Andrew Muir

I’m late with this mostly because I haven’t had a chance to type a few words, but secondly also because we have had so many false dawns and I don’t want to get over excited.

However Rick Everitt has further added to his piece on the VOTV website to which ends “with certainty that the due diligence is at an advanced stage. While that does not guarantee a deal will be concluded or any timeline, it will necessarily have required extensive co-operation from the football club, which is unlikely to have been forthcoming without significant proof of funds and an indicative agreement on price. In short, the approach has to be a credible one and of interest to Duchatelet simply to have got this far.” more

Australian Andrew Muir is said to be behind the proposal to buy Charlton from Duchatelet. Muir has both money, and a business acumen as well as a love of sports. Muir’s father Ian built The Good Guys franchise from a single shop in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon in 1952, and his son modernized it into a multi billion dollar electrical appliance retailer.

At the end of last year Andrew Muir sold his Australian family business for almost £600m. At the time the Good Guys home appliance chain was the largest privately owned retailer in Australia and it was sold to JB Hi-Fi, who only Charlton fans will find ironic, is run by a chap called Richard Murray. Our own Richard Murray Rick suggests wants to be part of any new Addicks ownership.

Since Muir sold his business he has concentrated on his philanthropic interests that includes his own Good Foundation, buying a very cool looking house, and founding an online depository for family photos.

Muir is also a huge fan of his local Aussie Rules team Essendon, where he sits on the board of a team he supported since a boy.

VOTV claim that Everton director Keith Harris is broking the deal and is the key figure attempting to bring Muir and Duchatelet together.

Harris is an investment banker and well known City financier and has been behind many football takeover deals in the past when he was executive chairman of sports M&A practice Seymour Pierce. The lifelong Man Utd fan lists Roman Abramovich, Thaksin Shinawatra, Randy Lerner, Farhad Moshiri and Mohamed Fayed as clients.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself but a new owner with the club at the heart of their ambitions, with credible strategy and stewardship added to what Robinson is trying to do paints a much rosier future. I really hope Muir is that person.