Every day, in every way you and your CEO Katrien Meire are making it more impossible to support this football club. A football club I have supported for 45 years and that my grandfather and uncles supported before that.
Once a year, a good friend of mine will arrange a visit for him, myself and 4 or five other lapsed supporters to a game at the Valley. To be fair one by one, most of us are now saying "do not bother". That is because of you and the decisions you have taken that have ruined something very precious in SE7.
If you consider yourself an intelligent man, then please take the time to read up on the history of Charlton Athletic and by the way, Association Football in Britain. You will then understand why we are like we are and why what you seem to think you want is so at odds with what we want.
I wholeheartedly encourage and congratulate those coming to see you on the 4th of March. I hope that you enjoy the day as much as they do.
I'm Tina and I was taken to my first match at the Valley aged 6 by my dad on a Sunday morning during the 3 day week in 1974. He was introduced to Charlton by my grandad in 1965 after he married my mum. I was soon hooked and became a regular, eventually my grandad had to stop attending matches due to age and ill health but he still followed the club until the day he died. Dad and I followed the club to Selhurst Park and Upton Park and indeed this is the first season for over 40 consecutive seasons that we haven't been season ticket holders. I haven't worked for the club personally but a member of my family has, my great-grandad was Bert Heath Honorary General Secretary of Charlton Athletic from 1910-1921 when the club turned professional. So you see Roland some of us stupid people really do have Charlton in our blood but you probably think that's weird. I despise what you have done and are continuing to do to our great club, I have been to some matches this season because you are not going to stop me doing what I enjoy doing but it's not the same as it used to be and I hate not going regularly. I have tried hard not to care anymore but I do. I can't be there next Saturday but will be there in spirit. I don't really know what your big plan is and don't want to know to be honest, please just go and take KM with you. We were here before you and we'll still be here celebrating in a rowdy and rebellious fashion once you've gone, which hopefully won't be too long.
Hello, Roland. My name is Richard but my friends call me Dick. I am 58 years old and have been supporting Charlton since 1965. I am a third generation addick and my son has Charlton as one of his middle names. My family are all Addicks and my Uncle Harold helped build the Valley. His story was featured in a programme in the 1970's. I have been beaten up in the name of Charlton and my passion for the club has cost me two relationships. I have never been employed by the club but was interviewed for the position of club development officer in 2001. A job that I wasn't offered so I could be a bitter ex-applicant. You, solely, have killed my desire for this once wonderful club. I just st hope you see the light and sell up so that I, my friends and family can once again be proud of a fantastic, community football club.
Roland , roland roland what have you done. I'm clb74 my journey has been a little a different from the majority as I emerged from the dark side, 1985 my first game. On the 4th i will be travelling in the opposite direction to my fellow supporters who will be paying you a visit in Belgium. There it is part of what you've done split the fans, some going to Belgium and some to Northampton. Some going to home games , some because of you and Meire choosing to stay away. A few looking at me thinking I should boycott if i do you might be gone sooner. Me thinking if more came to the valley the atmosphere will be better and results might be better. I don't blame them for staying away f@ck me I once boycotted a Chinese takeaway over a £1 delivery charge, footballs deeper though and this is where your also taking the piss. Things are getting that bad down the valley and will continue to get worse with you still here ,next season I could see games with under 4,000 in the ground. Following charlton through whether good or bad is one of my greatest joys. F@ck me the wife says I'm at my happiest going charlton away and them moments don't happen often. Roland me old mucker do us a favour and f@ck off, that way we can all go Northampton next season.
My name is Paul, a fairly ordinary bloke and I have never worked at the Valley. I started standing on the vast terraces forming a love affair with Charlton and that love affair is now fast approaching it's 50th anniversary.
However, as a kid, my dad inadvertently nearly wrecked my relationship with Charlton by moving me up north, don't worry he said, you'll soon get used to going to Maine road or Old Trafford. Well I was having none of it and my love for my 'local' team actually grew stronger even though I only got to a few games, mostly away's for a good few years and homes when we were returning for family visits. In the early days of living up north it was a nightmare keeping up with what was happening at the Valley, even finding a report on Charlton in the papers was impossible unless we were away to Oldham or Bolton, for years I had family post the London editions of the papers up to me straight after a game. Things got easier with the invention of teletext, by god how many hours I must have waited for those poxy pages to roll round in the hope we had popped one in. I even used to cover our score up, look at the oppo score then gradually uncover ours in the hope the curve of the nil had changed to the straight line of a one, gawd I was a sad case!
Once I had a few years of work under my belt, I was in a far better financial situation to start getting to more games back in London, quite a few in fact, it was just a shame that by now we were playing at Selhurst then Upton Park. By the mid 90's, I had my own business and was now managing to get to more home games than I was missing to the point where I ended up buying a couple of season tickets. Over the next 11 or 12 years, I missed just two home games even though I had a 450 mile round trip.
Sadly I lost my business in the recession which meant the season tickets had to go too, so now I have gone full circle, back to a few local away's each season with trips to the Valley once more very much a rarity.
That's me Roland, I have just about given my life to my club and very nearly lost a marriage through my devotion. My old man came close to breaking that bond by taking me away from my Valley, you Roland have very, very nearly managed it.... but not quite. I started losing the faith, losing interest and felt no affinity with the club and I fucking hate you Roland for how you made me feel but no more, bollox to you and your nightmeire CEO, I refuse to let you kill my love for CAFC.
Roland, You've called me stupid. Well, going by my username I make you right (but you are always right, right?). When it comes to football, there is however, someone (do you have a mirror handy?) who is infinitely more stupid than me and my ridiculous username. That username wouldn't have been ridiculous for the majority of our history though would it Roland, a history that will have you recognised as the "lunatic" owner , what a wonderful honour as reward for your "investment" Mr. President, it's well deserved. Your thoroughly incompetent CEO has lied to my face on multiple occasions, stupid me again for turning up to her meeting invites and expecting anything else. I bought my season ticket for this season, stupid me. I believed that your investment in our academy would help with first team success, but that first team is only used to break them in before they are auctioned off, stupid me. I believed that every managerial change was the right one (well I didn't actually but Katrien told me they were), stupid me. I thought my football club appreciated my loyalty, stupid me, I'm only a customer who can't dance, what good am I to you and your genius ideas on how a football club should be run.
Do you see how you have helped to make and keep me stupid?
To you and Katrien I have one request. Please go forth and multiply.
theres too much to say but this week I bought my eldest son his first England kit you may ask why , well I haven't bought a thing from the club shop for over 18 months ... The same club shop I would go into virtually every other home game with my kids and try and bribe them into loving Charlton. I came home and found an Arsenal mag on the table , my 3rd son just wanted a football read and that was the only one he found in the shop .(when he went to bed I hid the mag , I'm not gonna stop brainwashing them) I used to buy a match day programme for every game I went to , not now though Roland not a home one for 18 months . My liveliest 4th son knows a few football chants but his favourite is "we want Roland out" he's just turned 5 .
Every Saturday 2 of the 4 have footy training and it is a right ball ache sorting care out for the other 2 having to be in 3 places at once between myself and wife. Next Saturday will be even harder for the family because daddy will be off to Belgium to let your area know what we think of your pathetic residence as Charlton owner
Please sell now and take your stupid experiment with you to hell you selfish prick.
...Things got easier with the invention of teletext, by god how many hours I must have waited for those poxy pages to roll round in the hope we had popped one in. I even used to cover our score up, look at the oppo score then gradually uncover ours in the hope the curve of the nil had changed to the straight line of a one, gawd I was a sad case!...
I am David and I have been a Charlton fan for 61 years.
I was a 10 year old when I attended my first game at The Valley on the 18th February 1956 against Arsenal in the 5th round of the FA Cup. The attendance that day was 71,758. I was sardined on the huge East Terrace and was witness to the loudest sounds of raw emotion I had ever heard. It was a Working Mans game in those days with the supporters of both sides mixing together on the terraces in friendly rivalry. We lost 2-0 but 3 weeks later we played Arsenal again in a First Division match and won 2-0 with the great Sam Bartram in goal in his final year with us. The attendance was 40,553.
I was also there for the 7-6 Huddersfield match on a bleak December day in 1957, attendance 12,535, when Derek Ufton went off with a dislocated shoulder and Johnny Summers scored an amazing 5 goals. I was also lucky to be at Wembley in 1998 to see our team win unexpectedly against Sunderland in the Play-Off Final and win our place in The Premier League. These games have been selected from many but highlight the thrill of following my team during a period of more lows than highs. Charlton Athletic has been in my blood ever since that first game and is still there today.
For the record, I confirm I have never been employed by CAFC nor have I been accused of rebellious or rowdy behaviour throughout my many years supporting my team.
Since you arrived on the scene MY football club has changed.
Your stewardship turned its back on the traditional focus of playing to win. You had your own agenda which you carefully hid from us when you appeared as our saviour. Your subsequent lack of engagement with the club has allowed your inadequate, incompetent and arrogant SMT to erode the very foundations of CAFC and bring misery to the vast majority of its supporters. Three years of mismanagement has proved that your CEO should never have been appointed and your "hands off" management style has allowed millions to be wasted by the incompetents you foolishly placed in charge.
Charlton Athletic was a strong community long before you were ever heard of. We were not waiting for your enlightenment to make our lives better with a pitch side sofa, garage music and dancing after the games. If that is what you like then I suggest you look for it outside of a football enviroment and definitely outside CAFC.
It is way past time for you to go and take your experiment and your sycophants with you.
I truly hope you make an appearance on 4th March and receive the coordinated fanbase who have been forced to travel to Belgium to get your attention.
I'm 52. First game at the Valley 4th April 1969 Last game at the Valley 2nd January 2016 and then only because my dad's name was in the memorial. I've been a season ticket holder. I followed the team to Selhurst & Upton Park. I was there on 5th December 1992 - J block covered end - and at Wembley and Carlisle. Three of the best days ever as a Charlton fan personally. I HATE having to boycott games but, until you leave Roland, I feel I have no choice. GET OUT NOW!!
Been a regular at the valley since1968, season ticket holder through thick and thin until this season, still attended during the selhurst and Upton Park days. Never posted on a forum until today but having driven away 3 generations of fans from my family enough is enough....it's time to sell up and go so we can get out club back to where it belongs. Never worked for the club, not a bitter ex employee and looking forward to returning once we have new owners.
I'm Rhia and I'm 29. I fell in love with this club in the mid 2000s. Growing up the daughter of a Welsh Liverpool fan in Bermonsey there were two (equally horrifying) options available to me. Armchair supporter of a club I've no connection to, or go against every natural instinct I'd felt in my short life and become a spanner.
Happily I abstained, supporting Engerland in cup competitions and focussing my teenage passion on music. Until, ill advisedly, I accepted a sixth form classmate's invitation to use her brother's spare season ticket to attend a match at The Valley.
I think it took all of maybe 10 minutes, from walking through the turnstiles to my seat in the East - game over, I knew then that this was the club for me.
Everything I learnt and experienced in the next few years only cemented that gut reaction. The community feeling, the underdog fighting spirit, the history, the inclusion. Nothing what so ever to do with points, or league finishes.
All of that gone now, erroded. All thanks to one old rich man's vanity. His ego.
I was so proud of my first season ticket I'd happily show it to strangers. 2012-2013. I paid for it over 6 months, all I could afford at the time.
No, I've never worked for the club, for love nor money. But the day you go, you fucker, I'll happily volunteer my time to clear up the mess you'll leave us in, in any way I can.
In your desperation to discredit those who campaign against your ownership of our football club, you have described the Unity Protesters as, “a few hot heads who previously worked directly or indirectly for the club and who were shown the door due to their rebellious and rowdy attitude”.
The posts on this thread clearly demonstrate your claims to be nonsense. Ninety five people who are either going to Belgium this weekend, or support those who are, have placed messages here for you. Between them they have over 3,500 years of support, an average of 37 years each. The actual figure will be higher as some people didn't put a time to their support whist others prefixed their responses with, 'at least'. Far from being young hot heads, the protesters all seem to be (dare I say it) rather long in the tooth.
Your claim that people had been 'shown the door' is so far out that describing it as pathetic nonsense almost seems complimentary. Of the 95 protesters here, eight have stated that they had worked for the club at one time or another. Of those, two admitted to having been dismissed. One, a former turnstile operator who as a young boy in the 1960s was dismissed for abandoning his post, so desperate was he to watch his beloved team. The other was dismissed by the previous regime, who settled a claim for unfair dismissal out of court. So, two dismissals, at least one of which was unfair and neither of which were due to rowdiness or rebelliousness.
At least ten people have given their labour free of charge, such is their love for the club. Some in circumstances so desperate, that it is no exaggeration to say that without the people who are protesting against you this club would probably not exist. That love for the club, runs through all of these stories though. It is worth noting that the 3,500 years of combined support this group has would become a lot bigger if we added in their families support as well. And then you look at the families represented; we have the grandson of this club's greatest ever manager and the great granddaughter of one of the founders of Charlton as a professional club. Do those really sound like the sort of people who would kick up a fuss for no reason? Of course not.
The only intrinsic reason that all these people are protesting is because of their love for our club. They want to see Charlton as a successful club. They hate the failure, the incompetence, the lies and the blaming of fans that are synonymous with your ownership. They want competitive football. They want commitment and professionalism. They want to feel a part of their club. Nobody wants a dance club. Nobody wants a player farm. Nobody wants an owner whose motives are at best unfathomable and at worst completely nefarious.
We know that you are currently spending lots of money on communications experts and I am sure that part of their role is to monitor what is said on forums such as this. I hope that they do the professional thing and bring this thread to your attention. I hope that you see fit to spend 1½% of your precious time reading some of the excellent post on this thread. I hope you have a long hard think about how silly you've been with your false insinuations about the protestors. Most of all though, I hope that you get the message and do the decent thing. I don't have to spell that out, do I?
A great point about the families behind us. I won't be the only one who will travel to Belgium watched over by a father who has passed away. A father who first went to the Valley before the Second World War; who had lived to see the day we walked back together through the turnstiles of the Valley, he and his friends eventually taking their place in the East Stand, sometimes joined by his son, to do together what we first did in 1963; and whose soul lingers at The Valley through one of the commemorative bricks outside the West Stand.
I wonder, Mr Duchatelet, if you have ever paused to look at those bricks? Many of the souls behind those bricks will travel with us on Saturday. May their silent reproach be as loud in your conscience as we will be in your ears.
Another 40 years of support here. First match was 14 October 1975. Charlton v a high flying QPR in a League Cup replay. We lost 3-0 but the atmosphere was so magical I was hooked. Those evening games under the floodlights, with the crowd noise echoing around the still huge terraces, were something else. Peanuts anyone?
Got my first season ticket for the 76/77 season and have been a committed supporter ever since. Work resulted in a move to the North West about 20 years ago but I still took in as many games as I could (mostly aways). So many memories from the early days. Killer and Flash having that punch-up v Maidstone in 1979, the Stoke game in 1985 when we left the Valley, St Andrews in 1987 v Leeds in the play off game. Peter Shirtliff's brace after dirty Leeds had gone in front.
I sadly missed all of the 'Back to the Valley' stuff being away from London. I want to do all I can this time to save our club so I will be on the coach to Belgium on Saturday.
Oh and I have never been an employee of the club. Had some shares once though :-(
Supporter since January 1962, never worked for the club although I did help with the Valley clear up in 1989 (ask Pinocchio, she's loves talking about our history).
Stopped attending matches in October 2015 thanks to you and that sad, hideous apology of a CEO and her army of arse licking sycophants ( hope you like the mention there Sue!).
Well bye for now, I just know you're going to have a wonderful weekend.
Hope it stays dry, we wouldn't want you slipping over with your zimmer frame would we?
I don't know what your motivation is for owning Charlton, but believe it or not this tin pot football club actually means quite a lot to people in south east London and around the globe, please do the honourable thing and sell up to someone else who has the heart and best interests of the club at hand.
You have failed at running football clubs, why continue with them, surely at your age , your time is precious and you'd rather continue with things that bring you pleasure, you are so detached and out of touch with what is going on over here it is incredible.
Please take the stubborn blinkers off for a moment, and realise how much misery you are inflicting to other people , man up to your mistakes man, and show some respect towards the supporters.
You've failed this club, and you've failed the supporters, you've made us a laughing stock of British football, no wonder you don't come to matches, if I were in your duct taped shoes , I too would be too ashamed to show my face at the valley.
Go now, sell up and enjoy your money somewhere else, you are not wanted or welcome here.
Ps I have never worked for the club , but would have considered doing so at some point in my life..... until you took over, you might be wealthy, but you are a disgrace and a stain on this football club.
Dear Duchatelet, I have been a supporter since 1962 and season ticket holder for most seasons since 1973. I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of dissent for your selfish and destructive stewardship of Charlton Athletic. You do not appear to comprehend the special bond between supporters and "their" football club or worse you have complete contempt for it. Our support spans generations and embodies shared memories that have enriched our lives. I am not just talking about success - with a club like Charlton there will be good and bad, happy and sad. But the unwritten pact requires that for our unswerving loyalty we expect that those in control of the Clubs destiny have as their primary aim success on the football field. How else can we dare to hope and dream. I don't know what your primary aim is, nor indeed can I comprehend your motivation at all. The millions that it is claimed you pour into the club are being mismanaged on an epic scale; with multi managerial changes; highly paid and unused players on long contracts and myriad administrative cock-ups. If footballing success really is of secondary or indeed of no importance to you then you disdain the supporters and you will fail to arrest the abstention of thousands of fans who have become disillusioned with the way the club is being run. This is not just about results, but your misguided methods will inevitably go hand in hand with failure on the field of play. It doesn't take a disgruntled ex-employee or a sheep to see that. I am neither of those and nor are those fans that are not prepared to stand idly by whilst you oversee the decimation of a proud and historic family orientated football club. SABON
How's it going? It's not going so great this side of the water. I'm popping over at the weekend if you fancy a chat about some of the problems. I'll see you in that De Kanarie boozer opposite your stadium / hotel / disco / shopping precinct.
Don't worry, I'm not one of those disgruntled ex-employees you're so concerned about. I've never worked for Charlton. I was though one of an organised group of supporters based in Essex (I'm sure the geography is lost on you, but don't worry - Katy's geography is not so hot either) who liaised with the CEO and the staff at Charlton to bring in hundreds of kids from the county to watch Premiership football at The Valley. That's Premiership football. At The Valley. It did happen you know! Not some kids who might one day go on to play elsewhere. Actual Premiership stars wearing Charlton shirts.
As for me personally, my Dad started taking me when I was four; got my first season ticket in 1974 and have had one every year since; lived in Sheffield for four years and never missed a home game; I bought a bit of Ronnie Moore; bought a couple of hundred quid of shares in the club; gave to the VIP scheme; bought a five year season ticket when the club needed the money; and I still pay into the Valley Gold scheme - though that will stop soon.
I don't want or expect any thanks or medals. I only want one thing. A new and caring owner and you gone. And take that lawyer with you.
Comments
Every day, in every way you and your CEO Katrien Meire are making it more impossible to support this football club. A football club I have supported for 45 years and that my grandfather and uncles supported before that.
Once a year, a good friend of mine will arrange a visit for him, myself and 4 or five other lapsed supporters to a game at the Valley. To be fair one by one, most of us are now saying "do not bother". That is because of you and the decisions you have taken that have ruined something very precious in SE7.
If you consider yourself an intelligent man, then please take the time to read up on the history of Charlton Athletic and by the way, Association Football in Britain. You will then understand why we are like we are and why what you seem to think you want is so at odds with what we want.
I wholeheartedly encourage and congratulate those coming to see you on the 4th of March. I hope that you enjoy the day as much as they do.
Please sell our football club.
I'm Tina and I was taken to my first match at the Valley aged 6 by my dad on a Sunday morning during the 3 day week in 1974. He was introduced to Charlton by my grandad in 1965 after he married my mum. I was soon hooked and became a regular, eventually my grandad had to stop attending matches due to age and ill health but he still followed the club until the day he died. Dad and I followed the club to Selhurst Park and Upton Park and indeed this is the first season for over 40 consecutive seasons that we haven't been season ticket holders.
I haven't worked for the club personally but a member of my family has, my great-grandad was Bert Heath Honorary General Secretary of Charlton Athletic from 1910-1921 when the club turned professional. So you see Roland some of us stupid people really do have Charlton in our blood but you probably think that's weird.
I despise what you have done and are continuing to do to our great club, I have been to some matches this season because you are not going to stop me doing what I enjoy doing but it's not the same as it used to be and I hate not going regularly. I have tried hard not to care anymore but I do.
I can't be there next Saturday but will be there in spirit. I don't really know what your big plan is and don't want to know to be honest, please just go and take KM with you. We were here before you and we'll still be here celebrating in a rowdy and rebellious fashion once you've gone, which hopefully won't be too long.
I'm 37. I first went to The Valley on 21 September 1985. I have never worked for the club.
Go fuck yourself.
Yours,
Jimmy 85
I'm clb74 my journey has been a little a different from the majority as I emerged from the dark side, 1985 my first game.
On the 4th i will be travelling in the opposite direction to my fellow supporters who will be paying you a visit in Belgium.
There it is part of what you've done split the fans, some going to Belgium and some to Northampton.
Some going to home games , some because of you and Meire choosing to stay away.
A few looking at me thinking I should boycott if i do you might be gone sooner.
Me thinking if more came to the valley the atmosphere will be better and results might be better. I don't blame them for staying away f@ck me I once boycotted a Chinese takeaway over a £1 delivery charge, footballs deeper though and this is where your also taking the piss.
Things are getting that bad down the valley and will continue to get worse with you still here ,next season I could see games with under 4,000 in the ground.
Following charlton through whether good or bad is one of my greatest joys.
F@ck me the wife says I'm at my happiest going charlton away and them moments don't happen often.
Roland me old mucker do us a favour and f@ck off, that way we can all go Northampton next season.
My name is Paul, a fairly ordinary bloke and I have never worked at the Valley. I started standing on the vast terraces forming a love affair with Charlton and that love affair is now fast approaching it's 50th anniversary.
However, as a kid, my dad inadvertently nearly wrecked my relationship with Charlton by moving me up north, don't worry he said, you'll soon get used to going to Maine road or Old Trafford. Well I was having none of it and my love for my 'local' team actually grew stronger even though I only got to a few games, mostly away's for a good few years and homes when we were returning for family visits. In the early days of living up north it was a nightmare keeping up with what was happening at the Valley, even finding a report on Charlton in the papers was impossible unless we were away to Oldham or Bolton, for years I had family post the London editions of the papers up to me straight after a game. Things got easier with the invention of teletext, by god how many hours I must have waited for those poxy pages to roll round in the hope we had popped one in. I even used to cover our score up, look at the oppo score then gradually uncover ours in the hope the curve of the nil had changed to the straight line of a one, gawd I was a sad case!
Once I had a few years of work under my belt, I was in a far better financial situation to start getting to more games back in London, quite a few in fact, it was just a shame that by now we were playing at Selhurst then Upton Park. By the mid 90's, I had my own business and was now managing to get to more home games than I was missing to the point where I ended up buying a couple of season tickets. Over the next 11 or 12 years, I missed just two home games even though I had a 450 mile round trip.
Sadly I lost my business in the recession which meant the season tickets had to go too, so now I have gone full circle, back to a few local away's each season with trips to the Valley once more very much a rarity.
That's me Roland, I have just about given my life to my club and very nearly lost a marriage through my devotion. My old man came close to breaking that bond by taking me away from my Valley, you Roland have very, very nearly managed it.... but not quite. I started losing the faith, losing interest and felt no affinity with the club and I fucking hate you Roland for how you made me feel but no more, bollox to you and your nightmeire CEO, I refuse to let you kill my love for CAFC.
Charlton till I die!
You've called me stupid.
Well, going by my username I make you right (but you are always right, right?).
When it comes to football, there is however, someone (do you have a mirror handy?) who is infinitely more stupid than me and my ridiculous username. That username wouldn't have been ridiculous for the majority of our history though would it Roland, a history that will have you recognised as the "lunatic" owner , what a wonderful honour as reward for your "investment" Mr. President, it's well deserved.
Your thoroughly incompetent CEO has lied to my face on multiple occasions, stupid me again for turning up to her meeting invites and expecting anything else.
I bought my season ticket for this season, stupid me.
I believed that your investment in our academy would help with first team success, but that first team is only used to break them in before they are auctioned off, stupid me.
I believed that every managerial change was the right one (well I didn't actually but Katrien told me they were), stupid me.
I thought my football club appreciated my loyalty, stupid me, I'm only a customer who can't dance, what good am I to you and your genius ideas on how a football club should be run.
Do you see how you have helped to make and keep me stupid?
To you and Katrien I have one request. Please go forth and multiply.
Reagrds
No.3 in South London (thanks!)
The same club shop I would go into virtually every other home game with my kids and try and bribe them into loving Charlton.
I came home and found an Arsenal mag on the table , my 3rd son just wanted a football read and that was the only one he found in the shop .(when he went to bed I hid the mag , I'm not gonna stop brainwashing them)
I used to buy a match day programme for every game I went to , not now though Roland not a home one for 18 months .
My liveliest 4th son knows a few football chants but his favourite is "we want Roland out" he's just turned 5 .
Every Saturday 2 of the 4 have footy training and it is a right ball ache sorting care out for the other 2 having to be in 3 places at once between myself and wife.
Next Saturday will be even harder for the family because daddy will be off to Belgium to let your area know what we think of your pathetic residence as Charlton owner
Please sell now and take your stupid experiment with you to hell you selfish prick.
PS Sorry to hear about you losing your business.
I am David and I have been a Charlton fan for 61 years.
I was a 10 year old when I attended my first game at The Valley on the 18th February 1956 against Arsenal in the 5th round of the FA Cup. The attendance that day was 71,758. I was sardined on the huge East Terrace and was witness to the loudest sounds of raw emotion I had ever heard. It was a Working Mans game in those days with the supporters of both sides mixing together on the terraces in friendly rivalry. We lost 2-0 but 3 weeks later we played Arsenal again in a First Division match and won 2-0 with the great Sam Bartram in goal in his final year with us. The attendance was 40,553.
I was also there for the 7-6 Huddersfield match on a bleak December day in 1957, attendance 12,535, when Derek Ufton went off with a dislocated shoulder and Johnny Summers scored an amazing 5 goals. I was also lucky to be at Wembley in 1998 to see our team win unexpectedly against Sunderland in the Play-Off Final and win our place in The Premier League. These games have been selected from many but highlight the thrill of following my team during a period of more lows than highs. Charlton Athletic has been in my blood ever since that first game and is still there today.
For the record, I confirm I have never been employed by CAFC nor have I been accused of rebellious or rowdy behaviour throughout my many years supporting my team.
Since you arrived on the scene MY football club has changed.
Your stewardship turned its back on the traditional focus of playing to win. You had your own agenda which you carefully hid from us when you appeared as our saviour. Your subsequent lack of engagement with the club has allowed your inadequate, incompetent and arrogant SMT to erode the very foundations of CAFC and bring misery to the vast majority of its supporters. Three years of mismanagement has proved that your CEO should never have been appointed and your "hands off" management style has allowed millions to be wasted by the incompetents you foolishly placed in charge.
Charlton Athletic was a strong community long before you were ever heard of. We were not waiting for your enlightenment to make our lives better with a pitch side sofa, garage music and dancing after the games. If that is what you like then I suggest you look for it outside of a football enviroment and definitely outside CAFC.
It is way past time for you to go and take your experiment and your sycophants with you.
I truly hope you make an appearance on 4th March and receive the coordinated fanbase who have been forced to travel to Belgium to get your attention.
First game at the Valley 4th April 1969
Last game at the Valley 2nd January 2016 and then only because my dad's name was in the memorial.
I've been a season ticket holder.
I followed the team to Selhurst & Upton Park.
I was there on 5th December 1992 - J block covered end - and at Wembley and Carlisle. Three of the best days ever as a Charlton fan personally.
I HATE having to boycott games but, until you leave Roland, I feel I have no choice.
GET OUT NOW!!
I'm Rhia and I'm 29. I fell in love with this club in the mid 2000s. Growing up the daughter of a Welsh Liverpool fan in Bermonsey there were two (equally horrifying) options available to me. Armchair supporter of a club I've no connection to, or go against every natural instinct I'd felt in my short life and become a spanner.
Happily I abstained, supporting Engerland in cup competitions and focussing my teenage passion on music. Until, ill advisedly, I accepted a sixth form classmate's invitation to use her brother's spare season ticket to attend a match at The Valley.
I think it took all of maybe 10 minutes, from walking through the turnstiles to my seat in the East - game over, I knew then that this was the club for me.
Everything I learnt and experienced in the next few years only cemented that gut reaction. The community feeling, the underdog fighting spirit, the history, the inclusion. Nothing what so ever to do with points, or league finishes.
All of that gone now, erroded. All thanks to one old rich man's vanity. His ego.
I was so proud of my first season ticket I'd happily show it to strangers. 2012-2013. I paid for it over 6 months, all I could afford at the time.
No, I've never worked for the club, for love nor money. But the day you go, you fucker, I'll happily volunteer my time to clear up the mess you'll leave us in, in any way I can.
In your desperation to discredit those who campaign against your ownership of our football club, you have described the Unity Protesters as, “a few hot heads who previously worked directly or indirectly for the club and who were shown the door due to their rebellious and rowdy attitude”.
The posts on this thread clearly demonstrate your claims to be nonsense. Ninety five people who are either going to Belgium this weekend, or support those who are, have placed messages here for you. Between them they have over 3,500 years of support, an average of 37 years each. The actual figure will be higher as some people didn't put a time to their support whist others prefixed their responses with, 'at least'. Far from being young hot heads, the protesters all seem to be (dare I say it) rather long in the tooth.
Your claim that people had been 'shown the door' is so far out that describing it as pathetic nonsense almost seems complimentary. Of the 95 protesters here, eight have stated that they had worked for the club at one time or another. Of those, two admitted to having been dismissed. One, a former turnstile operator who as a young boy in the 1960s was dismissed for abandoning his post, so desperate was he to watch his beloved team. The other was dismissed by the previous regime, who settled a claim for unfair dismissal out of court. So, two dismissals, at least one of which was unfair and neither of which were due to rowdiness or rebelliousness.
At least ten people have given their labour free of charge, such is their love for the club. Some in circumstances so desperate, that it is no exaggeration to say that without the people who are protesting against you this club would probably not exist. That love for the club, runs through all of these stories though. It is worth noting that the 3,500 years of combined support this group has would become a lot bigger if we added in their families support as well. And then you look at the families represented; we have the grandson of this club's greatest ever manager and the great granddaughter of one of the founders of Charlton as a professional club. Do those really sound like the sort of people who would kick up a fuss for no reason? Of course not.
The only intrinsic reason that all these people are protesting is because of their love for our club. They want to see Charlton as a successful club. They hate the failure, the incompetence, the lies and the blaming of fans that are synonymous with your ownership. They want competitive football. They want commitment and professionalism. They want to feel a part of their club. Nobody wants a dance club. Nobody wants a player farm. Nobody wants an owner whose motives are at best unfathomable and at worst completely nefarious.
We know that you are currently spending lots of money on communications experts and I am sure that part of their role is to monitor what is said on forums such as this. I hope that they do the professional thing and bring this thread to your attention. I hope that you see fit to spend 1½% of your precious time reading some of the excellent post on this thread. I hope you have a long hard think about how silly you've been with your false insinuations about the protestors. Most of all though, I hope that you get the message and do the decent thing. I don't have to spell that out, do I?
Stig
A great point about the families behind us. I won't be the only one who will travel to Belgium watched over by a father who has passed away. A father who first went to the Valley before the Second World War; who had lived to see the day we walked back together through the turnstiles of the Valley, he and his friends eventually taking their place in the East Stand, sometimes joined by his son, to do together what we first did in 1963; and whose soul lingers at The Valley through one of the commemorative bricks outside the West Stand.
I wonder, Mr Duchatelet, if you have ever paused to look at those bricks? Many of the souls behind those bricks will travel with us on Saturday. May their silent reproach be as loud in your conscience as we will be in your ears.
Another 40 years of support here. First match was 14 October 1975. Charlton v a high flying QPR in a League Cup replay. We lost 3-0 but the atmosphere was so magical I was hooked. Those evening games under the floodlights, with the crowd noise echoing around the still huge terraces, were something else. Peanuts anyone?
Got my first season ticket for the 76/77 season and have been a committed supporter ever since. Work resulted in a move to the North West about 20 years ago but I still took in as many games as I could (mostly aways). So many memories from the early days. Killer and Flash having that punch-up v Maidstone in 1979, the Stoke game in 1985 when we left the Valley, St Andrews in 1987 v Leeds in the play off game. Peter Shirtliff's brace after dirty Leeds had gone in front.
I sadly missed all of the 'Back to the Valley' stuff being away from London. I want to do all I can this time to save our club so I will be on the coach to Belgium on Saturday.
Oh and I have never been an employee of the club. Had some shares once though :-(
How are you, you sad old prick.
Supporter since January 1962, never worked for the club although I did help with the Valley clear up in 1989 (ask Pinocchio, she's loves talking about our history).
Stopped attending matches in October 2015 thanks to you and that sad, hideous apology of a CEO and her army of arse licking sycophants ( hope you like the mention there Sue!).
Well bye for now, I just know you're going to have a wonderful weekend.
Hope it stays dry, we wouldn't want you slipping over with your zimmer frame would we?
Best wishes
Depressed, despondent and bewildered in Bexley xx
I don't know what your motivation is for owning Charlton, but believe it or not this tin pot football club actually means quite a lot to people in south east London and around the globe, please do the honourable thing and sell up to someone else who has the heart and best interests of the club at hand.
You have failed at running football clubs, why continue with them, surely at your age , your time is precious and you'd rather continue with things that bring you pleasure, you are so detached and out of touch with what is going on over here it is incredible.
Please take the stubborn blinkers off for a moment, and realise how much misery you are inflicting to other people , man up to your mistakes man, and show some respect towards the supporters.
You've failed this club, and you've failed the supporters, you've made us a laughing stock of British football, no wonder you don't come to matches, if I were in your duct taped shoes , I too would be too ashamed to show my face at the valley.
Go now, sell up and enjoy your money somewhere else, you are not wanted or welcome here.
Ps I have never worked for the club , but would have considered doing so at some point in my life..... until you took over, you might be wealthy, but you are a disgrace and a stain on this football club.
I have been a supporter since 1962 and season ticket holder for most seasons since 1973.
I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of dissent for your selfish and destructive stewardship of Charlton Athletic.
You do not appear to comprehend the special bond between supporters and "their" football club or worse you have complete contempt for it.
Our support spans generations and embodies shared memories that have enriched our lives.
I am not just talking about success - with a club like Charlton there will be good and bad, happy and sad.
But the unwritten pact requires that for our unswerving loyalty we expect that those in control of the Clubs destiny have as their primary aim success on the football field.
How else can we dare to hope and dream.
I don't know what your primary aim is, nor indeed can I comprehend your motivation at all.
The millions that it is claimed you pour into the club are being mismanaged on an epic scale; with multi managerial changes; highly paid and unused players on long contracts and myriad administrative cock-ups.
If footballing success really is of secondary or indeed of no importance to you then you disdain the supporters and you will fail to arrest the abstention of thousands of fans who have become disillusioned with the way the club is being run.
This is not just about results, but your misguided methods will inevitably go hand in hand with failure on the field of play.
It doesn't take a disgruntled ex-employee or a sheep to see that.
I am neither of those and nor are those fans that are not prepared to stand idly by whilst you oversee the decimation of a proud and historic family orientated football club.
SABON
How's it going? It's not going so great this side of the water. I'm popping over at the weekend if you fancy a chat about some of the problems. I'll see you in that De Kanarie boozer opposite your stadium / hotel / disco / shopping precinct.
Don't worry, I'm not one of those disgruntled ex-employees you're so concerned about. I've never worked for Charlton. I was though one of an organised group of supporters based in Essex (I'm sure the geography is lost on you, but don't worry - Katy's geography is not so hot either) who liaised with the CEO and the staff at Charlton to bring in hundreds of kids from the county to watch Premiership football at The Valley. That's Premiership football. At The Valley. It did happen you know! Not some kids who might one day go on to play elsewhere. Actual Premiership stars wearing Charlton shirts.
As for me personally, my Dad started taking me when I was four; got my first season ticket in 1974 and have had one every year since; lived in Sheffield for four years and never missed a home game; I bought a bit of Ronnie Moore; bought a couple of hundred quid of shares in the club; gave to the VIP scheme; bought a five year season ticket when the club needed the money; and I still pay into the Valley Gold scheme - though that will stop soon.
I don't want or expect any thanks or medals. I only want one thing. A new and caring owner and you gone. And take that lawyer with you.