Dear Ms. Meire,
You don’t know me but I am writing today as one of Charlton’s loyal customers. As a loyal customer, with over ten years as a service user, I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with both the quality of the product I have purchased and the manner in which it has been delivered.
You and Roland took over our club and everything changed. Back then, I was a loyal fan. Now I am a customer. I’m a customer, not because of the stupid statement you made in Ireland. Not because of your total disregard for the idea of supporters. Not because I no longer take pride in being a Charlton Athletic fan. But because you, and your employer, have made clear that Charlton Athletic no longer needs fans. Your business model has no reliance on success. Your business model does not require fans in the stadium. It does not necessitate promotion through the divisions. It does not even need, as you would term it, strong brand management.
You have knowingly picked a club whose academy has always been a source of great pride and success. You have no desire to let our youngsters grow in the team or to build a squad that our community can be proud of. You surround them with your cast offs from the network, showcase them on SKY, then flog them at a profit. You are nothing more than vultures and parasites.
You have rendered me a scab. The Campaign Against Roland Duchâtelet (CARD) have called, quite rightly, for a boycott of season tickets until you are gone. Like many of them, the idea of no longer sitting with the fans I have known, and the friends I have made, since I first went to Valley aged ten is too much to bear. I convinced myself I would not buy your product. The days to the deadline ticked down. My fellow supporters were going through the same thing. I broke.
You have my three hundred pounds. Before then, I have never felt ashamed to buy a ticket. Embarrassed maybe. Never ashamed. You have created that feeling in me. Not CARD. You.
You have rendered me a criminal. I confess to marching against you, to rallying outside the Valley, to demanding you leave from my seat. And for that, you tied my voice to the thugs who subvert the game with violence. You are nothing but cowards.
You have never cultivated pride in my club. I have only cried twice as a result of Charlton. The first, when we were relegated from the Premier League, I can lay at the door of youthful stupidity. The second, I lay firmly at the door of (Sir) Chris Powell. When he took the mic, the day our team lifted the League One title, I knew I was done for. As his words reverberated around the Valley, “we have our Charlton back”, it all proved too much. I sobbed like a child. It was wonderful.
You sacked Chris. You took all that pride away from us. You shall not be forgiven.
You will not draw tears. Your actions have not brought sadness. You have created in me nothing but anger. But my anger alone means nothing. I am just a tiny ripple in the ocean. But there are thousands of us. Despite your best efforts to drive us away, those thousands of ripples are coming. On Saturday, a tidal wave of anger is going to come crashing down on top of you, Duchâtelet, Murray and every other charlatan who has destroyed our club. Our voices will be heard.
You might not listen.
We will be heard.
And you will go.
Aaron
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Comments
I could ask " Where did that come from ?" as it's such a profound & heartfelt letter.
But of course, there's no need to ask why - those words are already in the heads & hearts of all true Addicks, albeit they/we may not have the wherewithall to say them so eloquently.
I SO hope that this letter will be sent or emailed to KM and that, with her latest " I love you all !" hat on, she will immediately be moved to respond.....
Well done you !
I only hope someone at cafc reads it and weeps, because they should.
Come Saturday we will be heard again!
RD and KM give vultures and parasites a bad name.
However, a wonderfully worded and heartfelt letter, sadly, completely wasted on her.
I have has so much heartache myself, but have decided not to renew.
After the travel to palace and WH I still cannot quite believe myself. The only thing that keeps me sane is my son's enthusiasm for seeing some away games - something I have not done on a lot so I am hanging on to that.
I am a stroppy git, so having made my decision that is that.
My feeling guilty does speak volumes but that doesn't justify it since those volumes won't be heard by the people who I have just gifted several hundred quid to.