Hanlin, the former chairman of NPL NSW and Australian Championship side Sydney Olympic, had been in talks with Charlesworth to buy the Mariners and lodged formal documentation with the APL and Football Australia in late 2025, pending due diligence, the passing of a fit-and-proper person test and other requirements.
However, it is far from a fait accompli that Hanlin will assume control, with the APL to launch a fresh sale of the club amid โengaged local and international interestโ.
Former Central Coast Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth.Credit: Getty Images
One source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told this masthead that Hanlinโs agreement with Charlesworth had fallen through, and that the APLโs takeover manoeuvre represented a clean slate.
Multiple sources say that English Championship club QPR – home to Australian trio Kealey Adamson, Daniel Bennie and Jayden Pearlman – had also been negotiating with Charlesworth to buy the Mariners in the off-season and had even reached an agreement with him, only for the deal to fall over at the eleventh hour, at which point they withdrew their interest.
The APL will now attempt to revive those discussions, but sources say that two other European-based clubs, plus a local consortium, have already signalled their intent to be part of the process.
The Mariners won all three of their A-League championships under Charlesworthโs stewardship, including an unprecedented treble in the 2024-25 season.
QPRโs owners were in talks to take over the Mariners in the off-season.Credit: AP
However, Charlesworth has been openly attempting to offload the club for many years, citing financial strain, which has led to significant cutbacks on spending, the departure of treble-winning coach Mark Jackson, many of his star players, and other key office staff – including their social media operator.
The Mariners have not posted on X (formerly Twitter) since late October, and announced Jacksonโs departure – the week before the start of the season – with a crudely-made graphic.
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The latest round of turmoil to hit the A-League comes after former champions Western United were placed in โhibernationโ mode in September – although there could be a route back for them, having avoided liquidation and settled a tax debt with the ATO, with the club announcing last week that all court proceedings against them had been dismissed.
Western Unitedโs coach, John Aloisi, has left the club to take up his first role abroad with Chinese Super League outfit Chengdu Rongcheng.
