This is the email I alluded to in another thread. It took me a while to dig it out and I hadn't remembered it correctly.
I didn't know what to make of it at the time, and still don't, although I had no reason to doubt its authenticity and I've since verified that it was sent in a real name by a Charlton fan, but I am not disclosing that name.
It was sent the day after the team had stayed up, so it didn't seem appropriate to publish it at the time.
From:
Date: 30 April 2014 13:38:54 BST
To: "editor@votvonline.com"
Subject: Friends of Katrien Meire
Dear VOTV
Following last night's great result, I got on the train from Charlton station and three men in suits sat opposite me.
One asked the other if he was a Charlton fan, to which he replied, no, you could say that I was a Katrien fan.
They then proceeded to discuss what an excellent job she was doing and what her challenges were, including having had some very harsh words said about her, including by the wife of the club secretary. They didn't say what.
They continued with; 'the problem with the club is that some staff have been at the club for 20 years'.
'Rolande is expecting massive changes in the organisation'.
The difficulty of keeping the club 'local but streamlining'.
Not being able to afford renovating the ground so looking at moving grounds. One suggestion was a temporary move for a year, the other was 'moving, but not very far'.
One of the gentlemen said that he was 'officially there tonight with his FA hat on'. He was wearing an FA tie.
The most galling statement was, 'it's a nice little project to play around with for a few years'.
As you can imagine this put a slight dampener on an otherwise excellent evening. There's nothing in the conversation that I'm sure we weren't already aware was being discussed but it left me with a feeling of dread.
3
Comments
lalalalalalalalalalalalalala
I wonder who this FA chap was, and more interestingly, why Sue Parkes has become a bigger Katrien fan as time has gone on, whilst Katrien has shown herself to be worse.
The person who sent it is not someone I know, but much later I picked up their name - I think in an online VOTV order - which showed them to have been using their real identity when they sent it to me.
So I think the email is a genuine account of events sent in good faith. Whether the views of the individuals are of great relevance I doubt, which is why I have never disclosed it before.
And at the time, it would have been shouted down by people who wanted to celebrate survival in the Championship and believed everything was fine.
Or maybe she had a Damascus experience?
:-)
He's probably back in hither green - in the graveyard presumably.
I don't believe that for a second! Roland knows how important it is that Charlton play at the valley.
The man in question was of course a secret agent that works in close connection, with.... Peter varney.
(Just to be completely obvious I'm being sarcastic and have not evolved into a Colin)
So Sue (the wife of the clubs secretary who might as well be on the payroll but is not) wasn't a particular fan of Meire within the 1st 5 months....at least.
This was when Meire wasn't majorly liked or disliked by the general fanbase. Hadn't really publicly said or done anything wrong. Early days, as you'd expect.
Fans that met her would probably have mostly kind things to say etc.
Perhaps lady parkes was initially jealous?
Maybe not.
Maybe she thought Katrien didn't have enough work ethic or didn't work hard enough, or simply wasn't suited to the position?
What comes to mind here is; That say for instance, sue parkes was initially quite unimpressed by Katrien Meire for whatever reason to start off with, but then they became genuinely close and more mutually respectful, perhaps, as time went on.
No crap involved.
What f*cking right has she got to express her opinion on club employees either way?
She is not a club employee so it shouldn't be a place for her to make judgement. She's unaffected.
Well she had got "a right" to speak out (unless she received a letter from the club)
But in terms of what's appropriate and socially acceptable of reluctance to being a big headed nosey complete twat, then no, she has no right at all.
Sue, mind your own business. Your not important to Charlton athletic in any way shape or form.
The best bit about football manager is upgrading the stadium to 190k seater then cheating and filling it every week as charlton athletic! Everyone knows that. The football part is boring.
Tomas dipshit "
One said he was a Katrien fan, and that the Parkes woman had said something harsh about her. Now she says nice things.
Another man said some people had worked at Charlton for 20 years. Now they don't.
One man had a tie on and said Roland wanted to move to move grounds. We didn't.
If only these damning revelations had been revealed at the time, we wouldn't be in position we find ourselves in now.
Would we.
These owners are poison.
Belgians out !
@RedChaser has a decent theory tbh.