This game is just over a week away now and I just wanted to see if we could drum up a bit more interest in this event. The committee have worked tirelessly to co-ordinate all the players, the logistics, the marketing etc and they really want this to go off with a bang. As a patron to the CACT and a regular poster on here I thought I'd do my bit of plugging. Whether you like me or not is irrelevant - I'd appreciate if you could hear me out.
I've known about the event for a while and have been rather excited - this is, after all, a chance to see some of those players that were a massive part of one of the most turbulent times in our history.
Initially people wanted to be sat in the North stand - they've listened and that is now open.
I know there are some that don't want Roland to receive a penny from this event and they are reluctant to go on this basis. I just want to reassure people that CAFC have been incredibly helpful with this whole process. They have waived fees for the rooms, they have waived profit on hospitality, the staff and cleaners have volunteered their services for free in order to keep costs to CACT to an absolute minimum. These events don't just run themselves and the costs initially were somewhat eye-watering. This is no longer the case.
Roland, Katrien, Charlton Athletic Football Club are fully supportive of this event and are not looking to take any money, any glory or any credit for this event - this is 100% about the CACT. Jason Morgan, his staff, the committee (including Keith Peacock)....too many people to list but all have played a massive part.
On the subject of the multi award-winning CACT I was at an event with them at The Valley last night where they explained some of the work they have done over the last 25 years and had 6 speakers who have all benefit from CACT programmes in one way or another over the years
It was really incredibly humbling to see a guy who was a player in the Charlton youth team - he injured his back and could no longer play. Fell into a spot of trouble and then managed to find his way into coaching which he now does at schools and colleges. He could so easily have gone on to a life of crime but the CACT got him on the straight and narrow.
There was a lady who had had a psychotic episode. She got some help from CACT to get back on her feet and now actually does some work for them.
A guy who had spent 13 or 14 years in prison. He met Matt Parrish (formerly of the CACT) who offered him an olive branch, offered him a job when he got out of prison and when he was released he went to CACT before even visiting his mother. He volunteered and then worked at CACT for 5 years before now setting up a charity offering legal assistance to young people. He still speaks fondly about the trust because they saw something in him that nobody did - and now he goes on to help people who sociaety might deem a lost cause
That's just three people but there have been countless others that have had help, support and guidance to get their lives back on track. There wasn't even mention of The Upbeats but we all know what a fantastic cause that is.
Using some witchcraft there is a global generally accepted method of calculating the value schemes like CACT generate and it worked out that for every £1 the trust spend on their programmes it is worth £6.98 to the community - this meant CACT in the year Aug'15 to July'16 put back over £30m worth of output. That's incredible and one of the reasons we should be proud of their achievements
As Paul Elliott said last night - someone once said to him "Whilst Charlton are not like Real, Barca, Man Utd and Liverpool on the pitch - their off the pitch work is Real, Barca, Man Utd AND Liverpool combined" The CACT really is that impressive and I am immensely proud to be a patron but also a supporter of this football club. So come on guys and gals - let's take a few hours out of our Sunday, go along and cheer these legends of yesteryear and all the while we can help those less fortunate than ourselves.
Your ticket will cost £10 but it could be worth almost £70 to the community and not only do you get the good karma but you get to see players who will go down in history at our club
Thanks for reading and I'll see you on the day
Steve
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Comments
Really hope the day is a big success, but bad timing for me personally as it's my daughter's 16th birthday on the 17th.
I hope it raises loads of money for CACT.
Good luck to all those involved.
Or ring the box office like I did.
"Roland and Katrien are fully supportive of the event"
Can I assume both will giving up their valuable time to be there?
A chance to see Curbs, Super Clive, Herman, CP and all the other great CAFC names is a brilliant idea.
"Sometimes I get to thinking I was back in the old days, long ago. When we were kids, when we were young, things seemed so perfect - you know"
I also don't think there are many, if any, people 'boycotting' this event as such. Sure a few had asked about where exactly the money is going/are RD CAFC receiving anything from the ticket sales etc but aside from that which had been clarified there is an event and people will chose if they wish to attend or not.
Unfortunately the two 25th Anniversaries (as this is supposed to be a joint acknowledgement of both the return to the Valley as well as the Trusts 25 years) have come during a very low time for the club and it's supporters, our gates are as low as they have ever been since that momentous occasion in 1992 where we came home. Had this game been played at 20 years I think there would have been a huge difference in attendance.
I remember speaking to the committee's chairman a while back about the events that they were thinking of planning for the anniversaries, one of which was this very game which in his words would 'sell out' along with smaller regional events around the country that supporters would arrange
I think I made the point at the time to him that, that week, details about the BTTV committee had recently been posted on here, in a few days it had received very few responses or comments and quickly disappeared off the front page. I think this was the post; http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/comment/2675058#Comment_2675058
You could say the same again where there is more discussion on the largest Charlton Forum about an idiot of a Conservative MP, the game on Saturday or the one about Crabsticks!
I just think they massively over estimated the interest there would be for this, at this time. Anyone under 40 would have been unlikely to have had much if any involvement in the BTTV campaign. I think mistakes were also made on the appointment of the committee and having a joint celebration.
I have to say the players they have got together is nothing short of superb, although I don't believe all of them are actually going to take the field (Leaburn for instance), some of my all time favourites are there including Simon Webster who I've been fortunate to get to know a little recently.
I'm yet to buy a ticket, but will more than likely go and pay on the day but the Women are also playing, hopefully that's what a lot of people will do as it would be a shame to see a 3/4 full lower west and 750 in the lower north for the players if nothing else, but that's seems to be where it's heading IMHO.
why is it lunchtime?, must be putting others like myself off who have commitments on a Sunday morning?
there is the link for any donations.
If the catering proceeds are all going to CACT as well, then we'll buy teas and 14chips, maybe a pint too for the first time in 3 years.
Here's hoping for fine weather dragging plenty more Addicks of all ages out for a couple of hours.
Hopefully all decked out in old Charlton red.
It's a great opportunity to see a superb line up of Charlton heroes, to let the great memories come flooding back, to show our love and respect for people who made such a great contribution to our club and, of course, to support the great work of the Trust.
The Covered end is a lot lower, block A 3 seats, block B about 30, block C about 25 etc ......
I don't know what that totals, maybe 2,000 with a pure guess, of those maybe 300 comps?
http://cact.org.uk/legends-united
Hope they let me in with ths tickets I have bought!