Supporters to return for MK Dons tonight (thoughts on experience from page 31)

Davo55

seth plum said:

I might be one of the few who enjoyed being back.
Yes the football was terrible, but there have been times this year I wondered if I would ever see a game there again so it was a huge lift to go down the Valley for the (yeah I know it was chite) footie.

Totally with you there Seth. All of the descriptions on these pages are accurate enough but I still absolutely loved being there despite the crap performance, sterile atmosphere, biting cold and long drive home. 

All credit to the club for the ticketing arrangements and, especially to Mick Everitt, for the excellent management of the Covid secure arrangements.

clb74

I get it that most of us want to go back to watching the football and the club want fans back.
But with things as they are, how many are benefiting from going.

Bedsaddick

orpingtonRED said:

My mate said he wasn't asked to show any ID. Did anybody get asked last night?

They weren’t checking ID going into the east stand . 

killerandflash

orpingtonRED said:

My mate said he wasn't asked to show any ID. Did anybody get asked last night?

I wasn't

My bag was searched but no ID check

cafctom

Those saying “I’d say the same even if we had won” - I find it hard to believe that would be the case across the board.

Its amazing the difference a good pitch display and win can do. The worst thing about last night was the performance - not the cold, nor the waiting, nor the atmosphere.

Belv

Apart from the performance, my experience last night whilst not perfect wasn't awful.

I got there dead on 6.45 but bumped into a couple of people I know and ended up chatting for about 15 minutes or so outside so didn't go through the turnstiles until 7ish with no issues or telling offs, by the time I'd gone to the loo and got in my seat it was 7.10 so not too bad. There were people around me singing, shouting, clapping etc, there were no issues getting to the toilet or anything like that during the game.

Was it perfect? no, of course not but I can guarantee that the majority of people moaning about the experience would be saying differently if the team had played well and won.

Having to sit on your own is bit of a bummer but ultimately, the only thing that made last night a miserable experience for me was Bowyer and the team.

A Saturday game will be much better, pub lunch and few pints beforehand will help.

se9addick

cafctom said:

Those saying “I’d say the same even if we had won” - I find it hard to believe that would be the case across the board.

Its amazing the difference a good pitch display and win can do. The worst thing about last night was the performance - not the cold, nor the waiting, nor the atmosphere.

Agree.

Incredibly Charlton found a way to make the impact of a global pandemic worse.

orpingtonRED

Bedsaddick said:

orpingtonRED said:

My mate said he wasn't asked to show any ID. Did anybody get asked last night?

They weren’t checking ID going into the east stand . 

So if my mate wins in the next ballot and cant go, he can give his ticket to me for the next game or not possible? 

Jon_CAFC_

orpingtonRED said:

My mate said he wasn't asked to show any ID. Did anybody get asked last night?

Nope 👎 

clive

The ID is probably intended for 'track & trace' purposes, for instance if there was a covid case reported after last nights match, the people who attended are meant to be informed, the club probably are meant to carry out checks as part of agreement in opening the stadium to fans.

HRBryan

Apart from the game I really 'enjoyed' the experience of getting back to doing something that I love- the ritual of getting ready for a Charlton game, the anticipation of the game, the travelling, meeting up at London Bridge with others and heading down Floyd Road -there is nothing like it! OK it is very artificial but I thought the club did a brillant job - no queue to get in, really easy to use the toilets (a masterstroke in the Lower West to build the cubicles to speed up things!) and I felt very safe in the seats.

Where Lee Bowyer has it wrong is that he is carping on when the team did not register a single shot on target for 70 minutes -and this is a 3rd placed side at home to a 5th from bottom outfit! The people I really felt sorry for was the hardworking staff who played a blinder in getting us to go to the match -and the return from the players was a really poor performance which inspired no-one.

I returned home at 0040 this am (a 6 hour round trip is my 'normal') but I did still feel good about the experience and will go to the Wimbledon game if I can get a ticket as it is another step back to what I used to do...

J BLOCK

Bowyer is playing a dangerous game with these comments.

That being said, I've heard there was a fair bit of negative shouting, which is pathetic. With everything that has happened this past 3 months and where we are as club and team now is a miracle. Performance wasn't good but the negativity is too much. 

chilham

Bedsaddick said:

orpingtonRED said:

My mate said he wasn't asked to show any ID. Did anybody get asked last night?

They weren’t checking ID going into the east stand . 

The process last night was somewhat smoother than the Doncaster game, for which ID was NOT a requirement but the stewarding was stricter. Ready access to the stadium soon after 6pm, comfortable compliant stroll to the turnstile, temperature check on wrist rather than forehead as previously, to the kiosk to collect the free hot chocolate, then to the seat, back of lower west away from the 'elements' for the long wait. Interesting watching the ground 'fill' with people, also interesting that 99% were wearing dark clothing....setting the scene for the mood of what was to follow!
Not an overall pleasing experience, given the performance and, to quote Richard Cawley - 'the return of Akin Famewo being the only positive', but would I do it again?   Yes!!

killerandflash

Belv said:

Apart from the performance, my experience last night whilst not perfect wasn't awful.

I got there dead on 6.45 but bumped into a couple of people I know and ended up chatting for about 15 minutes or so outside so didn't go through the turnstiles until 7ish with no issues or telling offs, by the time I'd gone to the loo and got in my seat it was 7.10 so not too bad. There were people around me singing, shouting, clapping etc, there were no issues getting to the toilet or anything like that during the game.

Was it perfect? no, of course not but I can guarantee that the majority of people moaning about the experience would be saying differently if the team had played well and won.

Having to sit on your own is bit of a bummer but ultimately, the only thing that made last night a miserable experience for me was Bowyer and the team.

A Saturday game will be much better, pub lunch and few pints beforehand will help.

Many of us were in the ground an hour earlier than you though

Belv

killerandflash said:

Belv said:

Apart from the performance, my experience last night whilst not perfect wasn't awful.

I got there dead on 6.45 but bumped into a couple of people I know and ended up chatting for about 15 minutes or so outside so didn't go through the turnstiles until 7ish with no issues or telling offs, by the time I'd gone to the loo and got in my seat it was 7.10 so not too bad. There were people around me singing, shouting, clapping etc, there were no issues getting to the toilet or anything like that during the game.

Was it perfect? no, of course not but I can guarantee that the majority of people moaning about the experience would be saying differently if the team had played well and won.

Having to sit on your own is bit of a bummer but ultimately, the only thing that made last night a miserable experience for me was Bowyer and the team.

A Saturday game will be much better, pub lunch and few pints beforehand will help.

Many of us were in the ground an hour earlier than you though

I know, but I can only comment on my own experience but what I learned from last night is that stewards weren't in the least bit interested in what time you arrived. If I'm to go again and get the earlier entry time, I imagine I will just ignore that and turn up no later than an hour before KO. There wasn't even any queue at the North Lower turnstiles, straight in.

WishIdStayedinthePub

I didn't go last night but I have rarely watched Charlton stone cold sober (since I was 18, m'lud).  

I remember both times that I didn't enjoy the experience.  Like walking into a nightclub that's empty with all the lights on.

stevexreeve

Not much fun at all but still glad I went.

Once the game kicked off, I noticed how different it was to see real people and an actual ball rather than a few dots pinging around a screen like a computer game.

People have moods and struggle with their bodies sometimes. The ball is hard enough to make a noise whenever it hits a player's leg.

Overall I think getting people out in the open air for an evening is likely to reduce spread of Covid. But making everyone hang around for over an hour before probably increased it. Bit of an own goal there.

No idea why the team played so badly - everybody except Amos and Chucks was way off their game.  

se9addick

Bowyer’s comments are bang out of order to be honest. 

guinnessaddick

A road that LB shouldn't be going down.

AFKABartram

Another atmosphere impact is using the West Lower and North Lower there is no roof / echo impact in play like there normally is from the North Upper and the Quads. 

meldrew66

SamE7 said:

I have to say I'm very disappointed with Bowyer's comments. As mentioned on here, we're lucky Ben Amos turned up otherwise it could have been 5.0. The performance was shocking from start to finish, then again I thought MK played really well. I feel lucky to have gone of course, but overall not a great experience

The worrying thing for us is how we seem to make the 'lesser' (lower) teams look like Brazil. He's right to be puzzled by the ridiculous variation in performance from game to game but, ultimately, he has to resolve this if we are even to make the top 6. It's silly for anyone to quote our poor recent record against MKD as I see that as completely irrelevant this year and, especially, when we would have had more than DOUBLE their points total had we won last night.

SX_Addick

Snarl up on the Dartford crossing meant it was a nightmare journey from Essex to The Valley. Arrived 15 minutes after my designated time, but didn’t get penalised in any way. The only check before the East stand turnstiles was a temperature check. 

Inside the stewards were most upset that I stepped outside the white lines guiding me from the turnstiles to the stand, even though someone had stopped in my lane and I was walking round them. 

On entering the toilet I was told to sanitise first. Seemed a bit bizarre considering where I was going. Soap dispensers were full, cold water taps worked and the hand drier was making a noise. Decided not to join the queue for the drier so waved my hands dry - much quicker. 

Kiosk Cledwyn was serving hot chocolate. Most welcome, and not watery as I was expecting. Provided a good excuse for removing the mask too. 

Others have commented on the atmosphere, but I thought there were some attempts early on to generate some noise. Unfortunately I think the performance on the pitch killed it. 

Being kept behind after the game seemed a bit cruel, but I think most people were good natured and patient. With such a small crowd the traffic was light and easy to get away. The journey home was much better. 

I’m sure it’ll be a much better experience on a Saturday. Especially if we can get a win. 

BR7_addick

It was how I expected it all to go to be honest. There was never going to be an atmosphere was there, I found it odd that if wanna have a chat with the person you went with you have to talk loud and everyone else around can hear as they’re three seats away.

Way I see, I’d rather do that again than watch it on the tele, cos another night we might of won and it wouldn’t seem so dull.

AFKABartram

Agreed @BR7_addick

i wanted to keep talking to my son to keep him engaged as it was a long cold evening plus we weren’t not exactly pulling up trees, but it also meant i sharing every conversation with the row in front and behind

seth plum

orpingtonRED said:

My mate said he wasn't asked to show any ID. Did anybody get asked last night?

I was asked.

killerandflash

The hand sanitiser outside the East stand bogs was fine, but the stuff by the exit door inside them was appalling stuff which they must have bought from Trotters Independent Trading!

5 minutes later your hands were still wet, there's more alcohol in a pint of Tesco economy lager

JohnnyH2

AFKABartram said:

Agreed @BR7_addick

i wanted to keep talking to my son to keep him engaged as it was a long cold evening plus we weren’t not exactly pulling up trees, but it also meant i sharing every conversation with the row in front and behind

I was in the same block as you and what I did when booking my tickets for me and my 2 boys was I booked the 3 tickets in separate rows so talking between us felt more natural as we are effectively closer to each other than if we were in the same row

Ferryman

SouthWest_Addicks said:

DamoNorthStand said:

SouthWest_Addicks said:

Bowyer was right atmosphere was shit. 

Fans were right. Players embarrassed themselves.

Masks on. Having to stay in seats. What does he expect, a bloody conga round the west lower?

What’s the alternative Bowyer says he happy with the 2020 version of football. AFC Wimbledon I want all two thousand to sit their and sit in silent. Bowyer gets my support tonight.

Understand both sides of the argument. My atmosphere expectations before the game were based on Windsor Park for NI vs Slovakia, with just 1060 in there the atmosphere was electric, and it was also a game that went against them.

Granted last night wasn't a Euro Championship's play-off but there was almost double the attendance and we've been doing well, Thomas etc.

I don't honestly think that MK could have played any better, and that's the biggest factor towards the result.

seth plum

One thing I want to comment on is that despite the football from us being terrible, it was great to be able to watch live play rather than what a TV camera forces on you.
And no unreliable commentary to depend on.
I like to structure my own perspective by being at a live game.

SE7toSG3

Having slept on it, the atmosphere was as flat as the performance, but to be back under the floodlights and watch football live was still an improvement on following on a stream. 

I got to meet 5 different lifers and catch up which was great, the staff were friendly and helpful, even when an idiot like me finds themself in the wrong stand! 

I think the suggestion of somehow getting the drummer in, or encouraging people that want to generate an atmosphere to apply for Covered End tickets would be helpful. 

From my seat in the front rows of the East Stand, to try and berate a lino or shout encouragement felt awkward (it didn't stop me), but I think some lessons can be learnt and I would go back for more if offered a ticket.