New Charlton chairman Matt Southall outlines plans for club as ESI look to take 'sensible' route to success

Charlton’s new owners have said they want to rebuild the club “slowly and sensibly” and will not simply throw millions of pounds at trying to get back to the Premier League.

East Street Investments completed a £50million-plus deal to buy Charlton from Belgian businessman Roland Duchatelet last week.

New chairman Matt Southall says ESI is looking to build “something special” at The Valley and has outlined its plans in his first interview on the club’s ­website.

Southall says ESI wants to reconnect Charlton with supporters after years of protests against Duchatelet, build long-term stability, become the sixth club in London to earn Category One academy status and tie down manager Lee ­Bowyer to a new long-term contract.

Southall has revealed talks with ­Bowyer are on hold until after this month’s transfer window while they focus on strengthening an injury-hit squad that has slipped to 19th in the Championship.

ESI has vowed to back Bowyer with new signings this month but Southall insists Abu Dhabi-based majority ­shareholder Tahnoon Nimer will not chase promotion with a “boom and bust” approach.

“Like with any investment, it is a long-term strategy for us,” said Southall. “First and foremost, it is sensible and it is sustainable.

"It is not going to be a boom and bust, we are not going to come in and buy Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi or Gareth Bale, as has been touted on Twitter! It is about building it for the long-term stability of the club.

“We have a fantastic academy which has brought through players year after year, and it is about investing into that and building on those foundations slowly.

"We cannot just come in and start throwing £10million on this player or that player or taking the wage bill from where we are now to multiples of that, it is about doing that slowly and sensibly and sustainably.”

Southall has described the potential at Charlton as “mind-blowing” and says ESI hopes to secure the future of Bowyer once the transfer window has closed.

Bowyer has done an outstanding job at the club and is fast building a reputation as one of ­Britain’s best young coaches.

He led Charlton to a League One Play-Off Final victory at Wembley last season and has worked wonders in the Championship, despite having the smallest budget in the ­division and a crippling injury crisis that has decimated his squad.

Bowyer is in the final six months of his contract and Charlton will risk losing the 43-year-old if they do not agree a new deal.

Southall said: “Lee has been ­fantastic. We have met on a few occasions and I have portrayed what our ambitions. He wants to know that the new ownership coming are going in the right direction and have the right idea.

“I have spoken with his agent and, for now, we have decided to focus on the playing side of things and will try and tie that up after the window.”

ESI acquired The Valley as part of its takeover from Duchatelet and has a contractual agreement to buy the club’s New Eltham training ground, into which it is committed to ­investing £15m to earn the club ­Category One academy status.

ESI has withdrawn a contract offer to striker Lyle Taylor and is set to consider bids for him this month.

Charlton signed Aston Villa forward Andre Green on loan last week and want to sign Blackpool striker Armand Gnanduillet.

“We need to strengthen, we need more bodies in,” said ­Southall, who also revealed Nimer plans to attend a game at The Valley this month and urged Charlton supporters to start flooding back after six years of turmoil under Duchatelet.

“The opportunity at this club is ­endless. We took 38,000 to Wembley. It is mind-blowing. It is about re-connecting with the fans because there has been a disconnect in the last few years.

“I want to connect with the fans. There will be decisions I am going to have to make that fans may not like. But I will be vocal and explain the rationale behind why I have made those ­decisions and it will be for the long-term interests of the club.”

Watch the full interview with new Charlton chairman Matt Southall on www.cafc.co.uk