If you're not interested in protests or my personal view on things, here’s a tip – don't bother reading any further.
But I feel obliged to let people on this forum know that I have this morning stepped down from my role in CARD. That was a very difficult decision as I've been heavily involved from the outset . In that 3 1/2 years I have given a lot: time, energy, sleepless nights, family time, to try to get the cancerous Duchatelet out of our club.
So why stop? Not because I am any less infuriated with Duchatelet’s wanton neglect and mistreatment of our club, Lee Bowyer and us fans. Not because I feel the protests have run their course , and not because of anything to do with my friends and colleagues in CARD. And not because of the occasional brickbats on here (the protests haven't achieved anything”, “all you did was throw some toys on the pitch”, “what are you middle-aged guys going to do”, “you're all talk”, “you spunked £50,000 up the wall”). And nor is it the childish abuse and threats thrown casually around on other fora. I don't get upset by idiots who have done nothing themselves but bitch to their online buddies about the efforts of others.
It's because I think that the protests need new blood, new thinking and new energy - a next generation of protests and protesters
I am now convinced that despite all our efforts and all our hopes, Duchatelet will be our owner for this new season and, if we don't get relegated at the end of it, for at least another year after that. No sane person will ever meet his ridiculous demands. And he will continue to deny Bowyer the resources he needs until such time as Bowyer finally has enough and walks. And he will continue to sell any and all player assets. Dijksteel is the latest to join the premature exodus and I think it is more likely than not that our talisman Lyle Taylor will soon follow him out of the door. The academy will continue to be a productive line of revenue for Duchatelet Inc. but not for Charlton Athletic. The pain will go on.
CARD to a large extent reflects my personal values. I am 64, a retired HR director, a grandfather. I have operated way outside my comfort zone many times and have pushed the boundaries of both legality and acceptability on a few occasions in the past 3 1/2 years but I am never going to go over the line, get myself arrested or a criminal record.
But we've tried hard. We've thrown everything legal at Duchatelet and while it has made a disproportionately large impact in the media, has influenced some aspects of club management, and even arguably helped Duchatelet to make up his mind to sell, ultimately we have not yet succeeded in getting him out. His ego and the lost millions are holding him back.
So it's time for the next generation of protests from a new generation of protesters. Ones who are more prepared than I am to go that bit further. CARD and ROT still have a role to play but we also need something new and something edgy. Whilst, to be clear, I would never advocate violence, I hope that somebody finds a way to help Duchatelet decide that's enough really is enough. That the hassle isn’t worth it.
A word or two of advice for those wanting to step up. It's hard work. Very hard. You’ll use a lot of time, energy and emotion. You'll be elated when something goes well and you'll be distraught when it doesn’t - made all the more acute when all your hard work and imagination is rubbished by fellow fans. For every one protest that makes it to fruition there are 10 more that were seriously evaluated and rejected, and maybe another 50 that didn't make it past first base. I have not read all of the threads on here in recent days but I would wager that 90% of the ideas posted have been thought of, evaluated and discounted somewhere along the line.
As for me, I am continuing with Curb_It to run the Protest Fund. If LyleTaylor is sold, the transfer window slams shut on Charlton’s impoverished empty little hands, the season ahead turns into a disaster - the fund may well be needed more than ever.
I am also going to see through a protest which is currently in the pipeline, working with a group of people from CARD, ROT and a few of well-known posters on here. I won't for obvious reasons say too much but it will be something a little bit different. But then I'm out, as far as planning and orchestrating protests is concerned. Time for someone younger and perhaps braver than me to step up, and the more the better.
I’ll never give up my personal efforts to see the back of Duchatelet. If I can help anyone else with advice or views, I’m happy to do that.
And here's to a few beers when we eventually winkle him out!
Comments
Just kidding. Thanks for your dedication to this over the last few years
Happy and proud to call you a friend... you old git.
Great reading and I completely agree with you.
I'm sure most people feel the same way....even if I can't speak directly for them.
I personally really appreciate the huge amount of effort made here and I think you've done a great job.
It must be heartbreaking.
Putting everything into something....and not getting the deserved outcome.
I think you should be proud of yourself and I hope that, maybe in a year or so. You can reflect on this with pride.
Good luck to the people that replace and I'm sure they will do well.
I'm intrigued by the current project and will back it to the limits of my capabilities, whatever it turns out to be.
If our fear about LT's tenure at CAFC proves well founded, I believe and hope that the owner will have cast "the last straw" where we faithful are concerned - opened Pandora's Box, if you will?
The departure of Charlton's abiding problem will warrant more than "...a few beers..." when that day dawns.
Ignore the trolls, CARD may not have achieved it's ultimate goal, but you have achieved LOADS
But I think you are a top top bloke, and I am in awe of your skills in diplomacy especially.
Your efforts are well appreciated.
Thank you.
Without the protests, this club would be falling down the leagues with the same shambolic rotation of foreign managers and players we had before, and the club would not be up for sale.
So thanks @Davo55, @CARD, @ROT, @BELGIUM20 and everyone else. Time for the final push now. Let's do this.
For what it's worth, I think all future protests need to be focussed on Belgium. Whilst I am certainly not suggesting that boycotters should return or that people should start buying stuff in the club shop again (I certainly won't be), I am starting to feel that hitting him in the pocket any further will merely lead to him punishing the team by selling players even more readily. The stuff in Belgium is what seems to get him out of his cave and onto the radio or writing deranged articles on the website - I think a constant barrage of humiliation on his doorstep is the key to forcing him to drop his asking price to something realistic.
Thanks.
It seems you reached a similar conclusion to me, but about a year later.
Thanks for your efforts @Davo55
One of the good guys
With regard to paragraph 6, I’ve had $88,000,0000 left to me by a long lost aunt. I’ll donate it to CARD if you let me have your bank details
As @Stu_of_Kunming says, ignore the trolls. They are only trying to cover their own inadequacies and have done nothing except moan.
Top man.
Enjoy your retirement
PS. I know you only started a thread for the likes...