Surely a poor atmosphere shows that propper Charlton fans (or at least the ones who know the songs ) are staying away - and that has to be questioned... Why are they staying away?
Way I see it , is all the while the atmosphere is poor , the board aren't getting what they want in terms of building a strong fan base and new customers! What new potential fan wants to turn up to a library?
More bums on seats means more money going to RD in every way , and even 'veneers' the problem!
Added to this , if CARD are to call fans to go back - they will loose a lot of support and credibility! Is it worth it , all for the sake of more people joining in on chants?
I'm in the camp that thinks boycotting the game is doing us harm. I respect people's views for doing it but it is quite obviously having a counter affect on the atmosphere on the ground not helping the team . Is it becoming a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face ? I and many others are beginning to think so.
This club's fan-base is not just splitting, it's fragmenting into numerous different factions. This process is not-so-subtly encouraged by the club itself, to whom at present every single on-side fan is a special prize.
To be a Deano - a keeper - or a Geoffrey - a boycotter ?
Perhaps there is a lesson from history. No-one could ever overestimate the achievements of Rick Everett and Steve Dixon during the sombre Selhurst days, but the spark they fanned into a firestorm was supplied by the handful of supporters who kept going to matches. If many fewer had attended CAFC would have withered and died, just as Uncle Ron was hoping.
No-one ever won a fight by walking away from it.
Rochdale is now a watershed, a cheap opportunity to demonstrate the true depth of our support. Those who come will be putting down a marker - this is MY club, regardless of current form or owner. Dark may be the days, but darker still we have known in the past. Above all, we are at our beloved stadium - that must never, ever be taken for granted, but it must be said - use it or or risk losing it, the next time probably for good.
Fighting the Shareholder with economic weapons is fruitless when battling a billionaire. Other tactics must be employed, and fortunately CARD is blessed with many and varied talents to see the job through.
If our Belgian friends consider us ungrateful and disloyal, let the record show that they are merely being repaid in their own coin because their tenure can be summed-up in one word : BETRAYAL. They have trampled every cherished facet of our club - goddammit, I can't even use the word unique any more.
They have a lot of money, but no class. They have a lot of brains, but no sense. They are smart and highly educated but as people they are so ignorant they couldn't teach a pig to piss. We will win.
The boycott by many fans at Selhurst didn't do the team any harm: we got promotion and hung on to that top flight position by a thread for a while, despite four figure crowds. There always seemed to be some optimism that we'd go back to The Valley, the board was not one-dimensional as is the case today and there was continuity in management and players. That's what's missing now, thanks to our Belgians.
Those of us who are boycotting, if we were to come to the ground for one game then that must be co-ordinated appropriately for the most impact.
There's no point a few hundred turning up to each separate match day when we could have thousands turn up together and really turn the screw on the regime.
We could have designated protest days where the people who boycotted season tickets will turn up on the same afternoon to have the maximum effect e.g. first home game of each month.
I think the level of boycott is a bit overstated and the level of demoralisation understated. We haven't lost 4,000 protestors - many people are just telling the club to poke it because they get no pleasure from going.
Todays game was probably the most depressed i have been as a Charlton fan - and it wasnt because of the defeat ( i've sort of got numb to losing, and cant even remember when i last saw us win tbh). It was because of the atmosphere at the ground - there was zero support,zero atmosphere, and no protests - but what seemed like hundreds of stewards- all leaving a very very toxic feel. An 'atmosphere' that i've never experienced before at The Valley. This isnt the Charlton i have grown up supporting - the club that was known as a nice family club, friendly fans, friendly staff, and a team that i was proud to say i supported-and a club that other clubs and fans used to use as their role-model.
I think, a few weeks back BDL said that he thought the boycott might be counter-productive in that protests in the ground would stop - i am coming to the opinion that maybe this might be the case.
So, i am not suggesting that everyone go out and buy a season ticket immediately, but maybe the boycotters selectively come back for a pre-determined game now and again - as an idea, maybe the £5 games? - at least that way we are not lining RD's pocket with much - and then co-ordinate some protests for inside the ground during the game. At the moment, i get the feeling that KM may believe that she has 'won', in view that there are no longer any protests.
Is there a boycott? Seems to be a lot of people commenting on the match and giving player marks. It's in the blood. I blame those who wanted Slater and Jiminez out. Think where we might have been now.
This club's fan-base is not just splitting, it's fragmenting into numerous different factions. This process is not-so-subtly encouraged by the club itself, to whom at present every single on-side fan is a special prize.
To be a Deano - a keeper - or a Geoffrey - a boycotter ?
Perhaps there is a lesson from history. No-one could ever overestimate the achievements of Rick Everett and Steve Dixon during the sombre Selhurst days, but the spark they fanned into a firestorm was supplied by the handful of supporters who kept going to matches. If many fewer had attended CAFC would have withered and died, just as Uncle Ron was hoping.
No-one ever won a fight by walking away from it.
Rochdale is now a watershed, a cheap opportunity to demonstrate the true depth of our support. Those who come will be putting down a marker - this is MY club, regardless of current form or owner. Dark may be the days, but darker still we have known in the past. Above all, we are at our beloved stadium - that must never, ever be taken for granted, but it must be said - use it or or risk losing it, the next time probably for good.
Fighting the Shareholder with economic weapons is fruitless when battling a billionaire. Other tactics must be employed, and fortunately CARD is blessed with many and varied talents to see the job through.
If our Belgian friends consider us ungrateful and disloyal, let the record show that they are merely being repaid in their own coin because their tenure can be summed-up in one word : BETRAYAL. They have trampled every cherished facet of our club - goddammit, I can't even use the word unique any more.
They have a lot of money, but no class. They have a lot of brains, but no sense. They are smart and highly educated but as people they are so ignorant they couldn't teach a pig to piss. We will win.
Somebody posted to this effect yesterday, the protesters have now become boycotters.
As I have only been to The Valley once this season I speak from limited experience, but I imagine the 6000'ish Charlton in the ground leads to a subdued atmosphere.
I gave up my ST last year. First match of the season for me yesterday. Apart from a couple of great moments from Lookman and around 10 minutes in the second half, I thought the match was pretty dull. No real atmosphere and a pretty poor standard of football. As a entertainment experience it failed completely for me, I'll wait for the Spring before I go again.
Last year, often the only reason why I turned up to matches was the protests. However, the falling attendances and general apathy have probably killed the opportunity for match day protest. In one sense Roland has won, he's seen off the large visible active opposition.
But in doing so, he's created a soulless husk of a club. It's not my Charlton, or the Charlton my nan took me and my brother to when I young. That's gone for me and I accept that it may not come back.
If the football doesn't get better, the attendances will continue to drop which I assume will in turn lower the player budget. All the while Roland can sell the odd Lookman and perhaps Konsa (though he's not at Gomez’ level) I assume he will carry on.
What state Charlton will be in when Roland has finally finished with us, I've no idea. However, I don't believe that Charlton Life or CARD calling for fans to return will really make any difference. Roland, Meire etc. have succeeded in pushing a large number of loyal fans away from the club and only a sustained improvement on the pitch leading to promotion or a change in ownership will get some of them back. Neither seem likely.
For me the debate about whether the boycott is self-defeating is irrelevant. The boycott has not been organised by anyone, it's a rational response to what has been done to the club and the way loyal, long-standing fans have been treated. Unless something fundamental changes in the club itself, I don't believe that any call for more fans to turn up to matches will make any difference.
It was horrible today. Obviously partly down to the result but it really does feel that the club is in the final stages of a terminal decline. Was awful walking away from the stadium today - I would love to have more people there as it is soulless at present but respect people's views to do what they want.
If you strip it all down, there are reasons why those not going are not going. In what I suspect are the majority of cases, nothing has changed in the big picture (our owner still shows no real interest in the club and no sign of selling, and that woman is still given the club to run despite it being patently obvious she is toxic to their customers).
They refuse to budge on those key points.
So I don't think it's likely that those people staying away for the those reasons will come back basically because those that still want to go think that the atmosphere is s**t
From my lower West vantage point, there were many protesters wearing black and white in the east and North stands. Protesters are attending. I am a protester. I relinquished my season ticket this year. Other than the ticket price I spent nothing in the ground. It's probably too late now but maybe we should boycott the fiver game?
If you strip it all down, there are reasons why those not going are not going. In what I suspect are the majority of cases, nothing has changed in the big picture (our owner still shows no real interest in the club and no sign of selling, and that woman is still given the club to run despite it being patently obvious she is toxic to their customers).
They refuse to budge on those key points.
So I don't think it's likely that those people staying away for the those reasons will come back basically because those that still want to go think that the atmosphere is s**t
Agree with this.
Assuming that RD and Meire aren't going anywhere, then the only way you're really going to get some of them to come back, is if we're in the top 2-3 and going for the title. And seeing as we're currently just as much of a shambles on the pitch, as we are off it, then that's not very likely.
Comments
Way I see it , is all the while the atmosphere is poor , the board aren't getting what they want in terms of building a strong fan base and new customers!
What new potential fan wants to turn up to a library?
More bums on seats means more money going to RD in every way , and even 'veneers' the problem!
Added to this , if CARD are to call fans to go back - they will loose a lot of support and credibility!
Is it worth it , all for the sake of more people joining in on chants?
This club's fan-base is not just splitting, it's fragmenting into numerous different factions. This process is not-so-subtly encouraged by the club itself, to whom at present every single on-side fan is a special prize.
To be a Deano - a keeper - or a Geoffrey - a boycotter ?
Perhaps there is a lesson from history. No-one could ever overestimate the achievements of Rick Everett and Steve Dixon during the sombre Selhurst days, but the spark they fanned into a firestorm was supplied by the handful of supporters who kept going to matches. If many fewer had attended CAFC would have withered and died, just as Uncle Ron was hoping.
No-one ever won a fight by walking away from it.
Rochdale is now a watershed, a cheap opportunity to demonstrate the true depth of our support. Those who come will be putting down a marker - this is MY club, regardless of current form or owner. Dark may be the days, but darker still we have known in the past. Above all, we are at our beloved stadium - that must never, ever be taken for granted, but it must be said - use it or or risk losing it, the next time probably for good.
Fighting the Shareholder with economic weapons is fruitless when battling a billionaire. Other tactics must be employed, and fortunately CARD is blessed with many and varied talents to see the job through.
If our Belgian friends consider us ungrateful and disloyal, let the record show that they are merely being repaid in their own coin because their tenure can be summed-up in one word : BETRAYAL. They have trampled every cherished facet of our club - goddammit, I can't even use the word unique any more.
They have a lot of money, but no class. They have a lot of brains, but no sense. They are smart and highly educated but as people they are so ignorant they couldn't teach a pig to piss. We will win.
There's no point a few hundred turning up to each separate match day when we could have thousands turn up together and really turn the screw on the regime.
We could have designated protest days where the people who boycotted season tickets will turn up on the same afternoon to have the maximum effect e.g. first home game of each month.
My five year old daughter said to me this morning "when does the football start again?"
Feel like I'll give it until Christmas then may well buy a half season ticket.
As I have only been to The Valley once this season I speak from limited experience, but I imagine the 6000'ish Charlton in the ground leads to a subdued atmosphere.
Last year, often the only reason why I turned up to matches was the protests. However, the falling attendances and general apathy have probably killed the opportunity for match day protest. In one sense Roland has won, he's seen off the large visible active opposition.
But in doing so, he's created a soulless husk of a club. It's not my Charlton, or the Charlton my nan took me and my brother to when I young. That's gone for me and I accept that it may not come back.
If the football doesn't get better, the attendances will continue to drop which I assume will in turn lower the player budget. All the while Roland can sell the odd Lookman and perhaps Konsa (though he's not at Gomez’ level) I assume he will carry on.
What state Charlton will be in when Roland has finally finished with us, I've no idea. However, I don't believe that Charlton Life or CARD calling for fans to return will really make any difference. Roland, Meire etc. have succeeded in pushing a large number of loyal fans away from the club and only a sustained improvement on the pitch leading to promotion or a change in ownership will get some of them back. Neither seem likely.
For me the debate about whether the boycott is self-defeating is irrelevant. The boycott has not been organised by anyone, it's a rational response to what has been done to the club and the way loyal, long-standing fans have been treated. Unless something fundamental changes in the club itself, I don't believe that any call for more fans to turn up to matches will make any difference.
They refuse to budge on those key points.
So I don't think it's likely that those people staying away for the those reasons will come back basically because those that still want to go think that the atmosphere is s**t
We both had no takers.
Assuming that RD and Meire aren't going anywhere, then the only way you're really going to get some of them to come back, is if we're in the top 2-3 and going for the title. And seeing as we're currently just as much of a shambles on the pitch, as we are off it, then that's not very likely.