Auditing in real time is the answer, says Charlie

Sunderland shareholder Charlie Methven has called for ‘random real time auditing’ of professional clubs to help ensure they remain sustainable.

Methven, who owns a minority share in the Black Cats, worked with MP Damian Collins to produce ‘A Way Forward For Football’ – a report focusing on how to ensure clubs remain sustainable in the wake of COVID-19.

And the businessman believes his solution is the answer to one of football’s most pressing problems.

"I think random real time auditing is an absolutely critical element of enforcing sustainability,” he said, speaking to offthepitch.com

“Fundamentally we’re trying to get the conversation going, so when this moment happens there is a plan that has been looked at and is ready to go.

"In the short term people will say we don’t want to do this.

"But then what will happen is it will work its way round to desks in government as a potential solution, and DCMS will do some work on it and they’ll speak to Damian about it, and they’ll look at it and start thinking: ‘Is this or something like this what plan B looks like?’.

"What this is all about is preventing a Bury or Bolton Mark 2.”

But Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman has branded the plan as ‘nonsense’.

He said: "Real time auditing is just nonsense.

"You either trust people to run a proper audit process, or you don’t and if you don’t you shouldn’t be lending them money. If you can’t trust them, what’s the point?”