Charlton's new owner keen to get Addicks into WSL

However, Danish-American businessman,

Thomas Sandgaard

, who took the charge of the club last year, negotiated with

King

to bring the women's team under the same ownership as the men's.

Sandgaard

intends to ensure that the women’s team have full-time status, to see the club secure promotion to the WSL.

"The plan we have presented to the FA shows that within two years, instead of having a team of players who are part-time, we will be moving towards the squad all being full-time,"

Sandgaard

told Sky Sports News.

"The first year will be more of a hybrid model but we will eventually get there and it turns out it is something the FA is used to seeing from clubs that move from part-time to full-time.”

Charlton

reached the Women's FA Cup’s final three times, winning one in 2005. They also won the Women's League Cup in 2004 and 2006, hence,

Sandgaard

is keen for them to become one of the leading clubs once again.

"Just over a decade ago it was just them [Charlton] and Arsenal butting heads about who's the best club in the country,"

he added.

"As interest in women's sport has increased, more and more teams have invested in women's teams and so it's becoming a very competitive field.

"I feel it's something we should be a part of. I believe we have made a really good investment here."

Despite

Sandgaard’s

commitment to the cause, he knows there is still much to be done to bring the club back to greatness.

"There is work to be done but the structure is already in place,"

he said

. "There is work to be done in maybe bringing players on board.

"Skills coaching, strength and conditioning: there's a lot of things we need to step up so we can compete at a level where we start talking about promotion.

"When that's going to happen, it's hard to say, but it won't happen overnight."