Michael Slater | Chicago Addick

Nov 20

New takeover?

A more solid than normal ‘takeover story’ in today’s South London Press.

“Charlton are in advanced talks with a multi-million pound British property company over the sale of the Championship club. Sources close to the Addicks have revealed that an investment company is on the verge of completing the deal to take total control of the Championship club.” (more)

The Property Company is a red flag, but it sounds more of a trust than a developer, and the mention of Powell and transfer kitty in the same breath are very positive.
Please click for more

Sep 29

3 Comments

Don’t give them an excuse Chrissy

This Blogger and Addick has consistently asked questions of Messrs Jimenez and Slater, I’ve tried to understand their motives, their plans, the capricious running of the club and it’s finances, their hires and reasons behind resignations and sackings of long term staff members and very importantly what their intentions are for The Valley and for the football club I have loved for as long as I can remember.

Apart from some irregular Slater baloney in the programme, we get told nothing so it is left for the fans to make assumptions, and I sense even the most insouciant of Addicks are now asking questions. Those questions I think will be loud and clear this week as we face two home games.
Please click for more

Aug 14

3 Comments

Slaterisms

Panama and Nicaragua boxes ticked, 14 days of summer holiday over, although any hint of gloominess is lifted by the thought of my son arriving here on Saturday to spend almost 2 weeks with us.

More on Panama and Nicaragua soon, but meanwhile back at the good ship Charlton all is not HP. A disappointing start to the season has been compounded by more lack of transparency from the club’s owners.
Please click for more

Jul 28

2 Comments

One up front

Yesterday’s game for Paddy sounded a bit of a bore, the legendary Addick deserved better, but a friendly is just that and in the greater scheme of things the 90 minutes were just another piece of Chris Powell’s pre-season jigsaw as he takes them into this important final week before we go to Bournemouth.

Even though I purchased a ticket, the wrist slitting amongst some of Addicks last night was a timely reminder why a gave up pre-season friendlies a couple of decades ago.

In saying that the crowd was very disappointing, and there could be a number of reasons for that but 132 from Inverness was a wonderful effort and I saw that one group that travelled down from the Highlands actually upgraded their tickets to the corporate area once they heard it was to benefit an old pro. Very honourable indeed.
Please click for more

Jul 16

4 Comments

Infrastructure

Back to Bermuda last night after a quickfire visit home. At one point yesterday between junctions 5 and 6 on the M25 I was convinced I might have to extend my stay another day as the congestion was so bad. Only because I left my mate’s house in Chislehurst so early did I make my flight.
Please click for more

May 8

Four off to horizons new

Always sad to see players get released although Waggy was very upbeat about his imminent departure when I spoke to him last week. He felt, rightly so in my opinion, that being a free agent will make him more appealable to clubs and he is hoping for another crack at The Championship. His attitude over the years since his debut in 2008 has been exemplary and he deserves the opportunity to make a good career for himself and I know all Addicks wish him every success.
Please click for more

Nov 9

Paul Elliott story makes a comeback

3 weeks after it was denied, it now does appear that the club are set to offer Paul Elliott the role of Charlton chairman. A lot of people scoffed at the original Daily Mirror story, but to me it was always strange that The Mirror, had bothered themselves with the story in the first place, which one would assume was well sourced.

Both Sky and The Mirror are reporting it today that Elliott will be appointed club chairman once the “financial terms are concluded.” An interesting 4 words there. Michael Slater’s role in club affairs has definitely reduced since Kevin Cash allegedly withdrew his investment. Expect Slater now to disappear from view.
Please click for more

Nov 6

5 Comments

Powell leaving is not worth thinking about

There is a lot of chatter about Chris Powell’s future at the club. It is presumed, with quite good reason, that he doesn’t have much of a relationship with Tony Jimenez, he does with Michael Slater, but his opinion is becoming less meaningful. One would have thought the only Charlton man left standing, I am of course talking about Richard Murray, would be like the majority of us, and still hold Chris in high regard.

I would think Chris Powell is having a fair few sleepless nights. He is still on a massive learning curve and it has been a very tough introduction to this level. There have been games and situations when he has shown his naivety and made errors of judgment, yet he has shown very promising ability and he has also called many, many decisions correctly. He is a quick learner but this is a callous profession to have to learn on the job, especially if you are getting no moral support from up top.
Please click for more

Oct 17

3 Comments

Rick Everitt sacked

“I can confirm that I have today been sacked by the club by email in a letter from Martin Prothero but signed in his absence by the club’s personnel manager Helen Reed. I understand Martin has not been at The Valley today. This is the decision of a disciplinary hearing that took place on Friday, September 28th, 19 days ago, and according to the club is the culmination of a disciplinary process that began on Tuesday, July 10th – more than 14 weeks ago.” – Rick Everitt.
Please click for more

Oct 15

3 Comments

Elliott story denied

If it was strange that the Daily Mirror bothered themselves with the Paul Elliott to be the new Charlton chairman story, it is perhaps even stranger that Michael Slater has used the mostly worthless News Shopper to deny it. Slater has usually turned to the South London Press for his sound bites and as has been par for the course steers clear of the Official Site.
Please click for more

Oct 13

Paul Elliott to rejoin?

An interesting scoop if true by the Daily Mirror announcing that Paul Elliott is set to return to The Valley as it’s next chairman with Michael Slater taking a “more hands off role.”

Michael Slater I would have said will have no role soon enough at The Valley once Tony Jimenez finds new investment to replace that of Kevin Cash’s. Slater will be free then to be Cash’s front man someone else, get proper value out of his Manchester City season-ticket and pursue his complaint against Spanish police.
Please click for more

Jul 26

3 Comments

Stephen Kavanagh gone

Rumours emanating from Charlton Life are saying that long time director and current chief executive Stephen Kavanagh has left the club. I true Kavanagh joins Peter Varney and Alex Newell in leaving the club in the past month. That leaves only majority owner Tony Jimenez, front man Michael Slater and Richard Murray as directors.
please click for more

Jul 6

1 Comment

Slater’s response

Michael Slater: “I’ve heard about some gossip about the club, but for the last year and a half we have consistently said that we will operate the club on sound commercial principles, and I believe last season’s success vindicates our approach. Last summer Chris signed players to create a team that we believed would be able to compete in the Championship, so although he is looking to bring in a few new players, there is nothing like the urgency of last summer and we will not be rushed into decisions. We are not inactive in the transfer market, but the fact is that in League One we were a big fish in a small pond whereas in the Championship there are plenty of other big clubs vying for the players we are trying to sign”

Jul 5

2 Comments

Michael Slater to respond to rumours

Michael Slater is said to be giving a response to the boardroom rumours tomorrow in the South London Press. Slater, chairman and the acceptable face of the ownership conundrum, will address stories only circulating on Charlton Life but unquestionably with a lot of substance.

Ironically the local media have shown little interest nor knowledge of the recent challenges engulfing the CAFC owners. Equally bewildering is why Slater would pick the SLP, a newspaper that Richard Murray and the previous administration used to shun.

Please click for more

Jul 3

5 Comments

What is happening in the boardroom?

I’ve sat on this for a few days now, as like other Addicks I search around in the dark for clues. The euphoria of winning, sorry walking the League One title after many years of hurt, is suddenly becoming a distant statistic as once again the team we love enters into the murky world of boardroom mistrust and rumour.

For those of you that don’t follow Charlton Life, their forum is awash with scaremongering and unanswered questions. Yet amongst the thousands of comments a couple stand out. Three or four posters, each one I recognise as having some good connections within the club have sources they say, each one different, that suggest that all is not well behind the scenes.

The main source of rumour is that we offered a deal to a potential new signing (I believe a current Premiership player) but then we reneged on the deal. Others suggest that all is not well in the boardroom, with potentially Slater and Jimenez wanting the club to go in different directions and an unknown backer pulling out his investment.
Please click for more