British investors Peter Gould, Simon Van Kerckhoven and Charlie Methven have acquired 65% of RAEC Mons, aiming to develop Caribbean talent and propel the historic Belgian club back up the ladder.
The British property entrepreneur Peter Gould and partner Charlie Methven have acquired 65% of RAEC Mons from Bernard Courcelles and Hubert Ewbank, with the latter retaining 30% and 5% respectively. Courcelles will serve as club president, while Ewbank steps into an honorary role; both remain sponsors and directors. After a 2015 bankruptcy and relegation, the duo revived Mons in 2020.
Gould, former Chelsea director and founder of the Mount Pleasant Football Academy in Jamaica, has built a successful youth programme for disadvantaged Caribbean players. Seeking a European platform, he and Methven—ex-director at Oxford United, Sunderland and Charlton Athletic—appointed Simon Van Kerckhoven, former Lommel COO, to oversee daily operations.
Competing in Belgium’s third division, Mons aims for immediate promotion to the second tier and professional status, with a long-term goal of returning to the top flight. The plan relies on a sustainable model: break-even finances, low minimum wages facilitating work permits for non-EU players, and a squad blending local talent with four annual Caribbean recruits. Van Kerckhoven emphasizes that massive spending is off the table, favouring steady growth through player development and transfers.
