Of course CAST is "doing something". Three of us (one of whom is supposed to be on holiday) have spent most of our weekend on it. But it's the nature of Supporter Trust stuff that it is prepared with care and below the radar until such time as we have something concrete to report.
There is absolutely no point in the Trust trying to duplicate either CARD or ROT efforts to generate public attention to our plight. Indeed we are part of CARD, that is the whole point of it. Within the CARD team you have at least two people who are media professionals, and better placed to understand and activate the media than anyone within the Trust Board. That is the strength of the Coalition.
And as for ROT? Well, see you in Sint-Truiden sometime soon.
Roland Out Today.
Richard - it would have been helpful if you and your fellow CASTs had informed us mere supporters that you actually intend to do something rather than waste time sniping at others on CL who might just possibly hold a different view. As far as I know, and that is very little, CARD and CAST are doing nothing and in a way treating us no better than we are treated by the club. So please keep us informed without giving away important information.
As for your Sint-Truiden remark I find it difficult enough to travel to the Valley, but as you wouldn't know that I suggest that you keep such a glib remark to yourself.
If that is the case for health reasons then obviously I regret that remark, and apologise for the hurt caused; but the point I hoped to make is that nobody needs CAST to order them to support ROT, there is no competition or mutual exclusivity between the two, and as an individual CAST Board member I am also a member of ROT, and I'm not the only one.
As for the rest, it would have in turn been helpful if you, having sent the mail to CAST, waited at least a nano-second for a reply before posting it on here.
But otherwise sure, keep on kicking your own fellow fans rather than the man who needs to be kicked in any part we can reach. Now if you will excuse me I will get back to my day job, before carrying on with the CAST stuff in the evening.
CAST have absolutely no say or influence in what happens at our club while we have no CEO or Chairman or Manager etc.... You might hate me for saying it but we were better of when Pinocchio was still with us . If you thought we were going through a bad time a year ago I’m afraid we ain’t seen nothing yet. The club is going right down the shitter and it’s heart breaking watching it happen.
How about supporting something that is already working to get Roland out?
It's a one off, extremely timely initiative - ROT.
Don't think we can just wait for that, to be honest. More needs to happen and more quickly, in a place where many people can get involved more easily. We need to make the football authorities and the local authorities uncomfortable here.
RD cares about his fixed assets. What can be done to decrease the value of his fixed assets ?
Set fire to the Valley? He's probably got it insured with Admiral under an all for one policy with his Datsun Cherry. He won't get much back on it.
Boardroom and Posh Seats sit-in? They would have to leave lights on for H & S reasons. Then there is cost of extra security etc. Even the threat of action would cost RD money.
On Saturday, no one leaves the ground after the game, once all players are off the pitch everyone sits on the pitch, sure the tv cameras will come down if we make it known we are doing this
On Saturday, no one leaves the ground after the game, once all players are off the pitch everyone sits on the pitch, sure the tv cameras will come down if we make it known we are doing this
CAST have no teeth, IMHO. What needs to happen is for Lee Bowyer and JJ to walk out and for the players to go on strike. Who are the EFL going to call to account if we don’t fulfill a fixture? We don’t have a CEO, we don’t have s CFO. We do have an absent owner and a toothless non-exec Director. It’s only the players that can bring this to a head now ...
It’s easy to say they have no teeth or CARD have lost the plot or ROT are this or that but as soon as any of these groups try and do something positive to rid CAFC of RD they get a torrent of abuse from fans many of who flip flop from one week to the next. Until everyone wants this tosser gone “it is what it is”
I agree and I could be described as a flip flopper. I think the key is to have a plan that will unite the fans. The boycott plan divided the fans. (I'm not criticising).
Agree with this. Protests at games will divide the fan base. Especially if it involves doing the same things that were done before. It’s not as if there’s really anyone there to protest against either.
On Saturday, no one leaves the ground after the game, once all players are off the pitch everyone sits on the pitch, sure the tv cameras will come down if we make it known we are doing this
You'd get a bigger take up, if everyone sat in their seats and didn't leave the ground.
Mind you it would be more effective on a pre planned date, with more in attendance to make it more successful.
CAST have no teeth, IMHO. What needs to happen is for Lee Bowyer and JJ to walk out and for the players to go on strike. Who are the EFL going to call to account if we don’t fulfill a fixture? We don’t have a CEO, we don’t have s CFO. We do have an absent owner and a toothless non-exec Director. It’s only the players that can bring this to a head now ...
It’s easy to say they have no teeth or CARD have lost the plot or ROT are this or that but as soon as any of these groups try and do something positive to rid CAFC of RD they get a torrent of abuse from fans many of who flip flop from one week to the next. Until everyone wants this tosser gone “it is what it is”
I agree and I could be described as a flip flopper. I think the key is to have a plan that will unite the fans. The boycott plan divided the fans. (I'm not criticising).
I agree.
We are all united in wanting Roland gone, but a boycott doesnt suit the fans who want to cheer on the club they have supported all there lives</blockquote
CAST have no teeth, IMHO. What needs to happen is for Lee Bowyer and JJ to walk out and for the players to go on strike. Who are the EFL going to call to account if we don’t fulfill a fixture? We don’t have a CEO, we don’t have s CFO. We do have an absent owner and a toothless non-exec Director. It’s only the players that can bring this to a head now ...
It’s easy to say they have no teeth or CARD have lost the plot or ROT are this or that but as soon as any of these groups try and do something positive to rid CAFC of RD they get a torrent of abuse from fans many of who flip flop from one week to the next. Until everyone wants this tosser gone “it is what it is”
Don’t get me wrong, I have every respect for the lads and lasses who give up their time for the good of Charlton. They have some very experienced members. I am a CAST member. But what clout do they actually have with Duchatelet? Huh ... nothing. So most things they do fall on deaf ears. Hence me saying they have no teeth
CAST have no teeth, IMHO. What needs to happen is for Lee Bowyer and JJ to walk out and for the players to go on strike. Who are the EFL going to call to account if we don’t fulfill a fixture? We don’t have a CEO, we don’t have s CFO. We do have an absent owner and a toothless non-exec Director. It’s only the players that can bring this to a head now ...
It’s easy to say they have no teeth or CARD have lost the plot or ROT are this or that but as soon as any of these groups try and do something positive to rid CAFC of RD they get a torrent of abuse from fans many of who flip flop from one week to the next. Until everyone wants this tosser gone “it is what it is”
I agree and I could be described as a flip flopper. I think the key is to have a plan that will unite the fans. The boycott plan divided the fans. (I'm not criticising).
Why don’t you get involved with CARD? Maybe you can give them an alternative view about actions they might take, you seem to always have strong views.
I think we need to take a look at the way Orient dealt with Francesco Becchetti who single-handedly took one of the longest serving league clubs to non-league. It took a couple years of difficulty but they forced him out. We have been through it for 4 years now and we still seem to be sitting back and watching it happen. We are now on the road to relegation, a team full of youngsters and players wanting out. No senior members of staff, no full-time manager and more ridiculous things occuring every day. I'm not suggesting it should be solely the work of CAST, as a club we need to unite. But what I see is 'fans' that have given up on the club and are not willing to jump on board. I understand how depressing being a Charlton fan is at the minute. But you only have to look back 15 years ago to see how incredible being a Charlton fan can be. The only way that can return is everyone uniting together for the same end result - RD being kicked out. How we go about getting rid of him is not something I'm entirely clued up on, but it seems the EFL are getting away with this whole situation extremely lightly. Why they have not stepped in to help us Fans and our club I don't know. In my own opinion we need to target the EFL and the governing bodies. Again, how we go about it I don't know but I'm sure willing to get involved and help. I didn't think I'd see the day where I openly refuse to attend the Valley. And I do find it frustrating that people (5k?) haven't followed suit. Many will have their reasons I'm sure, but it can't be for entertainment value or enjoyment!
I think the biggest headline would be the non-fulfilment of a fixture(s) and would force the EFL to act
I know Roland is heading that way by decimating the squad, but can it be hastened (the fixture, not the squad destruction...)? I don't think there will be enough protesters in the ground to force an abandonment, so it would have to come from the playing staff - and that would be a much more powerful message.
Does anyone think that is realistic? Very few of the players have the same emotional attachment as us fans, and there are still enough u23s that have squad numbers (and presumably have been registered with the league) to field 11, but how many more senior pros do we need to lose through sale & injury before it might be a possibility?
Do the players have an appetite for a 'strike' if they are being forced to play when injured? Would they have the support of the PFA? If we had enough 'injuries' that we could only start with 11 with no named subs, surely that would get coverage.
Is there another way of causing a fixture to be unfulfilled apart from pitch invasion / player action that would grab the headlines?
How about supporting something that is already working to get Roland out?
It's a one off, extremely timely initiative - ROT.
Don't think we can just wait for that, to be honest. More needs to happen and more quickly, in a place where many people can get involved more easily. We need to make the football authorities and the local authorities uncomfortable here.
I think the biggest headline would be the non-fulfilment of a fixture(s) and would force the EFL to act
I know Roland is heading that way by decimating the squad, but can it be hastened (the fixture, not the squad destruction...)? I don't think there will be enough protesters in the ground to force an abandonment, so it would have to come from the playing staff - and that would be a much more powerful message.
Does anyone think that is realistic? Very few of the players have the same emotional attachment as us fans, and there are still enough u23s that have squad numbers (and presumably have been registered with the league) to field 11, but how many more senior pros do we need to lose through sale & injury before it might be a possibility?
Do the players have an appetite for a 'strike' if they are being forced to play when injured? Would they have the support of the PFA? If we had enough 'injuries' that we could only start with 11 with no named subs, surely that would get coverage.
Is there another way of causing a fixture to be unfulfilled apart from pitch invasion / player action that would grab the headlines?
They’d all be in breach of their contract surely which would leave them open to potential action ?
Plus I think you overestimate how much the players care provided the money hits their account each month.
I actually think in ground protests will be less divisive than people think.
The biggest reason was always that giving the team the best chance of promotion to The Championship would hopefully speed up the departure of RD.
But with promotion out of the question even before the Sunderland game I'd say protests such as getting the game abandoned what do we have to lose? RD's taking us down to League Two anyway if he's here for the season.
I think the biggest headline would be the non-fulfilment of a fixture(s) and would force the EFL to act
I know Roland is heading that way by decimating the squad, but can it be hastened (the fixture, not the squad destruction...)? I don't think there will be enough protesters in the ground to force an abandonment, so it would have to come from the playing staff - and that would be a much more powerful message.
Does anyone think that is realistic? Very few of the players have the same emotional attachment as us fans, and there are still enough u23s that have squad numbers (and presumably have been registered with the league) to field 11, but how many more senior pros do we need to lose through sale & injury before it might be a possibility?
Do the players have an appetite for a 'strike' if they are being forced to play when injured? Would they have the support of the PFA? If we had enough 'injuries' that we could only start with 11 with no named subs, surely that would get coverage.
Is there another way of causing a fixture to be unfulfilled apart from pitch invasion / player action that would grab the headlines?
They’d all be in breach of their contract surely which would leave them open to potential action ?
Plus I think you overestimate how much the players care provided the money hits their account each month.
I tend to agree that they probably don't care about the club, but they might care about their long term future. If they were to refuse to play because of 'injury' is that in breach of contract and would the PFA back them?
Imo This is Duchetalets parting shot for being outsmarted by CARD and the great unwashed of SE London. We can either ride it out then pick up the pieces or take action and do something on Saturday. I'll leave it to the more imaginative to think of something.
I think the biggest headline would be the non-fulfilment of a fixture(s) and would force the EFL to act
I know Roland is heading that way by decimating the squad, but can it be hastened (the fixture, not the squad destruction...)? I don't think there will be enough protesters in the ground to force an abandonment, so it would have to come from the playing staff - and that would be a much more powerful message.
Does anyone think that is realistic? Very few of the players have the same emotional attachment as us fans, and there are still enough u23s that have squad numbers (and presumably have been registered with the league) to field 11, but how many more senior pros do we need to lose through sale & injury before it might be a possibility?
Do the players have an appetite for a 'strike' if they are being forced to play when injured? Would they have the support of the PFA? If we had enough 'injuries' that we could only start with 11 with no named subs, surely that would get coverage.
Is there another way of causing a fixture to be unfulfilled apart from pitch invasion / player action that would grab the headlines?
If players and staff - particularly match day staff - are unable to get into the ground, then it would be difficult for a game to go ahead.
Don't forget, the opposition and the match officials also need to be present. Pretty sure we all know which overnight accommodation both use locally.
I think it's past the point of trying a boycott. For one, it's ineffective if you can't get everyone to agree and secondly, Roland doesn't give a shit about an empty stadium. In fact he's probably hoping that eventually no-one shows up so he can sell the land for a mint.
If I'm thinking long term, the most traction will come from a continuation of inside and outside protests at the Valley. Yeah, you'd have to begrudgingly hand over money for a match ticket but it invigorated like minded fans and felt like we were all in it together. Not to mention the exposure many of the protests received in the national media.
It might not have resulted in a sale at that time but I feel as those we got closer to pushing Roland out than in the last two years of far fewer Valley protests. We're at our most effective when Charlton fans unite to make him look like a fool at home and abroad.
CAST should be taking the lead; the spokesman for the fans.
The big problem is, the fans are utterly and hopelessly divided. If CL was representative of all Charlton fans things would be much simpler, but it isn’t.
I have said for a while if he was still here for the first home game we should make the club unmanageable.
What ever that means to you, spamming club email accounts and telephone lines, hand chuffing yourself to the main gates so they can't open them, picketing the training ground, in ground protests, pad locking fire doors, gluing locks.
The staff and players/football management shouldn't be the victims but it's gone passed that now....
How about supporting something that is already working to get Roland out?
It's a one off, extremely timely initiative - ROT.
Don't think we can just wait for that, to be honest. More needs to happen and more quickly, in a place where many people can get involved more easily. We need to make the football authorities and the local authorities uncomfortable here.
CAST have no teeth, IMHO. What needs to happen is for Lee Bowyer and JJ to walk out and for the players to go on strike. Who are the EFL going to call to account if we don’t fulfill a fixture? We don’t have a CEO, we don’t have s CFO. We do have an absent owner and a toothless non-exec Director. It’s only the players that can bring this to a head now ...
It’s easy to say they have no teeth or CARD have lost the plot or ROT are this or that but as soon as any of these groups try and do something positive to rid CAFC of RD they get a torrent of abuse from fans many of who flip flop from one week to the next. Until everyone wants this tosser gone “it is what it is”
I agree and I could be described as a flip flopper. I think the key is to have a plan that will unite the fans. The boycott plan divided the fans. (I'm not criticising).
Why don’t you get involved with CARD? Maybe you can give them an alternative view about actions they might take, you seem to always have strong views.
The difficulty I have with being a member of CARD, or being a board member of CAST or whatever, is that at some point in time, it will put you in a difficult situation. When you disagree with the decided actions and then you either have to go along with something you don't agree with or resign, or be called upon to resign.
I prefer to offer suggestions and leave my options open. I have given my opinions to CARD & CAST, privately on many occasions, when I have been asked for them and am always happy to do so.
Why is everyone talking about Roland and ignoring the aussies
The last hold up we heard was an issue with the Aussies.
What we need to do is harp on at them, why havent they bought the club yet.
What is the hold up
Who is causing the issues
Why hasnt this been sorted yet.
And if all that comes back as its all Rolands fault then carry on.
But ATM the Aussies need to take some blame and heat as well IMO.
yeah and whilst at it why not ask the same of the Saudis, the Scottish Group, Red Bull etc etc. Let's not distract from the fact this is ALL the fault of one man, and one man only, Roland Twoshits.
Agree with both of you to some extent.
I can't wait for Roland to finally fuck off.
But I'm not looking forward to the Aussies tbh, as Paulie said it seems to be in the Aussies hands at the minute, something isn't right.
Comments
As for the rest, it would have in turn been helpful if you, having sent the mail to CAST, waited at least a nano-second for a reply before posting it on here.
But otherwise sure, keep on kicking your own fellow fans rather than the man who needs to be kicked in any part we can reach.
Now if you will excuse me I will get back to my day job, before carrying on with the CAST stuff in the evening.
You might hate me for saying it but we were better of when Pinocchio was still with us .
If you thought we were going through a bad time a year ago I’m afraid we ain’t seen nothing yet. The club is going right down the shitter and it’s heart breaking watching it happen.
Mind you it would be more effective on a pre planned date, with more in attendance to make it more successful.
I'm not suggesting it should be solely the work of CAST, as a club we need to unite. But what I see is 'fans' that have given up on the club and are not willing to jump on board. I understand how depressing being a Charlton fan is at the minute. But you only have to look back 15 years ago to see how incredible being a Charlton fan can be. The only way that can return is everyone uniting together for the same end result - RD being kicked out.
How we go about getting rid of him is not something I'm entirely clued up on, but it seems the EFL are getting away with this whole situation extremely lightly. Why they have not stepped in to help us Fans and our club I don't know. In my own opinion we need to target the EFL and the governing bodies. Again, how we go about it I don't know but I'm sure willing to get involved and help.
I didn't think I'd see the day where I openly refuse to attend the Valley. And I do find it frustrating that people (5k?) haven't followed suit. Many will have their reasons I'm sure, but it can't be for entertainment value or enjoyment!
I know Roland is heading that way by decimating the squad, but can it be hastened (the fixture, not the squad destruction...)?
I don't think there will be enough protesters in the ground to force an abandonment, so it would have to come from the playing staff - and that would be a much more powerful message.
Does anyone think that is realistic? Very few of the players have the same emotional attachment as us fans, and there are still enough u23s that have squad numbers (and presumably have been registered with the league) to field 11, but how many more senior pros do we need to lose through sale & injury before it might be a possibility?
Do the players have an appetite for a 'strike' if they are being forced to play when injured? Would they have the support of the PFA?
If we had enough 'injuries' that we could only start with 11 with no named subs, surely that would get coverage.
Is there another way of causing a fixture to be unfulfilled apart from pitch invasion / player action that would grab the headlines?
Plus I think you overestimate how much the players care provided the money hits their account each month.
The biggest reason was always that giving the team the best chance of promotion to The Championship would hopefully speed up the departure of RD.
But with promotion out of the question even before the Sunderland game I'd say protests such as getting the game abandoned what do we have to lose? RD's taking us down to League Two anyway if he's here for the season.
The only people who are going to do anything are concerned fans, but apart from ROT embarrassing him at home, I’m not sure what will get his attention
This is Duchetalets parting shot for being outsmarted by CARD and the great unwashed of SE London. We can either ride it out then pick up the pieces or take action and do something on Saturday. I'll leave it to the more imaginative to think of something.
Don't forget, the opposition and the match officials also need to be present. Pretty sure we all know which overnight accommodation both use locally.
If I'm thinking long term, the most traction will come from a continuation of inside and outside protests at the Valley. Yeah, you'd have to begrudgingly hand over money for a match ticket but it invigorated like minded fans and felt like we were all in it together. Not to mention the exposure many of the protests received in the national media.
It might not have resulted in a sale at that time but I feel as those we got closer to pushing Roland out than in the last two years of far fewer Valley protests. We're at our most effective when Charlton fans unite to make him look like a fool at home and abroad.
That's my two pence worth.
What ever that means to you, spamming club email accounts and telephone lines, hand chuffing yourself to the main gates so they can't open them, picketing the training ground, in ground protests, pad locking fire doors, gluing locks.
The staff and players/football management shouldn't be the victims but it's gone passed that now....
When you disagree with the decided actions and then you either have to go along with something you don't agree with or resign, or be called upon to resign.
I prefer to offer suggestions and leave my options open.
I have given my opinions to CARD & CAST, privately on many occasions, when I have been asked for them and am always happy to do so.
I can't wait for Roland to finally fuck off.
But I'm not looking forward to the Aussies tbh, as Paulie said it seems to be in the Aussies hands at the minute, something isn't right.