Again Rick I asked if anyone else had bought one. Purely to see or have an idea of the numbers that where interested. The timing of buying one is irrelevant but as it was the first day and the cheap rate in the north lower. It would be nice to see if it inspired fans to move or buy early. I did not set out for this to be a thread where we are arguing amongst ourselves. Like you Rick I do want the best for this football club. You helped save it once but that can only be done United and not divided. But to hang me for buying a season ticket is a bit over the top ain't it?
It is a pity that some supporters are making an early decision to buy a season ticket for next year which in my opinion only encourages Roland to persevere with his ‘experiment’ at our expense. I commented on another thread and I repeat it here:
The only hope for the future of the Charlton that we have grown up with to survive is a total boycott of season tickets and match day tickets next season. This is a big ask for supporters like me who have been going all of their lives but what we have now is not Charlton so what would we sacrificing...... I understand the sentiment that one should not have to one's emotional well being damaged by just one man and that a visit to the valley is also a social and important family link but, I would plead to supporters like the wonderful Fanny to perhaps try not attending the home matches until say half of next season has finished and then, like me, take a view on what to do next. Hopefully the man will be gone!
As a Trust member I will be writing to them to suggest that they form a strategy that addresses this issue which is URGENT because tickets are now on sale! Maybe there could be some form of pledge that supporters could sign up for where they promise not to buy a season ticket (on the presumption that we are not staying up) but wait until there is some meaningful change of ‘vision’ (unlikely) or a change in ownership (hopefully). This stance could be reviewed after the January window. Accompanying the pledge would be a message to all supporters that feel that they must renew their season tickets not to buy a new seat that would have been occupied by a boycotting supporter (perhaps supporters agreeing with this could give the Trust their seat numbers so that this could be avoided). This is incredibly hard for some of us who have been supporters for decades and therefore any significant absence from the Valley represents a large part of their remaining Charlton life – literally!
Again Rick I asked if anyone else had bought one. Purely to see or have an idea of the numbers that where interested. The timing of buying one is irrelevant but as it was the first day and the cheap rate in the north lower. It would be nice to see if it inspired fans to move or buy early. I did not set out for this to be a thread where we are arguing amongst ourselves. Like you Rick I do want the best for this football club. You helped save it once but that can only be done United and not divided. But to hang me for buying a season ticket is a bit over the top ain't it?
But surely, unless you want to keep the current regime in place, the CARD position of (at least) withholding your purchase until the last minute would make sense. While individual posters have suggested a full boycott by supporters, I don't see that as the CARD position.
I'm not in a position where the purchase a season ticket either makes sense or is likely, mostly because of where I live.
But, if I was, I very much doubt that I would have purchased at the first opportunity, because I think the greater value to us as fans (as I assume that the current regime is bad for the club) is to make the regime's financial planning more difficult.
Rick Everitt players come and go but I will still be supporting the 11 on the pitch whoever they are. And your right I've made my own decision and bought me and my family our season tickets. Seems you are trying to turn us on each other??
ShortyWilson999 you started this thread immediately after yesterday’s game and protests with the question:
“Out of curiosity, who did renew their season tickets today and who moved to north lower. Got to admit I did and moved 5 of us to the north lower”.
and 19 of the 88 posts you’ve made on this forum since you joined in January 2015 have been on this thread.
I think it’s clear that your intention wasn’t innocent or idle curiosity about how many people have renewed or moved to the Lower North, but to provoke a response that you’ve been milking since.
Renew your season ticket and take advantage of the new prices in the Lower North if you choose but your postings on this thread suggest that your intention is to provoke a response rather than get an answer to your questions and that you are an attention seeking stirrer.
I can see from your comments that you want to continue supporting the 11 players on the pitch - "team" is a bit strong as they will never be together long enough to be called that - but don't you think the players are fed up with useless head coach after useless head coach ? Shouldn't you be doing your bit for them ? What about the players that would love to come to Charlton but wouldn't touch us with a barge pole ? You are not helping them either. And then there are the acadamy graduates ho are being played when they shouldn't be just to up their value. Are you helping them ?
Sometimes you have to take a wider view, however difficult. My family have 4 tickets. One of them is my elderly mother who has dementia. She looks forward to going to matches even if she has forgotten about it when we get home. We have had the same seats since 1994 so not purchasing STs will be very very difficult. Next season could well be her last which makes my decision to delay until as late as possible very difficult. BUT RD & KM will not be seeing my money for a long time yet, if at all. I intend to keep them guessing. I certainly could not be seen making an unseemly rush down to the ticket office, waving money in the air, hoping to catch Katrien's eye and then gloating about it afterwards.
KM said its Roland's way or ....... well, it looks like "or".
Rick Everitt players come and go but I will still be supporting the 11 on the pitch whoever they are. And your right I've made my own decision and bought me and my family our season tickets. Seems you are trying to turn us on each other??
I'm just puzzled as to why you would want to buy immediately that season tickets go on sale AND announce what you are doing on a message board. It's your choice, I am just wondering why you would do that.
You don't have to justify buying at all or the timing, but if you didn't want to do so I am not sure why you would come on here and talk about it in the first place. It seems a bit odd having done so to claim that the discussion is itself divisive. It's in the nature of a message board that people would then question you. If you don't want to answer then fair enough.
Purely as a matter of interest AB, are you renewing your season ticket?
Certainly not now. I might change my mind in July if the situation has changed, which I guess would be the position of many people.
My original post is hardly a post to provoke I think the replies I've had back are more intimidating. I somehow don't think I'm the only one to purchase my season ticket. And Micks1950 I don't know you and I don't care to know you so don't judge me and insinuate that I intentionally have provoked an argument. I've had to spend the last 2 days defending why I've bought them. Again if you don't want to buy yours then don't and I won't be begging you to.
I can't believe how much time we are spending arguing amongst ourselves on both this thread and the 74 minute 'Chexit' thread (see what I did there).
I'd sum it up as follows:
There are a few who think RD etc is good, certainly seems to be a very small minority. There are some who are a bit non plus by it all, just go to watch a bit of football on a Saturday (mostly what I refer to as the hangeroners from the PL days), a lot of those probably aren't attending now for a mixture of reasons. There are some who want change, but will still go to the games and probably buy a season ticket (by change they would probably be reasonably happy if RD & KM stayed but changed). There are some who are 100% behind CARD and some or all of the protests and want RD gone, however you can't expect everyone to agree with everything in each camp, we're all human not sheep.
I suspect season ticket take up will be low, not as low as it would have been as anyone in east or west sitting on the fence may be tempted by the cheap seats in the Lower North, that in turn may tempt people already in the Lower North to renew in fear of losing their seat.
Either way, I'm sure we'd all agree that sales will be massively down by the end of April or whenever the cut off date is, my guess is a couple of thousand renewals, maybe three at best, that is a massive reduction and will cause, again, the club to wake up and smell the coffee.
There is of course a potential negative, RD has deep pockets, with low gates/receipts he'll cut his cloth accordingly so they'll be major cutbacks both in playing and non playing staff, if we somehow stay up I can see a considerably worse bunch of players and team next year, probably 3-4 wins all season. Won't be much better in League 1 although the quality required is less of course.
One last thought for CARD, if there are people who are going to renew regardless, reach out and maybe say if you do have to then move to the lower north, at least then it's £175 not £350+ going in RD's pocket.........
Maybe these posters are buying their STs now in the hope they might be posted before the first game of next season kicks off.
In the small print it did say that if you renewed by the end of March, you would receive a signed photo of Roly, Katrien and Muzza, and the opportunity to sit on the fans sofa whilst enjoying a complimentary pulled pork sandwich.
Its a funny subject, on the one hand you have people that use the argument "i'll still be going in league 1/2, will you?" (not nesseceraly on this thread) and on the other you have people getting cunted off for renewing their season tickets.
I suggest 99% of posters on this board support the team though on occasions, in fact too many occasions of late, the players' performances have sorely tested the patience of a great many.
Buying a season ticket or not buying a season ticket is not a badge of honour. As per the thousands participating in the variety of protests yesterday it is an eminently personal decision.
Unless you have not bothered to read the majority of threads you will know; a) this message board is part of, and a supporter of the Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) b) CARD as part of it protest has asked supporters to refrain from purchasing season tickets at this time.
On what basis would you choose to broadcast your personal decision in such an environment?
In terms of supporting the team then 99% of this message board will be with you every step of the way. However you are perfectly able to support the team by buying your season ticket at a later stage. Indeed you are perfectly able to support the team by not buying a season ticket but tickets on the day. Still further you are perfectly able to support the team by watching them perform away from The Valley.
In essence therefore there is no direct correlation between buying a ticket now and supporting the team.
Such action is however detrimental to the message being sent to the regime. Every season ticket purchased at this stage will be used to diminish the protest campaign, while giving the regime your endorsement of the manner in which they have chosen to operate the club.
If you do not agree with the way the club is being run why would you give them your money today?
Everybody has a perfect right to act in their own personal interests by taking advantage of the pricing differential, securing a seat of their choice amongst friends or family and enjoying the usual benefits of a season ticket but doing so has absolutely no relevance to supporting the team.
For the original poster to proclaim such support in such a manner in this environment is akin, intentional or not, to stirring up the proverbial hornets' nest. Unsurprisingly he got stung!
The Campaign message cannot be clearer, if you are in a position and can afford to do so, please avoid purchasing you season ticket at this time.
Well I have purchased mine as I'm sure have others. Just because I have does not mean I support Roland. If you disagree then we both have to agree to disagree. Keep up the good work. And let's not make this all to personal.
Well I have purchased mine as I'm sure have others. Just because I have does not mean I support Roland. If you disagree then we both have to agree to disagree. Keep up the good work. And let's not make this all to personal.
But you have supported Roland by giving him your money. Theres no agreeing to disagree you have supported him. That is your right, but that is what you have done, actions trump words every time.
Well I've not actually paid Roland and certainly do not support him but again agree to disagree. I don't have a say on who owns the club and whose name is above the door. The thing is Greenie I don't care now. My seat is safe and I'll be there next season. A true protest would be to not buy a season ticket at all. Not leave it a few months to make them sweat. Each to there own. You not buying a season ticket at all then? Will you not be at the Valley at all next season??
Well I have purchased mine as I'm sure have others. Just because I have does not mean I support Roland. If you disagree then we both have to agree to disagree. Keep up the good work. And let's not make this all to personal.
But you have supported Roland by giving him your money. Theres no agreeing to disagree you have supported him. That is your right, but that is what you have done, actions trump words every time.
So anyone who bought a ticket for yesterday's match is a supporter of RD? As a number of people protesting have said they did........ 9 of those is the same as a LN ticket for next season
I took my children on Kids for a Quid, does that mean I'm a supporter of RD's?
Well I've not actually paid Roland and certainly do not support him but again agree to disagree. I don't have a say on who owns the club and whose name is above the door. The thing is Greenie I don't care now. My seat is safe and I'll be there next season. A true protest would be to not buy a season ticket at all. Not leave it a few months to make them sweat. Each to there own. You not buying a season ticket at all then? Will you not be at the Valley at all next season??
I am not buying a match ticket let alone a season ticket until they have slung their collective hook.
That's your choice isn't it. Not mine so again good luck and keep up the good work.
Did I say it was? I was replying to say that I agree with your point and have been doing it since September......prior to this season I had over twenty years of having a season ticket including being part of the VIP scheme. I would not criticise anyone for buying a season ticket but would say I think it is a mistake, but that is only my personal view.
Shorty, genuine non loaded question here just interested to hear your opinion as a supporter of the team (which I think is a noble attitude), were you behind Karal Fraeye when he was manager?
Well I've not actually paid Roland and certainly do not support him but again agree to disagree. I don't have a say on who owns the club and whose name is above the door. The thing is Greenie I don't care now. My seat is safe and I'll be there next season. A true protest would be to not buy a season ticket at all. Not leave it a few months to make them sweat. Each to there own. You not buying a season ticket at all then? Will you not be at the Valley at all next season??
Gone on record and said I will not buy a ST while Roland and KM are at the club*, whether we stay up or fall into L1, it hurts because I've been coming to the Valley since 74. I repeat, if anyone buys a ST, then you are supporting RD, you can agree to disagree all you like it it makes you feel better, but thats irrelevant, ultimately the money goes into Rolands pocket, and as one of the Belgian posters on here said thats all Roland cares about. Its about strength in numbers and as soon as one person buys a ticket it makes RD stronger and the ones who really care about the club, and are trying to save our club, the club that you have bought a ticket for, a little bit weaker.
* I have also said that if he dropped his CAFC business model that clearly isn't working, i.e. employ managers/players/staff that have championship experience, engage with our (mostly) great supporters, then I would reconsider, but RD does not do U -turns.
Comments
I commented on another thread and I repeat it here:
The only hope for the future of the Charlton that we have grown up with to survive is a total boycott of season tickets and match day tickets next season.
This is a big ask for supporters like me who have been going all of their lives but what we have now is not Charlton so what would we sacrificing......
I understand the sentiment that one should not have to one's emotional well being damaged by just one man and that a visit to the valley is also a social and important family link but, I would plead to supporters like the wonderful Fanny to perhaps try not attending the home matches until say half of next season has finished and then, like me, take a view on what to do next. Hopefully the man will be gone!
As a Trust member I will be writing to them to suggest that they form a strategy that addresses this issue which is URGENT because tickets are now on sale!
Maybe there could be some form of pledge that supporters could sign up for where they promise not to buy a season ticket (on the presumption that we are not staying up) but wait until there is some meaningful change of ‘vision’ (unlikely) or a change in ownership (hopefully). This stance could be reviewed after the January window.
Accompanying the pledge would be a message to all supporters that feel that they must renew their season tickets not to buy a new seat that would have been occupied by a boycotting supporter (perhaps supporters agreeing with this could give the Trust their seat numbers so that this could be avoided).
This is incredibly hard for some of us who have been supporters for decades and therefore any significant absence from the Valley represents a large part of their remaining Charlton life – literally!
I'm not in a position where the purchase a season ticket either makes sense or is likely, mostly because of where I live.
But, if I was, I very much doubt that I would have purchased at the first opportunity, because I think the greater value to us as fans (as I assume that the current regime is bad for the club) is to make the regime's financial planning more difficult.
But everyone has to make their own decision.
“Out of curiosity, who did renew their season tickets today and who moved to north lower. Got to admit I did and moved 5 of us to the north lower”.
and 19 of the 88 posts you’ve made on this forum since you joined in January 2015 have been on this thread.
I think it’s clear that your intention wasn’t innocent or idle curiosity about how many people have renewed or moved to the Lower North, but to provoke a response that you’ve been milking since.
Renew your season ticket and take advantage of the new prices in the Lower North if you choose but your postings on this thread suggest that your intention is to provoke a response rather than get an answer to your questions and that you are an attention seeking stirrer.
I can see from your comments that you want to continue supporting the 11 players on the pitch - "team" is a bit strong as they will never be together long enough to be called that - but don't you think the players are fed up with useless head coach after useless head coach ? Shouldn't you be doing your bit for them ? What about the players that would love to come to Charlton but wouldn't touch us with a barge pole ? You are not helping them either. And then there are the acadamy graduates ho are being played when they shouldn't be just to up their value. Are you helping them ?
Sometimes you have to take a wider view, however difficult. My family have 4 tickets. One of them is my elderly mother who has dementia. She looks forward to going to matches even if she has forgotten about it when we get home. We have had the same seats since 1994 so not purchasing STs will be very very difficult. Next season could well be her last which makes my decision to delay until as late as possible very difficult. BUT RD & KM will not be seeing my money for a long time yet, if at all. I intend to keep them guessing. I certainly could not be seen making an unseemly rush down to the ticket office, waving money in the air, hoping to catch Katrien's eye and then gloating about it afterwards.
KM said its Roland's way or ....... well, it looks like "or".
Will go to some home games but I will buy the cheapest ticket and won't spend money in the ground.
I'd sum it up as follows:
There are a few who think RD etc is good, certainly seems to be a very small minority.
There are some who are a bit non plus by it all, just go to watch a bit of football on a Saturday (mostly what I refer to as the hangeroners from the PL days), a lot of those probably aren't attending now for a mixture of reasons.
There are some who want change, but will still go to the games and probably buy a season ticket (by change they would probably be reasonably happy if RD & KM stayed but changed).
There are some who are 100% behind CARD and some or all of the protests and want RD gone, however you can't expect everyone to agree with everything in each camp, we're all human not sheep.
I suspect season ticket take up will be low, not as low as it would have been as anyone in east or west sitting on the fence may be tempted by the cheap seats in the Lower North, that in turn may tempt people already in the Lower North to renew in fear of losing their seat.
Either way, I'm sure we'd all agree that sales will be massively down by the end of April or whenever the cut off date is, my guess is a couple of thousand renewals, maybe three at best, that is a massive reduction and will cause, again, the club to wake up and smell the coffee.
There is of course a potential negative, RD has deep pockets, with low gates/receipts he'll cut his cloth accordingly so they'll be major cutbacks both in playing and non playing staff, if we somehow stay up I can see a considerably worse bunch of players and team next year, probably 3-4 wins all season. Won't be much better in League 1 although the quality required is less of course.
One last thought for CARD, if there are people who are going to renew regardless, reach out and maybe say if you do have to then move to the lower north, at least then it's £175 not £350+ going in RD's pocket.........
funny funny funny
Buying a season ticket or not buying a season ticket is not a badge of honour. As per the thousands participating in the variety of protests yesterday it is an eminently personal decision.
Unless you have not bothered to read the majority of threads you will know;
a) this message board is part of, and a supporter of the Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD)
b) CARD as part of it protest has asked supporters to refrain from purchasing season tickets at this time.
On what basis would you choose to broadcast your personal decision in such an environment?
In terms of supporting the team then 99% of this message board will be with you every step of the way. However you are perfectly able to support the team by buying your season ticket at a later stage. Indeed you are perfectly able to support the team by not buying a season ticket but tickets on the day. Still further you are perfectly able to support the team by watching them perform away from The Valley.
In essence therefore there is no direct correlation between buying a ticket now and supporting the team.
Such action is however detrimental to the message being sent to the regime. Every season ticket purchased at this stage will be used to diminish the protest campaign, while giving the regime your endorsement of the manner in which they have chosen to operate the club.
If you do not agree with the way the club is being run why would you give them your money today?
Everybody has a perfect right to act in their own personal interests by taking advantage of the pricing differential, securing a seat of their choice amongst friends or family and enjoying the usual benefits of a season ticket but doing so has absolutely no relevance to supporting the team.
For the original poster to proclaim such support in such a manner in this environment is akin, intentional or not, to stirring up the proverbial hornets' nest. Unsurprisingly he got stung!
The Campaign message cannot be clearer, if you are in a position and can afford to do so, please avoid purchasing you season ticket at this time.
Theres no agreeing to disagree you have supported him.
That is your right, but that is what you have done, actions trump words every time.
I took my children on Kids for a Quid, does that mean I'm a supporter of RD's?
I'm playing devils advocate of course, but.....
I repeat, if anyone buys a ST, then you are supporting RD, you can agree to disagree all you like it it makes you feel better, but thats irrelevant, ultimately the money goes into Rolands pocket, and as one of the Belgian posters on here said thats all Roland cares about.
Its about strength in numbers and as soon as one person buys a ticket it makes RD stronger and the ones who really care about the club, and are trying to save our club, the club that you have bought a ticket for, a little bit weaker.
* I have also said that if he dropped his CAFC business model that clearly isn't working, i.e. employ managers/players/staff that have championship experience, engage with our (mostly) great supporters, then I would reconsider, but RD does not do U -turns.