Ex-Sunderland and Charlton Athletic executive Charlie Methven takes strategic role at non-league club
Charlie Methven, a controversial former Sunderland figure, has joined a non-league club board after a stint at Charlton Athletic
Former Sunderland executive Charlie Methven has taken up a new boardroom role after being appointed as a non-executive director and strategic adviser at Walton & Hersham FC.
Walton & Hersham, who currently lead the Southern League Premier South, confirmed Methven’s arrival as the club looks to plan for the next phase of its development both on and off the pitch. The appointment formalises an advisory relationship that had already been in place behind the scenes.
Methven brings board-level experience, having previously held senior roles at Sunderland and Charlton Athletic, though his time on Wearside remains a controversial chapter in the club’s modern history. Walton & Hersham co-owner Christopher Corey welcomed the appointment, describing it as a logical step given Methven’s existing involvement.
He said: “Charlie has been informally advising us for quite some time, so this appointment really just firms up the relationship. Charlie’s experience in building and improving football clubs is second to none. As we stand at this exciting and critical stage in the club’s future, his help in the coming months will be hugely valued in planning the next stages in Walton & Hersham’s development.”
Methven said he had been impressed by Walton & Hersham’s progress and stressed the importance of sustainable planning alongside ambition. “I’ve been so impressed by what Chris, (co-owner) Calogero Scannella and many others at W&H have achieved over the last few years.
“Clearly, the ambition is to get promoted to National League South, but also to plan thoughtfully for the future, so that the Swans can continue to develop their role as a major part of the local community. The next six months will be spent helping the rest of the Board put that plan together.“
Methven’s name will be familiar to Sunderland supporters for his role in the 2018 takeover of the club, when he helped broker the sale from former owner Ellis Short to a consortium led by Stewart Donald and Juan Sartori. At the time, Sunderland had suffered back-to-back relegations and were burdened by heavy debt, with concerns widespread about the club’s financial health.
Methven became executive director and a minority shareholder, and his tenure coincided with a period of major commercial and marketing change. Sunderland posted record attendances for a third-tier club, including the highest average crowd ever recorded in League One, alongside significant revenue growth and industry recognition for fan engagement initiatives.
However, despite some initial early off-field successes, Methven’s relationship with Sunderland supporters was often strained. A series of public comments, most notably a radio interview in which he referred to some supporters who watched matches illegally as “parasites”, provoked widespread anger. Although Methven later acknowledged the remark as “ill-chosen”, the damage to trust was significant.
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Further tensions followed after the emergence of leaked comments from a private meeting with supporter group representatives, which reinforced perceptions of a growing disconnect between the board and the fanbase. Methven later admitted he had reacted intemperately during a period of frustration. In December 2019, Methven stepped down from Sunderland’s board, citing family and professional pressures. His departure came amid continued unrest, and he remains a deeply polarising figure among Sunderland fans.
Despite leaving his executive role, Methven retained a shareholding and involvement at holding company level, bringing his formal Sunderland tenure to an end but not erasing its imprint on the club’s recent history until he was fully bought out by current owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.