I have read that you're very interested in statistics. You said the protests have nothing to do with reason.
- Before you bought the club I had been watching Charlton for just over 18 years. In that time I saw us play under 6 managers and 1 caretaker manager. You've owned the club for nearly 3 years and are soon to appoint your 7th manager/head coach in that time, excluding 2 caretaker managers. You also went through many coaches at Standard Liege - there is no evidence that you will ever give a manager/head coach enough time in their job.
- The 2 most successful managers in our history were Jimmy Seed and Alan Curbishely. Seed was manager for over 20 years and Curbishley over 15 years.
- More recently Chris Powell struggled in his first half a season in management. Rather than replacing him he was given more time and in his first full season we won promotion from League One as champions.
- Since you took over the club 66 players have made their first team debut, an average of 22 a season. That's basically a new squad of players every season.
- As a comparison, in the 3 years before you purchased Charlton we had 52 first team debuts, or 17 per season. This includes 2011/12 when Powell put together almost an entirely new squad that went on to win the league. That was an unusual and rare season in which a complete rebuild of the squad was necessary.
- Our average home attendance is currently 10,817. In our last spell in League One it was 17,407 (2009/10), 15,582 (2010/11) and 17,402 (2011/12).
- This season we have over 6,000 season ticket holders. In those 3 previous seasons in League One we had around 10,000 each time.
- Over 8,000 people have signed the petition on http://ourcharlton.org.uk asking you to sell the club.
- Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) have over 5,500 followers on Twitter and almost 3,000 likes on Facebook.
- Charlton fans have donated almost £50,000 to the protest fund.
- Although returning to The Valley was a few years before I started supporting the club I'm fully aware that our fans never give up. Charlton left The Valley in 1985 and after 7 years came home in 1992. Along the way fans formed a political party and received 14,838 votes. They didn't give up back then and they're not going to give up now.
So going back to the original point - you said the protests have nothing to do with reason. I hope the above facts on the number of managers/head coaches and players show you there are reasons.
You might consider these numbers to be normal or fair. In that case the drop in attendances, season ticket holders and significant support for CARD and protests prove that thousands of Charlton fans feel that is not the case.
It is clear you're not involved in football with an aim to win trophies. You don't come to games so it isn't about watching exciting and attractive football. Given Charlton's debt owed to you you're not making money out of the club.
What is it in it for you?
You've ruined the club for thousands of Charlton fans without gaining anything for yourself. It's time for you to sell before you put more money in and do any further damage to what was and should be a great football club.
Before you arrived at our club i sat with my sons and around 6 friends ,some with kids , as well as 2 of my sisters and neice and nephews , prolly 20+ of us . Now the only ones left are myself and 4 sons , who don't get to see their friends or cousins anywhere near as much as they used to because of you.
As a football loving kid you have hero's , Kermorgant was my first borns and he was moved quickly on by your clueless footballing people , the first time he was mascot he walked out with Dale Stephens another one moved on . My eldest sons first long away trip was at Wigan ,for that early game in your reign, as your influx of players were forced on to Sir Chris Powell and we still talk about "the clown" in goal Thuram at least his impression lasted on us unlike Nego.
Over time , under your reign ,the ridiculous influx in and out of players and managers means we have no real affection/for the players or manager who are left at the club Jacko and Solly apart , no point with your revolving door let's/hope we get lucky policy #failed
Failure on the football front , has not stopped any of my lot going before but the continued digraceful ,clueless , disrespectful running of our club by the inexperienced management team has meant that this club is no longer the one we all grew up loving and supporting no matter what happened on the pitch.
Over the years as a match sponsor with friends I have been introduced and met all previous CEO's ,over the last 15 years , who would take their time out to come and speak to us . In the two sponsored matches , under your reign,your CEO never made that effort and she never replied to an email I sent saying I was withdrawing from sponsoring the Derby game last year , classy .
Those sponsored matches were when a lot of friends would reunite once a year for a good jolly up at Charlton , sadly this no longer takes place, thanks to OUR club being your poorly run experiment .
If you have any ounce of humbleness left , please accept it hasn't worked and sell now . The missing thousands who were here previously on the league one campaign are no longer around , that is the biggest proof you have as to why this whole game of yours has failed miserably .
Your understanding of what comprises a football club is lamentable. You and your ill-equiped CEO, with her Senior Management Team, choose to see only the tangible assets, - the player's contracts, the real estate. None of you have the wit or imagination to be able to recognise the rich resource that is the fan-base of our football club; these legitimate stakeholders who have invested money, time and emotions into CAFC over many years. As far as you are concerned these people are outside the club, they are an irrelevance in terms of the direction and policies that you pursue, they are just customers represented perhaps only on a database somewhere.
Most people with average intellect would be able to see that this community of fans are in fact, the most valuable part of what your millions have purchased, and many people with an average intellect would acknowledge that you have a moral duty to engage with fans and to nurture the football club as a community asset for the benefit of future generations, - you are after all, merely a temporary custodian.
There have been many occasions when the fans have attempted meaningful communication with you and your regime; to offer help, advice and to express their concerns, but without fail, you have turned your back on these efforts.
You and your network scout have interfered in team matters, and on numerous occasions, you have undermined the positions of talented people, to the point where they've had no choice but to leave the club.
The team management merry-go-round and your calamitous player recruitment strategy, have lead to us occupying our lowest league position since 1926.
You have expressed no desire for the team to be competitive, only to produce players to be sold on to premier league clubs. You've made no attempt to understand the long-established culture of English football, nor the unique history of Charlton Athletic Football Club. You never attend games, and the claim from your CEO that you watch every match on a live feed, was shown for the lie that it is, when you were recently caught having lunch at Stayen, whislt we suffered a 0-3 reverse at Swindon Town.
You assert that our protests are without reason. However, considering the above, I contest that the protests are absolutely reasonable and they should continue until you and your interim regime depart.
This is a great initiative. We will put an announcement about it on The Supporters Trust website shortly which will bring it to the attention of a lot of people who don't read Charlton Life. Is there a deadline for receipt of letters ?
Your understanding of what comprises a football club is lamentable. You and your ill-equiped CEO, with her Senior Management Team, choose to see only the tangible assets, - the player's contracts, the real estate. None of you have the wit or imagination to be able to recognise the rich resource that is the fan-base of our football club; these legitimate stakeholders who have invested money, time and emotions into CAFC over many years. As far as you are concerned these people are outside the club, they are an irrelevance in terms of the direction and policies that you pursue, they are just customers represented perhaps only on a database somewhere.
Most people with average intellect would be able to see that this community of fans are in fact, the most valuable part of what your millions have purchased, and many people with an average intellect would acknowledge that you have a moral duty to engage with fans and to nurture the football club as a community asset for the benefit of future generations, - you are after all, merely a temporary custodian.
There have been many occasions when the fans have attempted meaningful communication with you and your regime; to offer help, advice and to express their concerns, but without fail, you have turned your back on these efforts.
You and your network scout have interfered in team matters, and on numerous occasions, you have undermined the positions of talented people, to the point where they've had no choice but to leave the club.
The team management merry-go-round and your calamitous player recruitment strategy, have lead to us occupying our lowest league position since 1926.
You have expressed no desire for the team to be competitive, only to produce players to be sold on to premier league clubs. You've made no attempt to understand the long-established culture of English football, nor the unique history of Charlton Athletic Football Club. You never attend games, and the claim from your CEO that you watch every match on a live feed, was shown for the lie that it is, when you were recently caught having lunch at Stayen, whislt we suffered a 0-3 reverse at Swindon Town.
You assert that our protests are without reason. However, considering the above, I contest that the protests are absolutely reasonable and they should continue until you and your interim regime depart.
My grandfather was badly wounded fighting to free your country from German occupation in the Great War. When he left the army in 1919 his address was Floyd Road, London SE7. You won't know that, but it's the same road that the Valley is in. He saw it being created.
In 1924 my father was born in that same house. 18 years later he too was in the army and in 1944-45 fought in France, Belgium and Germany helping to again free your country.
He took me to my first game in 1960/61 season. It is hardly surprising that I (and now my son too) are Addicks, and always will be.
That's why the way you exercise your ownership of Charlton Athletic, and the disastrous way in which Katrien Meire manages this on your behalf, is so hated. It feels like an attack on our history, on our families, on the memory of all the years through bad times and good, that we have supported OUR club.
You can derive no pleasure from owning this club.
In the name of my family, in the name of my dad and grandad, I ask just one thing in return for their service to your country.
Please. Sell up and go.
Davo55 (your goons at the Valley can tell you my real name)
Dear Mr Duchatelet. Personally i couldn't give a flying fxxc weather you attend matches or not . What does concern me though is that in you're absence you leave a competent person to run the club in a competent and professional manner. Unfortunately the person who you have left in charge has proved beyond doubt that she is completely out of her depth. The list of mistakes that she has made is truly staggering. She has sold our best players for ridiculously low fees. She has brought in players who are simply not good enough. Been forced to loan these players out because nobody wants to buy them, while at the same time we are paying their wages. Got through seven or eight managers in about two and a half years. Called life long supporters of the club customers. Said she has no interest in the club's history. Oversean our relegation to league one. Seen supporters leave the club in there thousands. Seen all sorts of protests including one i am sure you are aware of on you're birthday. I could go on but i think you get my drift. If you have any feeling or ambition for this club you simply have to replace Miere with someone far more qualified to run the club in you're absence. If you do this and supporters see that the club is being run properly you may still yet get the supporters all getting behind the club, but while Miere remains this will never happen. Regards Steve
This is just a short message to say that your political career was a failure and your football career is a failure. People all over the world know who you are, thanks to the actions of Charlton Athletic fans. They don't think that you are the visionary you see yourself to be, on the contrary they simply see you to be the fool you are. A misguided failure.
Sell Charlton, go and don't come back. We won't stop, we will carry on and we will keep fighting to save something that is so precious to us you just cannot comprehend.
The only thing you have accomplished in your far too long tenure is extinguishing the hopes, dreams and excitement of Charlton fans young and old. When you see what it was like before you took over to what it is like now, it is unforgiveable and that is why you need to sell.
Staring into the pit of despair Win or lose do you really care? No more fans coming through the gate Sell up now before it's too late.
My grandad has been attending since the 1940s and I've been going with him since the 90s. He's not got many more years left and you're spoiling the football experience we share together. I fear this may be the last time we get a season ticket together as with you in charge, it's a miserable event.
You should already know this but your CEO has alienated the supporters; she is rude, condescending and dismissive. It no longer feels a pleasure to turn up anymore as the fans are treated with contempt at every turn.
I know you are pumping money into the club however as it is a loan with interest, I do not swallow the line that we should praise you for it - especially as we're in a far worse position because of it.
We will never stop in our bid to get our club back by the way. Just so you know.
Brad Knights-Toomer (Used to be on the East Kent Addicks committee until I was forced to resign by your management team because I dared criticise your ownership on social media)
---- Thanks for giving us the chance to do these letters - hope it makes a difference. I have no idea where the poem came from though, just came out randomly!
Charlton has always been in my family. My Great Granddad and Great Uncle were directors in the 20s and generations of us since have supported Charlton - but then you're not really interested in the club's history. I wonder what you do know about our club? I doubt that you have any idea how much it means to us, the supporters. You see, supporting Charlton isn't something you can just switch on and off. It's part of you - part of your identity. So the 4000 people who didn't renew their season tickets haven't stopped supporting Charlton - far from it. They will be back when you have gone.
I am feeling so emotional writing this that I will keep it brief. You are ruining our club but you will not win. I will protest against you no matter what. Nothing will stop me until you have gone.
If I might make a suggestion: I don't know what you've prepared, so it's possible this suggestion isn't adding much at all, but I'd suggest it would be more effective to post these out individually and at a staggered pace so that they aren't as easy to ignore as one big parcel. A drip feed would certainly be harder to ignore and more irritating.
I wondered if it might be more noticeable if these excellent stories were published in a book format. You could even include some photos of the contributors (if they wanted) to help bring the stories to life.
As well as printing one for Roly, contributors and others could have the option of buying a copy for themselves. I know I'd buy one and I bet the museum would like a copy.
There are loads of companies offering self-publishing via the web, and I don't think it has to be that expensive. You could then have a 'book launch' and invite the press along to gain more publicity.
I'm sure you bought Charlton Athletic, with the intentions of making it a viable and self sustaining business.
However the evidence thus far suggests that you are running the club into the ground , wiping away over 100 years of history and tradition.
The spectacular appointment of Katrien Meire (please enlighten us what your relationship is with her?) Because in any other business she would have been sacked by now, alienating a complete 'customer' fan base in under 3 years is no mean achievement, but she has to go.
Let's be completely honest here, you're heart is not really in this club, no one wants you here anyway , you have stunk the place out and it's time to sell up and go.
An educated and astute gentleman like yourself will recognise the words of one, Mark Twain :
"There are three kinds of lies : lies, damned lies and statistics "
Whilst it is abundantly clear that your CEO at our club, Katrien Meire has no concept of the latter - eg her laughable description of the number of supporters protesting against your ownership initially as 2% of the fanbase - the remainder of this quotation is 100% valid when attributed to , at an estimate, 99% of the words uttered by the so called SMT at our club. Please note -It really isn't difficult to use statistics to illustrate a point when they are valid...
It is on this bedrock of lies that your stewardship of our famous football club currently , well, lies.
But, as a supporter and season ticket holder of 27 years until last May, I feel you should be warned that these once stable and solid foundations are crumbling away in an alarming manner and along with thousands of fellow supporters ( NOT customers) I fear for the very future of Charlton Athletic FC.
I have neither the inclination nor the energy to detail the numerous failings of your ownership and of your appointed CEO who is clearly not fit for purpose. Suffice to say, if you are familiar with the quaint English custom of the "pantomime", then you will understand how our club is viewed by football fans across our country. Sadly, OUR pantomime, like a rescue dog, is not just for Christmas.
With twelve like minded allies, I made the journey to your home town to wish you a happy 70th birthday recently, at a cost to ourselves both financially and time wise. I am not a bitter ex employee, neither am I an actor but I am a woman....
It became all too apparent that it is not just the English that regard you with contempt for the manner in which you use and abuse football clubs. Will there be yet another "plaything" in the toe of your bulging Christmas stocking on December 25th ? Did your visit to Paris include a chat with PSG ? Or maybe a Science kit would be a useful gift so you may continue with your ill conceived experiments ?
Others will illustrate their personal stories far better than I can, so I will leave you with this thought..
The Bard wrote " Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown " which prompts me to ask how well do you sleep at night ? Are you really not embarrassed by all the adverse publicity diminishing your once proud persona ? And, finally, do you truly believe that those pesky, protesting Charlton "customers" will go away any time soon ?
If your response to the last question is in the affirmative, you really DO underestimate our passion for our beloved football club.
Like the duck tape you are so fond of, we're staying put.
Jean.
PS. One final point.
I suggest that your New Year's resolution is to sell Charlton Athletic FC before the end of the current season. You know it makes sense - the current situation is completely irretrievable.
you have managed to take away the pride and enjoyment of being a Charlton Athletic supporter.
For nearly 50 years, the bounce was always in me, when I walked down, Floyd Road. Now, it feels more like a funeral march.
Due to the owners mistakes in employing the wrong personnel in strategic positions, Charlton is no longer a viable matter. This is now beyond repair.
This has nothing to do with results, it is purely due to your mismanagement. Once Charlton Athletic has been sold, you will see for yourself, the fans will return in full force back to a full Valley.
Give the thousands a Christmas present they deserve, sell the club and we will be fully grateful.
het is u gelukt de trots en het plezier weg te nemen om een Charlton Athletic supporter te zijn.
Bijna 50 jaar lang, voelde ik het dansen in mij, als ik Floyd Road afliep. Nu voelt het meer als een begrafenismars.
Vanwege het feit dat de eigenaar het verkeerde personeel in strategische posities heeft aangesteld, is Charlton niet langer een levensvatbaar gegeven. Dit is nu onherstelbaar. Dit heeft niets te maken met resultaten, dit is puur wegens uw mismanagement. Zodra u Charlton Athletic heeft verkocht, zult u zelf zien, dat de fans in grote getalen terugkomen om de Valley te vullen.
Geef de duizenden een kerstcadeau die zij verdienen; verkoop de club en wij zullen zeer dankbaar zijn.
I wont insult your intelligence, although I sadly note that you haven't afforded us fans that same respect. (Coincidentally, am I correct in stating that this struggle against "unemployed people with nothing better to do" is proving surprisingly difficult?) Rather than simply stating that we're unhappy though, I'd like to make an observation about some of your previous interview comments.
As I understand you, you're a man of business, of facts and of logic. In that final respect we're most likely very similar. I think in rules, writing software and designing systems for a living. I understand the concept of a beautiful idea, of simplicity and an unrelenting respect for basic logic.
I've also heard you compare yourself to Alan Turing; as far as role models go, I would argue this is an ideal one. I was recently taking a walk around Bletchley Park, where Turing conducted his World War 2 work, and I'd like to share with you an interesting observation regarding the man.
When Alan Turing was mourning his "first love", Christopher Morcom, he remarked that the "the brain has the consistency of cold porridge" - and there began his foray in to Artificial Intelligence. After all, emulating something which has the "consistency of cold porridge" doesn't sound too difficult does it? Unfortunately this is clearly not the case, as logic dictates that this "cold porridge" contains many characteristics that are simply impossible to mimic.
I would suggest that this example is a clear demonstration that even the most logical of us inevitably succumb to human nature: loyalties, emotions and sheer stubborness. With the greatest of respect, I feel that looking at your conduct would suggest that this is a condition you currently find yourself in.
Whereas logic would dictate the CEO is failing, your own loyalties stay behind her - despite the financial losses and relegations.
Whereas logic would dictate not commenting upon fan protests, you acted out of anger and launched a tirade on the club website. (An action that lost a good member of staff)
Whereas logic would dictate the requirement for fundamental changes in recruitment and process, no such changes have been made.
Mr. Duchatelet, you are not acting with logic. Where Turing initially understated the depth of the nuances involved with Artificial Intelligence, and acted primarily out of grief, you have underestimated the nuances of British Football, and have acted out of pride. In Britain we have a saying, "pride comes before a fall".
I do not believe you are evil, nor do I believe you lack intelligence or business acumen, rather I believe you are currently at a time in your life where logic has taken a lesser priority and you're risking your reputation for the simple pleasure of being proven right. This is not a risk that will pay off, a purely logical and mathematical assessment of the situation demonstrates that the previous 31 months have been a failure.
Sincerely, I hope you reconsider your position at Charlton Athletic Football Club. Your position is untenable, and there now exists a wholely irrepairable conflict between both the fanbase and the senior management team.
Comments
I have read that you're very interested in statistics. You said the protests have nothing to do with reason.
- Before you bought the club I had been watching Charlton for just over 18 years. In that time I saw us play under 6 managers and 1 caretaker manager. You've owned the club for nearly 3 years and are soon to appoint your 7th manager/head coach in that time, excluding 2 caretaker managers. You also went through many coaches at Standard Liege - there is no evidence that you will ever give a manager/head coach enough time in their job.
- The 2 most successful managers in our history were Jimmy Seed and Alan Curbishely. Seed was manager for over 20 years and Curbishley over 15 years.
- More recently Chris Powell struggled in his first half a season in management. Rather than replacing him he was given more time and in his first full season we won promotion from League One as champions.
- Since you took over the club 66 players have made their first team debut, an average of 22 a season. That's basically a new squad of players every season.
- As a comparison, in the 3 years before you purchased Charlton we had 52 first team debuts, or 17 per season. This includes 2011/12 when Powell put together almost an entirely new squad that went on to win the league. That was an unusual and rare season in which a complete rebuild of the squad was necessary.
- Our average home attendance is currently 10,817. In our last spell in League One it was 17,407 (2009/10), 15,582 (2010/11) and 17,402 (2011/12).
- This season we have over 6,000 season ticket holders. In those 3 previous seasons in League One we had around 10,000 each time.
- Over 8,000 people have signed the petition on http://ourcharlton.org.uk asking you to sell the club.
- Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) have over 5,500 followers on Twitter and almost 3,000 likes on Facebook.
- Charlton fans have donated almost £50,000 to the protest fund.
- Although returning to The Valley was a few years before I started supporting the club I'm fully aware that our fans never give up. Charlton left The Valley in 1985 and after 7 years came home in 1992. Along the way fans formed a political party and received 14,838 votes. They didn't give up back then and they're not going to give up now.
So going back to the original point - you said the protests have nothing to do with reason. I hope the above facts on the number of managers/head coaches and players show you there are reasons.
You might consider these numbers to be normal or fair. In that case the drop in attendances, season ticket holders and significant support for CARD and protests prove that thousands of Charlton fans feel that is not the case.
It is clear you're not involved in football with an aim to win trophies. You don't come to games so it isn't about watching exciting and attractive football. Given Charlton's debt owed to you you're not making money out of the club.
What is it in it for you?
You've ruined the club for thousands of Charlton fans without gaining anything for yourself. It's time for you to sell before you put more money in and do any further damage to what was and should be a great football club.
Scott
He's a busy man as we know. Let's get a few more succinct messages to him.
Here is my effort at this.
-----
M. Duchatelet,
Under your ownership Charlton has become a joke in the football world.
You have made so many mistakes there is no way back.
The fans of the club will never accept you.
Sell now and the protests will stop.
Neil
Please do fook off
laters
Roland
Ga je hondje neuken
CAFC
short and to the point though. It may make the cut after all.
Before you arrived at our club i sat with my sons and around 6 friends ,some with kids , as well as 2 of my sisters and neice and nephews , prolly 20+ of us .
Now the only ones left are myself and 4 sons , who don't get to see their friends or cousins anywhere near as much as they used to because of you.
As a football loving kid you have hero's , Kermorgant was my first borns and he was moved quickly on by your clueless footballing people , the first time he was mascot he walked out with Dale Stephens another one moved on .
My eldest sons first long away trip was at Wigan ,for that early game in your reign, as your influx of players were forced on to Sir Chris Powell and we still talk about "the clown" in goal Thuram at least his impression lasted on us unlike Nego.
Over time , under your reign ,the ridiculous influx in and out of players and managers means we have no real affection/for the players or manager who are left at the club Jacko and Solly apart , no point with your revolving door let's/hope we get lucky policy #failed
Failure on the football front , has not stopped any of my lot going before but the continued digraceful ,clueless , disrespectful running of our club by the inexperienced management team has meant that this club is no longer the one we all grew up loving and supporting no matter what happened on the pitch.
Over the years as a match sponsor with friends I have been introduced and met all previous CEO's ,over the last 15 years , who would take their time out to come and speak to us . In the two sponsored matches , under your reign,your CEO never made that effort and she never replied to an email I sent saying I was withdrawing from sponsoring the Derby game last year , classy .
Those sponsored matches were when a lot of friends would reunite once a year for a good jolly up at Charlton , sadly this no longer takes place, thanks to OUR club being your poorly run experiment .
If you have any ounce of humbleness left , please accept it hasn't worked and sell now . The missing thousands who were here previously on the league one campaign are no longer around , that is the biggest proof you have as to why this whole game of yours has failed miserably .
Kind regards
David
Your understanding of what comprises a football club is lamentable. You and your ill-equiped CEO, with her Senior Management Team, choose to see only the tangible assets, - the player's contracts, the real estate. None of you have the wit or imagination to be able to recognise the rich resource that is the fan-base of our football club; these legitimate stakeholders who have invested money, time and emotions into CAFC over many years. As far as you are concerned these people are outside the club, they are an irrelevance in terms of the direction and policies that you pursue, they are just customers represented perhaps only on a database somewhere.
Most people with average intellect would be able to see that this community of fans are in fact, the most valuable part of what your millions have purchased, and many people with an average intellect would acknowledge that you have a moral duty to engage with fans and to nurture the football club as a community asset for the benefit of future generations, - you are after all, merely a temporary custodian.
There have been many occasions when the fans have attempted meaningful communication with you and your regime; to offer help, advice and to express their concerns, but without fail, you have turned your back on these efforts.
You and your network scout have interfered in team matters, and on numerous occasions, you have undermined the positions of talented people, to the point where they've had no choice but to leave the club.
The team management merry-go-round and your calamitous player recruitment strategy, have lead to us occupying our lowest league position since 1926.
You have expressed no desire for the team to be competitive, only to produce players to be sold on to premier league clubs. You've made no attempt to understand the long-established culture of English football, nor the unique history of Charlton Athletic Football Club. You never attend games, and the claim from your CEO that you watch every match on a live feed, was shown for the lie that it is, when you were recently caught having lunch at Stayen, whislt we suffered a 0-3 reverse at Swindon Town.
You assert that our protests are without reason. However, considering the above, I contest that the protests are absolutely reasonable and they should continue until you and your interim regime depart.
John
My grandfather was badly wounded fighting to free your country from German occupation in the Great War. When he left the army in 1919 his address was Floyd Road, London SE7. You won't know that, but it's the same road that the Valley is in. He saw it being created.
In 1924 my father was born in that same house. 18 years later he too was in the army and in 1944-45 fought in France, Belgium and Germany helping to again free your country.
He took me to my first game in 1960/61 season. It is hardly surprising that I (and now my son too) are Addicks, and always will be.
That's why the way you exercise your ownership of Charlton Athletic, and the disastrous way in which Katrien Meire manages this on your behalf, is so hated. It feels like an attack on our history, on our families, on the memory of all the years through bad times and good, that we have supported OUR club.
You can derive no pleasure from owning this club.
In the name of my family, in the name of my dad and grandad, I ask just one thing in return for their service to your country.
Please. Sell up and go.
Davo55 (your goons at the Valley can tell you my real name)
Personally i couldn't give a flying fxxc weather you attend matches or not .
What does concern me though is that in you're absence you leave a competent person to run the club in a competent and professional manner.
Unfortunately the person who you have left in charge has proved beyond doubt that she is completely out of her depth. The list of mistakes that she has made is truly staggering.
She has sold our best players for ridiculously low fees.
She has brought in players who are simply not good enough.
Been forced to loan these players out because nobody wants to buy them, while at the same time we are paying their wages.
Got through seven or eight managers in about two and a half years.
Called life long supporters of the club customers.
Said she has no interest in the club's history.
Oversean our relegation to league one.
Seen supporters leave the club in there thousands.
Seen all sorts of protests including one i am sure you are aware of on you're birthday.
I could go on but i think you get my drift.
If you have any feeling or ambition for this club you simply have to replace Miere with someone far more qualified to run the club in you're absence.
If you do this and supporters see that the club is being run properly you may still yet get the supporters all getting behind the club, but while Miere remains this will never happen.
Regards Steve
Some great letters, when the protest is finished I will try and post them all on CL as many came via email.
This is just a short message to say that your political career was a failure and your football career is a failure. People all over the world know who you are, thanks to the actions of Charlton Athletic fans. They don't think that you are the visionary you see yourself to be, on the contrary they simply see you to be the fool you are. A misguided failure.
Sell Charlton, go and don't come back. We won't stop, we will carry on and we will keep fighting to save something that is so precious to us you just cannot comprehend.
Dave Lockwood,
Bitter ex-employee
The only thing you have accomplished in your far too long tenure is extinguishing the hopes, dreams and excitement of Charlton fans young and old. When you see what it was like before you took over to what it is like now, it is unforgiveable and that is why you need to sell.
Staring into the pit of despair
Win or lose do you really care?
No more fans coming through the gate
Sell up now before it's too late.
My grandad has been attending since the 1940s and I've been going with him since the 90s. He's not got many more years left and you're spoiling the football experience we share together. I fear this may be the last time we get a season ticket together as with you in charge, it's a miserable event.
You should already know this but your CEO has alienated the supporters; she is rude, condescending and dismissive. It no longer feels a pleasure to turn up anymore as the fans are treated with contempt at every turn.
I know you are pumping money into the club however as it is a loan with interest, I do not swallow the line that we should praise you for it - especially as we're in a far worse position because of it.
We will never stop in our bid to get our club back by the way. Just so you know.
Brad Knights-Toomer
(Used to be on the East Kent Addicks committee until I was forced to resign by your management team because I dared criticise your ownership on social media)
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Thanks for giving us the chance to do these letters - hope it makes a difference. I have no idea where the poem came from though, just came out randomly!
Charlton has always been in my family. My Great Granddad and Great Uncle were directors in the 20s and generations of us since have supported Charlton - but then you're not really interested in the club's history. I wonder what you do know about our club? I doubt that you have any idea how much it means to us, the supporters. You see, supporting Charlton isn't something you can just switch on and off. It's part of you - part of your identity. So the 4000 people who didn't renew their season tickets haven't stopped supporting Charlton - far from it. They will be back when you have gone.
I am feeling so emotional writing this that I will keep it brief. You are ruining our club but you will not win. I will protest against you no matter what. Nothing will stop me until you have gone.
Sell up and go.
Alison
I say I do not care. Then spend Saturday afternoon watching sky as the results and updates come in.
We have to have a cut off time and that time is 17.00 on Monday.
Messages received before that date will be delivered, those after will not.
Cheers
Neil
As well as printing one for Roly, contributors and others could have the option of buying a copy for themselves. I know I'd buy one and I bet the museum would like a copy.
There are loads of companies offering self-publishing via the web, and I don't think it has to be that expensive. You could then have a 'book launch' and invite the press along to gain more publicity.
I'm sure you bought Charlton Athletic, with the intentions of making it a viable and self sustaining business.
However the evidence thus far suggests that you are running the club into the ground , wiping away over 100 years of history and tradition.
The spectacular appointment of Katrien Meire (please enlighten us what your relationship is with her?) Because in any other business she would have been sacked by now, alienating a complete 'customer' fan base in under 3 years is no mean achievement, but she has to go.
Let's be completely honest here, you're heart is not really in this club, no one wants you here anyway , you have stunk the place out and it's time to sell up and go.
"Fuck off you senile old Belgian cnut"
An educated and astute gentleman like yourself will recognise the words of one, Mark Twain :
"There are three kinds of lies : lies, damned lies and statistics "
Whilst it is abundantly clear that your CEO at our club, Katrien Meire has no concept of the latter - eg her laughable description of the number of supporters protesting against your ownership initially as 2% of the fanbase - the remainder of this quotation is 100% valid when attributed to , at an estimate, 99% of the words uttered by the so called SMT at our club. Please note -It really isn't difficult to use statistics to illustrate a point when they are valid...
It is on this bedrock of lies that your stewardship of our famous football club currently , well, lies.
But, as a supporter and season ticket holder of 27 years until last May, I feel you should be warned that these once stable and solid foundations are crumbling away in an alarming manner and along with thousands of fellow supporters ( NOT customers) I fear for the very future of Charlton Athletic FC.
I have neither the inclination nor the energy to detail the numerous failings of your ownership and of your appointed CEO who is clearly not fit for purpose. Suffice to say, if you are familiar with the quaint English custom of the "pantomime", then you will understand how our club is viewed by football fans across our country. Sadly, OUR pantomime, like a rescue dog, is not just for Christmas.
With twelve like minded allies, I made the journey to your home town to wish you a happy 70th birthday recently, at a cost to ourselves both financially and time wise. I am not a bitter ex employee, neither am I an actor but I am a woman....
It became all too apparent that it is not just the English that regard you with contempt for the manner in which you use and abuse football clubs. Will there be yet another "plaything" in the toe of your bulging Christmas stocking on December 25th ? Did your visit to Paris include a chat with PSG ? Or maybe a Science kit would be a useful gift so you may continue with your ill conceived experiments ?
Others will illustrate their personal stories far better than I can, so I will leave you with this thought..
The Bard wrote " Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown " which prompts me to ask how well do you sleep at night ? Are you really not embarrassed by all the adverse publicity diminishing your once proud persona ? And, finally, do you truly believe that those pesky, protesting Charlton "customers" will go away any time soon ?
If your response to the last question is in the affirmative, you really DO underestimate our passion for our beloved football club.
Like the duck tape you are so fond of, we're staying put.
Jean.
PS. One final point.
I suggest that your New Year's resolution is to sell Charlton Athletic FC before the end of the current season. You know it makes sense - the current situation is completely irretrievable.
you have managed to take away the pride and enjoyment of being a Charlton Athletic supporter.
For nearly 50 years, the bounce was always in me, when I walked down, Floyd Road. Now, it feels more like a funeral march.
Due to the owners mistakes in employing the wrong personnel in strategic positions, Charlton is no longer a viable matter. This is now beyond repair.
This has nothing to do with results, it is purely due to your mismanagement. Once Charlton Athletic has been sold, you will see for yourself, the fans will return in full force back to a full Valley.
Give the thousands a Christmas present they deserve, sell the club and we will be fully grateful.
Beste mijnheer Duchatelet,
het is u gelukt de trots en het plezier weg te nemen om een Charlton Athletic supporter te zijn.
Bijna 50 jaar lang, voelde ik het dansen in mij, als ik Floyd Road afliep. Nu voelt het meer als een begrafenismars.
Vanwege het feit dat de eigenaar het verkeerde personeel in strategische posities heeft aangesteld, is Charlton niet langer een levensvatbaar gegeven. Dit is nu onherstelbaar. Dit heeft niets te maken met resultaten, dit is puur wegens uw mismanagement. Zodra u Charlton Athletic heeft verkocht, zult u zelf zien, dat de fans in grote getalen terugkomen om de Valley te vullen.
Geef de duizenden een kerstcadeau die zij verdienen; verkoop de club en wij zullen zeer dankbaar zijn.
I wont insult your intelligence, although I sadly note that you haven't afforded us fans that same respect. (Coincidentally, am I correct in stating that this struggle against "unemployed people with nothing better to do" is proving surprisingly difficult?) Rather than simply stating that we're unhappy though, I'd like to make an observation about some of your previous interview comments.
As I understand you, you're a man of business, of facts and of logic. In that final respect we're most likely very similar. I think in rules, writing software and designing systems for a living. I understand the concept of a beautiful idea, of simplicity and an unrelenting respect for basic logic.
I've also heard you compare yourself to Alan Turing; as far as role models go, I would argue this is an ideal one. I was recently taking a walk around Bletchley Park, where Turing conducted his World War 2 work, and I'd like to share with you an interesting observation regarding the man.
When Alan Turing was mourning his "first love", Christopher Morcom, he remarked that the "the brain has the consistency of cold porridge" - and there began his foray in to Artificial Intelligence. After all, emulating something which has the "consistency of cold porridge" doesn't sound too difficult does it? Unfortunately this is clearly not the case, as logic dictates that this "cold porridge" contains many characteristics that are simply impossible to mimic.
I would suggest that this example is a clear demonstration that even the most logical of us inevitably succumb to human nature: loyalties, emotions and sheer stubborness. With the greatest of respect, I feel that looking at your conduct would suggest that this is a condition you currently find yourself in.
Whereas logic would dictate the CEO is failing, your own loyalties stay behind her - despite the financial losses and relegations.
Whereas logic would dictate not commenting upon fan protests, you acted out of anger and launched a tirade on the club website. (An action that lost a good member of staff)
Whereas logic would dictate the requirement for fundamental changes in recruitment and process, no such changes have been made.
Mr. Duchatelet, you are not acting with logic. Where Turing initially understated the depth of the nuances involved with Artificial Intelligence, and acted primarily out of grief, you have underestimated the nuances of British Football, and have acted out of pride. In Britain we have a saying, "pride comes before a fall".
I do not believe you are evil, nor do I believe you lack intelligence or business acumen, rather I believe you are currently at a time in your life where logic has taken a lesser priority and you're risking your reputation for the simple pleasure of being proven right. This is not a risk that will pay off, a purely logical and mathematical assessment of the situation demonstrates that the previous 31 months have been a failure.
Sincerely, I hope you reconsider your position at Charlton Athletic Football Club. Your position is untenable, and there now exists a wholely irrepairable conflict between both the fanbase and the senior management team.
Fergus