A group tied to former Sunderland chief executive Charlie Methven has once again shown interest in purchasing Sheffield Wednesday, The Star understands. However, they may face a tight timeline to prepare a bid.
Methven’s consortium was among the broad field of interested parties during the initial administration process. It’s unclear how far they progressed, but they were not involved in the final bidding stage, which saw three contenders reach the last round. That final round concluded on Christmas Eve, when administrators Begbies Traynor named a consortium led by James Bord as the preferred bidder.
Since Bord’s bid faltered, Begbies Traynor has told supporters and creditors that the process will be expedited to identify a new preferred bidder. It’s believed that the Storch Group and Mike Ashley have re-entered discussions after playing significant roles before Christmas.
A source close to Methven’s bid team indicated that while their investors are showing strong interest, time may be against them in catching up with parties already deep into the process. With a large amount of information still to be digested, there’s a real possibility they won’t be able to complete the necessary due diligence to submit a competitively priced bid.
After Bord’s withdrawal from the process last Wednesday, The Star has learned that administrators hoped to receive fresh offers for the club in the current week.
Methven’s status within the takeover race adds another layer to the Wednesday saga. On Friday, BBC Sheffield reported that besides Mike Ashley and the Storch Group, two other bidders had also begun moves to acquire the club. Methven’s group appears to be among those unnamed bidders.
For context, Methven led Sunderland from May 2018 to December 2019 and served as Charlton Athletic’s chief executive from June 2023 to March 2025. He also holds a stake in Belgian club RAEC Mons.
Further reading: Potential Sheffield Wednesday buyers organize informal discussions with Owls Trust (The Star).
