Sunderland AFC director Charlie Methven in shock resignation

Methven will retain his 6% stake in the club but will be stepping down from the board officially next Thursday.

The Executive Director is starting a family in the New Year and is looking to step back after a punishing period following his takeover of the club alongside Stewart Donald in the summer of 2018.

The return of Juan Sartori, who will now be in the UK as a support to Donald, is also key in the timing of his decision.

“This is a really tough decision to make, but for both family and work-related reasons it was something I felt I had to do,” Methven said.

“My wife and I are expecting our first child in the New Year, and the reality of my day job – which is largely political consultancy – is that the first months of a new government will be very challenging.

“I’ve been a largely absentee husband, father and colleague for nearly two years, as the SAFC project took over most of my life, and it’s time that I re-paid those close to me for their patience.

“As a shareholder, I will of course take a very keen interest in how we get on in the coming months and there are a couple of projects away from the day-to-day running of the club where I will continue to help Stewart and Juan, who has now returned to the country.

“Finally, I would like to thank Stewart, for his unfailing friendship and some great times, the SAFC staff, who have worked hard to keep the club running so professionally as we went about a tough re-structuring and SAFC’s supporters, especially those involved with the Red and White Army and the Branch Liaison Council.

“I strongly believe that with the restructuring completed, and investment in place, the club now has the stable platform to move onwards and upwards.”

Stewart Donald says he asked Charlie Methven to delay his resignation at Sunderland AFC, with the Executive Director initially planning to leave the board two months ago.

Methven has this morning announced that he will step down officially as a board member next Thursday.

He will retain his 6% stake in the club but will have a less active role in day-to-day affairs.

Juan Sartori is now set to step up his involvement after returning to the UK following his recent election as a senator in Uruguay.

“This is a really difficult one for me, as Charlie and I have been working non-stop together on this for almost two years,” Donald said.

“He came and asked if he could resign a couple of months ago, as he was finding it very difficult to keep all the plates in his life spinning, but I asked him to stay on until the investment process was concluded and Juan was back in the UK.

“I am grateful that he did that, as it enabled me to take a breather and re-gather my energies for the next stage, but it will still feel odd without him, even if we still see each other on a social basis. I want to wish him and Helene all the best as they look to start their family.”

It will leave Donald, Sartori, Angela Lowes (finance director) and Neil Fox (director) as the club’s board members going forward.