I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. The footnote I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke whom you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans Father of Joshua Bingham Son of Kenneth Bingham Grandson of Frederick Bingham Nephew of Audrey Nash Nephew of George Janes Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
Copy of my enquiry sent on Tuesday - I guess, in part, it's been answered tonight:
Hello
Given that the uncredited and poorly worded statement released on the club’s website on Tuesday has merely served to further alienate ‘customers’ and exacerbate problems at the club, can we expect the club to reveal the identity of the author?
Given the unmitigated PR disaster that it is, can we expect the imminent resignation of whoever was responsible, and the CEO (if, indeed, it was not one and the same person)?
I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. In the footnote which I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then is instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke who you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans Father of Joshua Bingham Son of Kenneth Bingham Grandson of Frederick Bingham Nephew of Audrey Nash Nephew of George Janes Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
I thought I'd take a different slant, so will be using the info@ address. We'll see if I get a reply.
I currently have a seasonal pass for the West Stand car park. It costs £800. Can I ask whether the club will be paying any compensation with regard to the lengthy delays suffered when attempting to leave the car park at the end of games on account of the on-going protests? On that point, can you also provide any guarantees regarding the unfettered use of the car park next season? There would seem to be no point on spending a large sum of money only to be seriously inconvenienced does there? I'll then add something about the outstanding Bournemouth vouchers fiasco and ask when they are going to fulfill their promises.
(I'm not, of course, actually renewing the car park pass or getting season tickets until such time as they have gone. Say goodbye to £1450, Katrein.)
£800 to get held behind after the game? Tell you what, park for free on the street, give me a fiver a game and I'll stand in your way for twenty minutes as you try to pull out of your parking space to give you that same level of inconvenience at a fraction of the cost.
I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. The footnote I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke whom you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans Father of Joshua Bingham Son of Kenneth Bingham Grandson of Frederick Bingham Nephew of Audrey Nash Nephew of George Janes Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
And their children and grandchildren
Such a shame that as a student of English you used "it's" when you meant "its". I suspect whoever read it at the club lost all respect for you at that point and filed it in the bin.
Seriously, that's a great missive to send to the club and it gets a 'like' from me. Of course, there's no chance of a reply.
Despite the surreal times we are living through being CAFC fans, Seeing yet another erudite post on the absurd Samuel Becket World that Charlton now occupy in the minds of football fans worldwide, This post has stopped me getting too low, since going down with Man flu after going to a funeral on Sunday.
Bing we must Hope, We are not on the Road to Hell on earth.
I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. The footnote I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke whom you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans Father of Joshua Bingham Son of Kenneth Bingham Grandson of Frederick Bingham Nephew of Audrey Nash Nephew of George Janes Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
And their children and grandchildren
Such a shame that as a student of English you used "it's" when you meant "its". I suspect whoever read it at the club lost all respect for you at that point and filed it in the bin.
Seriously, that's a great missive to send to the club and it gets a 'like' from me. Of course, there's no chance of a reply.
Well it just goes to show how important proof reading is when making a bold statement....;-)
Just sent the attached (quite a long ramble for those who haven't got the time!)
Brilliant! You should have posted that in full for everyone to read. I suggest anyone who has not opened and read the document in Paddy7's post should do so now.
I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. The footnote I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke whom you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans Father of Joshua Bingham Son of Kenneth Bingham Grandson of Frederick Bingham Nephew of Audrey Nash Nephew of George Janes Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
And their children and grandchildren
Such a shame that as a student of English you used "it's" when you meant "its". I suspect whoever read it at the club lost all respect for you at that point and filed it in the bin.
Seriously, that's a great missive to send to the club and it gets a 'like' from me. Of course, there's no chance of a reply.
Well it just goes to show how important proof reading is when making a bold statement....;-)
And who decided that the possessive for of "it" - "its" should not have an apostrophe yet all possessives in English (other than his, hers and theirs), requires one as in Roland's or Katrien's.............:-)
I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. The footnote I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke whom you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans Father of Joshua Bingham Son of Kenneth Bingham Grandson of Frederick Bingham Nephew of Audrey Nash Nephew of George Janes Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
And their children and grandchildren
Such a shame that as a student of English you used "it's" when you meant "its". I suspect whoever read it at the club lost all respect for you at that point and filed it in the bin.
Seriously, that's a great missive to send to the club and it gets a 'like' from me. Of course, there's no chance of a reply.
Just sent the attached (quite a long ramble for those who haven't got the time!)
Brilliant! You should have posted that in full for everyone to read. I suggest anyone who has not opened and read the document in Paddy7's post should do so now.
Many thanks Tunwells for your kind comments. Full version below as suggested:
To whom it may concern,
As a season ticket holder since 1975, I would like to express the following concerns.
1. I find the second statement issued after the Middlesbrough home match offensive, inaccurate, and thoroughly unprofessional. Rather than going to the game to "create disorder and interfere with the players", I, like many many others, went to support a team that has known little but failure under the current owner. That the vast majority of us – not the 2% laughably suggested by the hapless CEO – felt the need to express our displeasure to a nationwide TV audience simply provides further evidence of the contempt with which attempts at constructive conversation have been treated. Last year I attended the meeting of supporters at Woolwich Town Hall and, despite my concerns, applauded the Trust's persistence in pursuing such dialogue. However since then the CEO has repeatedly shown her complete failure to grasp the nature of the relationship between long-standing supporters and our club, which stretch way beyond playing fortunes. Mr. Duchatelet meanwhile has only recently felt moved to issue a remarkable series of explanations for the club's regression under his tenure, citing the very issues which were pointed out to him when he first made clear his ill-informed plans, and insisting that, despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary, he knows better than staff and supporters with decades of relevant experience.
2. I am appalled by the constant removal from their posts of staff, on and off the pitch, who have given years of dedicated service to a club which had to be rebuilt after previous failings. Many of these people have given the additional hours that only true dedication and loyalty offers, and to replace them with cheaper options is short-sighted at best.
3. On a similar note, the alienation of long-standing supporters is likely to have a drastic impact on the club. Previous relegations have of course affected attendances but the fanbase has shown exceptional loyalty – not the sort likely to be shown by mere "customers" at a cinema as suggested by Ms. Meire – which has allowed successful promotion campaigns. The last of these was marshalled by a true Charlton Athletic legend; a man who not only played for club and country with distinction, but who personified the fine reputation and dignity associated with Charlton by the football community at large. Indeed since the emotional return to The Valley which was achieved through a unique partnership between the Boardroom and the fans, Charlton Athletic has been lauded as something of a model for aspiring medium-sized clubs to follow. In the two years since Mr. Duchatelet has been at the helm that reputation now lies in tatters with the club held up for ridicule as an example of how damaging one
man's autocratic leadership can be. One need only look at the media response to the above-mentioned statement. I find such a fall from grace careless, sad, and embarrassing.
4. Mr. Duchatelet has never taken the trouble to explain fully the vision he has for our club. The welcome improvements to the stadium cannot begin to compensate for the damage he is inflicting elsewhere. Whist we all take pride in seeing home-grown youngsters progress to the first team, backed by our exceptional Valley Gold programme, we do not wish to see our academy reduced to some kind of farm for other clubs to feed from. Whatever his peculiar plans include, only a fool can refuse to acknowledge such humiliating public failure, and employing a series of under-qualified personnel to repair such self-inflicted damage using the same failed methods appears destined only to reep further damage. Again, this applies both on and off the pitch.
5. Can our CEO seriously remain in her current post when she has been seen to mislead and alienate such a huge percentage of the fans she herself describes as "customers"? Her repeated failings have now reached new levels of incompetence and misunderstanding, no matter how hard she doubtless tries to present them. On a business level alone she will likely now be responsible for a huge drop in income from season tickets – I myself will find it difficult to renew for the first time in decades, regardless of which division the club plays in. Perhaps she is just in the unfortunate position of having to implement Mr. Duchatelet's bizarrely misguided vision, but our CEO needs to be wise enough and strong enough to highlight what is so obviously flawed.
6. I'm lead to believe that a consortium led by the CEO who oversaw the most successful period in our recent history has tried to discuss a potential takeover which was clumsily ignored. Please advise me how this was helpful in our current shambolic predicament.
In closing I would like to emphasise how saddened I am by having to write. I do not enjoy being in opposition to the people running my club – for that is what Charlton Athletic is; a football CLUB! More than just about any rival CAFC has benefited from the unique bond felt between fans and club. Many of us have at various stages played our own small part in building a successful, respected club, in which we invest not just the cost of tickets, but time, energy, and passion in return for an uncertain dividend of memories and a sense of belonging to something unique.
Like so many others I wish that remarkable club to be there for my young boys to join, for they already know that the name represents something very special, in which their own family have played their part. That it is currently imploding before they have had a chance to do likewise fills me with sadness. There will clearly be a lot of damage for them to help repair but I doubt very much that they'll feel inclined to help when they are only likely to be treated as disposable commodities by a distant owner who appears incapable of learning from his own catastrophic mismanagement, and a CEO who insults the very people she supposed to represent.
I eagerly await your reply – please do not issue a mass circulated response which will fail to address my concerns.
Mel Baroni would have set up this e-mail as she would have wanted to try and re-engage with fans. Now she has gone they will revert to the original policy of directing them to trash! I have only written one letter to the club - urging Curbs to play Newton and Robinson as wing backs. It didn't deserve a response, but it got one! and an explanation.
I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. The footnote I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke whom you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans Father of Joshua Bingham Son of Kenneth Bingham Grandson of Frederick Bingham Nephew of Audrey Nash Nephew of George Janes Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
And their children and grandchildren
Such a shame that as a student of English you used "it's" when you meant "its". I suspect whoever read it at the club lost all respect for you at that point and filed it in the bin.
Seriously, that's a great missive to send to the club and it gets a 'like' from me. Of course, there's no chance of a reply.
Well it just goes to show how important proof reading is when making a bold statement....;-)
And who decided that the possessive for of "it" - "its" should not have an apostrophe yet all possessives in English (other than his, hers and theirs), requires one as in Roland's or Katrien's.............:-)
And "yours". It's a general thing with pronouns, personal and impersonal. None of them has an apostrophe in the dative.
I sent an email three days ago about having teams on the screen rather than live feed. Just got a reply - they are trialling a new system that will do exactly that. Can't fault the efficiency of the comms team in this case especially if they have also been dealing with the Mel Baroni resignation.
I sent an email three days ago about having teams on the screen rather than live feed. Just got a reply - they are trialling a new system that will do exactly that. Can't fault the efficiency of the comms team in this case especially if they have also been dealing with the Mel Baroni resignation.
If you look at the minutes from the fan's forum in October 2015 they said exactly the same thing:
PC has had a lot of feedback. Better quality,main gripe is that the team lineups are missed. TK said theyjust waiting for a new piece of software. PC thought that there was no need to show game on the screen when it's on the pitch. TK said that people like to see the game on the screen but CL said that nobody now looks at the screen..... CP suggested lineups be showed and then replays when there is a significant moment. KM has also had complaints about lineups, working on it. AC said that font size is very small and TK said they are onto it
I just sent the following. I'm not expecting any substantive response, but good to get it off my chest.
----------
I note M. Duchatelet's rant at Charlton fans on the club website last night. I am not surprised by the clumsy and mis-directed nature of what he said because that has been the hallmark of all club communications during his tenure, but the timing of his message was strange bearing in mind the equally mis-guided but conciliatory tone of the club statement just two days earlier. I surmise that the new Head of Communications was involved in the first statement but not the second?
The time for pleasantries is past. Let us not mince words. Charlton Athletic, a club that within the last 10 years was widely admired has become a shambles; a laughing stock in the footballing world. From the disastrous performances on the pitch to the inept management off it. I do not know to what extent that is attributable to M. Duchatelet's appointment of an incompetent Chief executive and a succession of inadequate head coaches, or his insistence on a rigid application of his own deeply flawed philosophies. Probably a combination of these. Either way, they are his responsibility, and he must take that responsibilty. Ms Meire once advised us that M. Duchatelet “does not do failure”. Clearly, that is no longer true.
Charlton Athletic, for all of us fans, is part of our lives, of our family history, of our community. We love the club and it hurts us more than we can say to be forced into fighting against it. But he are destroying the very soul of that we hold most dear. If M. Duchatelet had done any research at all into the proud history of Charlton Athletic he will have gathered that Charlton fans are amongst the most steadfast, loyal and fair minded anywhere in the world. We are also talented and determined. We will not meekly stand aside and allow him and his Chief executive to bring our proud club to ruin. The fans do not want the club to fail, in the long term, but it is remarkable and sad that many fans would positively welcome relegation if that meant an end to M. Duchatelet's ownership of the club.
He can be deriving no pleasure from his ownership or stewardship of the club. Peter Varney has approached the club at least twice to seek discussions about a takeover and M. Duchatelet has admitted that such approaches are not uncommon. We call upon M. Duchatelet to give up this failed experiment in football economics, sell up and go.
With that in mind:
1. Can the club confirm that this statement was indeed written solely by M. Duchatelet, or was it drafted and/or amended by Ms mere before publication?
2. What does M. Duchatelet make of the unpalatable truth that fans would welcome relegation if it meant the end of his disastrous regime?
3. Is it true that M. Duchatelet receives regular approaches to buy the club and, if so, why this appears to have been missed or forgotten by him in constructing his statement?
Alan Davis
If you really are Alan Davis can you go into Jonathan Creek mode and make Roland and Katrien disappear?
I sent an email three days ago about having teams on the screen rather than live feed. Just got a reply - they are trialling a new system that will do exactly that. Can't fault the efficiency of the comms team in this case especially if they have also been dealing with the Mel Baroni resignation.
If you look at the minutes from the fan's forum in October 2015 they said exactly the same thing:
PC has had a lot of feedback. Better quality,main gripe is that the team lineups are missed. TK said theyjust waiting for a new piece of software. PC thought that there was no need to show game on the screen when it's on the pitch. TK said that people like to see the game on the screen but CL said that nobody now looks at the screen..... CP suggested lineups be showed and then replays when there is a significant moment. KM has also had complaints about lineups, working on it. AC said that font size is very small and TK said they are onto it
They say they are trialling it later this season and introducing it full time next season. Whatever, I got a reply when a lot of people were saying nobody would ever hear back.
I sent an email three days ago about having teams on the screen rather than live feed. Just got a reply - they are trialling a new system that will do exactly that. Can't fault the efficiency of the comms team in this case especially if they have also been dealing with the Mel Baroni resignation.
If you look at the minutes from the fan's forum in October 2015 they said exactly the same thing:
PC has had a lot of feedback. Better quality,main gripe is that the team lineups are missed. TK said theyjust waiting for a new piece of software. PC thought that there was no need to show game on the screen when it's on the pitch. TK said that people like to see the game on the screen but CL said that nobody now looks at the screen..... CP suggested lineups be showed and then replays when there is a significant moment. KM has also had complaints about lineups, working on it. AC said that font size is very small and TK said they are onto it
So CL = Charlton Life, CP = Chris Powell, AC = Alan Curbishley, KM = Pinocchio... struggling with the rest of the people in that meeting.
I sent an email three days ago about having teams on the screen rather than live feed. Just got a reply - they are trialling a new system that will do exactly that. Can't fault the efficiency of the comms team in this case especially if they have also been dealing with the Mel Baroni resignation.
So CL = Charlton Life, CP = Chris Powell, AC = Alan Curbishley, KM = Pinocchio... struggling with the rest of the people in that meeting.
CL Christine Lawrie, CP Craig Parrett, AC Alex Clarke - not heard of any of them except Squirrel Face - I only know cause I stumbled on the minutes the other day while I was looking for something else
This is what I sent over to that email address. I'm not expecting a customised response but in lieu of my personal stance of continuing to boycott attending matches (I sincerely applaud those of you which continue to protest at the games, as I initially did myself) I thought the least I could do was to add to the mounting critical emails I am sure the club will receive.
Dear CAFC,
Firstly, thank you for providing this contact address for fans to contact the club. Communication is obviously a two-way process and so I look forward to hearing back from you promptly.
I have been a fan of the club since a young child and as my family originates from SE London, it really is a hereditary tradition that my family supports the club.
I am somewhat concerned by the semi-coherent statement released on the official site:
I already feel disenfranchised as a fan/stakeholder and have stopped attending games as a result (I'm not a season ticket holder, so that is a loss in your revenue). I have a few questions I would appreciate the answers to:
> Please can you confirm that this is an official statement from the board and/or owners? > Is the club seriously not aware of the Peter Varney backed consortium who are interested in buying the club? > What fans/fan groups were consulted with recently?
I understand that at a purely business level, I am indeed a customer. I pay money and you provide an entertainment service. However, clearly football in the UK is linked to communities and families in a way like no other institution can compare to.
Were I to have the opportunity, I would literally beg the owners to find a way to sell the club, because the relationship with the fans has clearly reached a point of irreparable damage, regardless of the league we find ourselves playing in next season.
Response (received on the 17th March):
Thank you for taking the time to write to us. We understand your concerns and we are taking all comments on board.
With regards to the points raised in your email we will try and address these and your concerns as much as possible. · Please can you confirm that this is an official statement from the board and/or owners?
o This was an official statement from senior executives at the club, including Mr Duchâtelet. While he knows fans care deeply about the club, for right or wrong he wanted to publicly address his concerns about those who he perceives want the club to lose matches.
· Is the club seriously not aware of the Peter Varney backed consortium who are interested in buying the club?
o The club was aware that Peter Varney had approached us in relation to a consortium. On August 19th 2015 he wrote to us saying: “I have an interesting investment proposal to discuss with you in relation to Charlton Athletic.” This is however a very different message than “I have a buyer for your club”. The club agreed then that there was not a need for anybody else to provide additional financial investment. On Jan 6th 2016 it became clear what Mr Varney meant when he wrote: “I met in London today with the overseas investor interested in acquiring Charlton Athletic FC.” All that said, currently, Mr Duchâtelet has no intention of selling the club.
o It may be useful us providing background on the sales process and how it relates to Charlton (apologies if this is something you have knowledge of). The owner gets many enquiries regarding the sale of the club, however they are nearly all from middlemen/brokers who want to earn a commission on the sale transaction. The brokers will ask for a mandate to sell the club and then they will start to search for buyers. There are exceptions of course when they have an “interested party” already. Mr Duchatelet’s business has extensive experience of acquiring and selling firms, so could can handle this type of transaction if it is decided to do so. Since a serious buyer will want to have lots of representation and warranties, this means that the financials need to be 100% correct, available and recently audited. A data room needs to be organised with all contracts for example. Terms and conditions need to be negotiated as well as representations and warranties. This process can easily take up over six months of work. In such a case, the sale would start with a structured approach whereby parties which expressed interest in the past would be contacted, and possibly an investment bank or other specialised M&A organisation might be involved in the process.
What fans/fan groups were consulted with recently? o All of the Senior Management Team attend the quarterly Fans’ Forum and several of them also attend the Target 20,000 meetings (there have been four meetings since the group started in December). The Senior Management team also met with club partners this week, who are nearly all Charlton fans. During his visit in February, Mr Duchâtelet met a similar group of fans who have an excellent knowledge of the club. There was a full exchange of views on issues like recruitment, communication, supporter relations, finance and the importance of the club to community.
At the club we do understand the emotional and historical connection of Charlton Athletic to the community and families like yours. We also know that we have a job to do to win back the trust of many fans, but we will endeavour to do that.
Comments
M. Duchatelet et Mlle. Meire
I thought I would take the opportunity to respond to the Statement (or was it an open letter) to "Fans" that was posted to the club website on Tuesday evening.
Firstly - I know it was written by one of the two of you, maybe it was a collaborative effort? As a student of English it was an excellent try.
I am sure those "Fans" who work in public and media relations will want to question the wisdom of attacking those who turn up week in week out to witness the demise of a great family club, I will leave that to them.
Can I just take you up on one aspect. The footnote I believe was a verbatim transcript of Mlle. Meire's Dublin speech, apart from the clarification given to the word "weird" by indicating that it's meaning is "unique". May I point out that will not get you a pass in GCSE English. Never in the annals of the English language has "weird" ever been a synonym for "unique".
Just to help you for the future, here are some true examples of what is meant by "weird".
All of the examples may have a familiar ring about them :-
1. Selling Yann Kermorgant whom you described as not good enough, (the best player in our team and the best player Chris Powell has worked with) without a suitable replacement. He is then instrumental in gaining promotion for his new team whilst your team flounders. Just to compound things, you then try and get him back on loan when all your strikers were injured or firing blanks. That's a text book definition of "weird" meaning "strange".
2. Without any understanding of the requirements of the Championship, you parachute players you control from inferior leagues around Europe or reserves who have failed to make the grade in these clubs you control. One player - a goalkeeper was so poor, the coaches at Charlton believed that he would not be good enough for the fifth tier in English football let alone the second tier. That M. et Mlle is "weird" meaning "very odd".
3. Having brought in a load of inferior dross which failed to improve the squad or the team, you sack the existing manager/head coach and replace him with somebody known to you. That manager immediately ditches almost all of those inferior players and builds a team based on the one the sacked manager had built. That is really "weird" meaning "very strange".
4. You fail to reappoint the manager/head coach who had done an excellent job with the previous managers squad and replace him with a manager/head coach who's track record was less impressive and had never managed in the English League. He lasts less than half a season. After replacing him and sacking both his replacement and his successor, you appoint the bloke whom you failed to reappoint at the start of the previous season. That's very "weird" meaning "abnormal".
5. Prior to the current manager/head coach, you appointed an "interim" manager/head coach who's past footballing achievement was so miniscule that you could have gone outside the ground with a net and brought in random people with a better track record. But worse than that you then sack the "interim" holder of the position. If he was "interim" why was the replacement not ready to take over? That is another example of "weird" meaning "not normal".
6. Having a fans sofa - trying I assume to enhance the idea that Charlton is a family club with family values yet in the summer, the club publicity team produced a promotional video of a couple simulating sexual intercourse on the pitch. To create that paradox fits the text book definition of "weird" meaning "completely unexpected".
7. Finally you realise that the club is not communicating it's message to "fans" and after a long search, you appoint a professional in public/media relations. Yet within 44 days of her appointment you decide to completely ignore her expertise and publish your "statement" on Tuesday. It is clear that anyone who understands public relations would never have put their name to such an own goal. Irony upon irony she resigns. We have a saying in English, "why have a dog and bark yourself". Never has the epithet "weird" been more aptly demonstrated meaning "unreal".
Our club is a laughing stock in the wider football community but for us "fans" it's not funny at all. This club is in our soul. We will be Charlton until we die. You may not have understood this up until now. Sunday will have changed all that. We want the club to succeed. You have singularly and spectacularly failed in your "weird" experiment that has turned into a nightmare.
In the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell :
"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"
Yours in hope,
David Bingham
Member of a family of Charlton Fans
Father of Joshua Bingham
Son of Kenneth Bingham
Grandson of Frederick Bingham
Nephew of Audrey Nash
Nephew of George Janes
Second Cousin of Brian and Kevin Lawrence
And their children and grandchildren
Hello
Given that the uncredited and poorly worded statement released on the club’s website on Tuesday has merely served to further alienate ‘customers’ and exacerbate problems at the club, can we expect the club to reveal the identity of the author?
Given the unmitigated PR disaster that it is, can we expect the imminent resignation of whoever was responsible, and the CEO (if, indeed, it was not one and the same person)?
Thank you in anticipation of your reply
Mark West
Seriously, that's a great missive to send to the club and it gets a 'like' from me. Of course, there's no chance of a reply.
Despite the surreal times we are living through being CAFC fans,
Seeing yet another erudite post on the absurd Samuel Becket World that Charlton now occupy in the minds of football fans worldwide, This post has stopped me getting too low, since going down with Man flu after going to a funeral on Sunday.
Bing we must Hope,
We are not on the Road to Hell on earth.
(No Dorothy Lamour in this movie)
To whom it may concern,
As a season ticket holder since 1975, I would like to express the following concerns.
1. I find the second statement issued after the Middlesbrough home match offensive, inaccurate, and thoroughly unprofessional. Rather than going to the game to "create disorder and interfere with the players", I, like many many others, went to support a team that has known little but failure under the current owner. That the vast majority of us – not the 2% laughably suggested by the hapless CEO – felt the need to express our displeasure to a nationwide TV audience simply provides further evidence of the contempt with which attempts at constructive conversation have been treated. Last year I attended the meeting of supporters at Woolwich Town Hall and, despite my concerns, applauded the Trust's persistence in pursuing such dialogue. However since then the CEO has repeatedly shown her complete failure to grasp the nature of the relationship between long-standing supporters and our club, which stretch way beyond playing fortunes. Mr. Duchatelet meanwhile has only recently felt moved to issue a remarkable series of explanations for the club's regression under his tenure, citing the very issues which were pointed out to him when he first made clear his ill-informed plans, and insisting that, despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary, he knows better than staff and supporters with decades of relevant experience.
2. I am appalled by the constant removal from their posts of staff, on and off the pitch, who have given years of dedicated service to a club which had to be rebuilt after previous failings. Many of these people have given the additional hours that only true dedication and loyalty offers, and to replace them with cheaper options is short-sighted at best.
3. On a similar note, the alienation of long-standing supporters is likely to have a drastic impact on the club. Previous relegations have of course affected attendances but the fanbase has shown exceptional loyalty – not the sort likely to be shown by mere "customers" at a cinema as suggested by Ms. Meire – which has allowed successful promotion campaigns. The last of these was marshalled by a true Charlton Athletic legend; a man who not only played for club and country with distinction, but who personified the fine reputation and dignity associated with Charlton by the football community at large. Indeed since the emotional return to The Valley which was achieved through a unique partnership between the Boardroom and the fans, Charlton Athletic has been lauded as something of a model for aspiring medium-sized clubs to follow. In the two years since Mr. Duchatelet has been at the helm that reputation now lies in tatters with the club held up for ridicule as an example of how damaging one
man's autocratic leadership can be. One need only look at the media response to the above-mentioned statement. I find such a fall from grace careless, sad, and embarrassing.
4. Mr. Duchatelet has never taken the trouble to explain fully the vision he has for our club. The welcome improvements to the stadium cannot begin to compensate for the damage he is inflicting elsewhere. Whist we all take pride in seeing home-grown youngsters progress to the first team, backed by our exceptional Valley Gold programme, we do not wish to see our academy reduced to some kind of farm for other clubs to feed from. Whatever his peculiar plans include, only a fool can refuse to acknowledge such humiliating public failure, and employing a series of under-qualified personnel to repair such self-inflicted damage using the same failed methods appears destined only to reep further damage. Again, this applies both on and off the pitch.
5. Can our CEO seriously remain in her current post when she has been seen to mislead and alienate such a huge percentage of the fans she herself describes as "customers"? Her repeated failings have now reached new levels of incompetence and misunderstanding, no matter how hard she doubtless tries to present them. On a business level alone she will likely now be responsible for a huge drop in income from season tickets – I myself will find it difficult to renew for the first time in decades, regardless of which division the club plays in. Perhaps she is just in the unfortunate position of having to implement Mr. Duchatelet's bizarrely misguided vision, but our CEO needs to be wise enough and strong enough to highlight what is so obviously flawed.
6. I'm lead to believe that a consortium led by the CEO who oversaw the most successful period in our recent history has tried to discuss a potential takeover which was clumsily ignored. Please advise me how this was helpful in our current shambolic predicament.
In closing I would like to emphasise how saddened I am by having to write. I do not enjoy being in opposition to the people running my club – for that is what Charlton Athletic is; a football CLUB! More than just about any rival CAFC has benefited from the unique bond felt between fans and club. Many of us have at various stages played our own small part in building a successful, respected club, in which we invest not just the cost of tickets, but time, energy, and passion in return for an uncertain dividend of memories and a sense of belonging to something unique.
Like so many others I wish that remarkable club to be there for my young boys to join, for they already know that the name represents something very special, in which their own family have played their part. That it is currently imploding before they have had a chance to do likewise fills me with sadness. There will clearly be a lot of damage for them to help repair but I doubt very much that they'll feel inclined to help when they are only likely to be treated as disposable commodities by a distant owner who appears incapable of learning from his own catastrophic mismanagement, and a CEO who insults the very people she supposed to represent.
I eagerly await your reply – please do not issue a mass circulated response which will fail to address my concerns.
Yours sincerely,
But lets face it, it's not going to end well is it?
Get out of our club you very nice man*
Kind Regards,
Dan
*"Very nice man" meaning cunt.
Dear Mr
Thank you for your email. Season ticket brochures have been posted all season ticket holders and should arrive by early next week.
Regards
Mandy Anderson-Myers
They seemed to have learnt from last years debacle.
PC has had a lot of feedback. Better quality,main gripe is that the team lineups are missed. TK said theyjust waiting for a
new piece of software. PC thought that there was no need to show game on the screen when it's on the pitch. TK
said that people like to see the game on the screen but CL said that nobody now looks at the screen..... CP suggested
lineups be showed and then replays when there is a significant moment. KM has also had complaints about lineups, working on it. AC said that font size is very small and TK said they are onto it
Thank you for taking the time to write to us. We understand your concerns and we are taking all comments on board.
With regards to the points raised in your email we will try and address these and your concerns as much as possible.
· Please can you confirm that this is an official statement from the board and/or owners?
o This was an official statement from senior executives at the club, including Mr Duchâtelet. While he knows fans care deeply about the club, for right or wrong he wanted to publicly address his concerns about those who he perceives want the club to lose matches.
· Is the club seriously not aware of the Peter Varney backed consortium who are interested in buying the club?
o The club was aware that Peter Varney had approached us in relation to a consortium. On August 19th 2015 he wrote to us saying: “I have an interesting investment proposal to discuss with you in relation to Charlton Athletic.” This is however a very different message than “I have a buyer for your club”. The club agreed then that there was not a need for anybody else to provide additional financial investment. On Jan 6th 2016 it became clear what Mr Varney meant when he wrote: “I met in London today with the overseas investor interested in acquiring Charlton Athletic FC.” All that said, currently, Mr Duchâtelet has no intention of selling the club.
o It may be useful us providing background on the sales process and how it relates to Charlton (apologies if this is something you have knowledge of). The owner gets many enquiries regarding the sale of the club, however they are nearly all from middlemen/brokers who want to earn a commission on the sale transaction. The brokers will ask for a mandate to sell the club and then they will start to search for buyers. There are exceptions of course when they have an “interested party” already. Mr Duchatelet’s business has extensive experience of acquiring and selling firms, so could can handle this type of transaction if it is decided to do so. Since a serious buyer will want to have lots of representation and warranties, this means that the financials need to be 100% correct, available and recently audited. A data room needs to be organised with all contracts for example. Terms and conditions need to be negotiated as well as representations and warranties. This process can easily take up over six months of work. In such a case, the sale would start with a structured approach whereby parties which expressed interest in the past would be contacted, and possibly an investment bank or other specialised M&A organisation might be involved in the process.
What fans/fan groups were consulted with recently?
o All of the Senior Management Team attend the quarterly Fans’ Forum and several of them also attend the Target 20,000 meetings (there have been four meetings since the group started in December). The Senior Management team also met with club partners this week, who are nearly all Charlton fans. During his visit in February, Mr Duchâtelet met a similar group of fans who have an excellent knowledge of the club. There was a full exchange of views on issues like recruitment, communication, supporter relations, finance and the importance of the club to community.
At the club we do understand the emotional and historical connection of Charlton Athletic to the community and families like yours. We also know that we have a job to do to win back the trust of many fans, but we will endeavour to do that.
Best regards