At the risk of being a bit controversial, i would like to say thanks to the club for the cheap tickets. I took the opportunity to take along a cousins son (aged 8) for his first ever footy game, and was joined by a non Charlton supporting mate and his 2 kids. We sat in a different part of the ground to usual and there seemed to be a lot of young families around which made for a really pleasant (if not intimidating) atmosphere. The kids all enjoyed the day out and with all of them seeing Charlton for their first ever game will hopefully have rubbed off on them to some extent even if they don;t end up die hards down the line.
The result was obviously dissapointing but sitting with an 8 yr old who doesn't stop asking questions I found I was unable to get quite as emotionally wrapped up on the match itself so had more of a balanced outlook than usual when we let in 3 goals and lose! I actually thought Exeter played very attractive football and congratulate them for their style, they were eminently beatable however and we created enough half chances in the first 60mins or so to be well clear, Eccleston, BWP and Abbot all haddecent opportunities and i really beleive if we had got one we would have gone on to win comfortably.
As it was poor old Robbie made a mistake for the first & Docherty sealed it with calamatous defending for the next 2. Exeter took their chances, we didn't simple as that to me.
After the game I was frustrated for about 30mins but then realised; a) it was by no means our worst performance of the season, b) Jenkinson had once again impressed me, c) I havn't expected us to be promoted (or even be in the play offs) at any point this season as i don't think the squad is good enough (new loan signings excepted) and d) it is much easier to lose when you have a true legend like Chris Powell in charge than a try hard, likeable no one like Parky.
I am sure that for the next game, sat in my usual place without an 8 yr old chatting to me & distrating me I will be back to my grumpy self if we lose but not this time.
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Give that man a CL badge, someone!
Well said, Mr/Mrs Athletico.
I went Charlton last saturday, with two mates of mine as well as my Dad. My mates hadn't been for ages and they enjoyed it despite the result and now they are going to the Tramere game. It turned out to be a great day out despite the result and thats what football is mostly about!
I said that, but thinking about comments that I have read and also thinking about my own experience many years ago of coming to charlton as a non charlton fan and just enjoying teams scoring goals and crowds shouting and screaming. I think my partizanship has clouded my judgement as to whether neutrals can enjoy a game when we don't win.
Perhaps too many of us have lost the art of enjoying games when we don't win. I remember one hilarious night at the Valley some years ago when we went out on penalties to Oxford in some tin pot competition. Steve Brown took one which soared so far over the bar it must have landed in row Z of the North Stand. It just seemed so funny that we fell off our seats laughing, even though we knew it was probably the kick that had lost us the match. Not sure that would happen today...
I like your positivity Granpa.I am not quite as old as you, 57, and used to feel the same as you about the matchday experience. The smell of roasted peanuts, old holborn, meeting friends on the terrace between the west stand and the North. Two thirty winners and all the half times, used to be the mantra. Also going away with my mates and the laugh we had, also scary sometimes. But in the last 4 to 5 years i have become increasingly worn down by the experience of supporting Charlton. It has become more like a bad addiction that i cannot kick. Have been a season ticket holder since we came back to the Valley but i think this season will be my last, will have to go cold tukey. Perhaps time away will re-kindle my enthusiasm.
Sadly, i found it a thoroughly disappointing afternoon.
Have spent the majority of the season sitting up with the oiks in the middle of the North Upper, and while i sometimes get annoyed by their inability to chant at a normal speed, or some of the negativity that emerges, i enjoy sitting where the bulk of the noise is. And i really don't think unless you plonk yourselves in the middle of it, you appreciate just how good the atmosphere can be there. I know by its structure that it doesn’t particularly carry to the East and West that well, but i was staggered on Saturday sitting in the North Lower just how poorly it carries to even there. It must literally from its higher perch just evaporate up into the clouds, and i think its a real detriment to the team and the overall match atmosphere that the most vociferous part of the stadium is housed in the least most atmospheric part.
It was brilliant sitting there seeing the ground so full again, but that lasted for about 3 minutes till i discovered i was surrounded by a squadron of mutes. I don’t expect people who don’t go regularly to join in the singing, but i would hope that they would engage in the game somehow. Sadly they were content to sit there in bored silence as little happened in the first half to coax a bit of involvement from them. They were detached from it, and the disappointing efforts on the pitch did little to reel them in. I found myself being the lone voice joining in the songs, not just in my block, but the block to the left and right of me. In the end i stopped joining in as it was ridiculous just hearing your own voice. I think everyone else was relieved.
Up and down like a yo yo as people constantly came and went. Despite being in a full row, with 5 mins to half time we had a run of 20 empty seats to our right. Earwigging phone conversations, all that was being said was it was dull and boring, and how there is no way you would pay full price for this.
At the time, it felt like a massive wasted opportunity to appeal to a new audience. If you offered the same deal for the next home to game to the same people i genuinely think the majority would say no thanks, which is a crying shame.
With the benefit of hindsight, i think the change in management and a couple of positive results led us all to probably attempt to run before we are walking properly again.
The bottom line is the product is currently unappealing, and at the end of the day you can dress up the periphery issues like cost and other entertainment, but if the performance isn’t positive, or have incidents that capture the imagination, then a new audience won’t buy into it and a returning audience will have a low-cost reminder of why they stopped.
Well done the board for trying something new and positive, well done Airman and his team for delivering their side of things so well, and well done the wider core fanbase for embracing it and trying to make it a success.
The one positive to emerge was in the fortnight leading up to the game, the fans and club at least seemed to be singing from the same songsheet and pulling together, something that hasn’t happened for a long time and can only be positive for the future.
So did I, it was great to see a full valley, even though i have a season ticket it wouldnt worry me if the club did the fiver offer until the end of the season.
I posted in another thread, I took my middle lad, who used to be a season ticket holder, he has not been to the Valley for 2 seasons. He loved the game, thought we were unlucky not to win, and cant wait for the next match.
The bottom line is that if we bring in 100 new/lapsed fans from the promotion and other promotions it cannot be anything but good for the club.
I would take heart from what Athletico says about the youngsters first visit at roughly the same age as my first one. Mine involved a birthday treat for a friend with four other lads. The game v QPR finished a draw but we left just after half time due to illness of one of the lads when we were losing 0-2. It didn't deter me.
My thoughts on saturday, other than the swearing which went on around us - which annoyed me, are that there will have been at least three distinct groups.
1. Uncommitted youngsters who will not have been affected by the result.
2. Casual football lovers who fancied a cheap visit - many of whom wouldn't come back anyway unless the deal was cheap again.
3. Returning fans - most of whom will be completely p*ssed off and wishing they hadn't come.
I don't know how many long term extra regulars will come out of it but I think Airman has suggested stats which show that roughly 10% will. (I hope that I am not misquoting him).
Was like being at Wembley for an England game, horrible.
I plan to.
[quote][cite]Posted By: incorruptible addick[/cite]
Give that man a CL badge, someone![/quote]
Yes please! ;-)
It was jam packed before and after the game with parents and kids. All were buying bits n bobs, shirts, scarves etc. Each of those kids, and a few of the adults(?) now have Charlton memorabilia in their bedroom, the sort of stuff they'll treasure forever, the sort of stuff that will make 'em Charlton above all other clubs forever. In most cases, I would imagine that Saturday was their (the kids) first live football experience, and like that first experience did for all of us, it will bind 'em to CAFC for life regardless of the result.
Good marketing, well done.