Garner has already said we don't have the 4th highest budget in the division. We did LAST year but don't this year.
TS is fudging things
Unless I missed something, Garner's said nothing publicly about size of budgets. He did agree with a reporter that asked if it would be an overachievement to be top six with our squad. He did also say there was no transfer fee available to sign McKirdy on a separate occasion.
BG on squad strength: "We’ve had one window. We haven’t spent any money, we’ve made a profit in transfer fees. We’re not going to jump from 13th to winning the league. I have to be realistic. We want to put foundations in place. We probably need another two windows to get the squad where we’d be happy with it in terms of the strength and depth."
BG on McKirdy: "But he is a contracted player at Swindon and I don’t have a transfer fee available to go and bid for him."
Garner saying our squad (that is apparently the 4th most expensive in the league) overachieving to make the top six would suggest he believes we've previously overpaid for the level of squad he now has available.
Re the bizarre Rifkind Tweets, the “it was his personal opinion, it doesn’t reflect the views of [insert employers name]” only really works if it’s an employee saying something silly on social media about something unrelated to their employer. In this instance it was a senior staff member at the Club talking specifically about the Club’s fan base.
If he spends 10 to 14 hours a day on Charlton and we are still in this mess on and off the pitch and by all accounts Raelynn is discharging operational management functions, what's he actually doing in that time, reading "Left Foot Forward" on loop?
Not factually incorrect. I think all fans would rather their respective clubs were fully self-financing and did not need rich benefactors to keep them going. But that is not reality and has not been for decades.
TS knew (or should have done) that when he purchased us. We won't/can't break even in L1, and realistically won't/can't in the Championship if we wish to be competitive.
He still purchased us and whilst doing so boasted about how he was a risk taker and had a high risk appetite which is why he could get the deal done. It appears that rather than a high risk appetite he was, in fact, utterly naive and irresponsible with his lax diligence and risk appetite and has discovered that to his own cost. Now desperately trying to break even and shift blame.
This club had a multitude of problems before he purchased us but he is driving income down through nonsense pricing, daft free ticket offers and broadcasting our games for £10 to whole households rather which further puts off the desire of those who may otherwise have attended.
As for Leo's batshit crazy view of £48 per ticket if we are top of L1, I despair. Maybe take an average league position across our whole history, when we get there (say mid table Championship at a guess), tickets are £20. Every place above, add £1. Every place below and TS is under performing so deduct £1. We would be free entry currently which,.on a rainy day, would still be a difficult choice to attend!
If we have ownership over the direction of the club, can we...have a seat on the board for a fan representative? Have a fan representative as a Director?
If he spends 10 to 14 hours a day on Charlton and we are still in this mess on and off the pitch and by all accounts Raelynn is discharging operational management functions, what's he actually doing in that time, reading "Left Foot Forward" on loop?
If he spends 10-14 hours a day running everything so badly the poor bloke could probably do with some more staff…
Might have missed it but why was Leo Rifkind’s Twitter account suspended? Did he do more than just insult the fans yesterday?
in terms of Sandgaard’s discussion yesterday, so many things just don’t add up and it’s just feeling like yet another false dawn. My biggest concern is that the club and its assets are owned by two different people, and the break even plan in League One isn’t sustainable with a club this size which means we could easily lose those assets completely in future.
I get that this is shit from a personal perspective, but your mortgage and home buying situation in any other job would be of no consequence to the CEO.
My last role my senior manager was talking about promotions and sizeable pay rises, but I was instead made redundant without notice.
This what staff and former staff are dealing with. (See tweet) I will release what I’m allowed to release, we are talking about peoples health and livelihood.
I and others know and have known what’s going on for some time, I repeat things when I’m told to go ahead not because I feel people should know. Anyone of you could pick up the phone and ask me what’s going on and will tell you, what I won’t do is speak publicly about it.
I’ve been carrying this crap for 15/16 months speaking to staff and being concerned for their mental health when my own is a fucking mess, not repeating stuff because they are so afraid of the consequences should I open my mouth, when I do I’m then fearful that you the fans think I’m a shit stirrer.
15/16 months ago I was asked to help at the Valley, I often question if taking up that option was a good move but I still believe that not asking Nathan Chapman (the Valley’s headgroundsman) If there’s anyway I could help was not an option, neither was checking on him later the same day, neither was not inviting him to my home for a beer, a chat and a bit of a cry, neither was accompanying him to a Mayfair hotel and outing the individual responsible, to me making out I’d not seen it was never an option. But if I never set a foot in The Valley again I can look in the mirror and say “Batesy, you did the right thing” Nathan was in a bad way, I recognised that because I’ve been in that bad way too. I was in the position to walk away from employment, he wasn’t but also understood how he felt. I’ve used sentences like “ I just want it to stop” and accompanied by the look in someone’s eyes you know things are getting desperate.
Last week he messaged me, just a simple “you ok pal” because he hadn’t seen me on Twitter for a day or two, he also did it because I sent the same message to him daily for about six weeks after we first met.
It’s a simple thing but it makes a difference.
Sorry if I don’t give you all the details you want, but it is what it is.
But none of these "problems" originated from the fans....
People are now , rightly, concerned that there's no smoke with out fire.
The facts aren't hidden. They're here for all to see.
I’m worried that this is being set up to be Charlton fans vs Roland pt. 2, just with a different antagonist. In fact, I think some people actively want it to be that.
I’m not at all convinced that Sandgaard’s delusions of breaking even in L1 or his particular style/approach to management are correct, but those are not enough for a full on breakdown in the relationship between owner and fans. I think the wheels are in motion however and it feels like this is only going to head in one direction.
I agree with your post, but Sandgaard comes out with more bull**** than me.
No doubt I’m going to get hammered for this, but what do we actually want?
We protested against Roland/Katrien & Sandgaard was proclaimed as the second coming. Now we’re not dominating all comers, Sandgaard is getting pelters, I’m no longer sure what the end game/target is
Did TS make a mistake with his blow the league out of the water, yes - Are tickets too expensive, yes - should the likes of Olly Groome have been treated better, yes
I've lost sight of what we actually want, are a loaded Saudi group going to be interested in a League 1 club, no & at the same time, Sandgaard isn’t loaded enough to give an open chequebook - he’s made mistakes in terms of not backing Garner but I’m not sure what we’re actually looking for any more
Sandgaard has totally underestimated what it takes to get promoted. I have zero sympathy for the egotistical prick as he refused to sign a CEO or listen to anyone prepared to give advice. I now think he's looking to sell and the sooner the better.
Never in a million years should you apologise for anything regarding what's happening behind the scenes at our respected football club. It's good to see that you're opening the eyes of more & more Lifers with your posts which, to be fair, can only hint at the sickening practises operating at OUR club.
I'm assuming that no-one at last night's FF meeting deemed it prudent to ask TS about this member of staff's methods. Had I been present, I'm guessing a " No comment" or red card would have been issued in my direction.
Dan's tweets add a further dimension to the manner in which staff are being treated & on behalf of those who remember the Good Old Days when loyal staff were treated with respect, I offer our sincere wishes that he's now in a far, far better place where he'll be appreciated.
If only someone would bring their experiences to the notice of a journo, it would be interesting to see how RM & TS reacted....
The truth will out before too long, Ray, but please keep sharing anything you feel comfortable with.
But please don't endanger your mental health in doing so.
Comments
TS is fudging things
Think I know who I believe
BG on squad strength: "We’ve had one window. We haven’t spent any money, we’ve made a profit in transfer fees. We’re not going to jump from 13th to winning the league. I have to be realistic. We want to put foundations in place. We probably need another two windows to get the squad where we’d be happy with it in terms of the strength and depth."
BG on McKirdy: "But he is a contracted player at Swindon and I don’t have a transfer fee available to go and bid for him."
Garner saying our squad (that is apparently the 4th most expensive in the league) overachieving to make the top six would suggest he believes we've previously overpaid for the level of squad he now has available.
in terms of Sandgaard’s discussion yesterday, so many things just don’t add up and it’s just feeling like yet another false dawn. My biggest concern is that the club and its assets are owned by two different people, and the break even plan in League One isn’t sustainable with a club this size which means we could easily lose those assets completely in future.
My last role my senior manager was talking about promotions and sizeable pay rises, but I was instead made redundant without notice.
I will release what I’m allowed to release, we are talking about peoples health and livelihood.
But if I never set a foot in The Valley again I can look in the mirror and say “Batesy, you did the right thing”
Nathan was in a bad way, I recognised that because I’ve been in that bad way too. I was in the position to walk away from employment, he wasn’t but also understood how he felt. I’ve used sentences like “ I just want it to stop” and accompanied by the look in someone’s eyes you know things are getting desperate.
I have zero sympathy for the egotistical prick as he refused to sign a CEO or listen to anyone prepared to give advice.
I now think he's looking to sell and the sooner the better.
Never in a million years should you apologise for anything regarding what's happening behind the scenes at our respected football club. It's good to see that you're opening the eyes of more & more Lifers with your posts which, to be fair, can only hint at the sickening practises operating at OUR club.
I'm assuming that no-one at last night's FF meeting deemed it prudent to ask TS about this member of staff's methods. Had I been present, I'm guessing a " No comment" or red card would have been issued in my direction.
Dan's tweets add a further dimension to the manner in which staff are being treated & on behalf of those who remember the Good Old Days when loyal staff were treated with respect, I offer our sincere wishes that he's now in a far, far better place where he'll be appreciated.
If only someone would bring their experiences to the notice of a journo, it would be interesting to see how RM & TS reacted....
The truth will out before too long, Ray, but please keep sharing anything you feel comfortable with.
But please don't endanger your mental health in doing so.
Now we're following the highly successful Portsmouth model.