Dear Roland,
Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust were interested to see the statement on the Club’s official website on Sunday which finally publicly acknowledged the true extent of fans' protests and which stated that the club is determined to do everything it can to work together with supporters to "build our relationship with them and make sure they remain at the heart of the club".
As you are fully aware, CAS Trust has more than once requested constructive dialogue with you - most recently when I wrote to you three weeks ago - yet so far this has failed to materialise or receive any genuine and positive response from you. Indeed, we were very surprised by the mention in Katrien's email reply to me of an on-going “strategy group”. We do not believe that such a group has in fact been set up and you can therefore perhaps understand why we are inclined to approach Sunday's statement with a high degree of scepticism.
I’m sure you have now come to the realisation that the protests are an expression of extreme dissatisfaction among the vast majority of supporters and that they are not going to go away until such time as there are dramatic changes in how the club is owned and run. CAS Trust have long campaigned amongst our members for continued efforts in establishing dialogue with you, and a continued lack of anything close to meaningful progress has led us to participate in the on-going protests.
As it stands today, you have not begun to address supporters' concerns and I therefore repeat the offer I made three weeks ago to meet you for an open and frank dialogue about the club’s future direction and what collectively we can do. Take us up on this offer within the next two weeks and we will perhaps start to believe that Sunday’s statement does actually represent a serious message, and is not simply intended as media appeasement.
This club has always enjoyed fantastic support on so many levels from the fans. Like you we are also extremely saddened by the position we find ourselves in - both on and off the pitch.
Steve Clarke
CAS Trust Chairman
84
Comments
HOWEVER....
I'll admit I have completely lost all aspects of rationality. Talk about what? I'm sure now some further element of engagement will materialise, but nothing different will be said from what was said at that staged Q+A meeting, or the heavily loaded Fans Forum meeting, or from when Steve last met her.
Personally I think one too many olive branches have been offered already. I don't think there should be any further talks now between supporters groups and the Club until (at the minimum) there is a change in CEO, or a public commitment from Roland that in the best interests of the club that he happens to be the current custodian, he is actively accepting invitations to acquire the Club.
They want a response of "we won't negotiate" as that let's them off the hook and they can say "we tried by the fans are unreasonable"
Now the story is, hopefully, when will CA FC respond to the fans offer to meet.
Not sure why there is a trust letter and a card statement though. Thought the card statement was stronger.
CASTrust is duty bound by its constitution to be "the vehicle through which a healthy, balanced and constructive relationship between the club and its supporters is encouraged and developed" so I don't see it as an olive branch - just the Trust attempting to fulfil its formal purpose.
Yes - it could produce nothing and it might just produce the usual platitudes. Our breath is not held.
Remember Seth's fork
Say for example Roland replies, a meeting is set up and the Trust are satisfied that positive change is imminent. Would CARD halt the protests?
Dialogue isn't needed, they know full well why we're protesting. How does dialogue help the cause? We have good momentum now let's not dilute it.
To my mind, this offer of dialogue only provides RD with an opportunity to use it for his own ends, there is nothing in his behaviour at any of his clubs to suggest he will ever listen, never mind change.
He may own the business but we all own the club.
I'd give 'em three days...then cut off all communication.
If the Trust is "not expecting any dialogue soon" surely it would have been better to be silent?
After all, as a member of CARD, the Trust had already said something, why put out 2 somethings?
New owner only. Same owner with Trust advising just as bad.
This is, imho, a statement for the wider audience rather than hard core protestors.
And next time someone digs you out for wearing a black and white scarf or protest by saying "the club said they would communicate" you can respond with "dialogue was offered but refused"
In the last few months CARD have really given fans a chance to show their dismay at RD & KM in the right way gaining a lot of attention along the way. CARD have given a lot of us some hope and gained a fair bit of admiration along the way but What exactly have the trust done in this time other than ask for a few meetings?
It would be unjust for CAST to just rock up now asking for some 'communication' when CARD have been plugging away for a while now.
From here on out all those who oppose this ownership would be better off by focusing on how we are going to get this ownership away from Charlton.
Building bridges with the supporters trust or a strategy group is NOT going to resolve the problems at our club. Frank discussion with a pair of liars is not the answer. How many times has KM lied to the fans? and you want to give her another chance to lie to us all? Bollocks!
it'd be like sitting round the table for reconciliation talks with your partner who's already cheated on you umpteen times in the hope you can patch it up.
it's got to the point where I don't believe anything they say.
It's not us that need convincing (mostly), it's those fans who aren't on CL or don't use the social media - even for just Charlton fans, something like talks failing can be used by Richard Cawley/Louis Mendez/Kevin Nolan &c. to build a story around that will reach a wider audience.