I have offered my opinion a few times here - when asked. @WestCountryAddick
Have the owners and leaders made some mistakes ? Yes
Have they done some good ? Yes
Are they learning from their mistakes ? I hope so and Riga coming back is significant for me
I gave up my STs some years ago when family commitments took over at the weekend. I get to probably between 5 and 10 games per year and go for a beer and a laugh with some football in between.
It doesn't rule my life, I don't take it personally; losing is annoying but not life threatening and winning is great but not life changing. I am sure everybody feels the same and why would anyone take it more seriously than that ?
A chunk of the supporters have given up on the club and ignore, laugh or get angry / very angry etc at everything the club does which shows their blind hate - Why are free kids tickets bad ? Why is free coach travel to be laughed at ? Why is changing the post match entertainment around derisable?
The club does not want to banish supporters aged over 50 but they do want to bring in some new younger fans - What is wrong with that ?
Plenty of player and a few managerial hires (particularly Fraeye) have proved to be bad.
"Anyone but The Belgians"....be careful what you wish for.
This is sage advice - if RD quits, we might find ourselves owned by a cabal of comically inept parasites
I have offered my opinion a few times here - when asked. @WestCountryAddick
Have the owners and leaders made some mistakes ? Yes
Have they done some good ? Yes
Are they learning from their mistakes ? I hope so and Riga coming back is significant for me
I gave up my STs some years ago when family commitments took over at the weekend. I get to probably between 5 and 10 games per year and go for a beer and a laugh with some football in between.
It doesn't rule my life, I don't take it personally; losing is annoying but not life threatening and winning is great but not life changing. I am sure everybody feels the same and why would anyone take it more seriously than that ?
A chunk of the supporters have given up on the club and ignore, laugh or get angry / very angry etc at everything the club does which shows their blind hate - Why are free kids tickets bad ? Why is free coach travel to be laughed at ? Why is changing the post match entertainment around derisable?
The club does not want to banish supporters aged over 50 but they do want to bring in some new younger fans - What is wrong with that ?
Plenty of player and a few managerial hires (particularly Fraeye) have proved to be bad.
"Anyone but The Belgians"....be careful what you wish for.
This is sage advice - if RD quits, we might find ourselves owned by a cabal of comically inept parasites
I have been at all the protests and have withdrawn from Valley Gold and no longer spend money at the valley but for me it has never been about RD selling the club, although if he does then that's fine. My protest has been about making the owner and CEO aware that they need to change. Time will tell but I suspect that we have made them sit up and think.
Clearly the managerial appointments have been the key issue. Had Luzon kept his early season run going, I doubt we would be at this point of unrest. I must say that in all my time coming to the Valley (40 years) I've never cared about the owners, it's always been about the manager and now is no different.
Mostly, I agree with your points and without doubt, social media has fanned the flames of this situation. It's created a sort of mass-hysteria and I feel it's time for me to take a step back and give Riga and the team a chance. (I didn't really agree with his appointment but so far so good)
Most of all, I want us to stay up, but I fear that an intensification of the anti-board movement may be self-defeating in that respect. I feel this was at least partly responsible for the black week starting with the Colchester away game.
If the situation deteriorates I will consider not renewing our families 5 season tickets, voting with me feet so to speak but it will be with a heavy heart.
But, for the first time in months I am optimistic and so this Saturday, my amazon purchased black and white scarf will stay at home and if we win I suspect more scarfs will be left at home the following week.
Jeez...one win and suddenly things are looking optimistic !!
This is precisely what I was banging on about a while a go, and I think part of the reluctance of the trust to get involved - football fans are fickle and with some good results and a new manager there was always going to be a reduction in the protests.. how much though, will be interesting. I'm hoping it will be minimal.
I thought it would take more than one result though.
The most frustrating thing is these protests have absolutely fuck all to do with results.
You know that is not the case - if we were top of the league nobody would give two hoots about sofas, managerial changes and ticket office opening hours.
Of course results have a bearing on the level of Support for a protest. Football is a competitive results driven Game. That is the point we have been trying to get across to KM and her boss.
IF we were top ? We would have to have a U21 side full of Joe Gomez type of players. Their are a very good side but as we've seen other than Lookman, It's a tough gig to come into a championship side.
IF we were Top ? Only 7 players brought in at the beginning to replace the 12 or so who were released. Those 7 players would've had to stay fit and perform straight away, only 2 of them did.
If we were Top ? We would need one if not 2 strikers near the 15 goal mark; we haven't. We would need to pay the extra money for players who are proven at a high level; Premier or top half of champ, We don't.
If we were top ? If your Raison d'etre is to break even in the championship you will finish nearer to the bottom than the top. That is the Mantra from Katrien Meire. (to break even)
So no protests, if we were top: that is such a spurious argument.
3rd lowest budget = a 3rd from bottom finish?
Last season we were told we had the 3rd lowest budget, but not sure what it was this season as so much is undisclosed ?
@soapboxsam@Fanny Fanackapan@stonemuse you are such a bunch of cynics, I have absolutely no idea who @PL54 is and certainly think my other half would be startled to know they have morphed into somebody else. You need to accept that not everybody has the same views as you. Support the team during the 90 mins and protest if you must AFTER the final whistle.
Tell you what, you do what you want and I, and others, will do as we want. You will thank us in the end.
A bitterly disappointing day today. Maybe when Diarra, Vetokele and Bauer return things will improve, who knows? The atmosphere was terrible from the very start with very little sign of the so called " support the team and not the regime " effort from the crowd, particularly when the team were booed at the end. Actually, where I sit the protest songs are the only ones that people can be bothered to participate in. If anyone believes that the protests don't effect the teams performance, then they are deluded.
I understand why we are here and have joined in several of the past demos although not today. I tried to support the team, but it was difficult because of the prevailing negative atmosphere. A team in our position can only survive with team spirit and backing from the fans. On today's display, both were lacking to such a degree that survival looks doubtful.
negative atmosphere? I was behind the team until I noticed we did not have a shot on target for an hour, this display was terrible...wake up, this was a game that had to be won, where were the new players. Riga has said we were not risking Igor....We needed to win this game.
Well, mchardaw, if you were trying to support the team, you were indeed in the minority. Obviously the display was terrible, I was there. I've seen worse displays but that atmosphere truly awful. As for IAgree, well I'm just assuming that he/she wasn't at the game
IAgree, If you were there today you may see my point. Of course I'm not blaming the fans for this predicament and im not sure how you could think that I am from what I said. The mistakes the board have made have been so numerous that you could almost think they were diliberate. But I don't believe it's possible to protest and support the team simultaneously like so many are professing to do. You're boycotting and that's fair enough but I couldn't do that myself...not yet at least. After today, as brilliant and valid as the demos have been, it seems to me that their continuation makes relegation far more likely.......what a conundrum!
IAgree, If you were there today you may see my point. Of course I'm not blaming the fans for this predicament and im not sure how you could think that I am from what I said. The mistakes the board have made have been so numerous that you could almost think they were diliberate. But I don't believe it's possible to protest and support the team simultaneously like so many are professing to do. You're boycotting and that's fair enough but I couldn't do that myself...not yet at least. After today, as brilliant and valid as the demos have been, it seems to me that their continuation makes relegation far more likely.......what a conundrum!
That shower of shite today doesn't need any help from us to get relegated if they carry on playing like that.
After today, as brilliant and valid as the demos have been, it seems to me that their continuation makes relegation far more likely.......what a conundrum!
How on earth can protests make relegation more likely? And the boos at the final whistle are hardly surprising after the game today nor will they impact on the result!
I have noticed a few more people starting to post on here with views seemingly aimed at causing in-fighting as much as debate. Is it overly suspicious to think this might part of the club's new media strategy?!
After today, as brilliant and valid as the demos have been, it seems to me that their continuation makes relegation far more likely.......what a conundrum!
How on earth can protests make relegation more likely? And the boos at the final whistle are hardly surprising after the game today nor will they impact on the result!
I have noticed a few more people starting to post on here with views seemingly aimed at causing in-fighting as much as debate. Is it overly suspicious to think this might part of the club's new media strategy?!
I don't think many of us believe they have a strategy for anything let alone media.
After today, as brilliant and valid as the demos have been, it seems to me that their continuation makes relegation far more likely.......what a conundrum!
How on earth can protests make relegation more likely? And the boos at the final whistle are hardly surprising after the game today nor will they impact on the result!
I have noticed a few more people starting to post on here with views seemingly aimed at causing in-fighting as much as debate. Is it overly suspicious to think this might part of the club's new media strategy?!
I don't think many of us believe they have a strategy for anything let alone media.
This could be the start of a brave new world. Or just dumb luck.
PLUS SIDE. Not moving away from the Valley. Staying at our own ground isn't a plus, it's the status quo. And how about flats in the Jimmy Stand idea?
Money spent on the pitch. As Johnny Jackson said having a decent pitch is a minimum requirement
Money spent on training ground. Money loaned to the club with interest but this is a good thing even if again having a decent training ground is a minimum requirement not a like to have extra. A cat A academy will be a good thing for the club and is to be applauded
Money spent on players in all categories, 1st, 2nd and junior teams. Debatable. Figure given is £9m but that includes loan fees. Much of the spending has been offset by sales (£3.5M to £5.5m for Gomez alone plus Wiggans, Stephens, Yann and others. Plus how much has gone to Roland via his other clubs Loan fees for Bulot, Thuram and Buyens, transfer fees for Watt, Reza, Nego, Tuchedean. It could be he has spent very little, if anything, NET on players and many of those signings have been very poorly business. Polish Pete, le Point, Thuram, Nego, Tuchedean, etc etc. We don't have a 2nd team by the way
Cheapest tickets in the league. Only a small couple of blocks which cause problems as people buy there and then move. If it was the lower north yes it might make sense. And despite the low prices gates are down, actual attendances are down.
DOWN SIDE. Communication and management has been poor. More than poor. Attrocious, insulting, contradictory and bad.
You haven't mentioned the revolving door of managerial changes or the constant mistakes with player purchases let along the frequent PR disasters
It was not that long ago. Daily rumours of moving away from the valley. As you say "rumours" which never had any foundation
Pitch was unplayable. No money spent on players. Plus yes, poor communication with supporters. I would suggest the club is in a far healthier state than previous years, Better than under the Spivs perhaps but that is setting the bar very very low. This is the ownership now so we address the problems they are creating here and now rather than saying "at least they're not as bad as the last lot"
better than many other clubs in the leagues. Such as? Other than Bolton who is worse off in terms of position or governance that us in our division?
Life is not perfect, let's hope that communicate and management will be improved under the present owners who are at least investing in OUR CLUB. Not "our" club. Katrien made that very clear that it wasn't "our" club. In their minds it is Roland's club and we're just customers who are wierd for thinking we having any ownership
I know this goes in the face of many, but I would suggest although not perfect, not everything is negative at our club. COYReds!
No, not everything is negative although they is a hell of a lot that is and that is why many people (98% in the last survey) have some or great concerns.
Blimey IAgree. It seems to me that anyone that isn't a regular/long term member or who expresses a view that isn't entirely agreed with is lambasted and or is accused as being a mole for the regime. To me that shows narrow mindedness. "Virtual unknowns".....laughable..........it sounds like there is a charlton life hierarchy. If so , you must be at the top table. By the way, if you remember, it was march 2014 when Chris was sacked. It broke my heart and I felt compelled to join and post. There must have been a surge in charlton life membership that day.
Blimey IAgree. It seems to me that anyone that isn't a regular/long term member or who expresses a view that isn't entirely agreed with is lambasted and or is accused as being a mole for the regime. To me that shows narrow mindedness. "Virtual unknowns".....laughable..........it sounds like there is a charlton life hierarchy. If so , you must be at the top table. By the way, if you remember, it was march 2014 when Chris was sacked. It broke my heart and I felt compelled to join and post. There must have been a surge in charlton life membership that day.
Comments
The atmosphere was terrible from the very start with very little sign of the so called " support the team and not the regime " effort from the crowd, particularly when the team were booed at the end. Actually, where I sit the protest songs are the only ones that people can be bothered to participate in. If anyone believes that the protests don't effect the teams performance, then they are deluded.
I understand why we are here and have joined in several of the past demos although not today. I tried to support the team, but it was difficult because of the prevailing negative atmosphere. A team in our position can only survive with team spirit and backing from the fans. On today's display, both were lacking to such a degree that survival looks doubtful.
After today, as brilliant and valid as the demos have been, it seems to me that their continuation makes relegation far more likely.......what a conundrum!
I have noticed a few more people starting to post on here with views seemingly aimed at causing in-fighting as much as debate. Is it overly suspicious to think this might part of the club's new media strategy?!
"Virtual unknowns".....laughable..........it sounds like there is a charlton life hierarchy. If so , you must be at the top table.
By the way, if you remember, it was march 2014 when Chris was sacked. It broke my heart and I felt compelled to join and post. There must have been a surge in charlton life membership that day.