The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet is urging Charlton fans to refuse to pay the club’s owner for his own incompetence by not renewing season tickets until the club is sold.
The club today announced price increases of up to 35% for adults on a like-for-like basis with 2017/18, blaming “higher security and counter-terrorism requirements, inflation and the increase in the minimum wage”.
A CARD spokesperson said: “The only things missing from this litany of excuses are Brexit and the weather. The club is running a huge operating loss because Duchatelet continues to waste vast amounts of money through his own abysmal management. Any cost increases are trivial by comparison.
“Now supporters are being told they must stump up more to fund Duchatelet’s incompetence. With new owners that would be a price worth paying, but as it stands he will be making fools of fans if they renew now.
“He is threatening people with increases, but just a week ago the club was saying that it didn’t even know if he would still be the owner by today. Now it has gone quiet on that again. It also claimed players could not be signed for fees in January because he was selling. What about the summer? How can fans take anything the club says seriously?
“We want to see as many season-ticket holders as possible at The Valley under new owners, but we would urge people to hold on to their money until they can be sure it won’t be going to Duchatelet. Why reward him for the damage he has done?”
Adult prices at The Valley have been increased by up to 14 per cent on last season, when they also came with the benefit of six months’ free access to Valley Pass – worth £36 – if renewed before the initial deadline.
That means the rise is 35% on a like-for-like basis for an adult seated in the lower north stand or family stand.
Fans in the cheapest blocks in the east and west stands are being asked to pay 13 per cent more than last season (25 per cent with the Valley Pass element).
CARD said: “We recognise that many of Charlton’s prices are cheaper than at other clubs, but those clubs will have a chairman, a chief executive and a finance director. Duchatelet is saving far more by having no senior staff than he will raise with these increases.”
“We would urge fans to hold off and wait to invest in the future, rather than pay him for his mistakes.”
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Comments
Presumably the 'nobody tells me what to do' crowd will all rush out and get theirs now.
#notapennymore
Part of me wonders if the buyers have okayed this on order for RD to take the flack for season ticket price hikes before they come in. I'm sure season ticket revenue will be factored into the sale.
Bought 8 season tickets this morning and now they tell me.
Out of interest, how long (reasonably) can a business run without a CEO or Finance Director, especially when in 4 weeks players will want to know where they stand as to next season ? Do the EFL have a stand on this (rhetorical question as we all know the answer). Just wonder what would happen if a new club was formed (ala AFC Wimbledon or Salford City) with just a random person, living in another country & not playing an active part, putting in the money with no directors, CEO etc. I expect the EFL would not sanction such a club.
Dont buy until he has sold and new owner in place.
I blame The Belgium 20 pissing him off since 27-02 -2016