxford.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/who-charlie-methven-public-relations-14622223|title=Who is Charlie Methven? The public relations expert involved in Stewart Donald's Sunderland takeover|first=Craig|last=Johns|date=18 May 2018|website=nechronicle}}</ref>
==Career==
===Journalism=== In 1997, he started his career as a journalist for the horseracing paper ''Sporting Life'', and later transferred to ''The Daily Telegraph'', where he went on to edit the Peterborough diary column before being given his own column in 2003. He also wrote features and leaders for ''The Telegraph'' and ''The Spectator'' during this time''.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/rip-peterborough-by-jove-its-the-end-of-an-era-120293.html|title=RIP Peterborough: By Jove! It's the end of an era|date=25 February 2003|website=The Independent}}</ref> In 2002, he was elected the Telegraph Group's ‘Father of the Chapel’ (the term used to denote a shop steward of the National Union of Journalists). During a subsequent dispute with management, the ''Telegraph''<nowiki/>'s NUJ Chapel, led by Methven, went on to pass the first national newspaper strike ballot in over a decade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://safc.blog/red-socks-pinstripes-fighting-the-bosses-who-is-the-charlie-methven-in-safc-takeover/|title=Red socks, pinstripes, fighting the bosses. Who is the Charlie Methven in SAFC takeover?|date=9 May 2018 }}</ref>
===Publisher=== In 2005, in a consortium that included former ''Daily Telegraph'' director Jeremy Deedes, Methven founded a daily horseracing and gambling newspaper titled ''The Sportsman''; it was the UK's first new nationally distributed newspaper since ''The Independent'' in 1986.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4686285.stm|title=Is new gambling paper on to a winner?|date=15 July 2005|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> While the paper reached a circulation of over 20,000 copies a day, it ran out of funds in late 2006 and folded.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/owners-put-their-cards-on-table-for-sportsman-launch/|title=Owners put their cards on table for Sportsman launch|first=|last=|date= 14 July 2005|website=Press Gazette}}</ref>
=== Public relations === In 2011, he co-founded a communications consultancy called Dragon Associates which has advised clients such as the Kingdom of Bahrain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bahrainwatch.org/pr/dragon-associates.php|title=Dragon Associates | PR Watch|website=bahrainwatch.org|access-date=4 February 2020|archive-date=4 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204154059/https://bahrainwatch.org/pr/dragon-associates.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Football clubs==
===Oxford United F.C.=== A life-long supporter of Oxford United, Methven became a founding committee member of Oxford's supporters' trust, OxVox. In 2011, he became a Trustee of OUFC's Youth and Community Trust, founded supporters group the Yellow Army.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2013/july/yellow-army/|title=Yellow Army|website=oufc.co.uk}}</ref> Methven had launched an attempt to buy the club with subsequent business partner Stewart Donald, but was outbid.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/11318106.consortium-led-charlie-methven-launches-formal-bid-oxford-united/|title=Consortium led by Charlie Methven launches formal bid for Oxford United|website=Oxford Mail|date=3 July 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.a-love-supreme.com/post/2018/05/26/pizzas-pints-with-charlie-methven|title=Post|website=alovesupreme|access-date=4 February 2020|archive-date=4 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204154058/https://www.a-love-supreme.com/post/2018/05/26/pizzas-pints-with-charlie-methven|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Sunderland A.F.C.=== In May 2018, Methven arranged for Juan Sartori and Stewart Donald to buy Sunderland from American billionaire Ellis Short. Methven bought 6% of the club and was appointed as its Executive Director.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/all-about/charlie-methven|title=Charlie Methven – Latest news, transfers, pictures, video, opinion – Chronicle Live|website=chroniclelive.co.uk|date=24 July 2023 }}</ref> The takeover is featured in Episode 8 of Netflix documentary ''Sunderland 'Til I Die'': A Fresh Start. Prior to Sunderland's acquisition by Donald, Sartori, and Methven it had been relegated twice consecutively and was £160 million in debt and losing over £20 million per annum.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/03/29/sunderland-overcame-trauma-double-relegation-reconnect-fans/|title=How Sunderland overcame trauma of a double relegation to reconnect with fans and rise from the dead|first=Luke|last=Edwards|date=29 March 2019|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> The club had been expected by many industry experts to go into administration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/apr/23/sunderland-what-next-debts-absent-owner|title=Large debts, absent owner, no identity – what next for Sunderland? | Louise Taylor|first=Louise|last=Taylor|date=23 April 2018|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.true-faith.co.uk/sunderland-finances-no-future/|title=SUNDERLAND FINANCES – NO FUTURE!|first=Michael|last=Martin|date=28 December 2017}}</ref> Under its new leadership, the club achieved the highest-ever season average attendance for the third tier of English football (31,500),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sunderland-smash-league-one-average-16186108|title=Sunderland to smash League One average attendance over a season record on Saturday|first=Craig|last=Johns|date=26 April 2019|website=nechronicle}}</ref> the highest single-match attendance for League One (46,039 vs Bradford City on Boxing Day 2018)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46614780|title=Sunderland 1-0 Bradford City: 46,039 crowd 'rewarded' by League One victory|work=BBC Sport |date=26 December 2018|via=bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/sunderland-smash-attendance-record-almost-13779388|title=Sunderland smash attendance record as almost 50,000 fans attend Boxing Day clash|first=Simon|last=Bird|date=26 December 2018|website=mirror}}</ref> and the highest revenues in League One history. SAFC also received ''Football Business''’ Marketing Award for season 2018/2019 for the club's ‘Big Seat Change’ initiative and was nominated by the Football Supporters' Association for their Best Fan Engagement award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sunderlands-pink-seat-replacement-scheme-14855809|title=Sunderland's 'pink seat' replacement scheme will make fans feel part of the club – just like I did|first=Rob|last=Mason|date=3 July 2018|website=nechronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.safc.com:443/news/club-news/2018/september/football-business-awards-nomination|title=Big Seat Change recognised|date=27 September 2018|website=Sunderland Association Football Club}}</ref>
Methven clashed with fan groups on several occasions. In a BBC Radio Newcastle interview in September 2018, he described Sunderland fans who chose to watch illegal live streams in pubs adjoining the stadium instead of paying to watch matches as ‘parasites’,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/16904424.sunderland-director-charlie-methven-hits-parasites/|title=Sunderland director Charlie Methven hits out at "parasites"|website=The Northern Echo|date=26 September 2018 }}</ref> a word he subsequently described as "ill-chosen".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2018/11/28/18115979/news-sunderland-executive-director-charlie-methven-clarifies-ill-chosen-parasites-comment|title=News: Sunderland Executive Director Charlie Methven clarifies "ill-chosen" parasites comment|first=Andy|last=Tomlinson|date=28 November 2018|website=Roker Report}}</ref> Over a year later, he was the subject of a leak from a private meeting with fans group leaders at a meeting to clarify what they were concerned might have been a misleading statement made by him to the press. He explained to ''The Times'', who published the leak, that he had "felt exasperated" by the negative reaction to something he regarded as good news and had reacted "intemperately".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/sunderland-director-enraged-northern-fans-by-claiming-they-do-not-understand-business-mjqz9gh7d|title=Sunderland director enraged northern fans by claiming they do not understand business|first=Matt|last=Lawton|work=The Times |date=10 January 2020 |last2=Hardy|first2=Martin}}</ref>
Following the leaked account of the private meeting by ''The Times'', Methven said he had already given notice of his resignation from Sunderland's board, eventually stepping down in December 2019 citing the pressures of business and family life. He explained in a statement that his wife was in the latter stages of pregnancy and that his consultancy clients expected him to be in London more often in 2020. He continued as a shareholder of the club, and as a director of its holding company, Madrox Partners Limited.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/charlie-methven-sunderland-steps-down-17374484|title=Sunderland director Charlie Methven announces his resignation from the board|first=James|last=Hunter|date=6 December 2019|website=nechronicle}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>
===Charlton Athletic F.C.=== On 5 June 2023, Charlton Athletic announced that SE7 Partners, comprising Methven and Edward Warrick, had agreed a takeover of the club.<ref name="BBC-05Jun2023">{{cite news |title=Charlton Athletic: Charlie Methven's SE7 Partners agree deal to buy club from Thomas Sandgaard |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65808709 |access-date=5 June 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=5 June 2023}}</ref> On 19 July 2023, the EFL and FA cleared SE7 Partners to take over the club,<ref name="BBC-19Jul2023">{{cite news |title=SE7 Partners: Charlton Athletic takeover cleared for ex-Sunderland director Charlie Methven's firm |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66243355 |access-date=19 July 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=19 July 2023}}</ref> and the deal was completed on 21 July 2023.<ref name="BBC-21Jul2023">{{cite news |title=Charlton Athletic: SE7 Partners complete takeover from Thomas Sandgaard |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66273715 |access-date=22 July 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=21 July 2023}}</ref>
Under Jones, the 2024–25 season started slowly, but gathered momentum around the turn of the year, seeing Charlton qualify for the end-of-season-play-offs in fourth place. CAFC went on to win the play-off final, beating Leyton Orient 1-0 on 27 May 2025 at Wembley<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hashim |first=Taha |date=2025-05-25 |title=Charlton Athletic 1-0 Leyton Orient: League One playoff final – as it happened |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2025/may/25/charlton-athletic-v-leyton-orient-league-one-playoff-final-live |access-date=2025-12-24 |work=the Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> to gain promotion to the Championship for the first time since relegation from that division in 2020.
In March 2025, Methven had announced he would be stepping down as Charlton's CEO. He subsequently sold his shareholding in May 2025 and left to take up an appointment as managing director of Jamaica Premier League club Mount Pleasant F.A..{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}
===Mount Pleasant and RAEC Mons=== Shortly after his appointment to Mount Pleasant F.A., Methven and MPFA owner Peter Gould announced that they had acquired a majority stake in Belgian third tier club RAEC Mons.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hellier |first=David |date=1 August 2025 |title=Caribbean-Based Group Take Over Belgian Football Team RAEC Mons |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/mergers-and-acquisitions/british-investors-to-take-over-belgian-football-team-raec-mons |url-status=live |access-date=11 March 2026 |work=Bloomberg News}}</ref> In December 2025, Mount Pleasant won the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-30 |title=Mount Pleasant FA wins first Caribbean Cup trophy |url=https://www.concacaf.com/caribbean-cup/news/mount-pleasant-fa-wins-first-caribbean-cup-trophy/ |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=Concacaf |language=en}}</ref> to get a bye to the last 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
===Other sports activities===
On 27 May 2025, the Global Institute of Sport announced that Methven had joined its board as a non-executive director.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joel |date=2025-05-27 |title=Charlie Methven joins the board of Global Institute of Sport |url=https://gis.sport/news/charlie-methven-joins-board-at-global-institute-of-sport/ |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=GIS}}</ref>
On 6 December 2025, Charlie Stebbings of 20VC announced that its Business of Sport podcast platform would launch a new series called ''The Breakdown'' in January 2026,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Business of Sport |url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9jkoB5oKe1eAGZ5zOW6iZA |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=YouTube |language=en}}</ref> with Methven co-hosting alongside Stebbings.
In March 2026, Methven was linked with bids to buy Sheffield Wednesday F.C..<ref>{{cite news |title=State of play as group linked with ex-Sunderland chief Charlie Methven take interest in Sheffield Wednesday |url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/charlie-methven-sheffield-wednesday-5618991|access-date=6 March 2026 |publisher=Sheffield Star |date=3 March 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Mike Ashley outbid in attempt to buy Sheffield Wednesday |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/mike-ashley-outbid-in-attempt-to-buy-sheffield-wednesday-9tsznmmb5|access-date=10 March 2026 |publisher=The Times |date=10 March 2026}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Methven, Charlie}} Category:Living people Category:People educated at Eton College Category:Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford Category:1976 births Category:English football chairmen and investors Category:English public relations people Category:English journalists Category:Sunderland A.F.C. directors and chairmen Category:People from Oxfordshire