Charlton Athletic have appointed Ben Mansford as their new chief executive.
The position had been vacant since March 2025 when it was announced that Charlie Methven was leaving.
Mansford’s most recent job saw him operating as sporting director at Maccabi Tel Aviv. He joined them for a second time in June 2023 and departed in May.
Prior to that he has also held the chief executive role at Blackpool, Leeds United and Barnsley.
Ben Mansford/Picture: Alamy
Mansford was 33 when he took on the CEO role with Barnsley.
He had been employed by Walker Morris, a law firm based in Leeds, and then became an agent for Wasserman before becoming a management director for the company.
Mansford was involved in Fabian Delph’s £8million transfer from Leeds to Aston Villa in August 2009.
Mansford achieved a 2:1 degree in law at Leicester University.
He was tempted away from Barnsley in June 2016, after three years at Oakwell, by then Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino.
“He did a fantastic job at Barnsley and has an excellent reputation in the game,” said the Italian at the time. “Ben’s arrival will now allow me to focus purely on my role as chairman and running the club.”
A year later Mansford was moving on but not before Leeds had secured investment from new co-owner Andrea Radrizzani.
“Ben has been a major factor in the club’s resurgence in the past 12 months commercially and in the community,” said Radrizzani, who the following month completed a 100 per cent buyout.
Mansford penned an open letter to the club’s supporters. He said: “I sincerely believe the foundations have now been laid to allow this club to go back to where you belong and deserve to be, the very top.”
He was at Maccabi when they won the Israeli Championships in three seasons - 2018-2019, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
Maccabi owner Mitch Goldhar said: “I remember first meeting Ben in 2017. I saw a young ambitious individual with energy and enthusiasm which would lead to his first venture abroad, adapt to a new culture and undertake the targets set for the club.
“I am grateful to him and his family for his strong support for the club, particularly the last few years which at times have been very challenging. Above all Ben is a good person. We wish him well.”
Maccabi chief executive Jack Angelides said: “I enjoyed working with Ben throughout his tenure at the club spending a great deal of time together in which we encountered demanding situations as well as amazing achievements.
“Ben has done a great job, he has made many friends both within and outside the club and knows that he will always be welcome.”
Charlton had announced in June 2025 that they were set to appoint Dane Murphy, subject to him passing the EFL owners and directors’ test.
But the following month it was confirmed that the appointment of Murphy, who had been CEO at Barnsley and Forest, was no longer happening.
Addicks chairman Gavin Carter told this website in March that any appointment would be focused on the commercial side with Jim Rodwell, managing director, remaining in charge of football matters, including recruitment.
There was no mention of Mansford’s areas of control when Charlton confirmed that he had started the job with immediate effect after his appointment was given the green light by the EFL.
“I’m delighted to welcome Ben to Charlton Athletic,” Carter told the club’s official website. “He brings a wealth of experience, a proven track record of success and strong leadership qualities.
“We’re incredibly proud of what has been achieved at Charlton over the last three years, both on and off the pitch. With that progress, expectations have rightly grown. We’ve been very deliberate in taking the time to find the right person to lead the next stage of our development. I’m delighted we’ve been able to attract someone of Ben’s calibre.
“I made a commitment that we would not formally announce this appointment until all regulatory approvals had been received, and I’m pleased that we’ve honoured that commitment and followed the proper process.
“This is an exciting time for Charlton Athletic. Our men’s and women’s teams are competing at their highest levels for many years, we have ambitious plans to achieve Category One academy status, and we remain focused on building a sustainable club capable of competing at the highest level.
“Ben understands our ambitions, shares our belief in the potential of Charlton Athletic and brings the experience and leadership to help us continue building on those achievements. I’m very much looking forward to working with him.”
Mansford added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Charlton Athletic. This is a club with a proud history, a passionate supporter base and enormous potential.
“It’s clear there has been significant progress both on and off the pitch in recent years and I’m looking forward to working with Gavin, the Board, staff, players and supporters to build on those foundations.
“Charlton is a club with the ambition and potential to compete at the highest level and I’m excited to work with everyone connected to the club as we pursue our ambitions together.”
Good news. Lots of off the field issues have shown signs of drift, or muddled thinking.
I want my CEOs to have a first class degree in law ..