It was a fantastic turn out. Well done to all my fellow Addicks and those that were with us in spirit. Heard the protest songs loud and clear from Northampton - well done to all those there. We are all gutted by the result. Waiting to see what the Duchatelet reaction is now - the pathetic hothead is always good for one. We are not finsihed with you yet you pathetic piece of sh*t!
Lesoir Sports ....... Disgruntled fans want to get their club back, which they consider to be poorly managed.
About 200 supporters of Charlton (D3 English) and Saint-Trond (D1A) demonstrated Saturday night against Roland Duchâtelet, accusing him of disregarding the sports interests of these two clubs, which he owns. With slogans like "We want our Charlton back", "Just sold our club" and "We want Roland out", the disgruntled fans walked under police surveillance from the center of Saint-Trond to Stayen stadium, Of about 1.5 km.
Roland Duchâtelet "clearly cares very little, if any, about leading the club to sporting success. What interests him is the financial profit he can derive from it. As far as we are concerned, we want a direction that considers the STVV as a competitive professional sports club, not as a shopping center or a business, "defends the group of opponents Graag een Ander STVV (GrAS, for another STVV) .
The British supporters of Charlton Athletic, the most noisy in the procession, are of the same opinion. "We come here so that it appears in the Belgian media and that Roland Duchâtelet is obliged to react," explained the group of protesters "Coalition Against Roland Duchâtelet" (CARD).
Day started in Maidstone, where I'd travelled down to from Norfolk the night before. Good chance to check in on my old dad.... the man who introduced me to Charlton aged 9, in 1986.
Felt good to be up at 5.30. Strong. Buzzing. On the hunt from breakfast from 6 o clock. Pulling into Ebbsfleet just after 7 and seeing a flash of black and white scarves outside the station. Parking up and wanting to rush to be with the Charlton tribe.
Hit the bus. Lovely people everywhere. Given a breakfast roll on the fund. Still only 7.30... everybody chilled and easing into the day.
Just before we got to the ferry though, we had a singsong and the media got their cameras started... brains clicked into gear as people began to think smart and talk smarter
Got to the ferry... people starting to chat. Saw a few more black and white scarves mooching around the ferry terminal....
Having sat on the bus and only seen the people around us, we were then unleashed onto the ferry. Roaming around for an explore, there were charlton bods at every turn. Each with a knowing nod if you wanted.
Up on deck, some of us posed for the media in front of the white cliffs, did interviews and milked the moment with selfies. More smiles. More shared moments with strangers.
This was Charlton... out in force and doing what we do best....
Soon we were on Belgian shores and speeding along the motorway.... am a keen traveller and have been around, but I didn't know or really even care which port we'd hit and what road we were on....
For once, the destination WAS the point
Forrest Gump was a welcome chilled distraction for a bit.... then the pre match came on from Northampton (ok ok... it was my bright idea to hold my phone up to the mic for an improvised connection to other supporters up in Northampton....and I'm glad I did.... as I nearly bottled it).
When we heard them sing... it felt tribal again. Disconnected members connecting accross vast distance.
Terry and stubley were slick on the commentary.... but when somebody tipped the elder member of the duo off that they were being relayed live to the day coach and he mentioned what an honour it was, a tingle went down the spine.....his mention of this being a historic day and one where supporters would remember where they were helped build the riding atmosphere on the bus
By the time we had arrived and been shepherded through the streets to the rendezvous bar at Wim's it's fair to say that the growing group we're excited. Our bus load had locked in with another group. Tribal again. United. Growing.
Then the bar.... timing impeccable... in we went and the band cranked us.... spot on... perfect...
I don't know if they were idling and waiting for the hoarded to arrive, or what.... but to be greeted after such a long journey by such welcoming sounds (and a bite to eat) was spot on for us arrivers
By the time the beer was flowing into the system, the music was REALLY kicking in. I rarely dance. Even with mates. But here I was dancing with Charlton strangers. It helped that the 2 percent play mostly reggae and ska to my taste (btw, boys.... "I am the one in 10" really needs to become "we are the 2%")
The music and the beer got me pumped up. The communal chanting of "We want Roland out" got the crowd into a veritable frenzy
The rat mask was funny
And then we were ready to unleash ourselves onto the streets
We'd been building all day..... sleepy bus ride... the excited ferry... to anticipatory commentary on the bus... to beers and tunes and chanting loud
And now we were out to do what we came here for
Send Roland a loud and clear message in his back yard
The colours... the sounds... the smiles... and the buzz... we were off.... along the streets of sleepy abandoned feeling st Truiden....
Singing our hearts out
Organised chaos
Good spirits
All within limits
Police all good
Songs, banners, leaflets to locals, a rat, a donkey, the Roland balloon,
High vis vests, police on bikes, Scottish stewards and Belgian comrades bringing up the rear
Streets and streets..... then dusk through a carpark... keeping the songs going over a quiet bridge... and then into our terminus atbthe baracadea in front of the stadium and the kanarie bar.....
No anti climax... no aggro... just more smiles and good humour and groups going their own ways: to the match, to a bar and back to the bus.... others just into the night
I hit a bar before the bus and got an insight into why Katrien thought english supporters might enjoy some pre match techno....
STVV fans (the ones I met at the bar) were supportive.... but don't seem to believe that they could have any impact by doing something similar
And that underlines it to me
That Roland bought the wrong club
He might get away with his nonsense elsewhere.... but not at Charlton... not at a club that has been hauled back from the brink by supporters before.....
We are Charlton Athletic, Roland.... and we're coming for you.
---------
Too tired to edit or tidy up. Just gonna hit send. Sorry for messiness. I just wanted to get this out with the Italian job on in the background and the Euro tunnel about an hour ahead
It's a 2.15 exit from the bus at Ebbsfleet for me... then a 2+ hour drive home to Norwich. A long old day, but one I don't regret..... and one I certainly won't forget
I'm going out with friends for a few beers and a curry tonight then am on the 6.57am from St Pancras. I fully expect to wake up every half an hour tonight having dreamt that I've slept through the alarm.
I'm pretty much guaranteed to have a bad night's sleep before an early alarm. I'm sorry to hear I'm not the only one.
Have created a seperate thread (post match thread if you like) which I'd be really grateful if those there could add their accounts of the trip to, whether on the coach or trains back, or over the next few days
Comments
Well done and thank you to everyone on that march.
About 200 supporters of Charlton (D3 English) and Saint-Trond (D1A) demonstrated Saturday night against Roland Duchâtelet, accusing him of disregarding the sports interests of these two clubs, which he owns. With slogans like "We want our Charlton back", "Just sold our club" and "We want Roland out", the disgruntled fans walked under police surveillance from the center of Saint-Trond to Stayen stadium, Of about 1.5 km.
Roland Duchâtelet "clearly cares very little, if any, about leading the club to sporting success. What interests him is the financial profit he can derive from it. As far as we are concerned, we want a direction that considers the STVV as a competitive professional sports club, not as a shopping center or a business, "defends the group of opponents Graag een Ander STVV (GrAS, for another STVV) .
The British supporters of Charlton Athletic, the most noisy in the procession, are of the same opinion. "We come here so that it appears in the Belgian media and that Roland Duchâtelet is obliged to react," explained the group of protesters "Coalition Against Roland Duchâtelet" (CARD).
An absolute brilliant showing. All who went should be proud of what they've done today.
But... here goes
Day started in Maidstone, where I'd travelled down to from Norfolk the night before. Good chance to check in on my old dad.... the man who introduced me to Charlton aged 9, in 1986.
Felt good to be up at 5.30. Strong. Buzzing. On the hunt from breakfast from 6 o clock. Pulling into Ebbsfleet just after 7 and seeing a flash of black and white scarves outside the station. Parking up and wanting to rush to be with the Charlton tribe.
Hit the bus. Lovely people everywhere. Given a breakfast roll on the fund. Still only 7.30... everybody chilled and easing into the day.
Just before we got to the ferry though, we had a singsong and the media got their cameras started... brains clicked into gear as people began to think smart and talk smarter
Got to the ferry... people starting to chat. Saw a few more black and white scarves mooching around the ferry terminal....
Having sat on the bus and only seen the people around us, we were then unleashed onto the ferry. Roaming around for an explore, there were charlton bods at every turn. Each with a knowing nod if you wanted.
Up on deck, some of us posed for the media in front of the white cliffs, did interviews and milked the moment with selfies. More smiles. More shared moments with strangers.
This was Charlton... out in force and doing what we do best....
Soon we were on Belgian shores and speeding along the motorway.... am a keen traveller and have been around, but I didn't know or really even care which port we'd hit and what road we were on....
For once, the destination WAS the point
Forrest Gump was a welcome chilled distraction for a bit.... then the pre match came on from Northampton (ok ok... it was my bright idea to hold my phone up to the mic for an improvised connection to other supporters up in Northampton....and I'm glad I did.... as I nearly bottled it).
When we heard them sing... it felt tribal again. Disconnected members connecting accross vast distance.
Terry and stubley were slick on the commentary.... but when somebody tipped the elder member of the duo off that they were being relayed live to the day coach and he mentioned what an honour it was, a tingle went down the spine.....his mention of this being a historic day and one where supporters would remember where they were helped build the riding atmosphere on the bus
By the time we had arrived and been shepherded through the streets to the rendezvous bar at Wim's it's fair to say that the growing group we're excited. Our bus load had locked in with another group. Tribal again. United. Growing.
Then the bar.... timing impeccable... in we went and the band cranked us.... spot on... perfect...
I don't know if they were idling and waiting for the hoarded to arrive, or what.... but to be greeted after such a long journey by such welcoming sounds (and a bite to eat) was spot on for us arrivers
By the time the beer was flowing into the system, the music was REALLY kicking in. I rarely dance. Even with mates. But here I was dancing with Charlton strangers. It helped that the 2 percent play mostly reggae and ska to my taste (btw, boys.... "I am the one in 10" really needs to become "we are the 2%")
The music and the beer got me pumped up. The communal chanting of "We want Roland out" got the crowd into a veritable frenzy
The rat mask was funny
And then we were ready to unleash ourselves onto the streets
We'd been building all day..... sleepy bus ride... the excited ferry... to anticipatory commentary on the bus... to beers and tunes and chanting loud
And now we were out to do what we came here for
Send Roland a loud and clear message in his back yard
Thanks all
http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/77087/unity-protest-4th-march-accounts-from-those-there/p1
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/hundreds-of-charlton-fans-protest-against-roland-duchatelet-in-belgium-as-addicks-lose-at-a3481836.html