I thought it was very well organised tbf. Friendly and helpful stewards in the East, having a bit of a laugh over the craziness of it all. Free hot chocolate or water if you wanted one, sensible distancing in the seats, easy to use the facilities at half time and a well thought out and controlled exit. Shame the football was absolute gash! Decent atmosphere too, until it became obvious we were having a mare! Just great to back at The Valley tbh. Thought the TS video was a bit cringe, but funny. "There's nowhere id rather be tonight than the valley guys, but unfortunately I'm stuck here in my mansion in Los Angeles" or words to that effect lol. See you soon though Tommy...
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.
We were total rubbish and lacked any imagination for huge swathes of the game. They ran through us at will. Of course there's going to be negative shouting - that is what happens at football. I'm far from a constant moaner, and certainly not one for berating everyone on the pitch at all times, but... it really was dire last night. Whatever you saw on iFollow it was fivefold worse in person.
"Ooh, Alex Gilbey has been caught in possession after not reacting to everyone's cries of 'MAN ON!' for the third time this half, but let me take a moment's pause to reflect on Thomas Sandgaard saving our club, the fact I still have my health during these incredibly difficult times, and the very fact I'm in the stadium at all."
Not really how the mind works. Football always has been and always will be a form of escapism. If someone's shouting at a shit bit of football that's because they're focused on the game.
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.
We were total rubbish and lacked any imagination for huge swathes of the game. They ran through us at will. Of course there's going to be negative shouting - that is what happens at football. I'm far from a constant moaner, and certainly not one for berating everyone on the pitch at all times, but... it really was dire last night. Whatever you saw on iFollow it was fivefold worse in person.
"Ooh, Alex Gilbey has been caught in possession after not reacting to everyone's cries of 'MAN ON!' for the third time this half, but let me take a moment's pause to reflect on Thomas Sandgaard saving our club, the fact I still have my health during these incredibly difficult times, and the very fact I'm in the stadium at all."
Not really how the mind works. Football always has been and always will be a form of escapism. If someone's shouting at a shit bit of football that's because they're focused on the game.
I'm not talking about people shouting 'man on'. I'm talking about those who constantly moaned and shouted at the players for every mistake. This isn't taking away from the fact we were pony.
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.
Playing a “dangerous game”..........talk about OTT!🤨
I have to agree with @SoundAsa£. Yes Bowyer should have held back criticising the fans, but it isn't a hanging offence, more a sit on the naughty step for a while with a request not to do it again. The fans weren't awful, and a better display would have cooked up a better atmosphere, but yes the atmosphere was indeed flat. Chicken and egg. If there was anything important being said on the East Stand tannoy nobody heard a thing.
I wouldn't know. However the live experience gives you, for example, the chance of seeing passing opportunities a camera following the ball can't give you.
Two home games coming up in a week soon, I’ll think we will get a true reflection of enthusiasm to return for the evening match against Bristol.
Don’t forget only 2,000 went. There’s still a core of 8-10k yet to try the experience, most of whom will go once I would think.
Exactly, all the games will sell out, because out of a minimum 10,000, you will always get 20% wanting to go. I also agree with Rocks Spectacle, that pretty much nearly anything is better than being stuck inside after 8 months.
'Football is a means of socialising' - Stavros Demetriades, Charlton fan
Charlton 0-1 MK Dons, League One
The thought of a football night out finally and seeing some old school mates again as well as some other familiar faces (socially distanced, of course) was appealing and exciting after so long away.
Football is important as a means of socialising and it's also a form of escapism as it helps you focus for a couple of hours on things other than everyday life issues.
It felt like home-from-home and, although a little surreal with only 2,000 people in attendance, it was wonderful to be back after so long away.
The atmosphere at kick off was good and noisy considering the attendance, but it felt somewhat surreal being able to hear the players as well as both managers having heated discussions with the fourth official during the game.
Apart from the disappointing result, it was really enjoyable and the event was extremely well managed by all at Charlton Athletic - from an email in the morning outlining the protocol to managing the staggered exit of all the fans at the end. Here's to the next match at The Valley.
I have to agree with the majority of the comments. It was a wretched evening from start to finish. Especially if you wear glasses that were constantly and I mean constantly misted up. I couldn't see very well and I couldn't breathe very well, as I was trying to breathe shallowly to stop the misting up.
30 mins in the supermarket is not pleasant, but 4 hours sitting in the freezing cold, with a mask on socially distanced from everyone, with some not wearing masks correctly, whilst you are doing the right thing & paying the price is hellish.
Try singing with a mask on. Do me a favour, you can get out a line or two before you start swallowing the mask.
To cap it all I tried to leave the Cupboard End a couple of minutes before the end (no one else was leaving so it wouldn't have been an issue re distancing) and was refused. Ok rules are rules. We then had to sit there with no one being allowed to exit, until every last person had left not our stand but the East Stand, which is well OTT. I presume some of the East Stand were half way home, when we were allowed to exit a deserted stadium, into deserted streets.
I'll probably feel happier tomorrow, but right now I'm praying I'm not successful in most of the ballots. Let's hope Kent make Tier 2 quickly.
The club did everything correctly, sticking to the rules, so a very well done to them, but It was a thoroughly unpleasant experience, especially if you wear glasses.
Leave the glasses at home next time - won’t get misted up and won’t be able to see the pitch. Win win.
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.
I saw you doing a TV interview outside the North Stand so didn't stop to say hello.
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.
Playing a “dangerous game”..........talk about OTT!🤨
Criticising your own fans is always a dangerous game
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.
Possibly part of my "worse experience", was that I'd already been sitting in a seat frozen, bored stiff and losing the will to live for over an hour before you got in. I think if I'd entered at 7.15 it would have been a whole lot better. (Just saying, not complaining or having a pop at anyone. It is what it is).
Also, MK Dons...superb performance unfortunately for us
Quicker , sharper, more dynamic , well versed in how to stop tedious one pace Charlton (but who isn't apart from Ipswich). There was nothing to cheer. It would have been similar with 8,000 fans.
Portsmouth, Crewe, Fleetwood, Sunderland, Gillingham, Blackpool, Northampton, Oxford and Ipswich, to be precise
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.
Yes, the bloke who was closer in the row behind, could hear far better than my son 3 seats down. I contemplated just speaking to the bloke behind instead :-)
Perhaps bowyer should get his tactics right instead of criticising the fans perhaps the drummers would have added to the atmosphere still it was good to be back after 9 long months
Firstly Jones never says anything about the reception he received he just said "imagine if 10,000 people were there to witness that performance", but there wasnt was there it was only 2,000
Then it goes on to say Bowyer did recieve the raucous reception that Jones experienced, however, well firstly Jones didnt say what kind of reception he got and secondly the fans were not negative about Bowyer last night, and that comes accross as if the fans were against Bowyer.
Perhaps bowyer should get his tactics right instead of criticising the fans perhaps the drummers would have added to the atmosphere still it was good to be back after 9 long months
Someone asked about him on Twitter and he confirmed he is Tier 3
Firstly Jones never says anything about the reception he received he just said "imagine if 10,000 people were there to witness that performance", but there wasnt was there it was only 2,000
Then it goes on to say Bowyer did recieve the raucous reception that Jones experienced, however, well firstly Jones didnt say what kind of reception he got and secondly the fans were not negative about Bowyer last night, and that comes accross as if the fans were against Bowyer.
Also helps when your team wins 3-1 against the League leaders and were in the Premier League last year...
I thought the atmosphere was pretty good at the start, and for the first 10 minutes - about as good as it could have been with 2,000 fans spread around 3 stands in a 27k stadium. It faded after that as supporters gradually came to terms with the fact that Charlton wouldn't be turning up in a football sense.
Didn't agree with Bowyer's comments, but perhaps he was trying to deflect some blame and attention away from the players. Also, he might have been suffering from a bad case of "the bloke behind me" syndrome - with such a sparse crowd, it only takes a couple of people in the West Stand to be loud and critical and that becomes the dominant part of the atmosphere.
I was pleased to be back and looking forward to it for the first few minutes that I was in the ground. The performance was pretty dire, and after half an hour I was longing to be back on the sofa with ifollow on the telly and Sky Sports News on the laptop. Sure I'd have felt very different if we put on a decent show though.
Anyone thought to mention that Bowyer is probably as pissed off as we are at that performance last night? It doesn’t make what he said right but it certainly explains it, he’s an emotional character who says what’s on his mind, I don’t want that to change.
Happy to take his comment on the chin, not a dangerous game for me, we all say things that are unjust in the moment.
I arrived 6pm as per my arrival team and very quickly entered the ground with pretty much no queue to join. Thought it was all well organized if I'm honest and as would be expected one or two people not wearing masks during the game despite the club making it very clear on the scoreboard and from stewards checking during the game.
Like many others have said it was impossible to create an atmosphere without the face covering causing issues getting in the mouth or causing the glasses to steam up.
That along with the conditions and poor performance don't make it one to remember but as I posted earlier in the thread last week I only left the house for 3.5 hours due to working from home. Last night I was out the house for 5 hours or so which felt like despite the poor performance and result some normality had returned and I'd do it again for the rest of the season if I can.
Heard a rumour that it not just the fans & Bowyer feedback was worried about the experience last night, but the club are extremely concerned. Overall mood is that no one really enjoyed the football experience and might not get people going back to football. Slow take up of the tickets was mentioned. No one from the club will admit this publicly but feedback was terrible. Restrictions will put people off from returning.
Anyone with 250 loyalty people was eligible for a ticket yesterday. An easy metric to measure is to see what loyalty points will be good enough for Wimbledon & Bristol Rovers. If that number continues you drop then uptake on tickets is dropping.
Perhaps bowyer should get his tactics right instead of criticising the fans perhaps the drummers would have added to the atmosphere still it was good to be back after 9 long months
Someone asked about him on Twitter and he confirmed he is Tier 3
That means he was free to ram up in Primark, Bluewater. Oh the irony.
Dont think he can stand in Primark banging his drum though
One thing I’d definitely do next time is wear contact lenses. Hate wearing them but it’s impossible to participate in the evening when you can’t see through your glasses. Ended up not wearing my mask properly as it was either that or go home.
Comments
"Ooh, Alex Gilbey has been caught in possession after not reacting to everyone's cries of 'MAN ON!' for the third time this half, but let me take a moment's pause to reflect on Thomas Sandgaard saving our club, the fact I still have my health during these incredibly difficult times, and the very fact I'm in the stadium at all."
Not really how the mind works. Football always has been and always will be a form of escapism. If someone's shouting at a shit bit of football that's because they're focused on the game.
This isn't taking away from the fact we were pony.
Yes Bowyer should have held back criticising the fans, but it isn't a hanging offence, more a sit on the naughty step for a while with a request not to do it again.
The fans weren't awful, and a better display would have cooked up a better atmosphere, but yes the atmosphere was indeed flat.
Chicken and egg.
If there was anything important being said on the East Stand tannoy nobody heard a thing.
I also agree with Rocks Spectacle, that pretty much nearly anything is better than being stuck inside after 8 months.
'Football is a means of socialising' - Stavros Demetriades, Charlton fan
Charlton 0-1 MK Dons, League One
The thought of a football night out finally and seeing some old school mates again as well as some other familiar faces (socially distanced, of course) was appealing and exciting after so long away.
Football is important as a means of socialising and it's also a form of escapism as it helps you focus for a couple of hours on things other than everyday life issues.
It felt like home-from-home and, although a little surreal with only 2,000 people in attendance, it was wonderful to be back after so long away.
The atmosphere at kick off was good and noisy considering the attendance, but it felt somewhat surreal being able to hear the players as well as both managers having heated discussions with the fourth official during the game.
Apart from the disappointing result, it was really enjoyable and the event was extremely well managed by all at Charlton Athletic - from an email in the morning outlining the protocol to managing the staggered exit of all the fans at the end. Here's to the next match at The Valley.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55169688
Any idea where it was being showed?
I think if I'd entered at 7.15 it would have been a whole lot better.
(Just saying, not complaining or having a pop at anyone. It is what it is).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55173560
I contemplated just speaking to the bloke behind instead :-)
Firstly Jones never says anything about the reception he received he just said "imagine if 10,000 people were there to witness that performance", but there wasnt was there it was only 2,000
Then it goes on to say Bowyer did recieve the raucous reception that Jones experienced, however, well firstly Jones didnt say what kind of reception he got and secondly the fans were not negative about Bowyer last night, and that comes accross as if the fans were against Bowyer.
Didn't agree with Bowyer's comments, but perhaps he was trying to deflect some blame and attention away from the players. Also, he might have been suffering from a bad case of "the bloke behind me" syndrome - with such a sparse crowd, it only takes a couple of people in the West Stand to be loud and critical and that becomes the dominant part of the atmosphere.
I was pleased to be back and looking forward to it for the first few minutes that I was in the ground. The performance was pretty dire, and after half an hour I was longing to be back on the sofa with ifollow on the telly and Sky Sports News on the laptop. Sure I'd have felt very different if we put on a decent show though.
Like many others have said it was impossible to create an atmosphere without the face covering causing issues getting in the mouth or causing the glasses to steam up.
That along with the conditions and poor performance don't make it one to remember but as I posted earlier in the thread last week I only left the house for 3.5 hours due to working from home. Last night I was out the house for 5 hours or so which felt like despite the poor performance and result some normality had returned and I'd do it again for the rest of the season if I can.
Anyone with 250 loyalty people was eligible for a ticket yesterday. An easy metric to measure is to see what loyalty points will be good enough for Wimbledon & Bristol Rovers. If that number continues you drop then uptake on tickets is dropping.