A message from a friend...
The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) warmly welcomes the news that Charlton Athletic will have new owners, East Street Investments, and the commitment they have made to manager Lee Bowyer and promise to engage with fans’ groups.
Over the last 18 months Bowyer has restored much of the credibility of the club and enabled many supporters, previously alienated by the disrespect, ineptitude and sheer stupidity of the Duchatelet regime, to re-engage with the team.
As a result, the club is well placed to move forward under new owners, subject of course to their approval by the EFL. We hope that all supporters will now get firmly behind the new administration so that Charlton can advance again.
CARD was formed in January 2016 as an umbrella group bringing together a variety of organisations, groups, platforms and individuals, because it had become clear to all of them that Duchatelet’s ownership was beyond redemption.
We are deeply grateful to all the volunteers who helped us deliver the protests that followed and which helped cement the national and international media’s understanding of the issues at our club, as well as push Duchatelet to a point where he was willing to sell.
It has been a long and frustrating wait, but with the sale of the club CARD’s job is done. It is for the elements that made up the coalition, particularly the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust, to take matters forward and build relationships with the new owners.
As with the Valley Party in the 1990s, we should all be proud to say that Charlton fans did not stand idly by when the future of their club was under threat.
We do, however, have one final task to perform. For almost two years we have been holding 1,000 red-and-white scarves ready for this moment to symbolically replace the black-and-white protest ones we previously distributed.
These will be available, free of charge, from 11.30am on Saturday by the big Charlton badge at the back of the Covered End.
CARD thanks you for your ideas, support and resilience over the last four years and encourages everyone to join us at The Valley tomorrow for one hell of a celebration.
Come on, you Reds!
Comments
Great job CARD - Been excellent with what you've done these last couple of years along with the Belgian20 and everyone else who protested and did their bit
GOT
OUR
CHARLTON
BACK
!!!!!!
Only £5 per year to join CAST. The more members we have, the stronger the fans' voice.
https://www.castrust.org/join/
I know some people don't believe in protests, but I think we would still be sending kids up chimneys if people didn't stand up to wrong. But we are all Charlton fans and whatever our differences, we can now come together and enjoy this new chapter.
CARD and all who supported them - take a bow.
For info, CASSBTAN won't have the same ring to it!
:-)
Of all the odd things I've done in my life, delivering a box of plastic squeezy pigs to a pub full of Coventry City fans is up there among the top ones.
When's the victory party in De Kanarie in Sint-Truiden, then?
I've had an email 'purporting' to be from Charlton re the takeover and they've spelt it East Stand Investements!
Right, who's ready for CAESI?
(and a large helping of humble pie for me, as I always denied that he was willing to sell)
Typical Charlton fans!
Let's hope it's out of the frying pan and a long way from the fire.
But seriously, I have been massively impressed with how ordinary Charlton fans have pooled their skills and consistently outwitted the club in the media battlefield. In today's attention deficit disorder era of news reporting a League One club having some trouble with its fans is of absolutely no interest to anybody, but CARD et al have kept the spotlight firmly on Charlton. They've shamed and embarrassed our former owner and the incompetent, complacent football authorities in their spare time, making professional PR and media people look like total morons. You all deserve medals!
CASSBTBMAN doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
"We''ll be here when you have gone"
I always thought that would come true.
AND IT HAS !!!!!