Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Nothing Much To Say

There's not a lot to be said today. To really appreciate what has been thrown away since the takeover, in such a casual, careless and indifferent fashion, you would have to have been an Addick through most if not all of the period since our relegation from the Premiership. Five seasons of miserable failure (relegation, failure to rebound, relegation, failure to rebound, then just misery in the third flight) and then some light with the appointment of Sir Chris, greater hope with the putting together of a new team, delight as that time stormed to the title, in a fashion which had us all singing 'we've got our Charlton back', and confirmation of success as we cemented a place back in the Championship - and kept the spirit reinjected into the club, epitomised by that night against Cardiff - and started to dream of better (sooner or later). To have thrown all of that away is unforgivable.

We can of course accept that the turn back down began with the previous owners' cutting off of funding, leaving Powell and the team to struggle on manfully, on a swamp of a pitch. We can also appreciate that any new owner might have seen the club at the time of the purchase as failing and in need of fundamental change, being around the bottom of the Championship and cash-strapped. If they had bothered to ask and to listen they would have learnt better. The crime is that they didn't care and subsequently pressed ahead with hairbrained schemes that were highly unlikely to succeed, in the process discarding all that was positive, including the goodwill of supporters which was theirs in abundance when they bought our club. That's gone, and there's no shared future.

Ms Meire's statement following last night's game is only relevant to the extent that she did not avail herself of the opportunity to announce her resignation. I would only add that to say "we apologies for our mistakes and NOW need to learn from them ..." is appalling. The time to learn from them is long gone, you have shown you are not capable of doing that. As for "we want to work together with our supporters ....", you have had ample time to do that and have consistently opposed meaningful exchange, the chance for input from people who had only the club's best interests at heart from which you could have benefited. Instead your first 'too clever by half' attempt at deception was that post-Sir Chris sacking statement promising dialogue when there was the time only for the promise to be broken. That she can issue statements on behalf of Charlton Athletic is an ongoing insult.

Johnnie Jackson's statement does indeed strike the right tone, talking about the need to "recreate some of the spirit" that we had in the promotion season. However, that simply isn't possible with this owner - unless there is the sort of real U-turn that might suggest he is after all capable of learning from mistakes. We need some reason to believe in that. Jackson talked of trying to give us some hope for next season in the final three games. Quite frankly we could win all of them 9-0 and it wouldn't mean a jot as the team on the pitch is hardly going to be similar come August. In any event the remainder of the season is all about what more can be done to nudge our owner in the direction of selling up.

I'm not privy to inside information regarding the club and have no idea if there are genuine potential buyers, if there are such buyers and negotiations are ongoing, or if the asking price being circulated reflects less an acceptance on the part of Duchatelet of a need to move on than a statement of 'I'll only sell if someone pays a truly absurd price, one that means I can walk away without failure written across my back'. Of course I hope there is a sale, then we can start to look forward again (and get a season ticket).

In the interim, come Saturday it will be time to ensure that the voices calling for a change in ownership are fully supported. As ever, protests within the law and within the boundaries of decent behaviour; we want our Charlton back. But louder than ever. Of course if we were just customers we wouldn't be that bothered, we could always find another place to watch football. 


a2c said...

Well I've been ere when ourn were relegated lass time n aint full of self pity like yourn n the exenophobes are n ave every confidence the owners can take ourn back up to the Championship n then the Premiership again.
The owners ave been doin a good job with the trainin grahnd, pitch n playin the younger players n Rome wasn't built in a day from wot I remember in me istory.
Wass an insult is all the exenophobe bloggers BA n their ilk who are intent on destroyin our gaff with their mindless protests, abuse of other fans who aint of their ilk n their bullyin n intimidatin of our rightful owners. There a disgrace n should be given bannin orders n thrown ahrt. I ope the police n stewards clamp dahn on them on Saturday n all, there the real wreckers, spoilers n aters.
Katrien was right to say wot she did n all, yourn would only be splittin blood on ere ad she said nothin so thass wot I call ippocrites.
Least JJ gets on with Katrien unlike your sour grape lot n I ope she carries on n will always be the Queen of CAFC.

Anonymous said...

a2c. Are you brain dead or what?

BigPete said...

a2c you need to shut you pie hole for a minute and look at the state your club is in. Rome wasn't built in a day, but the almighty roland burned the club we love in about a season and a half.
We would have the same attitude to any owner who had done the same, no matter the origin.
The only reason they are refered to as the belgians, is beacuse thats where Roland has dragged all his cronies from. He may be the owner, but as Katrien said in Dublin, the fans have defacto ownership of the club, unlike any other industry.
The club had a good team and good people in place, that just needed some investment to take it to where he wanted it to go when Roland took over, however, he ripped the structure to shreds, sold the prospects and backbone of the team, and thought he knew better.
The work at the training ground has stopped and the pitch needed doing, but the youngsters that have played, have done so out of nessesity not to aid their development, and in some cases it may have even hindered them.
Far from being Queen of CAFC Katrien is Roland's decidedly better looking puppet, roled out to speak his words to the masses and do his will, take the meetings he can't be bothred with, etc.
Anyway, i have put up with your pidgeon english and mindless support of the regieme for too long and this had to be said.

Anonymous said...

Leave him be. The medication kicks in eventually.

Just wanted to say well done on producing articulate and thoughtful, balanced blogs (no, not you a2c) through this Miere of s season.

I haven't been since Leeds and will not be renewing until there is a change of ownership. On the upside it means in the short term I will not accidently meet a2c and therefore will not have to restrain from shoving something very large and painful up his gaff.

"We want our Charlton back".

Anonymous said...

a2c Please do yourself a favour and let nature take its course and just grow up to be an adult one day very soon.
BA I admire your tolerance and patience, but censoring such dull unreadable repetition might add some sparkle to the comments on your site.

Blackheath Addicted said...

Thanks guys (with one exception, the one who said he was going to do his own blog to sing the praises of the regime but somehow never has). Anon, I think 'or what' probably captures the essence of the repeat offender. Just what will he/she/it say when they've gone?

Blackheath Addicted said...

Anon, you are right about the dull unreadable repetition. I have always wanted to maintain the principle of not filtering comments but that's been abused. Have now seen how I can delete some comments after they are made and from now on will do this for a special case, the exception that proves the rule.

Anonymous said...

38 mil was never the door is open a bit, it's just how closed it is now. The thing that gives me hope for the future is just how united our supporters are. The media message is now total condemnation the proof this relegation is now undeniable and the major news outlets and local press all have his RD's number as a rogue lunatic owner.

Anonymous said...

Thanks BA I hope you would be able to pass this info on to other bloggers whose sites he invades, we've all been subjected to the buffoons gibberish for far too long.

mica said...

I agree with a2c, I also think it's wrong to censor a different view point unless the poster is abusive to others.

David from Bexley said...

Excellent post again Blackheath.

Also, from Rick Everitt, following Pinocchio's statement, and the Mail match report today.

I will, as usual, be be helping with the pre match protests on Saturday and then returning home.

Shame, I like Brighton and their excellent manager.

At the moment we can only dream of having someone like Chris Houghton managing our club.

Oh well, always darkest before the dawn, my dear old mum used to say.

Blackheath Addicted said...

Indeed Dave. Mica, interesting. I hope you will agree that I've bent over backwards not to censor a different viewpoint. The (main) problems with a2c are first that he/she is abusive (all criticism of the regime is labelled as racist/sexist, which I know not to be the case but find offensive), and second he/she never looks to engage, to make any sort of a case, just to repeat the same garbled rant singing the praises of the regime whatever happens. That approach so discredits him/her in the eyes of readers that by expressing support many will question whether your motives. For sure there are Addicks who oppose the protests, it is unfortunate for them to have a2c on their side.

Victor said...

What Mica says, I can't understand someone with a different viewpoint to the norm is singled out and ridiculed, almost like a witch hunt on here. All of this opprobrium wasn't directed at the board when the team was relegated in 2009 so I kind of see where a2c is coming from. I am vehemently against the protesters and all they stand for but don't like posting on blogs because the protesters shout you down.

Mica said...

No I don't agree Blackheath Addicted and I too find this behaviour against the owners very offensive and xenophobic being a black woman myself and having encountered racist taunts at the Valley so I applaud a2c for raising the issue. I really don't see it as being repetitive but I realise from your reply I wouldn't be welcome on here again either so will leave it there and not post again. I also think your last sentence is a bit of a slur.

Blackheath Addicted said...

Mica, I've no hesitation in condemning any racist/sexist behaviour. Period. I'm not pretending it doesn't happen at The Valley. I do object to being labelled xenophobic etc because I am opposed to what the owner is doing to our club when the fact that he and Ms Meire are Belgian has nothing to do with it; the suggestion seems to be we are obliged to support the owner if we don't want to be labelled racist, which of course makes no sense. We have been relegated before, the difference this time around is not the nationality of our owner, or the gender of our CEO, but everything to do with the strategy and 'vision' they have proposed (we have never before been part of a network, never before a youth fish-farm) and the means by which they pursue them.

Anonymous said...

a2c is a troll a deliberate wind up merchant, he offers no indication that he's in any way upset by our relegation, how can that be a supporter. He has less empathy than KM if that's possible. He's insulting and he doesn't understand the meaning of the words he's using. Sorry but I'm sick and tired fed up of being called a racist, omophobe, etc because I care about a football club. He doesn't know if I'm black or gay or what. It's not on! Don't feed the troll, ban it.

Anonymous said...

I can't be sure but I think a2c is posting under different names and trying to give you the run around BA. The last wind up from the troll I hope. If I'm wrong I apologise to people who express their support for RD politely. a2c however isn't one them. Deliberately not using English in itself is taking the piss. F off.

Anonymous said...

The problem is exactly this, the dialogue always becomes about the troll and not the club we care about.

Anonymous said...

I take the view that everyone has the right to a constructive viewpoint, and thats including any viewpoint I dont agree with, I ignore the idiots like a2c who's only purpose in life is to wind up everyone else.

I also dislike the continual use when it suits of using the word discrimination to attract attention, The point has been made on this blog that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated, there is no point in trying to continually stir the pot, accept the view, be constructive with agree's or against a view point, if not then dont comment at all.

Just remember your using a blog that is allowing us to speak our minds in a civilised way, it could be much worse, you could have the Addicks owner selecting your sentences for you, just like the players he wants used on matchday.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure most Charlton fans condemn xenophobes
And I'm certain that almost everybody surely condemns sexism
I'm also against our best players being sold off cheaply, just to reduce the wage bill.
I'm also against players being forced into our team that aren't up to scratch, just because they belong to our owner's network.
I wonder how somebody can be allowed to run a club without ever coming to a game and without any scouting network and act in almost every way possible against the wishes of the majority of supporters.
I'm also against having our team managed by somebody with no experience of English football, just because they're obviously the cheapest person our owner could employ.
I object to being lied to by the club's CEO about the club's appointments.
I strongly object to being accused of being a xenophobe just because I'm opposed to the decisions that our club's owner makes.
I also object to people that take the piss by writing in a pretend cockney accent.
a2c deserves to be blocked.
I find it unbelievable that some Charlton fans still think that the people running our club are actually doing a good job. When those people are sitting in an empty stadium watching us lose at home to Accrington they'll still be going on about what a lovely pitch we've got.

Terry Ryall said...

I do sympathise with you BA as once again a2c's comments have dominated the responses to your piece as indeed they have elsewhere too. It would be much better if he or she actually started their own blog (and his/her views do seem to have some support)to promote their views. I personally wouldn't go near it as I have on many occasions challenged a2c, in a civilised but direct way, to justify comments that in my view are both deceitful and abusive, particularly accusations of xenophobia and sexism against both you, Chicago Addick and other bloggers that are critical of the current regime. I absolutely hate what the owner and Meire have done to CAFC (I don't hate them personally as I don't know them or indeed wish to), the wanton destruction of Chris Powell's hard earned record breaking achievement is unforgiveable as is the continuing degradation of the general structure and purpose of the club. Those like a2c that support their stewardship have to be vigorously opposed with rational argument at every opportunity. Keep up the good work BA you have a lot of support out there.

Blackheath Addicted said...

Thanks for the further comments people. As long as all our starting points is the genuine desire to see our club thrive, to have The Valley packed each game with supporters fully behind the team, we have more in common than divides us.

BigPete said...

BA appologies for my rant at a2c, after the enviatable was confirmed, and his rant I had to say something.

However, I agree with what you are saying.
If the latest board message wasn't the sixth time we had heard the same sentiment, and still seen no changes they might have a shred of our eponymous captain.
As to the sale rumours, the only reason Roly left standard is STVV got promoted and there are rules against having ownershipp influence in more than one club in the Belgian pro league.

The 38m banded around doesn't even cover the loans from starprix, which have to be arround the 60m mark or more now all the mortgages have been paid off

the valley and sparrows lne are only worth 41million, so financially the club is in a state

Heres hoping he cuts his losses and runs, but based on past experience, its the last thing he'll do..

I fear the CARD will be for a long haul

Blackheath Addicted said...

BigPete, no need to apologise for a healthy rant. One glass too many for me after a disappointing game used to be enough to set me off. You may indeed be right about a long haul. But if that's what it proves to be, so be it. A long haul for Duchatelet too, with the end-result not in doubt.

a2c said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.