I am obviously enjoying it and was cheering on Sheffield Wednesday at lunch to try and minimise the chances of us going up at Carlisle next week as I'm missing it cos I'm on a stag and I'm desperate to be there when we clinch it!...
But I think in reality, whether you are a "floating supporter that attends when we get a sniff of the prem", or somebody like me and most on here that has been religiously attending over the last 4 years despite the horrendous lows, the fact is we are in a sh*t, sh*t league which, prior to this current spell, we had been in for what, 4 years in our entire history? Without wanting to sound like an arrogant wednesdayite, as far as I am concerned we are above this division and it is just a massive relief to get out of it at long last. It doesn't therefore compare for me in "excitement" terms, to previous promotions to the uncharted territory of the premier league, when arguably we were punching above our weight.
Regardless though I agree about the disappointing attendances and I hope we are going to have a joyous away day at Preston and celebrations at home to Wycombe and Hartlepool.
I was about an hour into the journey and had to turn around because traffic wasn't moving. Bank Hoiday Monday and people going home from their holidays in Great Yarmouth I suppose. I'm sure I wasn't the only one.
There is a huge recession going on Bart....people are generally 'down in the dumps' and it permiates through all aspects of life at the moment....football included. For example, my sales figures are down 50% in 12 months, folk are being very very cagey with their disposable income...............what little they have that is.
......is the correct answer.
Football is part of the entertainment industry - a very expensive part - and in a recession like this the average bloke is not going to spend 60-70 quid on three tickets for the match plus programs/food/drinks etc - especially not for League One football.
I think the fact that our crowds are still bigger than both Palace and Millwall despite being in League One for three years is quite remarkable.
I've also enjoyed this season more than any other as a fan.......i've been to more away games than any other season.......so i guess i'm just a glory hunter....and have been since 1977.
I'm a fan and always will be. And the dictionary definition of fan = fanatic = a person whose strong admiration for something is considered to be extreme or unreasonable.
My admiration is certainly unreasonable based on many of the experiences over the years. I guess supporting a team is a bit like a gambling addiction, it doesn't matter how many times you lose, you live for that buzz when you win, and live in hope that one day you will win the jackpot. That day is coming, but like a bunch of addicts, we're all twitchy and nervous as f@@k. One aim.
A cold, wet bank holiday Monday at home to walsall with half the transport system shut down for engineering works. Yep, beats me why less people turned out than for a game against Leeds a couple of seasons ago...
i agree with this quote, I'm loving this season, but for me and most others I know it's pure nerves at the moment, we've literally been waiting for us to bugger it up over the past month, thankfully it doesn't look like we're going to and I think after the Wycombe game the place will breath a collective sigh of relief!
Oh and here is a quote from Walsall Manager Dean Smith FYI, "When you come to a place where their fans can shout louder than yours, some decisions go against you."
It is usually a personal thing if you go or not, and I don't criticise those who don't come even though you're right that promotion doesn't come around too often. However bein an old git I can remember much much worse...indeed even after out return to the Valley and a capacity of 8000 odd in a higher division we didn't always sell out. I reckon we will end up averaging 17000 this season in this division, which is gonna be better than a lot, and better than our SE London 'rivals' in a higher division. As for enjoying it...it's brilliant. If you want some comfort AFKA remember we were still able to shift 7k for Fulham in about five minutes (as well as out singing them and so on). It ebbs and flows but this is all really great.
I could not make the game today due to coming back late from a weekend break but your statement about our attendence is a bit harsh.
If you compare our attendence with Palace today, Palace had 3,000 more than us but that was probably due to Southampton bringing a full away attendence. However, Palace's previous two games were averaging 12,000. Milwall's today was 12,372.
So technically, even we are in a league below our attendence has been miles better than these two clubs. We should acknowledge the fact our support has been great this year.
I never used to be a Football snob and have dispised big club fans who have looked down on us over the years , but I have to say after three years down here watching the likes of Oldham ,Tranmere and Walsall park the Bus and play anti football I can understand why less diehards stay away.
Next year we will have the likes of Leeds , Palace ,almost certainly Millwall and maybe even QPR and West Ham all teams I want to see us play.
But I want to enjoy the moment and hope I can make it a hat trick at Carlisle next week after being there in 81 and 85.
Perhaps it has much to do with Sky bloody Sports and their poxy Premier League?
You've been spoiled.
There's wall-to-wall top class football on the telly - and once you've gorged yourself on that, you go down The Valley and see a clearly knackered team grind out another 3 promotion winning points........ no Rooney or whoever, just Jacko and Yann, etc putting in an honest 100%.
Why bother with the Third Division, when you can lounge on the sofa at home with a couple of tinnies?
Some great replies up above and a lot mirror my views. As for the forum AFKA I think you are suffering from your own success, up until 2009 I was the forum editor of a very busy forum with 600 plus users, when it gets to that size you get the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to posters and I am afraid no matter how good the times are you will always get people that want to put a downer on things.
I know for a fact that if I lived in London I'd be at every home game. I know if I could comfortably afford to I'd travel down to what games I could. So I'm with AFKA when he ponders attendences. The team has done wonders on the pitch and there is a positive vibe about the direction the whole club is taking so I feel we should have had at least another three thousand on the gate. I can accept times are hard economically, my household had to survive on only my wage for four months, but these are GOOD TIMES at the Valley and people should be there showing their appreciation to each and every player who have played a part in giving us fans a season to remember!
Yep, thoroughly enjoying it. But did think it was a disappointing turn out considering how close we are to the line. I think the economy is the big thing - everyone's feeling the pinch and many are feeling quite insecure.
In many ways I'm loving it - seen some great away performances this year. Maybe it's because promotion is so important that I can't get away from the tension. I was at a non-league game today and had to wait to get back to my car to hear the result. When I heard we had won I shouted so loud I nearly drove off the road.
Yep, thoroughly enjoying it. But did think it was a disappointing turn out considering how close we are to the line. I think the economy is the big thing - everyone's feeling the pinch and many are feeling quite insecure.
I've told my boys to relish this season - they are young, but I wonder if there will be a better one in their lifetimes. I know it's "only" league 1, but it's been exceptional, really exceptional.
Promotions do not come around very often in football, winning championships even less.
Yet you really would struggle to think it was happening at our club at times.
At this stage two seasons ago in League One, there were 23k+ for the home game with Leeds, 20k Addicks in the ground. Two years on, and top of the table there was probably 11k Charlton fans bothering to turn up today to see a hugely vital game.
Our away crowds haven't seen any real pick up in recent games, the atmosphere in the home stands have been as muted as usual, on here and other internet mediums there has been no real pick up in happiness. People still want to just bite at each other, wind up others, or highlight negatives. Pub today was as empty pre-match as it would be for a midweek evening game.
After five really poor years, we should be really enjoying this.
So why are people not ?
This is spot on and encapsulates the frustration that iv personally felt this season. Yes we are going up and that has been obvious for a while, but it hasnt ever really been enjoyable. Why not ? I dont know, I think we have all got so pig sick of this league that coming to see the likes of Bury, Rochdale, Orient and Walsall has become a little frustrating to say the least.
We all know (at least the midlife generation of CAFC fans and upwards) that Charlton Athletic are a mid table 2nd tier club in the structure of English football, however we have had to ply our trade in this league for the past 3 years. Its not been good enough for the lifelong die hard Charlton supporter! I and maybe many others expected to come down to The Valley and batter these so called lesser clubs...but football has changed and theres no easy wins anymore. But because we support the mighty Charlton we expect more because our memories are slighly deluded, we always think that OUR Charlton are better than we actually are.
When i first came to watch Charlton as a kid in the late 70s we were more or less in the same position in this league but we managed to sneak back to Div 2 thanks to the goals from Hales and Flanagan. But this is an age issue...I was only a kid then and those "glorious memories" stick. I cant accept seeing Charlton in this league against opposition that are not worthy of gracing the same hallowed turf as my Charlton heroes
I think part of it is that we are a bit embarrassed about being here at all.
Credit to the squad and management but it is no great shakes for us to be getting out of a league that we should never have been in to begin with, we are in the top three biggest clubs in this league so we should be getting out of it anyway.
I think if we do well next season and compete for the PO's then you will see a big upsurge in crowds, as others have said the CCC has a lot more attractive fixtures than L1.
PS Whatever. I know I will be bored senseless in the close season with no football, there's only so many hours you can spend staring at a fixture list...and that's despite the Euros, the Olympics, the Cricket. And don't even get me started on Wimbledon...my personal seasonal affected depression is always during blimmin Wimbledon which is as boring and more boring as any sport can be...it will drive me to DIY it's that bad!
More masochists attend the Valley than attend all the world's self harmer help groups. That mist rolling in from the Thames is composed mostly of tear gas
Just to be clear Choice, are you including Johnnie Jackson in your "Charlton heroes" comment?
definately, an inspiration in us getting out of this league ! just wouldnt want to see his career come to an early end because he was played whilst injured
Comments
But I think in reality, whether you are a "floating supporter that attends when we get a sniff of the prem", or somebody like me and most on here that has been religiously attending over the last 4 years despite the horrendous lows, the fact is we are in a sh*t, sh*t league which, prior to this current spell, we had been in for what, 4 years in our entire history? Without wanting to sound like an arrogant wednesdayite, as far as I am concerned we are above this division and it is just a massive relief to get out of it at long last. It doesn't therefore compare for me in "excitement" terms, to previous promotions to the uncharted territory of the premier league, when arguably we were punching above our weight.
Regardless though I agree about the disappointing attendances and I hope we are going to have a joyous away day at Preston and celebrations at home to Wycombe and Hartlepool.
We have been miles clear for so long coupled with a team that isn't playing well and excitement just isn't there
Football is part of the entertainment industry - a very expensive part - and in a recession like this the average bloke is not going to spend 60-70 quid on three tickets for the match plus programs/food/drinks etc - especially not for League One football.
I think the fact that our crowds are still bigger than both Palace and Millwall despite being in League One for three years is quite remarkable.
I'm a fan and always will be. And the dictionary definition of fan = fanatic = a person whose strong admiration for something is considered to be extreme or unreasonable.
My admiration is certainly unreasonable based on many of the experiences over the years. I guess supporting a team is a bit like a gambling addiction, it doesn't matter how many times you lose, you live for that buzz when you win, and live in hope that one day you will win the jackpot. That day is coming, but like a bunch of addicts, we're all twitchy and nervous as f@@k. One aim.
However bein an old git I can remember much much worse...indeed even after out return to the Valley and a capacity of 8000 odd in a higher division we didn't always sell out. I reckon we will end up averaging 17000 this season in this division, which is gonna be better than a lot, and better than our SE London 'rivals' in a higher division.
As for enjoying it...it's brilliant. If you want some comfort AFKA remember we were still able to shift 7k for Fulham in about five minutes (as well as out singing them and so on). It ebbs and flows but this is all really great.
That's where the 2k from orient are
Enjoying it I am loving it , the banter the beer the football and the fact we are champions elect
But then I have massive cajones just like our team
So I love theft fact others are Bricking it
It's old school the same boys are here as in 81 and 86 , 98 and 01 its the newbies the fair weather that ain't come back
But I tell you what all you olduns telling the newbies that its charlton we will feck it and we don't make it easy
You would scare me into not coming
If you compare our attendence with Palace today, Palace had 3,000 more than us but that was probably due to Southampton bringing a full away attendence. However, Palace's previous two games were averaging 12,000. Milwall's today was 12,372.
So technically, even we are in a league below our attendence has been miles better than these two clubs. We should acknowledge the fact our support has been great this year.
Next year we will have the likes of Leeds , Palace ,almost certainly Millwall and maybe even QPR and West Ham all teams I want to see us play.
But I want to enjoy the moment and hope I can make it a hat trick at Carlisle next week after being there in 81 and 85.
You've been spoiled.
There's wall-to-wall top class football on the telly - and once you've gorged yourself on that, you go down The Valley and see a clearly knackered team grind out another 3 promotion winning points........ no Rooney or whoever, just Jacko and Yann, etc putting in an honest 100%.
Why bother with the Third Division, when you can lounge on the sofa at home with a couple of tinnies?
I can accept times are hard economically, my household had to survive on only my wage for four months, but these are GOOD TIMES at the Valley and people should be there showing their appreciation to each and every player who have played a part in giving us fans a season to remember!
However, don't underestimate how many people are really struggling financially.
There's always biting on here as we are
followed by some really very strange people.
*waves*
No idea why people arnt enjoying it --we had the same convo an hour ago.
We are breaking records all over the place---just had 5 shit years-----------6/8 points infront-----------top of the league for months.
Seeing us with 91 points---------------ninety frigging one points !!!! thats stunning, that surely has to bring a smile to your face ?
-----------yet we are not up yet ? maybe thats it ?
We all know (at least the midlife generation of CAFC fans and upwards) that Charlton Athletic are a mid table 2nd tier club in the structure of English football, however we have had to ply our trade in this league for the past 3 years. Its not been good enough for the lifelong die hard Charlton supporter! I and maybe many others expected to come down to The Valley and batter these so called lesser clubs...but football has changed and theres no easy wins anymore. But because we support the mighty Charlton we expect more because our memories are slighly deluded, we always think that OUR Charlton are better than we actually are.
When i first came to watch Charlton as a kid in the late 70s we were more or less in the same position in this league but we managed to sneak back to Div 2 thanks to the goals from Hales and Flanagan. But this is an age issue...I was only a kid then and those "glorious memories" stick. I cant accept seeing Charlton in this league against opposition that are not worthy of gracing the same hallowed turf as my Charlton heroes
Nerves?
High priced tickets?
Bad weather?
It's clear that when tickets are cheaper we get numbers... I'm loving this season and of I'm honest there is a element of disbelief.
Keep the positivity people!
Credit to the squad and management but it is no great shakes for us to be getting out of a league that we should never have been in to begin with, we are in the top three biggest clubs in this league so we should be getting out of it anyway.
I think if we do well next season and compete for the PO's then you will see a big upsurge in crowds, as others have said the CCC has a lot more attractive fixtures than L1.