It was disappointing to see how poor the away end was yesterday. It’s usually a great atmosphere, especially on a Tuesday evening under the lights. I brought two friends with me, both armchair Arsenal fans, and they came away surprised how quiet and toxic it was.
I think the biggest issue is the lack of genuine, organic connection between the first-team and fans. It’s something we’ve always had in successful sides, even at Bowyer’s worst I still felt that shared passion.
Everything about the club just feels a bit flat. Thomas Sandgaard saved us from oblivion and for that he will always have my thanks, but it feels like I’m forcing myself to support his regime through nothing but gratitude. Similar with Adkins, he’s a very nice man and for that I want him to succeed, but he doesn’t feel like the right fit at Charlton.
I’d be thrilled to see Jackson and Euell have a go at it. I think that would give the whole club a much needed boost and unify a fractured fan base.
edit; posted this on the post-match thread but this one seems more appropriate.
It's never a great atmosphere at Gills away. Don't where people have got that idea from. The lack of roof and drum means it's always shit.
It was disappointing to see how poor the away end was yesterday. It’s usually a great atmosphere, especially on a Tuesday evening under the lights. I brought two friends with me, both armchair Arsenal fans, and they came away surprised how quiet and toxic it was.
I think the biggest issue is the lack of genuine, organic connection between the first-team and fans. It’s something we’ve always had in successful sides, even at Bowyer’s worst I still felt that shared passion.
Everything about the club just feels a bit flat. Thomas Sandgaard saved us from oblivion and for that he will always have my thanks, but it feels like I’m forcing myself to support his regime through nothing but gratitude. Similar with Adkins, he’s a very nice man and for that I want him to succeed, but he doesn’t feel like the right fit at Charlton.
I’d be thrilled to see Jackson and Euell have a go at it. I think that would give the whole club a much needed boost and unify a fractured fan base.
edit; posted this on the post-match thread but this one seems more appropriate.
It's never a great atmosphere at Gills away. Don't where people have got that idea from. The lack of roof and drum means it's always shit.
I thought the atmosphere was actually better last night, helped by having some in the covered bit on the side
I feel no affinity with any of the players - the only one I’ve met, albeit for about 10 seconds, is Jason Pearce. However I do like Stockley & Lee & want them to do well whilst they’re here.
Meanwhile, rewind to the mid 1970s - one day during school holidays, my brother & I (we were probably 10 & 14 respectively) went down to the training ground to watch the team train. I took lots of photos, all the players signed my autograph book & as they were leaving Richie Bowman & Colin Powell (who at the time were my favourite players) asked us if we would like a lift home! I declined as I hadn’t finished getting all the autographs, but could you imagine any player behaving like that today?
For me I'm similar to the OP, I'm indifferent to most of them. I'm not anti this group of players, It might just be something to do with not seeing them that much but the odd occasion this season via Charlton live. I have always preferred watching football in person, you see the characters on display and the movement of the ball that TV doesn't show.
I won't go into much when it comes to how good they are or not on the field cos I think that's different to what we are talking about.
I think alot of them seem like stand up blokes.
Pearce I like. Mathews and purrington I kinda like. Albie I like and so it's such a shame to hear and occasionally see he is struggling. Some of the rest from interviews I've seen Gilbey, Washington and stockley have come over well and have on occasion done well on the pitch. Not sure I will ever particularly like Watson but I'm sure he don't care as none of them will what we think of them. Adkins I have little time for because well, I never get along with positive people for a start and he hasn't given me any confidence in me believing he is even capable of the job.
With good play you start to have a connection with players. You get excited even if they do fuck up you give them the benefit because they are trying. These players are trying but when Gillingham for example put pressure on them the confidence just went out of their play. Passing around the back, players not wanting the ball and no players trying to be creative due to them seeming like they are scared.
Then us as fans start on them which I'm sure doesn't help but I'm no different.
Maybe the coaching staff can work on their minds as much as their bodies. Though thats another subject for another time.
Best thing for them to do is forget about the curses and the arm waving when they play an attacking ball or a run and it fuck up, just try it again, you never know it might work out and people like me home or in the stands will always I hope hold their hands up and after the game (and sobered up) well it worked and If it didn't at least he gave it a go. I mean it's not like football is normal life. You always got the next game. I think I will always have more of a connection to players who not only try but keep trying even when it isn't as of yet working out.
Hate when I try to go a bit deep, I sound like a right knob end.
I am still yet to work out which player to throw my vehement support behind. There's no obvious candidate at the moment. Best I can do is 'maybe DJ has been counted out a bit hastily'
Oh - I think Clare might have been counted out hastily too, and I'd be curious to see him given another go
I sort of like Stockley, it's not his fault we're set up wrong - but the no protection from refs thing does make it look like whining.
I'm warming to MacGillivray, think he's got a lot of positives about him. At the Crawley game quite a few of them acquitted themselves well, and it seems CBT has carried that on. I think Lee will do well too (and probably more consistently).
But the big issue here is most of these guys I've only seen play for us this season and we've been shocking. It takes time to build a relationship with a player and if you're losing most games 2-1 or 2-0, that's not going to go well.
I sort of like Stockley, it's not his fault we're set up wrong - but the no protection from refs thing does make it look like whining.
I'm warming to MacGillivray, think he's got a lot of positives about him. At the Crawley game quite a few of them acquitted themselves well, and it seems CBT has carried that on. I think Lee will do well too (and probably more consistently).
But the big issue here is most of these guys I've only seen play for us this season and we've been shocking. It takes time to build a relationship with a player and if you're losing most games 2-1 or 2-0, that's not going to go well.
Hopefully if results improve and we get a more settled side then we'll start to connect more....
Not sure I can agree with this. True we have no real long serving players that we have had before like Solly/Jackson etc but the reality is fans had a bond with Cullen/Taylor etc because they were good for us, nothing more imo.
Our players currently are not that good so fans don't think there is a bond but in reality Stockley, Innis, Purrington, Gilbey etc all seem like players who give everything every time they play and are decent human beings. people don't have a bond because they are not that great.
Read on this forum a million times from fans, that they just want players who want to play for Charlton and will give 100%, well these guys are yet get booed.
Seen some clips on YouTube of the abuse and booing of players after games and it is disappointing. Especially players new to the club yet to develop the camaraderie as they will frankly care less and less and things will not improve.
We've been spoilt in recent years to have the Charlton player turn successful manager vibe going on with arguably the best time to be a fan last 15 years being with Powell & Bowyer at the helm. In the same way we give academy players more leeway with abuse, both of those guys were afforded way more love even when they had considerable low points as managers and dreadful runs of form.
For both of those names we had squads at times which we had no affinity towards and players who were from the same camp as most of the current crop i.e. journeymen, loans or general nothing boats that wash up here as a lower league stop-off. The link between fan/first team was always kept strong by the familiar and loved faces in charge - right now we have neither the playing squad continuity or highly regarded manager in place.
Ultimately, Adkins is the same as Gobbo, Slade etc. Even if we were destroying the division this year it wouldn't feel quite as special to the fans as when Bowyer or Powell was doing it I feel. Perhaps we were spoilt by the hero player becoming a hero manager and we grew to like that when the reality is this is a very rare situation. Being a lower league team now (which face it is exactly what we are), you naturally get the regular churn of players as they will either be on the rise or decline and unlikely to hang around long term. We were spoilt by the Prem years to have familiarity with players being here for 3/4+ years and our fall from grace since has set the tone for huge number of ins/outs.
Doesn't make things any better, but football has changed now. We will rarely have players here for more than 2 seasons. However, we could have a very obvious way of getting the connection back with the manager if a former playing hero takes up the hotseat. We can't assume that will equal success on the pitch, but that formula definitely keeps the fans rooting for the guy which right now, I'm not sure many are
I'm pretty sure If we were tearing up under Adkins we'd all have that connection with him.Same with Slade or Parkinson etc.
Bowyer got plenty of stick when things weren't going well. He was also working under much different circumstances than NA and he stayed on when he could have left so there was always that connection with him.
I am still yet to work out which player to throw my vehement support behind. There's no obvious candidate at the moment. Best I can do is 'maybe DJ has been counted out a bit hastily'
They all have for certain fans of us. "We're fucking shit, we're fucking shit"
Weirdly I was saying to me dad after the game yesterday that albie needs a song.. a positive one preferably. One that is original (God forbid) After that he will become the next iniesta, I have no doubt, then he will be gone in January like that fucker/player Grant.
It’s because we’ve had no real run of stadium attending victories for a long time. The last good spell we had was the first part of the Championship season, and that was short lived.
We start winning games, we’ll start building rapport for those responsible for winning those games.
agreed, although its a 2 way street and the fans booing them off the pitch and the not fit to wear the shirt stuff after 3 or 4 games is not going to make them think much of us either - its all a bit pants really from both sides of the equation
It’s because we’ve had no real run of stadium attending victories for a long time. The last good spell we had was the first part of the Championship season, and that was short lived.
We start winning games, we’ll start building rapport for those responsible for winning those games.
These are history makers , they’re part of the lowest Charlton team anyone alive has seen , fuck em , no interest , the shame of how shit we are … Some scum and palace fans even feel sorry for us , the abuse has slowed down … we’re embarrassingly shit at this point in time , sad times , no connection with this bunch of losers , good .
bing bang wallop get us promoted and I’ll be more than happy to lick the under carriage of each and every one of them .
Yep have to agree with most. Love the club and obviously always will but it's hard to have a connection with these players. Hoping they can turn this around. The 2019 play off team really rekindled my passion in Charlton but seems a long time ago now.
I doubt a version of Last Christmas will be sung this year - the last player it was sung about left us to die at the bottom of the Championship, so he could join an equally worse side.
Yep have to agree with most. Love the club and obviously always will but it's hard to have a connection with these players. Hoping they can turn this around.
The 2019 play off team really rekindled my passion in Charlton but seems a long time ago now.
A lot has happened in those 2 years. We came close to losing the club.
Plenty of players to get behind if results improve. Lee, Leko, CBT, Lavelle, even Souare the way he got stuck in at Wycombe. Davison is growing on me. Deji, if he sticks around. Even if the don’t some will earn respect if they battle.
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Says something that the only one there is a real connection with is the Assistant Manager.
Meanwhile, rewind to the mid 1970s - one day during school holidays, my brother & I (we were probably 10 & 14 respectively) went down to the training ground to watch the team train. I took lots of photos, all the players signed my autograph book & as they were leaving Richie Bowman & Colin Powell (who at the time were my favourite players) asked us if we would like a lift home! I declined as I hadn’t finished getting all the autographs, but could you imagine any player behaving like that today?
Ok, time to get back to the laptop.
I'm not anti this group of players, It might just be something to do with not seeing them that much but the odd occasion this season via Charlton live. I have always preferred watching football in person, you see the characters on display and the movement of the ball that TV doesn't show.
I won't go into much when it comes to how good they are or not on the field cos I think that's different to what we are talking about.
I think alot of them seem like stand up blokes.
Pearce I like. Mathews and purrington I kinda like. Albie I like and so it's such a shame to hear and occasionally see he is struggling. Some of the rest from interviews I've seen Gilbey, Washington and stockley have come over well and have on occasion done well on the pitch. Not sure I will ever particularly like Watson but I'm sure he don't care as none of them will what we think of them.
Adkins I have little time for because well, I never get along with positive people for a start and he hasn't given me any confidence in me believing he is even capable of the job.
With good play you start to have a connection with players. You get excited even if they do fuck up you give them the benefit because they are trying. These players are trying but when Gillingham for example put pressure on them the confidence just went out of their play. Passing around the back, players not wanting the ball and no players trying to be creative due to them seeming like they are scared.
Then us as fans start on them which I'm sure doesn't help but I'm no different.
Maybe the coaching staff can work on their minds as much as their bodies. Though thats another subject for another time.
Best thing for them to do is forget about the curses and the arm waving when they play an attacking ball or a run and it fuck up, just try it again, you never know it might work out and people like me home or in the stands will always I hope hold their hands up and after the game (and sobered up) well it worked and If it didn't at least he gave it a go. I mean it's not like football is normal life. You always got the next game.
I think I will always have more of a connection to players who not only try but keep trying even when it isn't as of yet working out.
Hate when I try to go a bit deep, I sound like a right knob end.
I sort of like Stockley, it's not his fault we're set up wrong - but the no protection from refs thing does make it look like whining.
I'm warming to MacGillivray, think he's got a lot of positives about him. At the Crawley game quite a few of them acquitted themselves well, and it seems CBT has carried that on. I think Lee will do well too (and probably more consistently).
But the big issue here is most of these guys I've only seen play for us this season and we've been shocking. It takes time to build a relationship with a player and if you're losing most games 2-1 or 2-0, that's not going to go well.
Hopefully if results improve and we get a more settled side then we'll start to connect more....
Our players currently are not that good so fans don't think there is a bond but in reality Stockley, Innis, Purrington, Gilbey etc all seem like players who give everything every time they play and are decent human beings. people don't have a bond because they are not that great.
Read on this forum a million times from fans, that they just want players who want to play for Charlton and will give 100%, well these guys are yet get booed.
Seen some clips on YouTube of the abuse and booing of players after games and it is disappointing. Especially players new to the club yet to develop the camaraderie as they will frankly care less and less and things will not improve.
Bowyer got plenty of stick when things weren't going well. He was also working under much different circumstances than NA and he stayed on when he could have left so there was always that connection with him.
Slap yourself @Leuth.
Weirdly I was saying to me dad after the game yesterday that albie needs a song.. a positive one preferably. One that is original (God forbid) After that he will become the next iniesta, I have no doubt, then he will be gone in January like that fucker/player Grant.
Some scum and palace fans even feel sorry for us , the abuse has slowed down … we’re embarrassingly shit at this point in time , sad times , no connection with this bunch of losers , good .
bing bang wallop get us promoted and I’ll be more than happy to lick the under carriage of each and every one of them .