Since Saturday's loss to Millwall I've been in a state of mind I never thought I'd find myself in. I'm thoroughly fed up of watching the ****e we have on offer at home every second Saturday. Players who can't string three passes together. Constant midfield and defensive errors, tactical naivety by Powell, strikers who can't score. I can't hate any of these players, they're probably some of the most passionate I've seen in a red shirt. Nor can I attribute it to them all being confidence players (last season, if we were to concede one goal, heads wouldn't drop at all, they'd fight tooth and nail until they equalised, then take the lead). Nor is it a fundamental lack of ability - Solly is the best RB outside the Prem, Wiggins one of the best LB's, Cort a solid CB, Hamer a promising keeper, Harriott has been nearly faultless, Kermorgant is a beast, Pritchard a 'midfield terrier'. I have a whole lot of love for these players, for Chris Powell and for this club. But I'm not sure if I'm willing to part with the cash required for next years season ticket. I'm not necessarily 'struggling for money', and I've seen myself as being a somewhat 'die-hard' supporter over the past few years, but my unwavering love is slowly wavering, in a way it didn't even when we watched the likes of Pavel Abbott, Alan McCormack, Frank Nouble etc. I'm not saying I'll stop going. But I just can't motivate myself to commit to another season of watching this dross, with no hint at new signings, and having just experienced the most joyless season I can ever remember. Am I alone in feeling this way? Anyone got any 'magic words' they think will reaffirm my love and commitment?
Just two words - Supporters Trust. I am sure that will inspire you to renew if nothing else Just think they could even buy the club.
It's tough- but come June/July the itch will kick in again. It has been a poor home season but I still have a ton of respect for our management team and the players in our squad. It's clearly a mental issue now as they are good enough for this league (away form confirms this).so will remain optimistic that next season will be a different story.
They way I see it, is its only up from here. We can't possibly have another season with only 4 home wins, surely? Bare that in mind, the season we were relegated from the Championship how many home victories did we see then? I will not be renewing next season as I finish uni this year and I cannot afford / able to commit to a game every saturday
This is the fall out I expected. I have missed loads of games this season because I'm bored too bits with cafc. Sometimes I hope my little lad has been naughty at school so I can punish him by not taking him to the valley but the little bugger is a swat and i have to invent crimes so we don't go. "Reading Tolstoy with your shoes eh, no cafc for you this weekend" The Olympics opened my eyes to proper sport and entertainment. I can honestly say everyday since I have thought about the Olympics for a few wonderful moments and recalled what a joy and privilege it was to be there. I then sit and listen to a load of backward cabbage smelling vermin singing the Addams family song and the supporters trust trying to organise a financial takeover with £250 pounds. I have this wish that the jd sports vermin and the supporters trust all can meet at blackheath and fight to the death.
Seriously? You put up with Nouble, Abbott et al, and now, in a higher league, you're thinking of giving up? I reckon last season has spoilt us. It was a dream, pretty much a one-off. This season is normal, mid-table in the second tier which we all would have been happy with before the season began. Granted, we would have preferred our home and away form to be the other way round, but we're in a better position than we were when Walsall did the double over us 2 years ago. If you could get through 2006-2011, you can get through anything. And if you want magic words, I have 2 - Chris Powell. He is the best thing to happen to this club in a long, long time. He's done an amazing job so far. Don't give up on him now.
This was the first season I didn't renew my season ticket due to other commitments and have missed going down to the valley on a Saturday afternoon each week and had considered getting one next season but with the poor performances of this season and the prices going up I don't think I'll bother and just go to the bigger games
I'll renew I have a ton of respect for CP and the players love the club easy to go last season but it's times like this that the club team need us simple as that for me. I'm along way from rich drive a van for a living so it's a heavy chunk of my money that goes to CAFC but i love CAFC always will
I'm with WWOCB. Completely fed up at the moment and I think the club should be clearer with how much the prices are going to go up by after the deadline.
yeah, but weren't the Olympics a total failure? cost more than they thought and all that. and all the disruption it caused
Not renewing. Will still go but will pick and chose. No great histrionics, just a number of factors coming together. Money tighter than it was, not enjoying it, bunch of ****ers around me where we sit, can't see any signs that things will get better anytime soon, love CP and this bunch but just don't want to watch the same old same old 23 times next season, pissed off at the price hike, pissed off with the lack of communications from the centre, pissed off by yesterday's policing. Feeling of letdown after last season's momentum. Falling out of love a bit with football generally. Apart from all that things just peachy!! Will be genuinely interested to see what the renewal numbers are like. Much grumbling at the moment. Suspect when push comes to shove that a lot will relent and renew but our minds are pretty much made up.
Cant understand why you need to buy a season ticket.Just go when you want.Pay on the door it wont be full up and you get football for a fiver and such.
Typical, your post made me laugh out loud Slackbladder, the thing with our second League one season was that when the new owners came in (and returned the scoreboard, signed BWP, signed CP), it became clear that whatever happened for the rest of that season was a write-off - a new dawn was approaching and there would be a fresh slate in the summer. Despite our final league position, there was a feeling of optimism (quite rightly so too!) for what the next season would have in store. Compare that to now - a time of speculated financial-issues, a lack of communication with the board, and the very real prospect of us having to sell some of our key players in the summer. Interesting that you mention Walsall though, the away game against them that year was one of the most depressing moments I've experienced as a fan. I can't agree with Jimbob regarding 'falling out of love with football' (I'm amazed at how there seems to be something interesting/controversial happening every single day in World Football), but agree with the general tone. I'm not one to criticise the board generally, I still have a whole lot of love for them for everything they did for us last year. But I wish they would make some attempt to justify the price increase to us. Whether its a 'there will be investment in the summer', or even a 'we're desperately in need of the money' plea, either way I'd feel inclined to renew right-away. But I feel as though we are being taken for granted slightly, and can see a significant drop in renewals. In truth, I will probably renew after the deadline (I can't imagine prices will increase that much), once my head has cleared, the season ends, and I can have a think about what my ST means to me. I tend to get withdrawal symptoms very early in the close-season, so will probably end up renewing then.
I don't believe anyone should feel under obligation to buy a season ticket. It's up to the club to provide an incentive to fans to buy one. In my case the incentive is that you need a season ticket to watch the under-18's and under-21's, but I took EVR last year and have that opportunity. And I can afford one now, which hasn't always been the case. Anyway I'm a sucker for a game of football, what else would I be doing on a Saturday afternoon, especially with FHB jnr going off to uni? I'll be surprised if there isn't a drop in demand. I'd like to know the real attendance last Saturday, I'd guess about 4,000 season-ticket holders stayed away, the club should ask them why.
Absolutely agree with this, and you've summed up perfectly how I feel. After 18 years as a season ticket holder, I've just fallen out of love with the game. Take Charlton out of the equation, but I just don't enjoy football as a whole anymore. Every day people are struggling to make ends meet, whilst the likes of Wayne Rooney spends his £250k a week on elderly ladies of the night. Typical has it nailed on that the Olympics were a huge eye opener as to how support and pride should actually feel, and I'm afraid to say that I don't have that feeling going to Charlton on a Saturday afternoon anymore.
A 320 mile round trip to watch 4 home wins on a dreadful pitch is not the best way to spend every other Saturday but I will probably do it again next season....!
The way the Club treated the fans after the Wall game made my decision easy, the way the Club has said nothing this week by way of an apology has just confirmed that decision. I will just pay for games I want to see and will probably avoid games like Millwall and anything televised. I will still be able to see the U18 games because of my Valley Gold membership
Yes, Midlands - but at least I get a couple of days' rest between my first and second lots of 160 miles...
