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CARD Statement: 22nd July

Charlton fans protesting against the relegated club’s owner Roland Duchatelet and chief executive Katrien Meire have pledged not to disrupt the team’s opening matches in League One this season, but vowed to continue their campaign against the regime.

The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) staged a series of interventions in the closing months of last season, interrupting play on multiple occasions by throwing beach balls and other soft items onto the pitch.

It also organised a series of protests outside the stadium, involving thousands of Charlton supporters angry at the way the club has been run since the current owner took control in early 2014.

Russell Slade became Duchatelet’s sixth managerial appointment over the summer, while the club continues to see a huge turnover of players. Duchatelet himself has not attended a home match since October 2014. And around half of last year’s season-ticket holders have so far failed to renew, leaving the club with its lowest season-ticket sales for two decades.

A CARD spokesperson said: “While we welcome Russell Slade’s appointment, we have seen a number of false dawns under Duchatelet already and can have no confidence that Slade or any other manager will be allowed to succeed while Katrien Meire remains as chief executive, in particular. We also see failings on the pitch as a symptom of a much deeper problem, and therefore our campaign will continue regardless.

“However, we do recognise that there is a risk that disrupting games to protest at the very start of Slade’s tenure and of a new season without seeing how things unfold could be seen to be destructive of itself. As fans, we all want the team to succeed and that will always inform our actions. Unlike the club we have also listened to the views of Charlton supporters generally, and there is a quite reasonable desire to give Slade a fair wind. Therefore we are making it clear at this stage that we do not plan to disrupt any of the club’s League One or League Cup matches in August.

“This should not give the administration any comfort. We have shown what we can do and this does not mean there will be no protests of any kind, simply that we will not seek to interfere with the matches themselves. We can and will embarrass the regime time and again this season. We will review the overall position and our tactics again in September, part of which process will involve listening to the views of our hundreds of volunteers and activists on the best way forward."

CARD has also declared its intention to oppose the imposition of extra charges to use the club’s ticket office, with a new £2.50 fee for buying in person and a £3 increase in adult and senior concession prices on a matchday.

The club already turns away personal callers wanting to buy tickets on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The spokesperson added: “We are not aware of any other professional football club in the country that will not serve supporters at its ground during normal business hours and the £2.50 punishment charge at the window also appears to be unique - and indeed weird.

“These charges are symptomatic of the incompetent approach of the club’s administration and coupled with its confusing and inadequate online booking facility are only likely to damage Charlton further.”

CARD does not support any protests that involve xenophobia or misogyny and does not encourage or endorse the throwing of flares and smoke bombs in any context. It will continue to liaise closely with the Metropolitan Police this season in the interests of public safety.
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Comments

  • 3blokes
    3blokes Posts: 4,610
    I like CARD. :smile:
    Always a reasoned measured approach.
  • BowieAddick
    BowieAddick Posts: 1,192
    Chizz said:

    We can and will embarrass the regime time and again this season. Although, to be fair, we won't do it as well as they do it themselves.

    That's Katriens job
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,561
    disappointed personally, I was going to post the other day that from the first match we need to show them that we have not gone away and that we still mean business. Oh well.
  • CHG
    CHG Posts: 4,529
    Classy CARD, as always..
  • LordDofB
    LordDofB Posts: 205

    disappointed personally, I was going to post the other day that from the first match we need to show them that we have not gone away and that we still mean business. Oh well.

    Your absence will have a greater impact.
  • AdamCAFC
    AdamCAFC Posts: 2
    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off
  • The Red Robin
    The Red Robin Posts: 26,127
    AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    During the game only. Pre and post match protests to continue I expect.
  • AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    We need to get promoted, not relegated
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  • Davo55
    Davo55 Posts: 7,836
    AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    It's a long season.
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,561

    AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    We need to get promoted, not relegated
    we need KM and RD to feck off, end of. I'd take relegation if it meant seeing the back of those two.
  • roseandcrown
    roseandcrown Posts: 7,587
    Good statement, as tempting as it is to carry straight on if CARD did this they would lose support from some parts of the fan base.

    If come end of the transfer window it looks like the rat has again not provide the manager with a squad that can lats and compete a whole season then match disruption can be bought back in.
  • AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    We need to get promoted, not relegated
    we need KM and RD to feck off, end of. I'd take relegation if it meant seeing the back of those two.
    And I'd give them another chance if we get promotion.

  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    I suspect set piece events, at least initially, are no longer a good strategy. I also believe the media 'war' is largely won in terms of the credibility of the regime. I imagine we are entering an attritional stage where a drip drip approach will be the form of the protests.
  • NornIrishAddick
    NornIrishAddick Posts: 9,623

    AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    We need to get promoted, not relegated
    we need KM and RD to feck off, end of. I'd take relegation if it meant seeing the back of those two.
    And I'd give them another chance if we get promotion.

    Any promotion would be despite them, not because of the regime.

    We need the current "leadership" out, and a new ownership that has an idea what football ownership is about.
  • AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    We need to get promoted, not relegated
    we need KM and RD to feck off, end of. I'd take relegation if it meant seeing the back of those two.
    What a sad comment.
  • SDAddick
    SDAddick Posts: 14,467
    seth plum said:

    I suspect set piece events, at least initially, are no longer a good strategy. I also believe the media 'war' is largely won in terms of the credibility of the regime. I imagine we are entering an attritional stage where a drip drip approach will be the form of the protests.

    Completely agree. Being in the third tier really moves us out of the "public spotlight." Just look at Blackpool and the contrast in coverage between last year and two years ago.
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  • Greenie
    Greenie Posts: 9,172
    Excellent statement.
  • _MrDick
    _MrDick Posts: 13,108
    Fair play to CARD, they still have my full support and my season ticket hiatus continues unabated ...
  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 33,628
    Spot On.

    No good disrupting games from the start as many of the players out there are new & need to find their feet - wont help if the first few games it all starts going off arounf them.

    However, if by sept things haven't improved on & off the pitch AND it can cleanly be seen that money hasn't been invested into the team & more asset stripping has happened then full steam ahead with more protests etc etc
  • LeaburnForEngland
    LeaburnForEngland Posts: 2,291
    edited July 2016
    I'm torn on this.

    On the one hand I want to see every competitive game disrupted, so much so that we become untenable as a football club thereby forcing Roland to sell as every game would end up being played behind closed doors.

    On the other hand I realise that idea goes against the fact that I'm a Charlton fan and despite hating the regime want the team to win promotion and return to the Championship at the earliest opportunity.

    On balance then, CARD appear to have got it spot on... although I look forward to September and the recommencement of disruptions after the transfer window shuts and we have a sqaud of 8 senior pros and twenty kids while 12 points adrift at the bottom of the table.

    EDIT: except I don't "look forward" to that at all as I hope that we're top of the league by then and beginning our charge to promotion. I said I was conflicted on this!
  • Sillybilly
    Sillybilly Posts: 9,236
    Initially disapponted as I read the statement but after ten minutes' reflection it's the grown up thing to do. Sadly, I fear that come September it will be a resumption of hostilities.
  • Sam lloyd
    Sam lloyd Posts: 1,083
    In CARD we trust !!
  • cantersaddick
    cantersaddick Posts: 16,930
    Right approach if you ask me. I do hope there is something before/after one of the early games. I have missed shouting very angrily at someone.
  • rikofold
    rikofold Posts: 4,051

    Chizz said:

    We can and will embarrass the regime time and again this season. Although, to be fair, we won't do it as well as they do it themselves.

    That's Katriens job
    Yikes - this kind of implies CARD's main objective is to support the Interim CEO... :wink:
  • ElfsborgAddick
    ElfsborgAddick Posts: 29,045

    AdamCAFC said:

    Very, very disappointing. We need to heap the pressure on, not ease off

    We need to get promoted, not relegated
    we need KM and RD to feck off, end of. I'd take relegation if it meant seeing the back of those two.
    And I'd give them another chance if we get promotion.

    Correction.

    You'd give them another chance if we go down again.
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 37,982
    Disrupting games is soooooo last season