CARD STATEMENT: Burnley home

CARD

CARD is calling on as many Charlton fans as possible to assemble 90 minutes before tomorrow’s final home game of the season against Burnley kicks off to stage a massive sit-in protest behind The Valley’s west stand.

The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet is aware that the club has hired an army of around 100 additional security staff to help them frisk every supporter entering the ground for anything that can be thrown during the match. There will also be a significant police presence.

So we are aiming to give the club a different kind of headache by occupying the whole concourse in front of the ticket office, main reception and VIP entrances from 11am onwards.

If the club responds by restricting admission to the west stand area to ticket holders, which on previous experience we don’t expect, we intend to block access completely using weight of numbers. But to make this work, we need your help. If you can’t get there by 11am, please join us when you can. And bring along any placards or banners that you already have.

CARD will again be carrying out a major distribution exercise and there will be plenty for volunteers to do from 10.30 onwards.

We’ll be protesting during the game in order to get our message across to the wider football world via the Sky cameras.

And we are also urging fans to return their season tickets to the club, either during the game or by leaving them at the Sam Bartram statue after the final whistle. CARD is not leading a post-match protest.

No matter how heavy the security operation tomorrow, it’s important that we end the season with a massive show of solidarity to show that the only plan Charlton fans are now willing to hear from Duchatelet is his exit one.

If you are able to help with distribution before tomorrow’s game and have not already been in touch, please email charlton.card@yahoo.co.uk

JohnnyH2

Great idea, Will work better if the numbers get there early and support this

Mrkinski

Can I ask when the sit in will end? I'm happy to take part but don't want to miss what will be my farewell to The Valley for a season or two (until Roland is out).

Boughtonaddicks

We'll be there. Do we get cushions?

shirty5

Return season tickets during the game. On the pitch?

AFKABartram

Mrkinski said:

Can I ask when the sit in will end? I'm happy to take part but don't want to miss what will be my farewell to The Valley for a season or two (until Roland is out).

I think it's planned to end pre KO.

However if some get comfortable...

Key thing is about getting numbers out pre game.

mogodon

Good luck to all tomorrow. Club would not sell me a ticket so have to take family (who were also coming) elsewhere or risk ritual disembowelment. Give the bastards hell. And if anyone smuggles a rotten egg into the ground, make sure you hit Squirrel Face. Never have I been so relieved to see a season end ...

FolkestoneAddick

Can I just try to clarify what you mean when it says "we intend to block access completely using weight of numbers". I'm taking this to mean you intend to block people such as myself from accessing the area I need to get to. Hope I'm wrong.

jamescafc

Bit confused myself. Is the aim to prevent fans from entering the ground until the very last minute, making it difficult for thorough searches to take place?

MrB

I think that's the aim - this would cause chaos at the turnstiles!

MarkyE83

Would make the ground look empty at kick off as well if there is a significant delay on getting into the ground.

West2003

No sit-in protest in the ground after the game then?

FolkestoneAddick

MrB said:

I think that's the aim - this would cause chaos at the turnstiles!

Sure I'm not the only person that wouldn't appreciate being blocked whilst trying to access the stands

Addickted

FolkestoneAddick said:

MrB said:

I think that's the aim - this would cause chaos at the turnstiles!

Sure I'm not the only person that wouldn't appreciate being blocked whilst trying to access the stands

That's OK as there certainly will be no one to block you next season.

Robbo on the wing

do you really feel that you would be missing out by this inconvenience?

FolkestoneAddick

Addickted - I'm not talking about next season.

Robbo - I've paid to come to London to watch Charlton, and it is my right to enter the stadium whenever I feel like it and not be blocked whilst trying to do so.

Airman Brown

It's not the plan to stop supporters reaching their seats. We're just letting the club know that if they try to prevent the demo they'll create a bigger problem.

FolkestoneAddick

Airman Brown said:

It's not the plan to stop supporters reaching their seats. We're just letting the club know that if they try to prevent the demo they'll create a bigger problem.

No dramas then. Thanks for the clarification.

smiffyboy

I sit in protest would also be picked up by the sky cameras and broadcast the message to millions.

Curb_It

smiffyboy said:

I sit in protest would also be picked up by the sky cameras and broadcast the message to millions.

Yes would look good if they filmed it.

Bring your placards all those that took them home!

Please.

kentred2

FolkestoneAddick said:

MrB said:

I think that's the aim - this would cause chaos at the turnstiles!

Sure I'm not the only person that wouldn't appreciate being blocked whilst trying to access the stands

Because you are so special I am sure the sitting crowd will part to let you through.

FolkestoneAddick

kentred2 said:

FolkestoneAddick said:

MrB said:

I think that's the aim - this would cause chaos at the turnstiles!

Sure I'm not the only person that wouldn't appreciate being blocked whilst trying to access the stands

Because you are so special I am sure the sitting crowd will part to let you through.

Or, just don't block people trying to get to their seats.

shirty5

FolkestoneAddick said:

kentred2 said:

FolkestoneAddick said:

MrB said:

I think that's the aim - this would cause chaos at the turnstiles!

Sure I'm not the only person that wouldn't appreciate being blocked whilst trying to access the stands

Because you are so special I am sure the sitting crowd will part to let you through.

Or, just don't block people trying to get to their seats.

Would you like a piggy back just in case

AFKABartram

@FolkestoneAddick

We'll pass you over the top of the people like the end of Crocodile Dundee

The Red Robin

Good luck everyone. I'll be staging my own sit in...on my sofa at home.

FolkestoneAddick

AFKABartram said:

@FolkestoneAddick

We'll pass you over the top of the people like the end of Crocodile Dundee

I don't weigh much so this is certainly a possibility. Would look fantastic for the SKY cameras as well.

cafctom

I'm still a bit confused as to what this actually is.

It sounds the same as the normal stand outside the West Stand and protest gig. What, if anything, makes this different?

kentred2

cafctom said:

I'm still a bit confused as to what this actually is.

It sounds the same as the normal stand outside the West Stand and protest gig. What, if anything, makes this different?

Is the idea not to block all entry to main entrance and welcome Murray etc?

JorgeC

Be good to everyone joining in from all sides. Seems to me that it's mostly the North standers doing most of the protesting.

I do my bit in the East but come on you in the West and East... no more just casually watching, put down ur prawn sandwiches and cups of tea and actually do something, throw balls, tickets or whatever.

The whole ground needs to make a statement. I seem to surrounded by fans who seem happy to moan and accept how shit this regime is but are too scared to do anything.

This is your last chance to show your anger. No more apathy please.

Alwaysneil

Well if it's a sit in protest I may bring my past it bean bag and my dog poo bags.

AFKABartram

cafctom said:

I'm still a bit confused as to what this actually is.

It sounds the same as the normal stand outside the West Stand and protest gig. What, if anything, makes this different?

We're doing it naked!!!