Shorts: Charlie Methven, Dundee Utd, Chelsea

Former Sunderland executive director Charlie Methven has agreed a takeover of League One side Charlton Athletic.

Methven is well-known in the public eye after being made famous by the Netflix documentary ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ which followed Sunderland Football Club between 2017 and 2019.

Metgven’s firm, SE7 Partners, has agreed a deal with current owner Thomas Sandgaard which is subject to English Football League approval.

Methven left his role at Sunderland in December 2019 and looks to be the fourth owner of the League One club in less than four years.

Peter Storrie, Chief Executive Officer at Charlton Athletic FC, said, “We’ll now work with SE7 Partners and the EFL to meet the league requirements, which is a process that can take some time.”

“In the meantime, the day-to-day running of the club will not be impacted.

“Our preparation and recruitment for the 2023-24 season is well under way. We have our targets for our men’s team and our women’s team. Led by Dean Holden and Karen Hills, those plans continue to progress and will not be halted while we await the approval. The aim is to put the club in the best position to achieve our targets for next season – a top-six finish for the men’s team and further progression for the women’s team.”

Scottish Premiership club Dundee United has announced Erreà as its new official technical partner.

The deal is the largest in the club’s history and will see the Italian technical sportswear brand provide the club with a full range of replica and training wear over the next four seasons – with bespoke designs anticipated to excite United fans.

Elliot Shaw, Head of Commercial at Dundee United, said, “We are delighted to welcome Erreà to our partnership family as the club’s new Technical Partner.

“An extensive tender process was undertaken to ensure that the best possible agreement for Dundee United was reached, focussing on enhancing the commercial benefits to the club and ensuring that we attain bespoke, quality kits that our supporters will love.

“We received offers from a range of brands within the market, however, Erreà came out on top in all areas. We are excited to be working with the team in Parma for the next four years in what I am sure will be a fantastic partnership”.

Fabrizio Taddei, Head of the Global Partnership Department at Erreà, added, “We are very pleased to be making a return to Scotland and the opportunity for us to do that with Dundee United, such a historic and highly respected club, only makes it even more special.

“Over the next four seasons the Erreà design team, in close partnership with the Dundee United team, will be doing some very special things with the iconic tangerine shirt and bringing something new and exciting to the rest of the club’s ranges, every single season. We hope the passionate fans of Dundee United will take them to heart.”

Chelsea FC podcast series ‘The Blueprint’ has officially revealed previously untold details behind the club’s rags-to-riches story.

Over eight episodes The Blueprint details the club’s role in shaping modern football, going deep behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge, from Chelsea fearing their very existence in the early 1990s, to being crowned European Champions in 2012.

The series features exclusive interviews with Chelsea legends including Frank Lampard, John Terry, Gary Cahill, Petr Cech, Glenn Hoddle, Ken Bates, Roberto Di Matteo, Steve Clarke and many more. The series also offers insight from legendary British football broadcasters including Martin Tyler and Peter Drury.

Among its revelations, The Blueprint reveals the secrets to Chelsea’s 2012 Champions League Final success and the clandestine methods adopted by the team to fool Bayern Munich on the day of the final.

Garry Hayes, Chief Executive Officer of HWY61 and producer of The Blueprint, said, “Most football fans only see what unfolds on the pitch, and on the back pages–but The Blueprint has captured the real Chelsea FC story: from the boardroom, the training ground and the dressing room.”

“We’ve been granted access to the inner sanctum at Stamford Bridge, and have managed to uncover stories and perspectives that even the most diehard Blues fans will not have heard.

“Chelsea supporters will love it, but for those football fans who want to better understand the structure of today’s game and how it’s changed in the new millennium, The Blueprint goes a long way to explaining that.”

Extreme E, the electric off-road racing championship, has appointed Mark Grain in the newly created role of Technical Director.

With his extensive experience in the motorsport industry, including almost three decades across multiple racing disciplines at McLaren, Grain brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the series.

Grain commented, “Having experienced Extreme E first hand as a competitor and loved every minute, when the chance came to join the Championship, I jumped at it.

“Extreme E continues to evolve and break new ground in motorsport, having already established many ‘firsts’ which make its appeal so unique. The opportunity to play a part in its future is incredibly exciting, especially with the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell racing.

“We don’t want to sit back; we want to continue to push and evolve. Extreme E already has a track record of challenging common assumptions and ways of going racing, and I share the strong ambition to maintain that momentum.”