I was at the protest on Saturday with my sons. Profoundly depressing. We really are cursed at Charlton with the wettest, most apathetic fan group on Gods Earth. Well done to the 200 who turned up, absolute shame and oprium on the 8,800 who walked straight in. You get the Club you deserve folks. As a rare treat for my other half, she came along on Saturday. She hates football, so I knew she would enjoy what was on offer. Her first words on entering the Covered End at 2.50... " look at all the empty seats"
I fear for the empty seats tomorrow. I opted to walk in to the stadium after the protest, not sure why. The starting line up had me intrigued, a collective of players I felt I could get behind. I think our band of talented youngsters have a lot to do why many individuals opted for a pre match beer on the concourse rather than the protest. They might just by the management and Fraeye a few weeks.
Pathetic flabby complacent deluded morons. If I see one more post like "it is our JOB to support the team" I think I will put my fist through the screen.
It was a huge disappointment, but the announced attendances can only continue to be a false economy for another 5 months. This is where the battle will be lost, hence why RD/KM and their sympathizers can't be smug yet. The only thing I would say about the protest - I think we let ourselves down with some of the chants towards the end. I think the frustration of seeing KM smiling got the better of us. She won this one, but we have to re-group.
Meire knows that the numbers are currently in her favour. Ricky Everitt reckons there were 9000 Charlton fans there on Saturday, breaking that down - 500 were Comps and freebies so don't count 500 either attended the protest or supported it 5 want to sit on a Committee or get a job with the Club 7,995 can't see what the problem is, so long as Bovril remains on tap
I have blocked a couple of dicks on Twitter today who have claimed that I am somehow responsible for dividing our fan base, although if our attendances get much lower you will be able to divide it by 2 and come up with a single figure answer. I merely point out that Charlton fans passion in the 80s forced Sunleys and Fryer to think again, cost the then leader of Grenwich Council Simon Oelman to lose his safe seat, and was eventually the main driver to getting us back to our spiritual home. What a sad, sad indictment the 'effort' on Saturday was, in comparison.
the protest was modest, but i think there was more than 200 there. i'd have guessed about 500. i wouldnt say it was because the fans went into the ground early though. if anything, i'd say a lot of people who would have protested have already stopped going which would make sense as it reflects by all the empty red seats. had a thought about the protesting. think the only way they'll see sense is if they're hit in the income. this can be in multiple ways - not buying a season ticket, no more food, no more merchandise etc. one way i thought of was by hitting their brand spanking new database, their audience. it would be great if everyone stopped following on twitter, unsubscribed from emails, stopped liking on fb etc. but cant see it happening. i unsubscribed from the emails - dont really ever need a air con unit in this climate, or a charlton themed old banger.
If there isn't a decent turnout to protest before the Wolves game I'll give up. I'm just about about ready to throw my ST at Fraeye, although I live in hope that Ackers will produce the goods!
There should be 1,000 protesting before the Wolves game in the car park. Minimum. Sue Parkes can act as the warm up as she pushes the Wolves directors aside to get to the best of the free buffet.
Not to be theatrical, but if I were them I'd feel embarrassed. It felt like they were looking down on us in more way than one.
Me too hated them as much as KM at the time bloody disgraceful behaviour from so called fans sneering at fans who are actually trying to make a change. Half the west stand regulars accept whatever is churned out on the pitch, ,told to them by RD/KM and exist just to say hello to Miere if their paths cross whilst having a prematch meal in the poncey banqueting suite . Middleclass Network nuthuggers and CAST members !
It's a miserable sight when two years of mismanagement provoke such indifference. And for our next home match, what. I'd imagine the attendance may go up. A lot of us want some football in the christmas period. And our fans don't bear a grudge. 4-0 at Burnley may well be forgiven if we nick a battling 1-1 draw in Bristol, with 40 minutes of domination.
Hello all. New member. Some harsh words here about those of us who are apathetic. I can only speak for me personally but hopefully I am typical of the silent majority because enough is enough. My CAFC supporting credentials are pretty solid. As my chosen name suggests I go back to the 80s, my first proper season being the year we left the Valley having been converted to the cause at the Stoke game. The sheer emotion and passion of that day still moves me. On the terrace in the covered end, as a 14 year old boy singing 'you can stick your fcuking selhurst up your arse' while ironically Lennie's shoe string assembled team - Aizlewood, Lee, Pender, Shipley, Johns, Reid, Pearson etc gave us something to be truly truly proud about. I was at St Andrews when Shirtliffe scored twice in injury time (Peakey free kicks) and the pleasurble sprint back to New Street after when the Brum hooligans applauded us through. I leafleted for the valley party, I traveled to most grounds in the country. So forgive a little nostalgia there but I think I have earnt my Charlton stripes. Now I have a young family, a busy work life and while I am fortunate enough to be able to buy a West Stand season ticket as I have done for years, and take it or leave it. Needless today because the fare on the pitch is so consistently tedious there is more leaving it. For me there are more important and challenging things to worry about than Charlton. I am one of those that hasn't got the time or inclination to analyse too deeply. I see a Belgian fella with a weird agenda who despite all the crazy arsed **** he has done saved us from administration and resurrected a crumbling ground. When I go, I do so because its something to do. But on Saturday night I felt sick to my stomach. The penny finally dropped. Don't crucify me for that but the old 'silent majority' don't care enough. Apologies if that is unpalatable and somewhat treacherous to some but that is the reality of the prevailing passive attitude of us - the sleepwalking 8000. We are not bad people or poor fans. We just have a sense of perspective of where it all fits in in life. But finally after two disgraceful results in a week under another disgustingly under qualified manager (who us apathetics were prepared to give a chance)- I am totally bored of this ****. Moreover I am finally angry. I will be joining future demos.
Good first post and welcome to the Forum. I am glad that you feel stirred enough to join the battle to restore Charlton. This owner and his lapdog are draining the lifeblood from us and halving the support and also dragging us towards the wastelands of the First Division. It is up to all Supporters to stand up and say enough is enough. Support the Protests.
Thanks Dick. By the way I realize my post might be considered demeaning or disrespectful to those that have cared enough to get angry from the off - run message boards, organise demos etc. Not my intention at all I am thankful for all that passion and hard work -- I just want to give an insight into the mindset of us passive fans who are being demonized (with increasing justification)..
Hi, Rocky, good post, we're quite a reasonable lot on here. Everybody has their tipping point, but it's what happens on the field that does it for most fans. And when you look at the reasons for poor performances you get all the other stuff that we get so angry about......................
A lot is at stake in January. We need an experienced British Championship-standard manager, and 4-6 experienced British Championship-standard players. No more excuses about the squad being 'good enough' and fat lazy unfit players 'returning from injury'. The interim arsehole and the current squad are clearly, patently not good enough. The league table says so. The owner is rich, so without taking the proper steps in January to rescue the season, we have to consider relegation to be a deliberately self inflicted act of destruction by the Belgians.
