Was working yesterday. But if I wasn't I'm afraid going to the Valley is just not on my list anymore. I follow the results and hope we do well but the earliest I'll see Charlton live again is when Duchatelet sells. Even then I'm not sure if I'd be more than an occasional attender as I've found lots to do at the weekend.
When I went to the Legends game last week, I felt like I was having the Charlton experience I recognise. I really enjoyed every minute of it. Under Roland Duchatelet's tenure, going to games simply does not feel the same at all. The gap between these two experiences, for me, is vast. But the senior management at the club simply do not seem to understand this huge gulf between past and present, caused largely by their own actions. Or they simply don't care. Whichever it is, they also do not seem to know how to rectify it. If they even want to.
Was working yesterday. But if I wasn't I'm afraid going to the Valley is just not on my list anymore. I follow the results and hope we do well but the earliest I'll see Charlton live again is when Duchatelet sells. Even then I'm not sure if I'd be more than an occasional attender as I've found lots to do at the weekend.
Might as well close the north upper if the amount of fans dwindles any less up there. If there was 9,895 fans then about 9,000 of them were out in the concourses at half time.
If they shut the North Upper that will be me gone .
The quality of the football in this division is poor and the alternatives (non-football, Kodi showing all Premier League games at 3pm on the tele and Charlton being available on iFollow for £5) are more tempting in light of it.
Yesterday, despite having a season ticket, I decided to stay home and watch it on my iPad - and I’m glad I did. That is going to happen more and more until the quality of football and the atmosphere improves.
It’s not about money and, for me, it’s not a statement against the owners. I just no longer fancy it as much. Charlton used to be such a significant part of my life, and now it is not. I’m not sure what it would take to change that back. I’ll always be a Charlton fan and I’ml Always go to games but I just can’t see me arranging my life around them any more.
I'm intrigued to know what exactly you thought would happen this season?
The football has been dire for years, yet despite this, you still bought a season ticket. Then after 5 wins in 8 games (which is probably better than many expected) you've decided to not go because the quality of football is poor. Yet you've now paid extra to sit and watch the same team play on your ipad!
My post might have been a little misleading. I go to Charlton with my Dad and even though I have tended to go on my own in the past I’m not keen to drive to The Valley and sit on my own for games like Bury.
However, not only is ny Dad away on holiday but I am also on crutches which makes the journey a bit of a challenge.
Thus I have a season ticket knowing, full well, that I am not going to go to all the games. I was fully aware of what was going to be served up this season. I’m happy spending two hours watching this $hit on a Saturday afternoon at home, I’m just not willing to spend six hours of my day to watch it when my Dad is away - especially when I wan watch it at home.
Either way, however, I believe that the the reasons I have for the attendances are accurate. People are ‘staying away on principle’ but I think that the majority have found better things to do with their time than watch teams like Bury, with all respect to them.
This is, perhaps, why we had one of the largest attendances in the division even though it was our lowest for ages.
More than 56k at west ham is going to make inroads on our casual support, especially when it is the Spuds or Man Utd visiting. Plus they can sell cheap season tickets to fill out the stadium as their overheads are relatively minimal.
Also no announcement from the club on his many season tickets have been sold this season. Too worried about the negative critisism if they let the figure out?
It's a bit over 6,500, although it's hard to know how many comps might be in that number.
Some people will rock up at the valley to watch anything, league 2, National league, Conference South, whatever. They want to connect with mates have a beer, get away from the wife and kids, or whatever. The actual football is a portion of their afternoon out, and if it's shit doesn't have to ruin the day.
I used to be in this category and watch the shit with crowds of 4,000 and the glamour with the 27,000. However, slowly as we have dropped down the leagues and show little sign of any change in that slide, my group got smaller and smaller.
I am now a fan who wants to be entertained on a Saturday, I want to to turn up enjoy the game , and see a decent side play , and think that my club is making every endevour to move forward. The match is now the sole reason for going !
After 3 years of complete shit and disappointment, I struggle to find the reason to come. I broke my boycott for the Wigan game. After, that why would I come back. I haven't had a season ticket for 4 years, and the longer it goes on the less I miss it.
Once any thing else in my life fitted in around football. Now I occasionally fit football in around the other things. If our fortunes continue to decline over the next couple years, I can not see me ever becoming a regular again.
Some people will rock up at the valley to watch anything, league 2, National league, Conference South, whatever. They want to connect with mates have a beer, get away from the wife and kids, or whatever. The actual football is a portion of their afternoon out, and if it's shit doesn't have to ruin the day.
This gets said a lot. It's always said by people when they are active in going. I guarantee you (well I can't, but you know what I mean) that if you had 2,000 people describe themselves as that 6,7 years ago, I reckon at least 1,000 of that no longer go. I've seen it myself with dozens of people I know who I would have described as dyed in the wool regulars.
Some people will rock up at the valley to watch anything, league 2, National league, Conference South, whatever. They want to connect with mates have a beer, get away from the wife and kids, or whatever. The actual football is a portion of their afternoon out, and if it's shit doesn't have to ruin the day.
This gets said a lot. It's always said by people when they are active in going. I guarantee you (well I can't, but you know what I mean) that if you had 2,000 people describe themselves as that 6,7 years ago, I reckon at least 1,000 of that no longer go. I've seen it myself with dozens of people I know who I would have described as dyed in the wool regulars.
But but but we had equally negative bed wetting from Afka last time we were in league one but attendances picked up when there was a feeling that the board and manager were showing ambition and we started winning on the pitch.
In a similar way we slowly rebuilt attendances after returning to the Valley.
It takes time and real, co-ordinated, thought out and long term marketing.
Unfortunately, these are things this SMT just don't understand or see the need for, instead they are reactive and jump from one one-off gimmick to another to try and increase crowds while constantly changing the marketing managers/consultants.
The support base can be rebuilt but it needs the fans to do it. We do have younger fans, even if some of them are herberts sometimes, and we do have committed fans as the protests have shown.
Any new board that harnesses that talent and commitment will succeed if they can get it right on the pitch.
The support base can be rebuilt as it was before ... but the longer this odious regime is in place, the longer it will take.
I wondered about using the word 'odious' as it is so strong ... but, on reflection, it fits.
Over the last three years plus they have taken us to one of our lowest ever levels, screwed up every transfer window, and split our loyal fan base in a way that has never been seen at our club before.
The owner could not care less about football and Charlton Athletic and the SMT have no clue how to decently run a football club.
By retaining Robinson and providing continuity, it looked like they may have finally realised what needs to be done. The last two weeks of the transfer window revealed this to be a fallacy ... yet again.
Not going to the Valley again until the Belgians are gone. Just thought I'd confirm that! That is a 43 year attachment to this football club broken and bleeding.
Whatever that mad twat thinks he is doing is lost on me and I wouldn't trust our "esteemed" CEO to run my bath. She will wind up a token doff of the cap to a "inclusive" EFL while we die. Just fuck right off!
The support base can be rebuilt as it was before ... but the longer this odious regime is in place, the longer it will take.
I wondered about using the word 'odious' as it is so strong ... but, on reflection, it fits.
Over the last three years plus they have taken us to one of our lowest ever levels, screwed up every transfer window, and split our loyal fan base in a way that has never been seen at our club before.
The owner could not care less about football and Charlton Athletic and the SMT have no clue how to decently run a football club.
By retaining Robinson and providing continuity, it looked like they may have finally realised what needs to be done. The last two weeks of the transfer window revealed this to be a fallacy ... yet again.
100% agree.
I also think that the pace of rebuilding the fanbase will depend on what type of new owner we get. If a known and passionate Charlton fan like Peter Varney was to be closely associated with the money man and was to take on an executive chairman or CEO (I mean a proper CEO rather than Meire's inept, gagged version) I think the fans would flock back pretty rapidly. At the other extreme, another eccentric businessman who doesn't understand the value of the club's relationship with fans would struggle and be hugely dependent on levels of investment in the squad.
I just refuse to believe that anyone could be anywhere near as bad as Duchatelet though, so whoever it will be has to be a step up.
But but but we had equally negative bed wetting from Afka last time we were in league one but attendances picked up when there was a feeling that the board and manager were showing ambition and we started winning on the pitch.
In a similar way we slowly rebuilt attendances after returning to the Valley.
It takes time and real, co-ordinated, thought out and long term marketing.
Unfortunately, these are things this SMT just don't understand or see the need for, instead they are reactive and jump from one one-off gimmick to another to try and increase crowds to another while constantly changing the marketing managers/consultants.
The support base can be rebuilt but it need the fans to do it. We do have younger fans, even if some of them are herberts sometimes, and we do have committed fans as the protests have shown.
Any new board the harnesses that talent and committed will suceed if they can get it right on the pitch.
The support base can be rebuilt as it was before ... but the longer this odious regime is in place, the longer it will take.
I wondered about using the word 'odious' as it is so strong ... but, on reflection, it fits.
Over the last three years plus they have taken us to one of our lowest ever levels, screwed up every transfer window, and split our loyal fan base in a way that has never been seen at our club before.
The owner could not care less about football and Charlton Athletic and the SMT have no clue how to decently run a football club.
By retaining Robinson and providing continuity, it looked like they may have finally realised what needs to be done. The last two weeks of the transfer window revealed this to be a fallacy ... yet again.
There simply isn't going to be any reconnection with the club under this ownership and this chief executive. The extent of alienation is quite remarkable, even among people currently attending, even among fans who have been going for decades. It doesn't include everyone for a whole variety of reasons and that's what allows people to claim that the "lessons learned" mantra can change things, but the reality is the regime will never be forgiven by too many fans for the situation to be reversed.
So many lifetime fans of 20,30,40 years have just literally parked it. Makes me so demoralised and angry at what has evolved over the last few years, i fear the impact is going to be so long-lasting.
It is cutting deeper than the lifetime fans. 3 years or so ago 2 of my Niece's young boys were taken to the Valley and stood proud at home in their Charlton Athletic shirts for a photo.
I went round to visit them all a few weeks back to find both the boys playing football in the back garden wearing Spurs shirts (Their Dad is a non going Spurs fan) . I believe they would still be in CAFC shirts & new generation of fans had the seniors not stopped going.
Well done KM you got half your wish granted getting rid of old supporters unfortunately your other half of the wish didn't capture the young generation you were aspiring to.
Not exactly rocket science is it, that kids tend to be taken along by, ahem, older supporters. If the older ones are pissed off, you're waving bye bye to the younger ones.
Your right of course, it is obvious to the majority of people accept the CEO of Charlton.
So many lifetime fans of 20,30,40 years have just literally parked it. Makes me so demoralised and angry at what has evolved over the last few years, i fear the impact is going to be so long-lasting.
It is cutting deeper than the lifetime fans. 3 years or so ago 2 of my Niece's young boys were taken to the Valley and stood proud at home in their Charlton Athletic shirts for a photo.
I went round to visit them all a few weeks back to find both the boys playing football in the back garden wearing Spurs shirts (Their Dad is a non going Spurs fan) . I believe they would still be in CAFC shirts & new generation of fans had the seniors not stopped going.
Well done KM you got half your wish granted getting rid of old supporters unfortunately your other half of the wish didn't capture the young generation you were aspiring to.
Not exactly rocket science is it, that kids tend to be taken along by, ahem, older supporters. If the older ones are pissed off, you're waving bye bye to the younger ones.
Your right of course, it is obvious to the majority of people accept the CEO of Charlton.
The most sickening thing is that, ultimately, neither RD nor KM actually care about the fans.
RD because we are of no interest to him and he does not need us, and KM because her career is all she cares about and she would prefer us not to be there to record her ineptness.
Under the current regime though are there some who would rather the attendances didnt rise. If we started to get 15000 Belgians would say there's no longer a problem.
If the attendance rose to 15K it would mean something has changed. Like the management doing the right things and our team knocking over bottom four clubs for fun. But the management are doing what they do and have done since they rolled into town so we ain't getting 15K we are getting sub 10K with offers on a nice afternoon in September. No point saying "if". Ifs won't happen with theses people. It's also worth remembering those in charge now are the people responsible for the shite we are asked to pay for this season.
There simply isn't going to be any reconnection with the club under this ownership and this chief executive. The extent of alienation is quite remarkable, even among people currently attending, even among fans who have been going for decades. It doesn't include everyone for a whole variety of reasons and that's what allows people to claim that the "lessons learned" mantra can change things, but the reality is the regime will never be forgiven by too many fans for the situation to be reversed.
I agree totally, but out of interest, would you include Richard Murray as part of the regime in this respect ?
Comments
No you don't fucking bother going back, one day she will get it.
Under Roland Duchatelet's tenure, going to games simply does not feel the same at all.
The gap between these two experiences, for me, is vast. But the senior management at the club simply do not seem to understand this huge gulf between past and present, caused largely by their own actions. Or they simply don't care.
Whichever it is, they also do not seem to know how to rectify it. If they even want to.
However, not only is ny Dad away on holiday but I am also on crutches which makes the journey a bit of a challenge.
Thus I have a season ticket knowing, full well, that I am not going to go to all the games. I was fully aware of what was going to be served up this season. I’m happy spending two hours watching this $hit on a Saturday afternoon at home, I’m just not willing to spend six hours of my day to watch it when my Dad is away - especially when I wan watch it at home.
Either way, however, I believe that the the reasons I have for the attendances are accurate. People are ‘staying away on principle’ but I think that the majority have found better things to do with their time than watch teams like Bury, with all respect to them.
This is, perhaps, why we had one of the largest attendances in the division even though it was our lowest for ages.
I used to be in this category and watch the shit with crowds of 4,000 and the glamour with the 27,000. However, slowly as we have dropped down the leagues and show little sign of any change in that slide, my group got smaller and smaller.
I am now a fan who wants to be entertained on a Saturday, I want to to turn up enjoy the game , and see a decent side play , and think that my club is making every endevour to move forward. The match is now the sole reason for going !
After 3 years of complete shit and disappointment, I struggle to find the reason to come. I broke my boycott for the Wigan game. After, that why would I come back. I haven't had a season ticket for 4 years, and the longer it goes on the less I miss it.
Once any thing else in my life fitted in around football. Now I occasionally fit football in around the other things. If our fortunes continue to decline over the next couple years, I can not see me ever becoming a regular again.
In a similar way we slowly rebuilt attendances after returning to the Valley.
It takes time and real, co-ordinated, thought out and long term marketing.
Unfortunately, these are things this SMT just don't understand or see the need for, instead they are reactive and jump from one one-off gimmick to another to try and increase crowds while constantly changing the marketing managers/consultants.
The support base can be rebuilt but it needs the fans to do it. We do have younger fans, even if some of them are herberts sometimes, and we do have committed fans as the protests have shown.
Any new board that harnesses that talent and commitment will succeed if they can get it right on the pitch.
I wondered about using the word 'odious' as it is so strong ... but, on reflection, it fits.
Over the last three years plus they have taken us to one of our lowest ever levels, screwed up every transfer window, and split our loyal fan base in a way that has never been seen at our club before.
The owner could not care less about football and Charlton Athletic and the SMT have no clue how to decently run a football club.
By retaining Robinson and providing continuity, it looked like they may have finally realised what needs to be done. The last two weeks of the transfer window revealed this to be a fallacy ... yet again.
Whatever that mad twat thinks he is doing is lost on me and I wouldn't trust our "esteemed" CEO to run my bath. She will wind up a token doff of the cap to a "inclusive" EFL while we die. Just fuck right off!
I also think that the pace of rebuilding the fanbase will depend on what type of new owner we get. If a known and passionate Charlton fan like Peter Varney was to be closely associated with the money man and was to take on an executive chairman or CEO (I mean a proper CEO rather than Meire's inept, gagged version) I think the fans would flock back pretty rapidly. At the other extreme, another eccentric businessman who doesn't understand the value of the club's relationship with fans would struggle and be hugely dependent on levels of investment in the squad.
I just refuse to believe that anyone could be anywhere near as bad as Duchatelet though, so whoever it will be has to be a step up.
RD because we are of no interest to him and he does not need us, and KM because her career is all she cares about and she would prefer us not to be there to record her ineptness.
No point saying "if". Ifs won't happen with theses people. It's also worth remembering those in charge now are the people responsible for the shite we are asked to pay for this season.