Thanks for everything Chris. Your love for this football club, our football club, was for all to see. Those emotional moments, the highs and the lows, you went through them with us, including that emotional time when we won promotion at Carlisle and it was your mum's birthday.
Everything done on a budget, a record breaking season when we won the league and a fantastic finish last season. If only MS and TJ could have backed you further we may not be in this mess now.
Good luck wherever you go next, and let's hope that you are appreciated more by their owners.
You always have been and always will be one of us.
Thanks Chris, after the dark days of Dowie, Pardew and Parky, you brought enjoyment back to the Valley. I guessed when the Belgians sold Yann and Dale you would be going. This takeover sadly will see us relegated. With you staying we had a chance of staying up. Appreciate all your efforts as a player and manager. Good luck, you may be well out of this mire mate!
Dear Chris - you simply gave me back my old Charlton after our post Premier League wilderness. The record points championship season will live long in my memory and I will miss your tunnel jumps. I hope one day you can return to Charlton but good luck in your next role. I know you will be a success and I hope wherever that is you will get the full backing of that board. You are an honourable gentleman and you can leave with your head held high. Thanks for everything you did for us, God knows you tried.
Thank you Chris, you made being part of this club more than a job. We as the supporters felt that with you. You've given me some of the happiest memories supporting this team and have been my one shining light in a dark football world. I'm gutted at your treatment and sincerely hope all the best for you.
Thank you so much Chris, an absolute privilege to have met, known and worked with and just an absolute gentleman. At the time of Carlisle I was a pretty low ebb but that and our subsequent title genuinely provided the impetus to move on. The bond you immediately formed with fans, even if you were our record signing for only one day:), was and remains truly unique. Never forget the England debut, including the nutmeg on Mendieta and where you donated your shirt on Christmas Day, still have the newspaper cutting on the wall saying not all footballers are bad. So many happy memories, the Coventry goal, the victory celebrations, the passion, spirit and desire for OUR club as you said from day one. Good luck mate and thanks for so many great memories. And if we ever do play in Timbuktu, more than welcome to join us:).
All the best Chris many thanks for all you have done, you probably won't have the same affection for the club after recent events, but many will always welcome you back as a true addick.
Thank you for everything you have brought to my life. As a player, a manager, and as a great person. Will never forget how happy I was when you walked on the pitch in an England shirt.
As a grown man I shouldn't feel emotional writing this but I am.
Your Charlton through & through and that could be felt every single game you managed our team. You had to deal with a lack of resources throughout your reign and now you've been sacked by a complete idiot who clearly has no clue of what our club is all about.
You got us promoted out of a league first time of asking with a record points tally and then we finished 9th in the championship with the 4th lowest budget in the league.
You were given players in January who had no real clue about English football and were expected to play them with no questions asked. I honestly believed we would not of been relegated under your guidance.
If I was saying this in person, I would honestly shake your hand and thank you for bringing our club back to life. But now all I can do is wish you well for the future and hope you come back home one day soon.
The Valley will miss you, I look forward to you returning with a new club to a hero's welcome, I'm sure they'll treat you with the respect you deserve.
Thanks for everything Chris, loved you being manager of the club I love, you will be missed, never forgotten as a great man, player and manager. On to better things for you now, you are better off out unfortunately. Legend.
Your record at the club as a player, as a manager and as a person will ensure you always remain a legend.
Due to your achievements as a manager you had my support. In all honesty, sometimes I wondered about your tactics & style of play but accepted whatever decisions you made were done with the best intentions. I also realise that finances and the state of the pitch had a big impact on what you were able to do.
The promotion season was great. Not just the winning but also the never say die attitude, epitomised by the win at Oldham. And Carlisle away and Hartlepool at home were brilliant days. It should also be acknowledged that based on finances, you over performed last season. Whilst this season has been difficult, given time I think you would have turned it round, and thanks for that night at Hillsborough.
Leaving a club is part of life for a football manager and hope this parting of the ways does not change the way you feel about Charlton Athletic in general and its fans. It's also worth noting both Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson were both removed from jobs at stages of their careers and went on to do ok.
Good luck and I look forward to welcoming you back to The Valley in the future.
I have just reads all of the aforementioned tributes, many wrote with eloquence and passion. I just want to focus on the adjectives that describe Chris as a human being; values, dignity, passion, warmth, humour and a clear love for the club. All the very best in your next job, which surely wont be long coming.
Chris, you were a true gent, an inspiration and an excellent manager. Well done for sticking to your guns over team selection and best of luck in your new role (as long as it's not Palace or millwall)
Thank you Chris for providing so many great memories in your time as a player and manager. You are and always will be a true Charlton legend, you can walk away with your head held high. Good luck and I hope you go on to be a top manager and you never know one day maybe one day !!!!!!!!!!
Goodbye and Good Luck, Chris. As a player and as a manager you embodied everything that I want this club to be. Thank you for all those noble qualities you brought to us.
Cheers Chris, you brought some joy back to supporting Charlton. I could have taken going down with you in charge but not with some handpicked 'yes man' from the network.
Comments
Everything done on a budget, a record breaking season when we won the league and a fantastic finish last season. If only MS and TJ could have backed you further we may not be in this mess now.
Good luck wherever you go next, and let's hope that you are appreciated more by their owners.
You always have been and always will be one of us.
enjoyment back to the Valley. I guessed when the Belgians sold Yann and Dale
you would be going. This takeover sadly will see us relegated.
With you staying we had a chance of staying up.
Appreciate all your efforts as a player and manager.
Good luck, you may be well out of this mire mate!
Charlton will not be the same without you and I wish it were you in charge to take us back to where we hopefully belong.
Good luck in the next steps of your career, you deserve the very best.
Thank you.
Thanks for everything SCP.
Always thought you have been honest with everything you have done for the club.
Legend.
As a player, a manager, and as a great person.
Will never forget how happy I was when you walked on the pitch in an England shirt.
As a grown man I shouldn't feel emotional writing this but I am.
Your Charlton through & through and that could be felt every single game you managed our team. You had to deal with a lack of resources throughout your reign and now you've been sacked by a complete idiot who clearly has no clue of what our club is all about.
You got us promoted out of a league first time of asking with a record points tally and then we finished 9th in the championship with the 4th lowest budget in the league.
You were given players in January who had no real clue about English football and were expected to play them with no questions asked. I honestly believed we would not of been relegated under your guidance.
If I was saying this in person, I would honestly shake your hand and thank you for bringing our club back to life. But now all I can do is wish you well for the future and hope you come back home one day soon.
Regards,
Matt.
Brought our Charlton back.
The Valley will miss you, I look forward to you returning with a new club to a hero's welcome, I'm sure they'll treat you with the respect you deserve.
I still believe one day you will prove what a great manager you are somewhere.
I wish you all the best for the future and hope you take a team to the very top.
Thanks Chris.
Your record at the club as a player, as a manager and as a person will ensure you always remain a legend.
Due to your achievements as a manager you had my support. In all honesty, sometimes I wondered about your tactics & style of play but accepted whatever decisions you made were done with the best intentions. I also realise that finances and the state of the pitch had a big impact on what you were able to do.
The promotion season was great. Not just the winning but also the never say die attitude, epitomised by the win at Oldham. And Carlisle away and Hartlepool at home were brilliant days. It should also be acknowledged that based on finances, you over performed last season. Whilst this season has been difficult, given time I think you would have turned it round, and thanks for that night at Hillsborough.
Leaving a club is part of life for a football manager and hope this parting of the ways does not change the way you feel about Charlton Athletic in general and its fans. It's also worth noting both Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson were both removed from jobs at stages of their careers and went on to do ok.
Good luck and I look forward to welcoming you back to The Valley in the future.
Good luck