Charlie Methven developments at Sheffield Wednesday to bring bad memories to Sunderland
To this day, Charlie Methven is one of the most disliked individuals in Sunderland’s recent history.
For any Sheffield Wednesday fans out there, that is probably the last thing you want to hear, after Methven was spotted at Hillsborough for the Owls’ recent 1-1 draw against Norwich City.
As for the reasons why he was in attendance, it’s unknown, but given the current administration, it can only be assumed that he is either in talks or keen on having a role at the club in an attempt to get them back to where they belong.
There are a lot of parallels between Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland, and that is why the latter would always want to see the former thrive, but if Methven is going to have a say, there is no hope of that.
Charlie Methven sent Sunderland spiralling
Sunderland are thriving under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ ownership, and after 10 games, the Black Cats occupy one of the five Champions League spots in the Premier League.
Had Methven stayed at the club, it would have been a very, very different story, and more than likely a similar situation to one that Sheffield Wednesday are unfortunately facing today.
In 2018, Methven, alongside Stewart Donald, helped facilitate the takeover of the Black Cats, and from then on, things only went downhill.
Staff were made redundant, youth players were sold for pennies, fans were labelled as parasites, and the question was asked as to whether anyone in the North had a real understanding of how business actually worked, though his actual wording was a lot more condescending than that.
In hindsight, many will ask him the same thing.
He, alongside Donald, used the club’s own funds to purchase Sunderland, and to cut a long story short, he drove an already sinking club far further into the ground.
His tenure wasn’t far from a disaster from a footballing business point of view, and is a cautionary showcase of how culture matters at clubs like Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday.
Sunderland’s rise since Charlie Methven demonstrates how ownership can influence success
Methven resigned in 2019, though he held a small stake in the club after.
That was until Louis-Dreyfus took full control of the club.
Since then, Sunderland achieved promotion from the Championship, and in their first season back in the Premier League, they look set to re-establish themselves as a top-flight club.
Recruitment at the Stadium of Light has changed for the better, the understanding of supporters has changed for the better, and everything is heading in the right direction for a club of this size.
Sheffield Wednesday are a huge club, and they certainly don’t deserve the Methven treatment.
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