The collective Addick temperature is high. Fatigue and anxiety stalks the fanbase, or certainly for many who spend too much time on social media pursuing news of their beloved. The latest wailing and gnashing of teeth was caused by the straightforward news that saviour-elect, Thomas Sandgaard, had returned to Denver on Saturday after a fortnight in the UK. They panicked that Sandgaard had somehow lost interest and thrown the towel in.
It seems pretty straightforward to me that he has gone back to attend to business. He is the CEO of a multi-national and will have pressing things he needs to be there to deal with. He has extended his London stay twice as I understand it, so no-one should really be surprised. I don't think the prospect of watching Charlton play friendly matches was the incentive, rather events unfolding around his planned acquisition of the club. He has told us repeatedly that he is on top of everything and that he is 100% confident that he will complete the purchase of CAFC. He has also told us that he should be able to announce a takeover by tomorrow and that Bowyer would get new players in the same timeframe. That may have seemed to have been pushing it a bit but a tip-off from a fan today suggests six or seven players will be confirmed tomorrow. What's more, the fan, has form for decent inside knowledge.
So, what to hope for tomorrow. I reckon Sandgaard will be good to his word and that he will be announced as new owner tomorrow. If there are legs in the new player rumour, then it would only be right to assume that the EFL have lifted, or will lift, their transfer embargo so that these can go ahead. Six or Seven would be impossible under the embargo unless a similar mount left the squad. The only logic for lifting the embargo is that Sandgaard has succeeded in taking control to the satisfaction of the EFL and that he has passed the Owners & Directors Test in addition to providing proof and source of funds. He has already Tweeted that he had deposited a year's club running costs in an account here with his legal team, so perhaps that too is a sign that everything is being lined-up for the big day.
If it all happens tomorrow, it will be a massive shot-in-the-arm for the club. It will be the green light for reluctant fans to go ahead and make season ticket purchases to ensure they have their seats in the event that we are allowed back into stadiums, albeit in limited attendances. I suspect we could quickly sellout.
Lee Bowyer will already be aware of the good news as he will have been working with Steve Gallen to identify the new recruits and negotiations will have been going on for some time. This would have been happening to some extent business-as-usual but it would take the money and authority from someone like Sandgaard to have pressed on with confidence, especially if they have been done for a big reveal tomorrow. That should be a huge boost to the existing squad and create genuine competition for spaces. If there is a goalkeeper amongst them, it could also mean that Dylan Phillips has played his last match for us and may get a 'big money' move away.
It would also mean that there would be no danger of any congestion on the conference call lines for Thursday's Court of Appeal hearing into who owns East Street Investments. There will also be next to no interest in the outcome either, bar who is going to have to pay for it all. It looks increasingly likely that the costs will fall very squarely on the Directors of ESI which could be a calamity for those involved. What's that saying about playing with fire?
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