West Ham United have received an apology from Charlton following heated criticism from their minority owner, Charlie Methven, as reported by The Guardian.
According to the paper’s online report on March 12, Charlton reached out to Hammers co-chair Karren Brady after Methven’s remarks on talkSPORT earlier that same day. Methven had pointed fingers at West Ham and Crystal Palace, alleging their involvement in the collapse of a proposed £900 million EFL support deal. The fallout from this breakdown has caused consternation and embarrassment within the government, with The Guardian noting “surprise at 10 Downing Street.”
Methven, speaking to Jim White, accused the two clubs, located near Charlton, of hindering progress in the industry. He stated that Palace and West Ham were leading a movement reminiscent of King Canute, with undisclosed clubs backing them. This assertion, he claimed, frustrated executives from other Premier League clubs who foresaw potential implications for the league’s future. Methven’s comments underscored a broader dissatisfaction among EFL clubs, many of whom were disappointed by the unexpected turn of events where half of the Premier League clubs declined to support the proposed deal.
Reports, including one from the Daily Mail on March 12, suggested that West Ham and Palace, along with several other clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Wolves, Nottingham Forest, and Bournemouth, were aligned against the proposal. This revelation has drawn criticism from figures like Stan Collymore, tarnishing the image of the clubs involved.
While it’s understandable that EFL clubs feel aggrieved by this development, it’s unclear why Charlton specifically chose to apologize to West Ham, especially when there’s no indication that Crystal Palace received a similar apology. The reluctance of top-flight clubs to provide financial support to lower-league counterparts highlights a broader tension within the footballing ecosystem, with clubs like West Ham having experienced their fair share of struggles in the past.
The potential breach of the Premier League’s proposed new spending rules adds another layer of concern for West Ham, already grappling with challenges at the London Stadium. This situation may hasten the push for an independent regulator, a prospect that would likely not sit well with club owners already dealing with various issues.
