Every Saturday the i newspaper carries a two page fans' forum in which a representative from all of the premiership and championship clubs plus a selection of the other leagues and Scottish are given a paragraph or two to give their observations on the state of their club. The source of the comments is often a mixture of those from official fan clubs or individuals (who are perhaps drawn from Social Media fan sites?).
Today (Sat 10th) page 65 sees the Charlton Athletic quotes being in essence nothing less than rewording of the ridiculous comments made by Roland Duchatelet last season when he accused fans of wanting failure.
That this should come from a Charlton source is hugely disappointing as yet again the apologists for the regime cannot understand the simple concept that criticising the regime in no way sets the vast majority of the protesting fans against Russell Slade or the team.
However, in the piece we read that 'some fans need to give Russell Slade and the team a break and get behind the team.'
and: 'No need for negativity from some so-called fans.'
The person who wrote this should be ashamed of themselves.
It is particularly hurtful and insulting that those opposed to Meire/Duchatelet and they way they run this club should be described as so-called supporters and I would urge those who hold these simplistic and erroneous beliefs to look at the Guardian blog article found elsewhere on this board and read what protesting supporters do have to say and what damage has been done by the regime to a fan base all of whom want success and to remember that some of these 'so-called' fans were instrumental in getting the club back to The Valley.
As Kyle Andrews wrote in the last VOTV 'the support the team not the regime mantra is the ideal way to behave in theory but very hard to commit to in practice' It is made even harder when those who should know better accuse fans (many of them life time fans) of not being real supporters.
Kyle Andrews went on to say that the previous actions of the regime and the impact they have had on both the club and its supporters remain unforgivable.
It is possible for all to celebrate success on the pitch but the greater success now will be when the club has rid itself of both its poisonous, arrogant and incompetent CEO and its flakey absentee owner who is taking the club further and further into his company's debt.
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Comments
Expect a lot more of this.
Thus the phrase you use is credible it just doesn't do the protestors justice.
Let's also remember that Curbishley said on national TV that he thought the protests would negatively affect the results.
This is also, exactly, how those that are targets of protests manage their PR so I can't believe that this will come as a surprise to CARD. It was to be expected and I'd be surprised if any of those in CARD are unprepared for the consequences of their actions. People don't start a war unless they are prepared for one.
Next they laugh at you
Then they fight you
Then you win.
It's a compliment to the protests that they feel they need to hire an expensive PR agency to do this.
Shakes fist at CARD!
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Either that or they want to avoid the inevitable disgusting abuse from the 100 rabblerousers of CARD and their ovine adherents.
"I'd say there is a substantial MAJORITY that just want to watch football and that majority is sick-to-the-back-teeth of the selfish agenda of the Militant Tendency. The protestors are diminishing in number and are now just a rump of perhaps 100 loud mouths on Charlton Life with a herd mentality. Their influence is also waning and stunts like picketing the club shop are turning even more supporters against them. Thank heavens."
Not really sure if the 50 odd words are just digging out the support of the team or have a hidden agenda.
Unless Julie Hallett is AKA Sue Parkes !
Thanks Sue.
The name of the commentator in the 'i' is given but it is not one I recognise (a lady) and it would be unfair of me to name her here when mine is not given.
My main point was that that the i appear to trawl the Social Media sites for these comments because what is printed looks as if it could have been lifted from SE7 Valiants or really any one of the number of Charlton related facebook sites where some fans believe that protesting against the regime equates with not being a real fan whereas I would argue that simply turning a blind eye to the regime's antics does not make those who do so more of a supporter but in fact makes them more of a 'customer' of the kind that Meire was aiming for when she said that fans 'would have to get used to the way the major shareholder (i.e. Duchatelet) does things.'
Plus, I do look into SE7 Valiants and the main Charlton facebook sites from time to time and a common theme has developed of accusing protesters of not being genuine or real fans, calling them whingers and calling them negative. I never respond on these sites as they quickly descend into bite-sized slanging matches for the most part with the pro-regime people strangely often claiming to have the right to their opinion (yes, fine) but then presenting unsubstantiated dross as opinion (we even had an example here with a hearsay account by some poster's mate (who made some bizarre claims about East Stand (CARD) regulars not celebrating goals against Shrewsbury) - which was picked up and run with as if it were fact!
He seems a really nice guy actually spoke to him a few weeks back some fans need to give him and the team a break and get behind the team that's what being a support is all about being there through good and bad .no need for the negativity from some so called fans
If it is true they can be, errrm, informed as to other points of view with this helpful contact details.
It may even be worth contacting them posing as somebody needing 'crisis communication' to see how much they charge.
http://www.pitch.co.uk/
A big and noisy turn out next week will let her know what's what.
"As a admirer of the standard of journalism of the newspaper I was sad to read on page 65 of today's edition the comments attributed to Julie Hallett with regard to the attitude of some Charlton supporters towards the team and manager.
If your newspaper had done its due diligence it would know that those fans who are against the club's owner and senior management have the motto "support the team not the regime". I was at the match at Fleetwood this afternoon and confirm that the Charlton supporters supported the team and the manager.
As a leading proponent of good journalism it is a pity that you have let yourself down on this occasion."
https://www.facebook.com/people/Julie-Hallett/100009621364200
A: that's what being a "support"' is all about
To censure the views of a "Supporter" would be bizarre.
I enjoy the varied opinions in the i just like i do on CL.
I really don't know if Julie Hallet is a genuine fan or a Joanna come lately.
but whatever i don't want the i newspaper to waste time phoning and emailing every supporters club in Britain to see if the views of one person is reflected in the views of the majority of that's clubs fan base.