http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/20130304-anti-social-behaviour-693208.aspx?pageView=full#anchoredCharlton are warning supporters who are anti-social at matches to expect tough action from the club. This season has seen a significant increase in the number of complaints received by the club from Addicks fans about their fellow supporters, particularly at away games.
Behaviour reported ranges from yobbish nuisance behaviour such as vandalism, abusive language, verbal abuse, aggressive or intimidating behaviour to the singing of abusive songs, and the club is determined to take action to preserve its good reputation.
“In recent years, our club seems to have attracted an element of support that in all probability reflects modern society - but that does not make it acceptable,” head of operations Mick Everett wrote in the Valley Review for Saturday’s match against Burnley.
“The vast majority of the correspondence is from concerned fans who believe that unless the club tackles this issue and does something to curtail this behaviour, there is the very real possibility that more and more of our supporters will stop attending away games.
Many long-standing supporters have been appalled to witness the yobbish behaviour of some of our supporters at away games, and this also affects our younger fans who may be travelling to games with their parents.
“Quite naturally, parents do not want their children to see and listen to foul-mouthed individuals acting in an intimidating manner, allegedly in support of their team, our club. It is something that we could all do without.”
One of the criticisms levelled at the club by supporters is that officials are not being proactive enough to deal with the problem.
Said Mick: “It is very difficult for the club to deal with supporters’ behaviour at away games, especially if they are not travelling on organised coaches.
“However, as the club’s reaction to the well-documented incidents at The Den and Selhurst Park this season hopefully demonstrates, I can assure fans that we work very closely with the police to try to identify the worst culprits.”
Unfortunately, although Charlton has a well deserved good reputation across the country, this can be damaged by the actions of just a few culprits and could lead to measures that affect all supporters alike.
Everett explained: “Every club and its safety officers also work closely with their counterparts, and gain information on visiting fans based on their recent activities.
“This means that if fans misbehave at one away venue, other clubs are forced to make plans to deal with such behaviour, regardless of how likely the threat of a repeat may be, and this could include numerous measures that inconvenience all travelling fans such as not allocating as many tickets as they might have done, more frequent searches entering stadia, not selling alcohol in the away end, or not allowing supporters to leave the club immediately at the final whistle.
“The actions of a few can therefore have a huge impact on the club’s entire away support.
“This season has seen a marked increase in issues relating to smoke bombs and flares, while there have been many ejections of adult fans using junior tickets.
“If this anti-social behaviour continues unabated, the club will have to start sending staff and stewards to away games in an effort to identify the individuals responsible and then take the necessary sanctions against them.
“This is quite an expensive operation for the club to have to undertake, but we’re not prepared for the club’s fine reputation, earned over many years, to be damaged.
“To be completely clear, the club absolutely condemns any form of anti-social behaviour, and sanctions will be imposed on persistent offenders.”
Comments
How dare you!
;-)
We have a good reputation as a family club, which I know is anathema to a vociferous minority on here, and the Club wants to protect that hard earned reputation.
Two fans behind me nearly came to blows on Saturday and had to be separated by other fans and stewards.
We don't need that kind of nonsense at The Valley.
Well done Mick Everett.