Well, despite all good intentions it seems that Operation Cottage, instigated by the Charlton Life team, reported on here previously, has hit the buffers. A great idea and a very good attempt but it just doesn’t have the required exposure, at least not yet.
Inspector, I presume you are expecting a sudden rush down at The Valley between now and Saturday then. Whilst I feel there could be quite a large walk up on the night like this bloke says a bit of rain and some fans will think twice about it. I reckon the box office will sell another 50 tickets between now on Saturday midday. It has been great to see Charlton fans trying to motivate the support but we are fishing in a pretty small pond both here and netaddicks.
your'e right CurbIt but my mate gets the bullitin and didn't follow the link to CharltonLife and it wasn't until I copied and pasted it to hiom that he knew anything about it. Agree though that it was massive exposure.
"Let’s hope that someone at the Club (preferably someone important) either reads this, is alerted to this or are so clever that they have already had the same great idea. Failing that perhaps our Fans Representative will take up the baton"
Certainly knows how to flatter someone doesn't he.
whatever the final outcome, i believe the whole thing has been a success.
I'm pretty sure if there had been no drive by anyone, we would of had a depressing 500-600 fans at this fixture. The fact that the minimum i think we will have on the night will be treble that says to me there has been a fantastic response from a thousand people who probably would of watched it on the telly, have thought about it, and realised it is important. Those people are among those that care passionately about the club.
Whatever the outcome, the right people will be there, and we know that if the team perform there will be an excellent atmosphere.
Our original blog article was visited by over a thousand people. Though they did mention it in the bulletin, i had hoped the club would of helped step up the mantle a touch more. But i think its been great for the internet community that most sites have come together on this. On various forums and on the messages i've had, there has been a host of 'i wasn't going but i am now' posts, and that is all you can ask for.
It's Ok. The leader of Greenwich Council has complained about my last article (oh dear) and I get a few silly e-mails. But as Large says if they know who I am then the prime objective of raising the profile of the role is being met. Thing is with these "why don't the Club do......" pleas is that they are rarely thought or costed out and seem to think that the club should do everything for us. There is, IMHO, too much of a dependency culture among us and we need to make things happen ourselves such as Operation Cottage and Valley Flags. Great if the club then helps it work but lets start things up ourselves.
What is sometimes frustrating are the complaints. For example someone complained about the free Valley Express to the Bolton home game as he had bought a Valley Express ST. so was "losing money" Fair enough but he said he had got into going to away games after the freebie to Forest. However he couldn't see the contradiction.
But the good side is that I just has an e-mail from a fan in former Yugosalvia who is coming to the Bolton Game and wanted to know where to sit etc. Told him North Upper so I expect you to all make him welcome. Suggested he signed up on here. I also like being able to give a little bit more background info about the club when I can.
Otherwise it's an enjoyable experience that I'll be happy to give up in 16 months time.
The 'Complaining' comment made me laugh, I can only imagine some of the better ones you have heard. The best one I have heard is when Charlton did the Model for the New 40,000 stadium Charlton held an open week for locals to look at the model as well as CAFC fans to see what if any impact it would have on their home. One bloke was concerned that the 'Shadow' created by the new East Stand would block the sunlight to his Garden, a fair comment. When quizzed about where he lived, he said Bexleyheath ! You could not make it up ..!
'Thing is with these "why don't the Club do......" pleas is that they are rarely thought or costed out and seem to think that the club should do everything for us'.
Thing is we may be able to encourage fans to 'get off their backsides' as this blogger says but how do we actually get them to somewhere like Sheffield ? Do we start hiring coaches and have a whip round to pay for it ? It has been proved in the past that give fans a free day out and they go for it. Just think that this guy is trying to point out that maybe now, when we are in the doodoo and the team need our support, is possibly more of a reason to do it than when we are riding the crest of a wave. Obviously no-one agrees.
If the support is really that flaky, that it needs handouts to every game, especially big 6 pointers at Fulham and Sheffield United, then we're in real trouble long term.
They have already picked up on it via the Bulletin and AFKA is in contact with them. I do try to push them to cover certain things but there is only so many times I can keep nagging them.
Of course you could try matt.wright@cafc.co.uk yourself ;- )
The leader of Greenwich Council is a touchy soul who would complain about anything, Henry, keep up the good work.
I would have thought the club might have thrown its weight behind Operation Cottage a little more as well - but I suppose those community developments in deepest Kent take precedence ;-)
I'm not a journalist but if I was I'd know how to write a press release and get something like Operation Cottage mentioned. Shame there are no qualified and experienced journos on here to help AFKA out.
One of the all time great intros to a TV show. Someone who she knew once went up to my wife and said "you dancing" in a scouse accent and she just said "no". Hours later she realised what he was trying to say. She was embarressed about it for months.
Comments
whoops, link worked first time. Sorry !!
i thank you.
Eh? It's only Wednesday...
Did it get a mention in the bulletin thing? as i dont get it!
we need operation cottage at the top of the page.
yes it did and linked to the website. mcs.
Certainly knows how to flatter someone doesn't he.
I'm pretty sure if there had been no drive by anyone, we would of had a depressing 500-600 fans at this fixture. The fact that the minimum i think we will have on the night will be treble that says to me there has been a fantastic response from a thousand people who probably would of watched it on the telly, have thought about it, and realised it is important. Those people are among those that care passionately about the club.
Whatever the outcome, the right people will be there, and we know that if the team perform there will be an excellent atmosphere.
Our original blog article was visited by over a thousand people. Though they did mention it in the bulletin, i had hoped the club would of helped step up the mantle a touch more. But i think its been great for the internet community that most sites have come together on this. On various forums and on the messages i've had, there has been a host of 'i wasn't going but i am now' posts, and that is all you can ask for.
What is sometimes frustrating are the complaints. For example someone complained about the free Valley Express to the Bolton home game as he had bought a Valley Express ST. so was "losing money" Fair enough but he said he had got into going to away games after the freebie to Forest. However he couldn't see the contradiction.
But the good side is that I just has an e-mail from a fan in former Yugosalvia who is coming to the Bolton Game and wanted to know where to sit etc. Told him North Upper so I expect you to all make him welcome. Suggested he signed up on here. I also like being able to give a little bit more background info about the club when I can.
Otherwise it's an enjoyable experience that I'll be happy to give up in 16 months time.
Thing is we may be able to encourage fans to 'get off their backsides' as this blogger says but how do we actually get them to somewhere like Sheffield ? Do we start hiring coaches and have a whip round to pay for it ? It has been proved in the past that give fans a free day out and they go for it. Just think that this guy is trying to point out that maybe now, when we are in the doodoo and the team need our support, is possibly more of a reason to do it than when we are riding the crest of a wave. Obviously no-one agrees.
It's a slow news week for them and obviouisly the more exposure the better...
Of course you could try matt.wright@cafc.co.uk yourself ;- )
ooh, I feel an inferiority complex coming-in! ;o)
I would have thought the club might have thrown its weight behind Operation Cottage a little more as well - but I suppose those community developments in deepest Kent take precedence ;-)
I'm not a journalist but if I was I'd know how to write a press release and get something like Operation Cottage mentioned. Shame there are no qualified and experienced journos on here to help AFKA out.
"You asking?"
"I'm asking"
"I'm Writing"
One of the all time great intros to a TV show. Someone who she knew once went up to my wife and said "you dancing" in a scouse accent and she just said "no". Hours later she realised what he was trying to say. She was embarressed about it for months.