Similar to Chris Parkes, never had any conversation or dealings with him and in the grand scheme of things only about 1% of football supporters would have any interest at all in who their clubs safety officer (or club secretary) is.
However, the fact Mick is so well known and seems to be very much respected by those who know him is obviously testament to him. Suspect behind the scenes at the club is going to lose a lot of knowledge, experience and gut sense of a fellow fan.
Good luck for the future.
Just to be clear, Mick hasn't been "safety officer" for 25 years. He was initially employed in a completely different capacity, working with fans, and has had a number of roles, but in any event he is a problem solver which is why he has been so valuable to the club.
I might be being whooshed, but that’s his role title??
Similar to Chris Parkes, never had any conversation or dealings with him and in the grand scheme of things only about 1% of football supporters would have any interest at all in who their clubs safety officer (or club secretary) is.
However, the fact Mick is so well known and seems to be very much respected by those who know him is obviously testament to him. Suspect behind the scenes at the club is going to lose a lot of knowledge, experience and gut sense of a fellow fan.
Good luck for the future.
Just to be clear, Mick hasn't been "safety officer" for 25 years. He was initially employed in a completely different capacity, working with fans, and has had a number of roles, but in any event he is a problem solver which is why he has been so valuable to the club.
I might be being whooshed, but that’s his role title??
I think he means that he hasn’t been safety officer for all those 25 years - originally he did a different role
Similar to Chris Parkes, never had any conversation or dealings with him and in the grand scheme of things only about 1% of football supporters would have any interest at all in who their clubs safety officer (or club secretary) is.
However, the fact Mick is so well known and seems to be very much respected by those who know him is obviously testament to him. Suspect behind the scenes at the club is going to lose a lot of knowledge, experience and gut sense of a fellow fan.
Good luck for the future.
Just to be clear, Mick hasn't been "safety officer" for 25 years. He was initially employed in a completely different capacity, working with fans, and has had a number of roles, but in any event he is a problem solver which is why he has been so valuable to the club.
I might be being whooshed, but that’s his role title??
I think he means that he hasn’t been safety officer for all those 25 years - originally he did a different role
Ah, ok. Just that that wasn’t relevant to my post that he quoted. Cheers
Similar to Chris Parkes, never had any conversation or dealings with him and in the grand scheme of things only about 1% of football supporters would have any interest at all in who their clubs safety officer (or club secretary) is.
However, the fact Mick is so well known and seems to be very much respected by those who know him is obviously testament to him. Suspect behind the scenes at the club is going to lose a lot of knowledge, experience and gut sense of a fellow fan.
Good luck for the future.
Just to be clear, Mick hasn't been "safety officer" for 25 years. He was initially employed in a completely different capacity, working with fans, and has had a number of roles, but in any event he is a problem solver which is why he has been so valuable to the club. I’m proud to call him my son.
Similar to Chris Parkes, never had any conversation or dealings with him and in the grand scheme of things only about 1% of football supporters would have any interest at all in who their clubs safety officer (or club secretary) is.
However, the fact Mick is so well known and seems to be very much respected by those who know him is obviously testament to him. Suspect behind the scenes at the club is going to lose a lot of knowledge, experience and gut sense of a fellow fan.
Good luck for the future.
Just to be clear, Mick hasn't been "safety officer" for 25 years. He was initially employed in a completely different capacity, working with fans, and has had a number of roles, but in any event he is a problem solver which is why he has been so valuable to the club.
I might be being whooshed, but that’s his role title??
I think he means that he hasn’t been safety officer for all those 25 years - originally he did a different role
Ah, ok. Just that that wasn’t relevant to my post that he quoted. Cheers
The relevance is that you commented that it was unusual for someone in the role of safety officer to be well known to fans, or words to that effect. My point was that he had several other roles, no to mention setting up and running a supporters' club branch before that, which rather offsets your argument. He isn't know exclusively for his final role of safety officer.
I understand that you read it to mean it was 25 years since he had been safety officer.
Similar to Chris Parkes, never had any conversation or dealings with him and in the grand scheme of things only about 1% of football supporters would have any interest at all in who their clubs safety officer (or club secretary) is.
However, the fact Mick is so well known and seems to be very much respected by those who know him is obviously testament to him. Suspect behind the scenes at the club is going to lose a lot of knowledge, experience and gut sense of a fellow fan.
Good luck for the future.
Just to be clear, Mick hasn't been "safety officer" for 25 years. He was initially employed in a completely different capacity, working with fans, and has had a number of roles, but in any event he is a problem solver which is why he has been so valuable to the club.
I might be being whooshed, but that’s his role title??
I think he means that he hasn’t been safety officer for all those 25 years - originally he did a different role
Ah, ok. Just that that wasn’t relevant to my post that he quoted. Cheers
The relevance is that you commented that it was unusual for someone in the role of safety officer to be well known to fans, or words to that effect. My point was that he had several other roles, no to mention setting up and running a supporters' club branch before that, which rather offsets your argument. He isn't know exclusively for his final role of safety officer.
I understand that you read it to mean it was 25 years since he had been safety officer.
No I didn’t, but don’t worry.
My general point was that most football fans don’t have any interest in who their clubs safety officer, secretary, finance officer, development manager, operations manager etc is. Non football related roles in general.
My point was it was testament to him that he appears so well known and respected. Peoples posts on here clearly demonstrate that.
When I made a complaint to the Club after the 'Blindgate affair' during the protests in the Duchatelet/Meire era, Mick was the one who sorted it all out for me, for which I was very grateful.
Good luck Mick, I hope you have a long and happy retirement.
One time my path crossed Mick's. Well into the protest years, ROT was started with posters & pictures at the valley main office entrance. Mick came out, he had to go through the motions of being 'security' but it was quickly apparent he was on our side. Top man. Enjoy your well earned retirement Mick.
The only time I met him was on a non match day protest at the valley. He came out and told us that he had been instructed to move us out of the ground. He made it very clear, through coded language, where his sympathies lay and suggested that as long as we were heading vaguely towards the exit, we might want to take our time about it.
First met Mick when he helped with the start up of the Maidstone Branch in the mid 90s. Was a great help to us on the original branch committee and he continued to be a source of advice whenever we needed it. I remember him leaving Medway Branch to join the employ of the club and remember being really disapointed that the supporters club branches had lost their leading light. Lost touch with him over the years but will wish him all the best in his retirement
25 years working at the valley would make for a great read in all the Jobs Mick undertook at the club. The good the bad and the ugly scenarios he encountered.
JJ said to me six years ago at Sparrows lane (Slade had just been made manager) that he would write a book on his experiences at Cafc when he leaves. As Johnnie spent 12 years he could reveal a lot but if he takes over at Wimbledon he won't have the time to write the story of the last decade so the Path is clear for Mick to have a best seller in the Charlton Fan base over the last quarter century.
Very friendly bloke is Mick, always happy to stop and have a chat with whoever wants to engage, especially if it’s with reference to the Addicks. No side to him either, what you see is what you get…..says it like it is. We’ve just lost two of the stalwarts that were permanent fixtures in every sense of the word….Mick E & Chris P, gonna be strange not having them around the place. They we’re like an old pair of your most comfortable favourite slippers that you can’t perceive you’d ever bring yourself to get rid of. 🫤
I only met Mick once in person. For some reason I was invited to join some kind of PR tour of the Valley in the RD regime. @Henry Irving should remember what it was, he was a bit starstruck introducing Katrien to us Anyway it was just a few weeks into the Bob Peeters regime, and I asked Mick about him in a fairly positive way, in front of the others on the tour. Mick just slightly hesitated, before answering diplomatically. That hesitation spoke volumes. And it was deadly accurate.
Since then he has quietly assisted various stroppy fan campaigns and investigations of the ESI villains. Right up to this month.
I only met Mick once in person. For some reason I was invited to join some kind of PR tour of the Valley in the RD regime. @Henry Irving should remember what it was, he was a bit starstruck introducing Katrien to us Anyway it was just a few weeks into the Bob Peeters regime, and I asked Mick about him in a fairly positive way, in front of the others on the tour. Mick just slightly hesitated, before answering diplomatically. That hesitation spoke volumes. And it was deadly accurate.
Since then he has quietly assisted various stroppy fan campaigns and investigations of the ESI villains. Right up to this month.
Top, top Charlton man.
Actually @PragueAddick you and others offered to help in the museum and in return Mick and I showed you and the others the boardroom etc
While we were in Bartrams KM came down to get some food and Mick and I persuaded her, she wasn't keen, to say hello
Never met him. Not sure why someone who only did his job properly is given so much respect.
The first part of your comment is why you have written the 2nd part.
I've known Mick a long time and he did loads in building up the supporters club in Kent before being employed by the club. He's then worked his bollocks off for 25 years in various roles, at times having to deal with some of the worst people to ever be involved with our club. Perhaps that's why he has so much respect.
Comments
I understand that you read it to mean it was 25 years since he had been safety officer.
Good luck Mick, I hope you have a long and happy retirement.
Well into the protest years, ROT was started with posters & pictures at the valley main office entrance.
Mick came out, he had to go through the motions of being 'security' but it was quickly apparent he was on our side.
Top man. Enjoy your well earned retirement Mick.
(I should add that I never met him or had any interaction with him).
Happy retirement to a good bloke!
A true gent.
JJ said to me six years ago at Sparrows lane (Slade had just been made manager) that he would write a book on his experiences at Cafc when he leaves. As Johnnie spent 12 years he could reveal a lot but if he takes over at Wimbledon he won't have the time to write the story of the last decade so the Path is clear for Mick to have a best seller in the Charlton Fan base over the last quarter century.
No side to him either, what you see is what you get…..says it like it is.
We’ve just lost two of the stalwarts that were permanent fixtures in every sense of the word….Mick E & Chris P, gonna be strange not having them around the place.
They we’re like an old pair of your most comfortable favourite slippers that you can’t perceive you’d ever bring yourself to get rid of. 🫤
While we were in Bartrams KM came down to get some food and Mick and I persuaded her, she wasn't keen, to say hello
Mick was someone who put his career on the line to oust Southall
I've known Mick a long time and he did loads in building up the supporters club in Kent before being employed by the club. He's then worked his bollocks off for 25 years in various roles, at times having to deal with some of the worst people to ever be involved with our club. Perhaps that's why he has so much respect.