Addicks statement says club at risk of further EFL sanctions after confirming they were put under a transfer embargo in January
Thursday 12 March 2020 12:29, UK
Charlton manager Lee Bowyer has been told the club could run out of money to pay players and staff "by December".
The club is in the midst of a boardroom dispute between executive chairman Matt Southall and majority shareholder Tahnoon Nimer and it emerged this week they were placed under a transfer embargo in January.
Bowyer revealed he has had offers to leave the club, who are currently in the Sky Bet Championship relegation places, and said: "We had a meeting, the chairman explained the situation and then was asked when it was likely we'd stop being paid. He said December was when the money would run out.
"I don't want to walk away. I could have done that in January. Everybody knows what the club means to me. I knew the situation we were in with the embargo and I decided to stay and fight for the club.
"I believe in this club and I love the club. I have a good, honest bunch of lads with good staff around me and good fans who support the players.
"We've all worked so hard to get to where we are now and I won't walk away from it. If there's any club that can come out of it, this is it. This club has been backed into a corner many times and it's come out fighting."
Earlier on Thursday, the club released a statement in which they outlined their full support to executive chairman Southall, whose dispute with majority shareholder Nimer was made public on Monday.
Southall issued a statement on Monday saying he will meet with his legal representatives to "discuss an action for defamation" over an alleged letter Nimer sent to the club's senior management team.
Nimer wrote in a post on Instagram that he had resigned from the club's board but the post was deleted and Nimer then issued a statement via his lawyer denying the resignation and vowing to "investigate the financial irregularities at the club and in particular Mr Southall."
Today's statement from Charlton read: "The club wish to make it clear that Matt Southall has their full support in his role as executive chairman and are looking forward to working with him into the future towards a positive end to this current season and beyond.
"All the public allegations levelled at Mr Southall by either Mr Nimer or his advisors are denied in their entirety and Mr Southall retains the full backing of the club and its board.
"Mr Tahnoon Nimer, in his capacity as majority shareholder of ESI, has made various funding guarantees to the club but as of yet the EFL remain unsatisfied regarding the source and sufficiency of any funds proffered.
"The club is grateful for the EFL's statement of March 10 clarifying this position and would like it made clear that, as a result of Mr Nimer's failure to provide the information sought by the EFL, the club was subject to a transfer embargo during the January window.
"If the information the EFL require is not forthcoming the club is at risk of further sanction by the EFL and it is taking advice in this regard.
"In the meantime, and until further notice, no statements made by either Mr Nimer or his advisors should be understood to represent the club's position."
