I have been indirectly supporting Welling for years via their Gold Bond scheme. It is enjoyable just walking from my house to the ground. The Supporters are united in their enthusiasm for the Club. The food is much cheaper and better than at Charlton. The football hasn't been bad and they are winning which always helps. What worries me is that I seem to be growing less interested in what is happening at Charlton. We have taken root in the third division with a toxic owner. I know a number of people who spend their weekends doing other things. My mate has been a Dartford season ticket holder for the past two seasons. He had previously supported Charlton for over forty years, he says he will not return to the Valley if there was a takeover.
I have always ground hopped, and to a certain extent I have always enjoyed it more than watching Charlton. With the groundhopping you lose the passion you have for your own team. My concern is that if Dushitelet was still here for another 12 months plus, would I lose the interest sufficently to stop going to 80% of the games that I used to?
This is the long term damage Duchatelet has done. By simply ignoring voices of protest and dissent year after year, and by years of mismanagement that have not only got us relegated to the 3rd tier but have truly changed CAFC into a a small lower league outfit, RD has caused so much disillusionment and quiet despair that thousands of life-long fans have seemingly lost their passion for the Club. He and his cronies have gradually sucked most of the life out of our Club, leaving it listless and drifting into long term obscurity. Sometimes I wish fans had done more to oppose him years ago, but it's too late for that now. Every day that he lingers on as our totally disinterested owner feels like yet another day wasted, with no prospect of better days ahead.
If I had my time over again I would have loved to have worked on the train network in some capacity. Perhaps the whistle!
