I only met Chris Powell once, very briefly, at Stamford Bridge after a Chelsea/Barca Champions League game the week after our promotion fm L1 was confirmed. I was pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate him, and I could tell from that short exchange that I was in the presence of a man who was even more impressive than I had expected.
My little boy was devestated this morning - you'll be long remembered at The Valley after this current regime have gone off to mess someone else's club up. Good luck in the future and I hope to see you one day in the dugout again in SE7....
Some of you on here know about my encounter with CP last year.
The wife, our boy, aged 7, and myself were having a kick about in Avery Hill park and I told my boy that the Charlton training ground was just across the park. He wanted to have a look (I didn't,because I'm lazy!) so we plodded over and by chance the team were training. We were at a gap in the hedge for only a minute when CP came across and started chatting to us. He invited us all into the training ground and was chatting to my boy, who's a gk, about football. ( I kept asking are you sure this is ok, to which he gave his great big smile and told me he's the gaffer!) We watched training and my boy was watching Hamer do his drills. CP then asked us inside where he got my boy some bits to get autographed and we met the entire squad. Was completely surreal and we were all blown away by the treatment we received.
Opinion is split about CP's sacking on here but I'd just like to say that Chris Powell is a grade A human being and someone who really does deserve the tag, legend. Our club will be poorer for his absence.
Chris Powell exemplifies what it means to love this club. I hope there will be another opportunity in the future for all to see him leap out of the tunnel at the end of a game, or swing on the cross-bar after a big win. Chris, for now, thanks for everything. A true Charlton legend.
Some of you on here know about my encounter with CP last year.
The wife, our boy, aged 7, and myself were having a kick about in Avery Hill park and I told my boy that the Charlton training ground was just across the park. He wanted to have a look (I didn't,because I'm lazy!) so we plodded over and by chance the team were training. We were at a gap in the hedge for only a minute when CP came across and started chatting to us. He invited us all into the training ground and was chatting to my boy, who's a gk, about football. ( I kept asking are you sure this is ok, to which he gave his great big smile and told me he's the gaffer!) We watched training and my boy was watching Hamer do his drills. CP then asked us inside where he got my boy some bits to get autographed and we met the entire squad. Was completely surreal and we were all blown away by the treatment we received.
Opinion is split about CP's sacking on here but I'd just like to say that Chris Powell is a grade A human being and someone who really does deserve the tag, legend. Our club will be poorer for his absence.
Thank you and good luck Chris!
Sorry I know this is a thread for everyone's individual views, and quoting peoples opinions just gets annoying on a thread like this.
But...
This. This. This.
This just made me seriously realize what we have lost. Not just a Charlton legend. Not just a legend of a bloke.
Thanks Chris, as true legend, my 7 year old cried last night when I told him (he met you briefly at the young addicts xmas party last year). You will be a success whereever you go and one thing I am certain is YOU WILL BE BACK all the best
Speaking to fans of various clubs at work who all thought he was a decent manager and came across as a good man. His speech at the end of last season will always be remembered. Good luck.
In hindsight, we all knew the constraints you had to work under. For both the Jimenez and Roland regimes. No one else could've done a better job under those circumstances.
Although I'm gutted you are no longer here, I, for one, am glad you were given the opportunity initially, and YOU got us promoted in your first season.
I hope to see you here in some capacity in the future.
Will always remember the Carlisle away game, and many other fond memories...
One of my boys is three and his speech isn't fully clear, yet chanting and clapping 'Kiss Pow Red Army' is one of his favourite things.
I'm off for a golf break tomorrow and my mate Chris is staying at mine tonight. When i told my lad his eyes's lit up and he said all excitedly "is it Kiss Pow?"
He was all deflated when it wasn't (sorry pal!).
There is just something about SCP that virtually everyone seems to warm to and like. Even when they don't fully understand.
Good luck Chris, hope you get a new job nice and quickly. Thanks for getting us promoted from league 1 and being a top pro when you was playing for us.
I'm gutted that you've gone, you deserve far better than you've been given.
You have given us some wonderful moments which will live forever in our memories, with very little financial support...however what has always impressed me is that your integrity, commitment and desire have always shown through even during the difficult times on-and-off the field.
You have your principles and you should continue to live by them - your moral compass will guide you on towards great things; here's hoping that one day we will be part of your journey through life again.
Know that you are held in the very highest regard by all true Charlton Athletic fans.
Only half a dozen or so special club men come along in a lifetime Chris so to me you are up there with Killer, Clive Mendonca, Richard Rufus, Yann K, John Humphries & Mark Kinsella.
I am saddened that it didnt work out and you couldnt go onto join (in my opinion only) alongside the next level of Addicks greatness as Jimmy Seed, Sam Bartram, Stuart Leary & Eddie Firmani but hope we see you back one day if only as a supporter like us.
The solo walk at Carlisle, being chaired off after scoring in your last game, the "weve got our Charlton back" speech and more recently the cross bar swinging at Hillsborough will single you out as special in my books, you were one of us and I know whatever your future holds you will continue with the dignified air of the gentleman you are.
Good luck gaffer, we are a sadder club without you in our ranks. 100% Addick
Some of you on here know about my encounter with CP last year.
The wife, our boy, aged 7, and myself were having a kick about in Avery Hill park and I told my boy that the Charlton training ground was just across the park. He wanted to have a look (I didn't,because I'm lazy!) so we plodded over and by chance the team were training. We were at a gap in the hedge for only a minute when CP came across and started chatting to us. He invited us all into the training ground and was chatting to my boy, who's a gk, about football. ( I kept asking are you sure this is ok, to which he gave his great big smile and told me he's the gaffer!) We watched training and my boy was watching Hamer do his drills. CP then asked us inside where he got my boy some bits to get autographed and we met the entire squad. Was completely surreal and we were all blown away by the treatment we received.
Opinion is split about CP's sacking on here but I'd just like to say that Chris Powell is a grade A human being and someone who really does deserve the tag, legend. Our club will be poorer for his absence.
Thank you and good luck Chris!
Never knew about that Mart...lovely story, best wishes to CP in the future.
Thank you so much Chris Powell for being the face of CAFC over the last 3 years.
Your leadership had dignity, determination, love (and all the other qualities already mentioned above) for our club and restored our pride once more.
You brought us success again with that record-breaking promotion from League 1, 9th position in the first year of the Championship and reaching the 6th round of the FA Cup. It was great for our club to be recognised again and for the darker days to be pushed into the background.
It is with great sadness that we have lost you and with it the anticipation of more glourious years ahead under your leadership.
I do not feel ashamed to admit it, but when reading all these heart-felt tributes my eyes are filling. I don't feel I am alone.
As Keith Jones once said to you before you signed "there is something special about this club...." Results, sure they are important but the real heart and soul of the club is strangely powerful and makes Charlton a strong unit and a big family all over the world. I will miss your inspiration but will always feel that wherever you are, you'll remain one of us.
Your future career will be followed with great interest. RD has made a huge mistake letting you go.
I hope this is only "au revoir" and that, one day, you will return and renew that special feeling once again.
It was a great time having our club lead by one of its own iconic players who epitomised everything I love about Charlton and represented us so well. I really enjoyed watching the league 1 champions you created and then see the youngsters, who I had watched in the development team start to come through. It seemed like you were building something here that got ripped away. I think you did a cracking job, always had the club's long term interests at heart above little short term gains (rare these days) and always came across as a gent and a true supporter. You will be missed Chris
Thanks to you for doing a great job over these years. I went to the Plymouth game when you had just taken charge of the team and as a relatively new supporter was absolutely blown away by the love the crowd showed you. It is my impression that you always tried your hardest to give the fans back the love they showed you. Thanks for trying to fight through the bullshit that the board gave you. Hope to one day see you manage the club again with 100% support from not just fans but board and owners too. Good luck wherever you are headed next! På återseende from a Swedish fan.
Chris, It has been a bit of a roller coaster of a ride these last many months, with lots of ups and a few downs but its been a fun ride, thank you for being here and experiencing it all with us. I hope the future brings you and your family many exciting challenges and keeps that wonderful smile on your face. If your ever playing golf in Sandwich feel free to drop in for tea with myself and Mrs Addick. TTFN
It seems a lot worse today now that has started to sink in even though I wasn't totally surprised by the departure of Chris. The board had backed him into a corner and I admire Chris for standing his ground. It's a shame RD couldn't find a compromise and I believe a big mistake has been made. I've been a Charlton fan for 39 years and there isn't a single club departure that has made me feel this way (maybe Derek Hales is the closest, but I was probably too young at the time to really appreciate it. I remember my sister crying though!). I'm really sad about it and the posts have left me feeling choked. Only a Charlton fan would understand. Chris really cared about us and the club and this always shone through. It was fabulous when we got promoted in 2012 but having Chris as the boss made it that much sweeter. He gave us some great moments, the England caps,the goal against Coventry (amazing) and promotion at Carlisle away (I will never forget that day) not to mention the tunnel jumps. One of my best moments was when I met him on holiday 4 weeks after the Hartlepool game. There he was, one day, standing at the omelette station at breakfast! I literally couldn't believe it, the family hero staying at our hotel a few weeks after the greatest season I could remember! Well I left him alone because I didn't want to disturb his family holiday. It was really difficult because we kept seeing him around the resort, but 2 days later he happened to sit on a sun lounger next to us. I couldn't help myself so I started talking to him and found him to be a really nice man. He was kind to my family and we got a couple of great photos. Obviously we had to tell him that we had been to Carlisle away! He liked that I think.
I was proud that Chris was our manager and when we stay up it will be bitter sweet because we are under a different coach. Just imagine what it would have been like to get promoted to the Premier League with CP as the boss. Fabulous!
I'm sure he will be a great success wherever he coaches and he will always be welcome at the valley.
My most sincere and heart-felt thanks to Chris. I began to support Charlton in 2004 and my proudest moment as an Addick during these past ten years was when we won promotion in April 2012, and became League One Champions later in May with a record breaking 101 points total. It was undoubtedly an unprecedented success and will always be one of my fondest memories as a Charlton fan. Chris, you saved us from oblivion, got us back on track and brought stability to us which we had been lacking for five years. Without you, perhaps I wouldn't have had a club to support now. I will always remember March 11, 2014, this heartbreaking day, the end of a happy and glorious era. Thank you for everything you've done for us. You are a true Charlton legend and will be remembered by us forever. Wish you every success in whatever you do in future.
PS. Tears are welling up in my eyes. Reading all the above posts has made it even more difficult for me to cope with the emotions...
Any chance of getting a few thousand of these printed & handed out tonight ?
Maybe the Trust could help.....?
This afternoon I was exactly thinking about the possibility of everyone holding up thank-you notes at tonight's game just like they did for Curbs at Old Trafford in 2006. It pains me to think that fans didn't even have the chance to bid farewell to Sir Chris before he left. Duchatelet shame on you.
Chris, thank you indeed for the absolutely superb job you've done as as both a player and manager, most especially winning the L1 title in style...also for bringing success, pride and fun back to our great club. Wishing you all the very best ahead!
Some of you on here know about my encounter with CP last year.
The wife, our boy, aged 7, and myself were having a kick about in Avery Hill park and I told my boy that the Charlton training ground was just across the park. He wanted to have a look (I didn't,because I'm lazy!) so we plodded over and by chance the team were training. We were at a gap in the hedge for only a minute when CP came across and started chatting to us. He invited us all into the training ground and was chatting to my boy, who's a gk, about football. ( I kept asking are you sure this is ok, to which he gave his great big smile and told me he's the gaffer!) We watched training and my boy was watching Hamer do his drills. CP then asked us inside where he got my boy some bits to get autographed and we met the entire squad. Was completely surreal and we were all blown away by the treatment we received.
Opinion is split about CP's sacking on here but I'd just like to say that Chris Powell is a grade A human being and someone who really does deserve the tag, legend. Our club will be poorer for his absence.
Chris just big a heartfelt thanks for everything you did for us, you made my boy and I feel proud to be Charlton (which obviously now will return to embarressment).
Thanks for all you have done for the club and the fans. I hope that you progress with your managerial career . I still expect to see you as England manager in the future.
You are a true gentleman and one of the nicest people it has been my pleasure to meet. you will be sorely missed.
Comments
The wife, our boy, aged 7, and myself were having a kick about in Avery Hill park and I told my boy that the Charlton training ground was just across the park. He wanted to have a look (I didn't,because I'm lazy!) so we plodded over and by chance the team were training. We were at a gap in the hedge for only a minute when CP came across and started chatting to us. He invited us all into the training ground and was chatting to my boy, who's a gk, about football. ( I kept asking are you sure this is ok, to which he gave his great big smile and told me he's the gaffer!) We watched training and my boy was watching Hamer do his drills. CP then asked us inside where he got my boy some bits to get autographed and we met the entire squad. Was completely surreal and we were all blown away by the treatment we received.
Opinion is split about CP's sacking on here but I'd just like to say that Chris Powell is a grade A human being and someone who really does deserve the tag, legend. Our club will be poorer for his absence.
Thank you and good luck Chris!
But...
This. This. This.
This just made me seriously realize what we have lost. Not just a Charlton legend. Not just a legend of a bloke.
But genuinely the best bloke in football.
all the best
Although I'm gutted you are no longer here, I, for one, am glad you were given the opportunity initially, and YOU got us promoted in your first season.
I hope to see you here in some capacity in the future.
Will always remember the Carlisle away game, and many other fond memories...
Thanks Chris
Nathan
I'm off for a golf break tomorrow and my mate Chris is staying at mine tonight. When i told my lad his eyes's lit up and he said all excitedly "is it Kiss Pow?"
He was all deflated when it wasn't (sorry pal!).
There is just something about SCP that virtually everyone seems to warm to and like. Even when they don't fully understand.
Good luck Chris
I'm gutted that you've gone, you deserve far better than you've been given.
You have given us some wonderful moments which will live forever in our memories, with very little financial support...however what has always impressed me is that your integrity, commitment and desire have always shown through even during the difficult times on-and-off the field.
You have your principles and you should continue to live by them - your moral compass will guide you on towards great things; here's hoping that one day we will be part of your journey through life again.
Know that you are held in the very highest regard by all true Charlton Athletic fans.
Wishing you all the very best.
-Charlton fan in Thailand.
I am saddened that it didnt work out and you couldnt go onto join (in my opinion only) alongside the next level of Addicks greatness as Jimmy Seed, Sam Bartram, Stuart Leary & Eddie Firmani but hope we see you back one day if only as a supporter like us.
The solo walk at Carlisle, being chaired off after scoring in your last game, the "weve got our Charlton back" speech and more recently the cross bar swinging at Hillsborough will single you out as special in my books, you were one of us and I know whatever your future holds you will continue with the dignified air of the gentleman you are.
Good luck gaffer, we are a sadder club without you in our ranks. 100% Addick
Thanks so much for everything Chris, you'll go on to better things without a doubt.
Your leadership had dignity, determination, love (and all the other qualities already mentioned above) for our club and restored our pride once more.
You brought us success again with that record-breaking promotion from League 1, 9th position in the first year of the Championship and reaching the 6th round of the FA Cup. It was great for our club to be recognised again and for the darker days to be pushed into the background.
It is with great sadness that we have lost you and with it the anticipation of more glourious years ahead under your leadership.
I do not feel ashamed to admit it, but when reading all these heart-felt tributes my eyes are filling. I don't feel I am alone.
As Keith Jones once said to you before you signed "there is something special about this club...." Results, sure they are important but the real heart and soul of the club is strangely powerful and makes Charlton a strong unit and a big family all over the world. I will miss your inspiration but will always feel that wherever you are, you'll remain one of us.
Your future career will be followed with great interest. RD has made a huge mistake letting you go.
I hope this is only "au revoir" and that, one day, you will return and renew that special feeling once again.
Thank you Chris Powell and the best of luck.
Maybe the Trust could help.....?
I've been a Charlton fan for 39 years and there isn't a single club departure that has made me feel this way (maybe Derek Hales is the closest, but I was probably too young at the time to really appreciate it. I remember my sister crying though!). I'm really sad about it and the posts have left me feeling choked.
Only a Charlton fan would understand. Chris really cared about us and the club and this always shone through. It was fabulous when we got promoted in 2012 but having Chris as the boss made it that much sweeter.
He gave us some great moments, the England caps,the goal against Coventry (amazing) and promotion at Carlisle away (I will never forget that day) not to mention the tunnel jumps.
One of my best moments was when I met him on holiday 4 weeks after the Hartlepool game. There he was, one day, standing at the omelette station at breakfast! I literally couldn't believe it, the family hero staying at our hotel a few weeks after the greatest season I could remember! Well I left him alone because I didn't want to disturb his family holiday. It was really difficult because we kept seeing him around the resort, but 2 days later he happened to sit on a sun lounger next to us. I couldn't help myself so I started talking to him and found him to be a really nice man. He was kind to my family and we got a couple of great photos. Obviously we had to tell him that we had been to Carlisle away! He liked that I think.
I was proud that Chris was our manager and when we stay up it will be bitter sweet because we are under a different coach.
Just imagine what it would have been like to get promoted to the Premier League with CP as the boss. Fabulous!
I'm sure he will be a great success wherever he coaches and he will always be welcome at the valley.
Thanks Chris
PS. Tears are welling up in my eyes. Reading all the above posts has made it even more difficult for me to cope with the emotions... This afternoon I was exactly thinking about the possibility of everyone holding up thank-you notes at tonight's game just like they did for Curbs at Old Trafford in 2006. It pains me to think that fans didn't even have the chance to bid farewell to Sir Chris before he left. Duchatelet shame on you.
We will we wait for your return.
You are a true gentleman and one of the nicest people it has been my pleasure to meet. you will be sorely missed.
Michael Bales (fastforward).