If RD is putting £10-12m in, he will want a return on that investment. It seems to me the plan is turn Charlton into a footballer factory, with the sole intent of milking the academy for cash. He certainly doesn't seem to care how we are doing in the league.
We pay our money every month in the hope that we find another Richard Rufus, a Charlton hero that we can all be proud we played a small part in developing. Not a Joe Gomez who plays 20 games then is flogged for an undisclosed amount.
Absolutely spot on.
The Mad Professor sees the Academy as a cash cow for himself, not to produce Valley legends like Rufus, Parker and Jonjo etc.
@rikofold..... Unfortunately I feel that many VG members are going to start thinking this way. My membership recently ran out and I've been umming n ahhing whether to renew. I keep thinking over things and rightly or wrongly the above is the conclusion I keep coming to.
VG is/has been fantastic, and I, and am sure others are not taking this decision lightly. If it is the case that RD will not be personally benefiting and it isn't going to turn into a tread mill of selling youngsters as soon as possible off the back of the fans support of VG, then it may be that a concerted publicity drive to convince fans will be needed.
Good luck.
I can see that, and it's up to us to provide a compelling counter argument.
What I would say now is that Charlton has been a selling club for as long as I've supported them, and provided a long term view is taken then I'm broadly supportive of the club selling key assets to cover losses and/or to build the squad. I'd never back their sales lining RD's pocket, but to be balanced he's far from profiting from the club to date and there's a commitment to significant investment in the Academy itself.
Last year VG made donations totalling over £130,000 to the Academy, and has made similar contributions in previous years. The club, rather than RD's pockets, is stronger as a result.
I will concede that in my own view the sale of Gomez was too short-term a decision. Poyet's departure was out of our hands ultimately, but we still have Solly, Cousins, Fox and Harriott who have all made a first team contribution beyond a handful of games. Three of those are first team fixtures, and to buy players of their quality in would cost a lot of money.
On balance the club is better off for having a successful academy even if players ultimately are moved on. And Valley Gold is a key part of that. To withdraw membership in protest at RD neither impacts him at all, nor will it help the club long term. I'd strongly suggest that if you're looking for a means of effective protest, Valley Gold isn't it.
If RD is putting £10-12m in, he will want a return on that investment. It seems to me the plan is turn Charlton into a footballer factory, with the sole intent of milking the academy for cash. He certainly doesn't seem to care how we are doing in the league.
We pay our money every month in the hope that we find another Richard Rufus, a Charlton hero that we can all be proud we played a small part in developing. Not a Joe Gomez who plays 20 games then is flogged for an undisclosed amount.
Absolutely spot on.
The Mad Professor sees the Academy as a cash cow for himself, not to produce Valley legends like Rufus, Parker and Jonjo etc.
@rikofold..... Unfortunately I feel that many VG members are going to start thinking this way. My membership recently ran out and I've been umming n ahhing whether to renew. I keep thinking over things and rightly or wrongly the above is the conclusion I keep coming to.
VG is/has been fantastic, and I, and am sure others are not taking this decision lightly. If it is the case that RD will not be personally benefiting and it isn't going to turn into a tread mill of selling youngsters as soon as possible off the back of the fans support of VG, then it may be that a concerted publicity drive to convince fans will be needed.
Good luck.
I can see that, and it's up to us to provide a compelling counter argument.
What I would say now is that Charlton has been a selling club for as long as I've supported them, and provided a long term view is taken then I'm broadly supportive of the club selling key assets to cover losses and/or to build the squad. I'd never back their sales lining RD's pocket, but to be balanced he's far from profiting from the club to date and there's a commitment to significant investment in the Academy itself.
Last year VG made donations totalling over £130,000 to the Academy, and has made similar contributions in previous years. The club, rather than RD's pockets, is stronger as a result.
I will concede that in my own view the sale of Gomez was too short-term a decision. Poyet's departure was out of our hands ultimately, but we still have Solly, Cousins, Fox and Harriott who have all made a first team contribution beyond a handful of games. Three of those are first team fixtures, and to buy players of their quality in would cost a lot of money.
On balance the club is better off for having a successful academy even if players ultimately are moved on. And Valley Gold is a key part of that. To withdraw membership in protest at RD neither impacts him at all, nor will it help the club long term. I'd strongly suggest that if you're looking for a means of effective protest, Valley Gold isn't it.
Agree with that ...it won't hurt RD so use another method
By the way, I should add that withdrawing membership is more likely to impact our ability to contribute to women's football and the deaf team than it is to affect our contribution to the Academy, as the latter is our priority objective. Obviously if the money's not there the contribution will reduce, but I think it would be a further shame if we were constrained in our ability to support wider causes because people don't like the club owners.
I was pretty fed up when Chris Powell got the boot and I very nearly cancelled my Valley Gold membership then. Even two years ago it was clear that player trading was a core part of RD's plan. I couldn't see why I should subsidize a multi-millionaire's player farming scheme then and I still can't now.
My other concern over the academy is that Charlton youth will be promoted to the first team as RD won't spend 'big money' on free agents or transfers. There are several players in the team now who are clearly not ready for championship football yet. Cheap is not the same as good.
You have to put your VG membership number in of course - let the negativity flow.....
------------------------- Dear Valley Gold member,
As part of our annual appraisal process within Valley Gold, we would like to hear your views on a number of matters, including your primary reason for being a Valley Gold member, the member benefits you currently take advantage of and what other perks you would like to see introduced for members.
Please take the time to complete our short survey - available at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/82KTK2P - ( please copy and paste into your browser) to help us improve the service we provide.
The survey will close at 5pm on Tuesday 22nd December. -------------------------
I'm not convinced there's a strong link between VG & RD.
Valley Gold is vital for the future of our club, it was here before Roland and it'll be here long after he's gone - I'm keeping my subscription.
Valley Gold is run by a seperate organisation called Charlton Club. Is it possible for the Charlton Club committee to stop all donations to the club until RD has gone? Supporters could still keep contributing to Valley Gold and those funds could be ring fenced until this mess is sorted out?
Have done some more digging on this and the Committee is made up of KM, the Clubs FD and an assortment of fans. The trust have @rikofold on the committee, is it possible for donations from Valley Gold to the club be suspended?
For what it's worth, I think this would be a self-defeating target. Valley Gold is a fans' organisation and our donations focus on the Academy, which therefore have long term benefits. Suspending a payment would serve to antagonise but little more - it wouldn't really impact the people we'd need to impact, and it's not enough money (£50-60k) to influence the first team thinking.
I will, however, drop Paul Nottage a line - my fellow supporters' rep on the committee - to gauge his thoughts. We're both fairly direct people who prefer to hold the club to account for the donations they receive, but suspect he will think like I do this is the wrong target for protest action.
Completed the survey but I hate drop down boxes that predict my thoughts! I suggested that a benefit I would like added for VG members is that good young players are retained by the club instead of sold off cheaply. Under any ideas for recruiting new VG members, I said I had none as many people are too disillusioned. Probably said it in the wrong place and to the wrong person but I felt better.
As a Valley Gold member why am I finding this survey here and not in my email inbox? Not all VG member read Charlton Life, do they?
Probably because their database is a complete mess from my own personal experience and I suspect many people aren't considered active on VG when they in fact are. I have been contacted previously on three occasions to be asked why I have stopped one of my memberships only for them to realise their mistake but apparently not correct them. I have cancelled both of mine recently so expect a call one day when I will be happy to explain under which circumstances I will happily renew.
We sent out a form (via post) at the start of season asking for correct contact details - all of these were then updated. One main issue we have is that when people change their details with the football club, it doesn't automatically come to us (data protection reasons, as we are independent from the club). The club get a lot of emails and post in advising of address/email changes, but unless it specifically says this can be shared with VG, we can't do anything with it (and vice versa).
As Richard says, if you're not receiving any emails from us at all then drop Sharron an email and we will get your details updated.
We've had around 200 responses so far which is good for the first 24 hours, so thank you to everybody who's taken the time to answer. Some very good suggestions in there and all will be discussed, with a number implemented in 2016.
We sent out a form (via post) at the start of season asking for correct contact details - all of these were then updated. One main issue we have is that when people change their details with the football club, it doesn't automatically come to us (data protection reasons, as we are independent from the club). The club get a lot of emails and post in advising of address/email changes, but unless it specifically says this can be shared with VG, we can't do anything with it (and vice versa).
As Richard says, if you're not receiving any emails from us at all then drop Sharron an email and we will get your details updated.
We've had around 200 responses so far which is good for the first 24 hours, so thank you to everybody who's taken the time to answer. Some very good suggestions in there and all will be discussed, with a number implemented in 2016.
Thanks Jack
Jack - No wonder it's a mess if you are relying on the club. They don't do supporter email. Why don't you make this much clearer to your customers?
We sent out a form (via post) at the start of season asking for correct contact details - all of these were then updated. One main issue we have is that when people change their details with the football club, it doesn't automatically come to us (data protection reasons, as we are independent from the club). The club get a lot of emails and post in advising of address/email changes, but unless it specifically says this can be shared with VG, we can't do anything with it (and vice versa).
As Richard says, if you're not receiving any emails from us at all then drop Sharron an email and we will get your details updated.
We've had around 200 responses so far which is good for the first 24 hours, so thank you to everybody who's taken the time to answer. Some very good suggestions in there and all will be discussed, with a number implemented in 2016.
Thanks Jack
Jack - No wonder it's a mess if you are relying on the club. They don't do supporter email. Why don't you make this much clearer to your customers?
As a Valley Gold member why am I finding this survey here and not in my email inbox? Not all VG member read Charlton Life, do they?
You should have got an email if VG has your email address. Do you get other email updates from them?
Drop Sharron Sherress an email to make sure she has your email address if not.
I've just checked and I haven't received an email since May 2014. I have no idea why they stopped after this date as my account is still being debited every quarter and I haven't changed my email address. Anyway I've emailed Sharron so hopefully I'll be back on the mailing list. I just hope my number has been included in all the draws. I must be due the big win again.
As a Valley Gold member why am I finding this survey here and not in my email inbox? Not all VG member read Charlton Life, do they?
You should have got an email if VG has your email address. Do you get other email updates from them?
Drop Sharron Sherress an email to make sure she has your email address if not.
I've just checked and I haven't received an email since May 2014. I have no idea why they stopped after this date as my account is still being debited every quarter and I haven't changed my email address. Anyway I've emailed Sharron so hopefully I'll be back on the mailing list. I just hope my number has been included in all the draws. I must be due the big win again.
You're probably blacklisted for being rude to me on here ;-)
Comments
What I would say now is that Charlton has been a selling club for as long as I've supported them, and provided a long term view is taken then I'm broadly supportive of the club selling key assets to cover losses and/or to build the squad. I'd never back their sales lining RD's pocket, but to be balanced he's far from profiting from the club to date and there's a commitment to significant investment in the Academy itself.
Last year VG made donations totalling over £130,000 to the Academy, and has made similar contributions in previous years. The club, rather than RD's pockets, is stronger as a result.
I will concede that in my own view the sale of Gomez was too short-term a decision. Poyet's departure was out of our hands ultimately, but we still have Solly, Cousins, Fox and Harriott who have all made a first team contribution beyond a handful of games. Three of those are first team fixtures, and to buy players of their quality in would cost a lot of money.
On balance the club is better off for having a successful academy even if players ultimately are moved on. And Valley Gold is a key part of that. To withdraw membership in protest at RD neither impacts him at all, nor will it help the club long term. I'd strongly suggest that if you're looking for a means of effective protest, Valley Gold isn't it.
My other concern over the academy is that Charlton youth will be promoted to the first team as RD won't spend 'big money' on free agents or transfers. There are several players in the team now who are clearly not ready for championship football yet. Cheap is not the same as good.
If so, I'd join.
You have to put your VG membership number in of course - let the negativity flow.....
-------------------------
Dear Valley Gold member,
As part of our annual appraisal process within Valley Gold, we would like to hear your views on a number of matters, including your primary reason for being a Valley Gold member, the member benefits you currently take advantage of and what other perks you would like to see introduced for members.
Please take the time to complete our short survey - available at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/82KTK2P - ( please copy and paste into your browser) to help us improve the service we provide.
The survey will close at 5pm on Tuesday 22nd December.
-------------------------
I suggested that a benefit I would like added for VG members is that good young players are retained by the club instead of sold off cheaply. Under any ideas for recruiting new VG members, I said I had none as many people are too disillusioned.
Probably said it in the wrong place and to the wrong person but I felt better.
I'm very close to jacking it in due to the clowns ruining our football club, but wlll hang fire until the new year.
It's the only extra item I'm paying now bar my season ticket.
Drop Sharron Sherress an email to make sure she has your email address if not.
As Richard says, if you're not receiving any emails from us at all then drop Sharron an email and we will get your details updated.
We've had around 200 responses so far which is good for the first 24 hours, so thank you to everybody who's taken the time to answer. Some very good suggestions in there and all will be discussed, with a number implemented in 2016.
Thanks
Jack