Sue's husband is the Club Secretary. He still has a job. The club, no matter who owns it, is in their blood. I would expect someone in her position to defend the club.
Sue's husband is the Club Secretary. He still has a job. The club, no matter who owns it, is in their blood. I would expect someone in her position to defend the club.
Disagree she is not employed by the club, she is making a fool of herself and Chris with her ridiculous comments.If you ask me she is slightly bonkers.
Her stance is defensive towards the owners but only as far back as June 2015 she stated "the heart was being ripped out of the club" when Ben Roberts left.
A bit concerning that Sue Parkes commented on this news on the Facebook page with "The heart is being ripped out of the Club"
She did soften it a bit with a follow up comment but she as much as anyone should have a feeling for the mood at the club. Bumpy ride etc.....
"as an avid supporter - it hurts me to see so many good people leaving the Club. All those with Charlton in their hearts are leaving for pastures new. I find it very sad."
Fascinated what she has been told by Meire in the last 6/7 months.
Sue's husband is the Club Secretary. He still has a job. The club, no matter who owns it, is in their blood. I would expect someone in her position to defend the club.
I have no problem with her views - she is entitled to them however much I think they are wrong - and accept that she has a sense of loyalty because of her husband's position and a duty to keep the more extreme ones to herself because, rightly or wrongly, she is seen as semi establishment. As she has implied herself, she knows things happening behind the scenes that we don't.
When those views are to arrogantly rubbish protesters, tell them they need to respect the board and insult the VOTV for 'leaking' an email which highlights the dismal way the club is run, I believe she has crossed the line. Just as she accuses protesters of rudeness etc etc, she then falls into the same trap when talking about them/us.
I can take all the exaggerated descriptions (for those that don't follow on Fbook, mindless idiots, stupidity, continual stirring up hatred etc), it's the 'think of others instead of being so selfish' 'cause lasting damage and cause humiliation to the club far worse than any owner could' stuff. 'Roland owns the club and we just have to accept it'. 'Rd owns the club and does things his way', 'football is now more business than pleasure'. 'However, we are still customers of the business and at the end of the day still have a choice - if we really don't like what is on offer we can walk away. We can put forward suggestions as to how we would like things to change (you can do that to a shop or restaurant aswell) but RD still owns the club we don't if he doesn't want to change he doesn't have to. The same of course would apply to any other business'.
She is so detached from the vast majority of fans that there is simply no point discussing it. It's the insinuation those protesting are selfish and spoiling things for everyone else, that if they were proper supporters we would put our efforts into backing the team (and even they aren't putting their efforts in and they are paid).
Who knows perhaps she doesn't really believe it but with her husband being an employee could have genuine concerns about job security and the possibility of the owner leaving could result in permanent job loss.
Still disagree with her comments but could understand motives for kidding yourself that this regime isn't the flock of wallies they have shown themselves to be.
Plus there were a lot of flat caps at the protest and some were even smoking cigarettes so I can see why it may have appeared somewhat uncouth.
If Sue Parkes is aware of plausible explanations she should utter them rather than telling us all we are not being disrespected and that nothing could be better without the Clowns in charge when there is clear evidence to the contrary. I don't expect to be told the inner most decision-making at the club or consulted on any decisions but these people say absolute nothing unless forced to and then they insult us when they do. Presumably, Sue has heard evidence to support the fact that every manager we have signed has been a success and better than the last? Facebook is a looking glass to the shallowness of some people and Sue is one of them. "Wife of the Secretary" apologising for her husbands employers.
There is an implication that we, the fans, don't know the half of it. If we're supposed to be building a better tomorrow together then why not tell us this great hinterland of information in order to stop us being rabble roused?
I believe enough of us fans have long ago worked out how bad things are, and indeed will be, as long ago as the much derided G21 group certainly.
To use Grapevines term 'delicious irony', it is ironic that in this 'together' season the club and fans are at war.
There is an implication that we, the fans, don't know the half of it.
I may be wrong but I think her whole argument is built on the point the club was in a bad financial situation before RD arrived, and to quote her 'You have to be careful what you wish for in life. The grass isn't always greener.'
I really don't understand how she hasn't been quietly told - either by her husband, or someone close to them, that it is entirely inappropriate for someone on her position to be responsible for 'moderating' the club's unofficial Facebook page. Setting all the crap about it not being officially representative of the club aside - everyone knows that Facebook is by far the largest social network and that page is the most popular cafc on eon there. Someone needs to have a word in her shell-like.
Irrespective of how she comes across (like someone with the intelligence to construct a sentence and paragraph, but not to consider the contents of it before posting) it must make Chris' position more than a little uncomfortable - some of the absolute lunacy I've seen on there in the past would cause some serious problems if the wrong people got hold of it and decided to run with it.
It's a slightly odd situation, where the wife of a respected club employee has ended up being the defender of the owners on the main Facebook site. It's silly, as it's an argument she's never going to win, and it shouldn't be her defending the club, as she's not (a) a neutral employee or (b) a club official
There is an implication that we, the fans, don't know the half of it.
I may be wrong but I think her whole argument is built on the point the club was in a bad financial situation before RD arrived, and to quote her 'You have to be careful what you wish for in life. The grass isn't always greener.'
Who knows perhaps she doesn't really believe it but with her husband being an employee could have genuine concerns about job security and the possibility of the owner leaving could result in permanent job loss.
Perhaps she would be well advised to button her messages from on high in that case. If RD does leave then the new regime will probably look to jettison anyone too closely identified with him. So in that regard she's not helping her husband.
There is an implication that we, the fans, don't know the half of it.
I may be wrong but I think her whole argument is built on the point the club was in a bad financial situation before RD arrived, and to quote her 'You have to be careful what you wish for in life. The grass isn't always greener.'
Does that then suggest that the club is in a good financial position now ? It's the same argument that Merire trots out but I'm not sure it stands up to scrutiny - we are still tens of millions of pounds in debt and still losing millions every season.
To reiterate our financial position since RD came in
- Turnover is the same pretty much (so much for improving the match day experience)
- "Football costs" (player salaries etc) are almost 100% of revenue, almost double the recommended level (remember Katrien saying what a brilliant job she's done at signing up all our players to longish term contracts, this is the result of her handiwork)
- In Roland's first full season we lost £3.8m, God knows what it will be this season
Roland is wealthy, but that doesn't mean we are financially secure.
Comments
Burnley L 0- 4
Huddersfield Town L 0-5
Hull City L 0-6
....are we seeing any sort of a trend developing there Sue?
I would expect someone in her position to defend the club.
A bit concerning that Sue Parkes commented on this news on the Facebook page with "The heart is being ripped out of the Club"
She did soften it a bit with a follow up comment but she as much as anyone should have a feeling for the mood at the club. Bumpy ride etc.....
"as an avid supporter - it hurts me to see so many good people leaving the Club. All those with Charlton in their hearts are leaving for pastures new. I find it very sad."
Fascinated what she has been told by Meire in the last 6/7 months.
When those views are to arrogantly rubbish protesters, tell them they need to respect the board and insult the VOTV for 'leaking' an email which highlights the dismal way the club is run, I believe she has crossed the line. Just as she accuses protesters of rudeness etc etc, she then falls into the same trap when talking about them/us.
Actually, Chris don't bother with the next signing and his paperwork, losing 3-0 is an improvement.
However, Murray's been like this for ten years now so that voids that idea!
The owners are very lucky we are so generally passive. The fact that we have all now mobilised in itself shows you the state OUR club is in.
Yes she's entitled her opinion (if she actually has one of her own) but reading her stuff just makes you feel embarrassed for her.
She is so detached from the vast majority of fans that there is simply no point discussing it. It's the insinuation those protesting are selfish and spoiling things for everyone else, that if they were proper supporters we would put our efforts into backing the team (and even they aren't putting their efforts in and they are paid).
I can see where Katrien has an ally.
And no, we are all not just going to walk away
Calling all fans, YOUR CARD NEEDS YOU !
Edit; @Nug or @Stig this poster needs a proper job
Still disagree with her comments but could understand motives for kidding yourself that this regime isn't the flock of wallies they have shown themselves to be.
Plus there were a lot of flat caps at the protest and some were even smoking cigarettes so I can see why it may have appeared somewhat uncouth.
Katrien has already scribed her leaving speech for the Belgian press stating 'its the fans wot dun it'
A coward and a liar to the bitter end.
I believe enough of us fans have long ago worked out how bad things are, and indeed will be, as long ago as the much derided G21 group certainly.
To use Grapevines term 'delicious irony', it is ironic that in this 'together' season the club and fans are at war.
Irrespective of how she comes across (like someone with the intelligence to construct a sentence and paragraph, but not to consider the contents of it before posting) it must make Chris' position more than a little uncomfortable - some of the absolute lunacy I've seen on there in the past would cause some serious problems if the wrong people got hold of it and decided to run with it.
To reiterate our financial position since RD came in
- Turnover is the same pretty much (so much for improving the match day experience)
- "Football costs" (player salaries etc) are almost 100% of revenue, almost double the recommended level (remember Katrien saying what a brilliant job she's done at signing up all our players to longish term contracts, this is the result of her handiwork)
- In Roland's first full season we lost £3.8m, God knows what it will be this season
Roland is wealthy, but that doesn't mean we are financially secure.
Enjoy your Monday you bunch of sheep!!