HERE’S a sentence I thought I’d never write: I feel sorry for Charlton fans.
Fourteen years ago during my time as Crystal Palace owner, I famously served a writ on my former manager Iain Dowie for fraudulent misrepresentation during his press conference unveiling as Charlton’s new boss.
I was smarting at the lack of loyalty of a manager professing to want to go back to the north.
We released him from his compensation clause before he went precisely six miles up the road to our rivals, who gloated over their wonderful coup. Thankfully, I was successful in the courts.
Charlton were once touted as the blueprint of how clubs should be run and for many years punched above their financial weight in the Premier League with manager Alan Curbishley in place for over 14 years.
The vitriol between the clubs was very real. In 2005, my Palace team were relegated at The Valley to prompt a joyous conga from home fans.
Paraphrasing an infamous quote I made about my feelings towards certain owners, their chairman Richard Murray told me: “Enjoy the Championship, t****r.”
I referred to the Charlton fans as ‘morons’ and was lambasted by the chair of the fans group who demanded an apology.
Indeed, I corrected my sentiments to them being imbeciles for their lack of respect towards a club that in their hour of greatest need gave them a home in the 1980s.
The encounters that ensued in further years were rather spicy and dangerous for me.
Enforced police escorts were required with groups of Charlton fans attempting to attack me with knives and bottles.
Recalling all this heightens my sense of incredulity at the real empathy I have for their current plight.
After all is said and done, Charlton are a great London club, steeped in history.
Yes, their fans were awful that day in 2005 and their then-chairman behaved like an odious weasel. But, over recent years these fans have deserved better.
They’ve been in administration (yes, I know, so were my Palace), relegated from the Premier League and then the Championship.
They have had the most ludicrous of owners in Roland Duchatelet who, upon realising he didn’t much like English football, asked the EFL to buy the club from him and blamed them for allowing him to have it in the first place.
The most recent lurch saw an ownership consortium in an awful bun fight — a race to the bottom over who can put the least amount of money in or who can take the most out.
They still achieved promotion back to the Championship, but are now in a relegation battle.
Next weekend they resume the battle under an outstanding younger manager in Lee Bowyer.
He is on his own with no support and guidance, with a selection of players — including talismanic top scorer Lyle Taylor — refusing to play despite being under contract until June 30.
This is pretty much reflective of the attitude exhibited by the bulk of players during the coronavirus crisis.
It is encapsulated by their union, which screams, ‘All for one and some more for me.’
Taylor has a big move in the offing and as a 30-year-old who hasn’t hit the financial heights he’s entitled to it.
Understandable? He refuses to extend, even for a month, to help his club — which is his right — but refusing to play any games up to June 30 most certainly isn’t.
A player purposely runs down his contract, goes on a free transfer with all the benefits and leaves the club who gave him the opportunity to shine with nothing.
Comments
he's done more than most to highlight our plight that's for sure
Always will be a stripy prick to me.
Its not the most offensive of comments but its not exactly professional
Was he still the owner when a bunch of Crystal Palace fans stormed a train and beat up a bunch of young / elderly fans on the way to Selhurst Park one year?
I'll never forget ITV initially blaming our fans and having to apologise, did Simon Jordan do the same if he was owner?
Yeah some of what his article says isn't factually correct but not all nonsense.
Look at my user name - I do not like Crystal Palace. But Jordan has been one of the few people who has consistently stood up for us recently. And he is frankly the only person on Talkshite - and that radio station is definitely getting worse - who has challenged those who own us about their actions and intentions. Indeed one of the few on that radio station who talk any sense.
He owned the club for 10 years.
He's always going to stick up for his club and maybe say one or two incorrect things. It was a written version of a slight jab in the face.
He's not a Charlton fan at all. He's the opposite.
He's a palace fan but he has still at least stuck up for Charlton when he has the outspoken access to do so.
If I was in his shoes, I would not be sticking up for palace.
I don't like what he says at the start, but still, it's ok overall and credit to him for at least helping and doing something about this ridiculous mess.
What other journalists/tabloids have carried such supportive articles on a consistent basis? I recall a couple from Martin Samuel in the Mail and then I'm struggling to think of anyone else who has done it on a consistent basis. (Yes, most papers have had the odd article but mostly on a one-off basis). When has Radio 5 Live carried reports on our predicament? Again, the occasional report but few in number.
I remember when we relegated Palace, Jordan was up there in my top 3 hate figures. He's never going to be someone I look up to. But as I've said above, he's one of the few who talks sense on Talkshite (honorable mention to Danny Kelly for being another) and he is out there flagging up our problems to the wider world. I don't see too many outside our club doing similar.
Simon Jordan is a wanker is a wanker is a wanker .
Still my favourite ringtone.
Glad he's grown up a bit.
I'd happily educate him on our history if he has time, particularly the bit about "giving us a home when we were bankrupt (sic)".
Doesn't make him my new best friend.
Shalalalalalalala
What was the animosity about, was it them charging us too much and/ or more to it all?