Rejoice! Meire to stand down as Duchatelet prepares to sell!

Truly great news for all long-suffering Charlton Athletic fans today. The club's PR machine has announced that Meire has decided to call it a day as Duchatelet prepares to sell the club. Formal admission from Duchatelet himself of "news of a potential takeover" is the big story but Meire's departure will be celebrated hard by Charlton fans who were repeatedly insulted and lied-to by the floundering Meire in 2015 and 2016.

Tempted as I am, I am not going to rehash the litany of Meire's ineptitude as Chief Executive, save to say that the club had to gag her a year ago when they appointed Pitch PR and then hired Tom Rubbashaw to end the succession of Meire-induced disasters. She has really played no part in proceedings since then and we have been spared the continuing string of really stupid decisions that were her trademark. Let's just hope that the footballing world ensures her next job is one she might be better suited to.

The statement from Duchatelet on the official site is exciting because I think the timing is critical and I am guessing we are now very close to a formal takeover announcement. He broke the ice last month by confirming to the Belgian press that he had no interest in football and that he was open to offers for Charlton Athletic. Today's announcement was sort-of expected on the back of that but it's still brilliant news to hear it and confirmation that the smirking witch won't be insulting us with her presence at the Valley any longer is icing on the cake.

It's been a long battle, but the fight to rid the club of the Belgians is nearing the climax and it would be fantastic to think we could be under new ownership at the start of the January transfer window.

We can't be sure what new ownership will look like or even if we will be completely free of Duchatelet's toxic presence, but whoever and whatever the deal is, we will at least have some hope and a fresh start which, if managed cleverly, should result in a financial and support-based boost. 

The record books will show that Duchatelet saved us from a very likely Administration when he took over in January 2014 but that his ownership has been disastrous for the health of the club as fans were turned-off in their thousands by an under-investment strategy which saw us relegated and then consolidated as a League One club, and by a lame Chief Executive who thought she could spin every poor decision and simply refuse to admit she was ever wrong, even when she was caught lying red-handed. Her defining moment in charge at the Valley came during the last home game of the 2015-16 season against Burnley when an inspired and courageous act of personal determination by a mother and son saw a bedsheet banner draped off the Upper West above the Directors Box with the word 'Liar' and that downward arrow that picked Meire out. Julie - I love you for that.

This could just turn out to be the best New Year ever.