"We are disappointed to hear you are not renewing your season ticket after such a long time with us. However, we are aware that we have a large job to bring fans like yourself back to The Valley so we are trying our upmost [sic] to do this."
Oh well - bye, then.
Good response but I'd love to know WHAT they are doing to bring fans back.
I think it may be by organising a "Kick Roland up the Arse Day" (one kick per season ticket holder) for the last home game this season, though apparently he has to make his own way to North London.
If T20k want, they can have this idea from me for free....
- "Not true" that KM tried to stop the funeral procession taking place - Large banner contravening ground regs not removed during Boro match as there were "bigger operational priorities" - "There are no plans to redevelop the Jimmy Seed Stand. Although there is clearly a need for it to be refurbished, at present our primary development focus is on the training ground." - "Unfortunately we cannot give you a date for that" - I asked when the owner would next be visiting CAFC
And last but not least re the conflicting statements - bold by me. What a load of waffle and sounds rather like they are giving up/ regretting this email channel as it has been consigned to the past tense already:
"We'd probably say that the attitude of the club towards supporters can't be measured by statements but more by actions of the club across a range of areas, whether its by trying to offer then most affordable football in London or by trying to offer a range of family activities on matchday. Clearly the club has a need to work better with supporters and it's an ongoing process - this new email was part of that process."
- "Not true" that KM tried to stop the funeral procession taking place - Large banner contravening ground regs not removed during Boro match as there were "bigger operational priorities" - "There are no plans to redevelop the Jimmy Seed Stand. Although there is clearly a need for it to be refurbished, at present our primary development focus is on the training ground." - "Unfortunately we cannot give you a date for that" - I asked when the owner would next be visiting CAFC
And last but not least re the conflicting statements - bold by me. What a load of waffle and sounds rather like they are giving up/ regretting this email channel as it has been consigned to the past tense already:
"We'd probably say that the attitude of the club towards supporters can't be measured by statements but more by actions of the club across a range of areas, whether its by trying to offer then most affordable football in London or by trying to offer a range of family activities on matchday. Clearly the club has a need to work better with supporters and it's an ongoing process - this new email was part of that process."
i genuinely think that's all Duchatelet cares about! How long before its 'finished'? Maybe that's when he will be likely to sell...
The range of family activities seem to be exploiting little kids in front of the East Stand to wave flags as the teams come out and taking photographs of them. They are NOT offering the most affordable football in London, because they have ceased to be a real football club.
They will make no effort whatsoever to win back support, because even they realise under this regime it can't be done. However they will pretend to do so whilst in disguise.
The range of family activities seem to be exploiting little kids in front of the East Stand to wave flags as the teams come out and taking photographs of them. They are NOT offering the most affordable football in London, because they have ceased to be a real football club.
... but more by actions of the club across a range of areas, whether its by trying to offer then most affordable football in London or by trying to offer a range of family activities on matchday.
Personally could not care less about either ... the priority is that I want to see my team challenging on the pitch.
Just in - in last few minutes in response to my e-mail questioning the owner and CEO mismanagement of club and enquiry as to when either might be going. (e-mail sent shortly after RD 'statement'.
Hello John,
Thank you for your email.
Mr Duchatelet has no plans to sell the club and Ms Miere has no plans to leave. We are all working hard to build a brighter future for the club.
Just in - in last few minutes in response to my e-mail questioning the owner and CEO mismanagement of club and enquiry as to when either might be going. (e-mail sent shortly after RD 'statement'.
Hello John,
Thank you for your email.
Mr Duchatelet has no plans to sell the club and Ms Miere has no plans to leave. We are all working hard to build a brighter future for the club.
Thank you for your support.
Kind Regards The Supporter Relations Team
My response to their response Dear Supporter Relations Team,
You just don't get it do you?
Duchatelet and Meire have already lost the trust of many long term supporters of the Club.
Unless and until there is a change at the top you are not going to win people back simply by one lame sentence saying that you are working to build a brighter future for the club.
How can you honestly use those words when Katrien Meire has dragged this club down and made it a laughing stock with her litany of errors and crass comments - including the classic that after every managerial change the Club has improved its position.
What planet is she on. Lets have some action rather than empty words and by actions I mean firstly the resignation of failed and flawed CEO Katrien Meire who is damaged beyond repair.
Just in - in last few minutes in response to my e-mail questioning the owner and CEO mismanagement of club and enquiry as to when either might be going. (e-mail sent shortly after RD 'statement'.
Hello John,
Thank you for your email.
Mr Duchatelet has no plans to sell the club and Ms Miere has no plans to leave. We are all working hard to build a brighter future for the club.
Thank you for your support.
Kind Regards The Supporter Relations Team
What does this mean exactly? Who is counted in this 'all'? The use of the comparative 'brighter' normally assumes that something is already bright. Obviously that can't be the case here, because the future has looked nothing but bleak ever since Duchatelet took over. So, what is it that our future is being compared to? What does this 'working hard' entail? Nothing that the regime has done, gives the slightest hint that anyone is working hard for a bright future. If there is any hard work going on, every outward appearance is that it is to keep the fans quiet whilst wrecking the club. Specifically, what has anyone done that is aimed at building a brighter future for the club?
My email to the club after loosing my season ticket:
Hello,
On a trip to Berlin this past weekend, to watch a proper team of players, play proper football, under a proper manager, with proper respect for the badge they wear and the fans they represent; I lost my season ticket.
Contrary to the statement posted on the club website on 15th March, I, like all other Charlton customers, do not wish for the club to fail. I wish for the club to succeed, prosper and even make it into the promised land of the English Premier League, and in order to do so banish the current regime to whichever cesspool they managed to drag themselves out of. For this reason I would like to ask if you could send me another season ticket, so that I can attend the remaining games this season, hopefully not incurring the wrath of a certain Belgian lawyer and the Metropolitan Police in the process.
The rhetoric is really being abused in all these responses! 'How' is never answered, particularly as to engaging with their football supporters/customers.
The rhetoric is really being abused in all these responses! 'How' is never answered, particularly as to engaging with their football supporters/customers.
I don't expect a response but I've asked about the 'how' in my reply:
Suggest you re-read your final sentence. Did you mean to say that the club wants regain its trust in the fans to stay at The Valley?
Assuming that meant to say something different, how exactly do you intend to restore the trust of the fans? I ask this because your warm words are at odds with the words and actions of the owner and the club's senior team. The joint statement with the Met Police which brackets fan protests and beach balls on the pitch with criminality being the most recent example of truly dreadful local PR.
As people said to me, if they can't be bothered to ask me why, after 46 years of supporting Charlton Athletic, at least 42 of them being a season ticket holder, I have left Valley Gold, and told them I will not be renewing my S/T and asked to be removed from all the data files, etc......
As people said to me, if they can't be bothered to ask me why, after 46 years of supporting Charlton Athletic, at least 42 of them being a season ticket holder, I have left Valley Gold, and told them I will not be renewing my S/T and asked to be removed from all the data files, etc......
Hey, just another customer
This customer thing got me thinking; how would Nandos or Cineworld actually respond if the same percentage of their patronage protested outside shops, launched social media campaigns and donated money in to a protest fund?
Surely there would be boardroom changes and the customers would be placated?
I think the customer comments are now actually rather offensive to legitimate businesses who do look after their customers.
Charlton Athletic are - at the moment - in a league of their own.
As people said to me, if they can't be bothered to ask me why, after 46 years of supporting Charlton Athletic, at least 42 of them being a season ticket holder, I have left Valley Gold, and told them I will not be renewing my S/T and asked to be removed from all the data files, etc......
Hey, just another customer
This customer thing got me thinking; how would Nandos or Cineworld actually respond if the same percentage of their patronage protested outside shops, launched social media campaigns and donated money in to a protest fund?
Surely there would be boardroom changes and the customers would be placated?
I think the customer comments are now actually rather offensive to legitimate businesses who do look after their customers.
Charlton Athletic are - at the moment - in a league of their own.
Come on target20k. Walk away from further discussion with the club now and you walk away with your integrity still intact. They are using you for their own ends.
As following precedent slavishly is what I do best, I thought I'd add something similar to further emails I send the Club.
Here's a draft - any suggested improvements?
E-mail disclaimer This email is confidential to the intended recipients and may be privileged. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorised. If you received this email in error, please delete it, or telephone xxxx xxxxxx and ask for the sender. Unless authorised by cafcfan, copying, forwarding, disclosing or using this email or its contents is prohibited. cafcfan is not responsible for controlling transmissions over the internet. cafcfan may intercept, copy or monitor emails from or to anyone using cafcfan's email facilities in accordance with the law. (This last bit seems extremely dubious but I'm sure the Club's lawyers know what they are doing so it must be correct and I can do the same can't I?) Opinions or advice provided in this email or attachments are solely those of the sender unless specifically stated otherwise.
As following precedent slavishly is what I do best, I thought I'd add something similar to further emails I send the Club.
Here's a draft - any suggested improvements?
E-mail disclaimer This email is confidential to the intended recipients and may be privileged. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorised. If you received this email in error, please delete it, or telephone xxxx xxxxxx and ask for the sender. Unless authorised by cafcfan, copying, forwarding, disclosing or using this email or its contents is prohibited. cafcfan is not responsible for controlling transmissions over the internet. cafcfan may intercept, copy or monitor emails from or to anyone using cafcfan's email facilities in accordance with the law. (This last bit seems extremely dubious but I'm sure the Club's lawyers know what they are doing so it must be correct and I can do the same can't I?) Opinions or advice provided in this email or attachments are solely those of the sender unless specifically stated otherwise.
Hah, you've picked on one of my pet hates there - ridiculously pointless email disclaimers. There's a good article on it here: http://www.economist.com/node/18529895
Last year I got away with this as part of my email signature for a good 3 weeks or so:
Lucky Reds,
Technical Lead and Team Motivator
--------- Group,
// address details and phone numbers //
_
.---. / > .---,
<_ `' `' _>
<_/\ /\_>
/`'\
".__."
"Soar like an eagle, fall like a rock"
Albeit I very rarely had need to send client emails, but the amount of internal one liners I sent was pretty impresive. Not one comment was made..
Until an email exchange with HR due to complaints about me playing Disco Inferno during a fire drill, apparently that was nearly as unprofessional as the email signature. After 5 months of HR being unaware of my existence I got 3 warnings in one day. (Seemingly I had a punctuality issue they'd been informed about too.)
God I miss that office, and I'm sure they miss me too.
I sent an email to formercustomers@cafc.co.uk. I did get a reply. It said that we don't want old gits like you carrying black and white umbrellas coming here, thanks.
I sent an email to formercustomers@cafc.co.uk. I did get a reply. It said that we don't want old gits like you carrying black and white umbrellas coming here, thanks.
We understand your concerns and are working hard to upturn the fortunes of the club. We all want success for the club and we want to of course stay up this season as you do want us to too.
We understand the vital role the fans like yourself play in the success of the club and we endeavour to win back the trust of the fans.
Mr Duchatelet has no plans to sell the club at present.
Kind Regards The Supporter Relations Team
????? the last last two words of their reply gives me some hope 'at present' .... So a future sale is possible / probable ..... ????? How soon please ?
As people said to me, if they can't be bothered to ask me why, after 46 years of supporting Charlton Athletic, at least 42 of them being a season ticket holder, I have left Valley Gold, and told them I will not be renewing my S/T and asked to be removed from all the data files, etc......
Hey, just another customer
Similar story here - it is because you and I are just seen as any other fans mate. They don't appreciate the magnitude of fans who have been supporting the club for many decades not renewing. Maybe they dont want to analyse too much as the answers won't be favourable to them.
As people said to me, if they can't be bothered to ask me why, after 46 years of supporting Charlton Athletic, at least 42 of them being a season ticket holder, I have left Valley Gold, and told them I will not be renewing my S/T and asked to be removed from all the data files, etc......
Hey, just another customer
Similar story here - it is because you and I are just seen as any other fans mate. They don't appreciate the magnitude of fans who have been supporting the club for many decades not renewing. Maybe they dont want to analyse too much as the answers won't be favourable to them.
So insulting! If we really were 'customers' that were valued, they would be bending over backwards to give incentives to keep you. Sky or lots of other companies immediately try to find out why you're leaving and if they can prevent it by improving the relationship. A real disgrace of a management team now. But I think the pirate ship Meire is sinking fast and those around her are trying to bail her out with an egg cup! (For example, the fans' email address was initially a good idea but the responses say otherwise.) I hope the genuine Charlton folk there are not sinking with her!
So. We are all being told how much they hope to improve things, build relations, and most amusingly of all they are working hard. No they're not. They don't do any work for fans or sponsors for a start because there are hardly any left, they don't sell tickets, judging by last Thursday the club shop does no business. They are not working hard. Anyway they say affordable football, when they're motivated to close the North Upper, season tickets for many are going up, and their family aspiration is a cynical exploitative failure. They are not working hard on anything. Tell you what, I am prepared to work shadow five Charlton Athletic employees of my choice for a week, and then report back to all on here. #timeandmotionman.
I was part of the mock funeral at the last home game.
After the protest club and Centre Circle staff kindly offered to store the coffin in a store cupboard in the North stand entrance for me to collect later. I helped place it there myself.
Can you let me know when will be a convenient time to pick it up.
We apologise about this, I have spoken to the relevant people and they remember this competition. They said that we can send you a signed programme as a prize if you would still like it. If so please send us your address and we can get that posted to you.
Best Regards The Supporter Relations Team
I can't really fault them on this although as far as memorabilia goes, Chris Powells signature is worth a lot more to me than most of the dross there at the moment.
I also really enjoy the mental image of some lad from a crisis management consultancy running around the CAFC office to try and find out if anyone remembers a Twitter competition from 2013 which had a signed Chris Powell mask as a prize.
Comments
If T20k want, they can have this idea from me for free....
- "Not true" that KM tried to stop the funeral procession taking place
- Large banner contravening ground regs not removed during Boro match as there were "bigger operational priorities"
- "There are no plans to redevelop the Jimmy Seed Stand. Although there is clearly a need for it to be refurbished, at present our primary development focus is on the training ground."
- "Unfortunately we cannot give you a date for that" - I asked when the owner would next be visiting CAFC
And last but not least re the conflicting statements - bold by me. What a load of waffle and sounds rather like they are giving up/ regretting this email channel as it has been consigned to the past tense already:
"We'd probably say that the attitude of the club towards supporters can't be measured by statements but more by actions of the club across a range of areas, whether its by trying to offer then most affordable football in London or by trying to offer a range of family activities on matchday. Clearly the club has a need to work better with supporters and it's an ongoing process - this new email was part of that process."
They are NOT offering the most affordable football in London, because they have ceased to be a real football club.
They will make no effort whatsoever to win back support, because even they realise under this regime it can't be done. However they will pretend to do so whilst in disguise.
Hello John,
Thank you for your email.
Mr Duchatelet has no plans to sell the club and Ms Miere has no plans to leave. We are all working hard to build a brighter future for the club.
Thank you for your support.
Kind Regards
The Supporter Relations Team
My response to their response
Dear Supporter Relations Team,
You just don't get it do you?
Duchatelet and Meire have already lost the trust of many long term supporters of the Club.
Unless and until there is a change at the top you are not going to win people back simply by one lame sentence saying that you are working to build a brighter future for the club.
How can you honestly use those words when Katrien Meire has dragged this club down and made it a laughing stock with her litany of errors and crass comments - including the classic that after every managerial change the Club has improved its position.
What planet is she on. Lets have some action rather than empty words and by actions I mean firstly the resignation of failed and flawed CEO Katrien Meire who is damaged beyond repair.
yours in disgust
Who is counted in this 'all'?
The use of the comparative 'brighter' normally assumes that something is already bright. Obviously that can't be the case here, because the future has looked nothing but bleak ever since Duchatelet took over. So, what is it that our future is being compared to?
What does this 'working hard' entail? Nothing that the regime has done, gives the slightest hint that anyone is working hard for a bright future. If there is any hard work going on, every outward appearance is that it is to keep the fans quiet whilst wrecking the club. Specifically, what has anyone done that is aimed at building a brighter future for the club?
So many questions from one sentence.
Hello,
On a trip to Berlin this past weekend, to watch a proper team of players, play proper football, under a proper manager, with proper respect for the badge they wear and the fans they represent; I lost my season ticket.
Contrary to the statement posted on the club website on 15th March, I, like all other Charlton customers, do not wish for the club to fail. I wish for the club to succeed, prosper and even make it into the promised land of the English Premier League, and in order to do so banish the current regime to whichever cesspool they managed to drag themselves out of. For this reason I would like to ask if you could send me another season ticket, so that I can attend the remaining games this season, hopefully not incurring the wrath of a certain Belgian lawyer and the Metropolitan Police in the process.
******************************SEASON TICKET INFORMATION***************
Charlton season ticket holder for 18 years. Shame it will come to an end this summer.
’Fans like yourself are so important to us and we are all aware of this and want to regain our trust in you all to stay at The Valley.'
So the club wants to regain its trust in the fans to stay at The Valley?
Clueless.
No they're not!
They want?
No they don't!.
Suggest you re-read your final sentence. Did you mean to say that the club wants regain its trust in the fans to stay at The Valley?
Assuming that meant to say something different, how exactly do you intend to restore the trust of the fans? I ask this because your warm words are at odds with the words and actions of the owner and the club's senior team. The joint statement with the Met Police which brackets fan protests and beach balls on the pitch with criminality being the most recent example of truly dreadful local PR.
Hey, just another customer
Surely there would be boardroom changes and the customers would be placated?
I think the customer comments are now actually rather offensive to legitimate businesses who do look after their customers.
Charlton Athletic are - at the moment - in a league of their own.
Just love the footer on the email.
As following precedent slavishly is what I do best, I thought I'd add something similar to further emails I send the Club.
Here's a draft - any suggested improvements?
E-mail disclaimer
This email is confidential to the intended recipients and may be privileged. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorised. If you received this email in error, please delete it, or telephone xxxx xxxxxx and ask for the sender.
Unless authorised by cafcfan, copying, forwarding, disclosing or using this email or its contents is prohibited. cafcfan is not responsible for controlling transmissions over the internet. cafcfan may intercept, copy or monitor emails from or to anyone using cafcfan's email facilities in accordance with the law. (This last bit seems extremely dubious but I'm sure the Club's lawyers know what they are doing so it must be correct and I can do the same can't I?)
Opinions or advice provided in this email or attachments are solely those of the sender unless specifically stated otherwise.
Last year I got away with this as part of my email signature for a good 3 weeks or so:
Lucky Reds, Technical Lead and Team Motivator --------- Group, // address details and phone numbers // _ .---. / > .---, <_ `' `' _> <_/\ /\_> /`'\ ".__." "Soar like an eagle, fall like a rock"Albeit I very rarely had need to send client emails, but the amount of internal one liners I sent was pretty impresive. Not one comment was made..Until an email exchange with HR due to complaints about me playing Disco Inferno during a fire drill, apparently that was nearly as unprofessional as the email signature. After 5 months of HR being unaware of my existence I got 3 warnings in one day. (Seemingly I had a punctuality issue they'd been informed about too.)
God I miss that office, and I'm sure they miss me too.
Thank you for contacting us.
We understand your concerns and are working hard to upturn the fortunes of the club. We all want success for the club and we want to of course stay up this season as you do want us to too.
We understand the vital role the fans like yourself play in the success of the club and we endeavour to win back the trust of the fans.
Mr Duchatelet has no plans to sell the club at present.
Kind Regards
The Supporter Relations Team
????? the last last two words of their reply gives me some hope 'at present' .... So a future sale is possible / probable ..... ????? How soon please ?
A real disgrace of a management team now. But I think the pirate ship Meire is sinking fast and those around her are trying to bail her out with an egg cup! (For example, the fans' email address was initially a good idea but the responses say otherwise.) I hope the genuine Charlton folk there are not sinking with her!
We are all being told how much they hope to improve things, build relations, and most amusingly of all they are working hard.
No they're not.
They don't do any work for fans or sponsors for a start because there are hardly any left, they don't sell tickets, judging by last Thursday the club shop does no business.
They are not working hard.
Anyway they say affordable football, when they're motivated to close the North Upper, season tickets for many are going up, and their family aspiration is a cynical exploitative failure.
They are not working hard on anything.
Tell you what, I am prepared to work shadow five Charlton Athletic employees of my choice for a week, and then report back to all on here.
#timeandmotionman.
"Hello,
I was part of the mock funeral at the last home game.
After the protest club and Centre Circle staff kindly offered to store the coffin in a store cupboard in the North stand entrance for me to collect later. I helped place it there myself.
Can you let me know when will be a convenient time to pick it up.
Yours
Ben Hayes"
Hello,
Thank you for your email.
We apologise about this, I have spoken to the relevant people and they remember this competition. They said that we can send you a signed programme as a prize if you would still like it. If so please send us your address and we can get that posted to you.
Best Regards
The Supporter Relations Team
I can't really fault them on this although as far as memorabilia goes, Chris Powells signature is worth a lot more to me than most of the dross there at the moment.
I also really enjoy the mental image of some lad from a crisis management consultancy running around the CAFC office to try and find out if anyone remembers a Twitter competition from 2013 which had a signed Chris Powell mask as a prize.