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The Takeover Thread - Duchatelet Finally Sells (Jan 2020)
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FFS. Why can't other people use THEIR skills and influence? If you want to go out to Belgium, come up with an idea, contact some people who could help (I may know one or two) and go for it! It could be the straw that broke the camel's back!Neil Heaney said:
I thought a promotion party in St Truiden on his doorstep would have been great. Celebrate the efforts of the squad and management while keeping up the message that we want him out asap.
Now I'd be up for going out to Belgium again in any capacity to be honest.
But as I said before, totally accept that you can't just rely on other people to make protests for you. I'm thankful for what people with more bloody-mindedness and gumption than me have done up to now (Belgium in 2017 was a great to be part of), and just wish they'd use their skills and influence to bring a repeat.
CARD carried out most of their protests at the Valley, bar the taxi one and a joint effort for the Unity march. As great as both of those were, it has only been the B20, ROT and more recently, the person/people doing the graffiti, who have been out to St Truiden on multiple occasions since then to engage with Duchatelet or protest against him, but with little or no backing from the rest of the fanbase ( bar a few notable exceptions).
The B20 riled him on several occasions in front of his friends and family, inducing some outbursts here and in the Belgian press, but as time went on, fewer and fewer were going out there, making a viable protest more difficult.
ROT set up a political party to contest local elections in St Truiden, that with enough support and a bit more luck, would have caused huge embarrassment to Duchatelet. Despite having over a hundred members, enthusiasm for taking RD to task in Belgium was lacking, as was support from other protesters, mostly because the sale was apparently imminent. As it was, on the two occasions ROT visited St Truiden, making a visible protest and trying to leaflet the whole electoral area in one weekend with only a handful of people there was never going to make the required impression. Add to that a lily livered response from our STVV counterparts and two prospective candidates pulling out of standing in the election, possibly influenced by Duchatelet's power in the town and the writing was on the wall.
Talking of which, we now we have someone going round causing criminal damage to Duchatelet's property, risking a criminal record in an effort to persuade him to sell. Will it work? Who knows, but it is a whole lot better than sitting at home suggesting other people give up their time, energy and money to protest, when a concerted effort over the last two and a half years could well have made all the difference.
And that is the crux of the matter. You will have to give up time (I've taken loads of leave at work and missed weekends with my kids. Lucky I now get on with my ex). Energy? Try walking briskly around half of the St Truiden area in 30 degree heat delivering leaflets for hours. Money? I won't say how much, but I'm now pretty much up to the limit on my credit cards and overdraft.
Was it all worth it? Absolutely! I've made some great friends through all of this and have some wonderful memories. Some are common knowledge (Unity, 70th birthday). Others may be divulged once this is all over. There are even some that haven't happened yet
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But Roland couldn't give a monkey's which division we are in. Why would he sack Bowyer when he would face a claim for compensation?carly burn said:Henry Irving said:No way does it "suit" Bowyer. He's waiting on a takeover.
And Duchatelet won't sack Bowyer, that would cost money.
Any relegation battle will be the fans fault, the 8 or 9 interested parties who couldn't agree a deal fault, the EFLs fault.
If you ask him he'd say exactly the kind of things he said last season about it being out of his control and he's here to work with what he's got. If he's sitting around twiddling his thumbs for a takeover he'll have a long bloody wait.
I guarantee that if we're bottom after 10 games Bowyer will be gone.
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Thanks for giving Harry a mention. I was privileged to meet him in his nursing home a year before he died. We sat in his room, drank tea and talked about the war. I'd first seen him in the BBC documentary 'The Last Tommy' and was struck by his desire to finally lay some ghosts to rest at the age of 106 when he returned to Belgium and the place where he survived a German missile attack which killed his friends. He met 107-year-old German veteran, Charles Kuentz, and shook hands with him and exchanged presents, despite the fact that Charles had been stationed in the area from which the fatal shell was fired.happyvalley said:1898, Harry Patch born. He became the oldest survivor that fought in the First World War, he lived to the age of 109.
On entering a Belgian shop to buy chocolates for his lady friend at the nursing home, Harry's carer asked whether his lady friend had a sweet tooth. Harry, quick as a flash, responded with, 'I don't think she has any.'31 -
Well I gave up reading most of the comments on this thread some time ago because of the utter shit that is spoken, so you will just have to forgive me for not having read all 1898 pages. Knob.cafc-west said:
Wow that’s a thought - I’m surprised that nobody has posted that before...😱Off_it said:What happens when this thread gets past page 2019? Does @happyvalley have to start predicting the future?7 -
So two days after the birthday protest, and CARD taking the taxi for Roland out to Belgium, Russell Slade was sacked for our first defeat in six or seven games. It got to him. Before that he had stopped hiring foreign coaches and players due to fans protests at the Valley.ElfsborgAddick said
This is a fair shout.
The protests at The Valley ground to a halt when we lost 4k of season ticket holders/boycotters. Now 4k of whoever have come back this could reignite the protests if we are floundering soon into the season.
Having said that, I think it's proven that NOTHING the fans do make a slightest bit of difference in what this clown does, HE HAS TOO MUCH MONEY.
Back to fan mode "long live the protest".
Look at the countless other protests that have resulted in a deranged statement from him. Those protests got to him.
The protests may not have landed a killer blow, but the drip drip effect of what we have done really does bother him. Yes, he does have too much money, but he also doesn't like losing money, something he is doing in bundles with Charlton despite his cost cutting efforts. The only problem is that he wants to save face and clamber out of a big barrel of shit smelling of roses. He just doesn't have the awareness to realise this can't and won't happen. I think it will take one of his close friends or his family to persuade him to sell at a realistic price. Hence the reason I fully support pretty much ANY protest activities on his home turf.
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PS. @Neil Heaney not having a go at you in particular. Plenty of others have posted similarly, which has made it really frustrating when we have needed numbers for a particular protest and come up short.4
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You are 20 pages too late.Off_it said:
Well I gave up reading most of the comments on this thread some time ago because of the utter shit that is spoken, so you will just have to forgive me for not having read all 1898 pages. Knob.cafc-west said:
Wow that’s a thought - I’m surprised that nobody has posted that before...😱Off_it said:What happens when this thread gets past page 2019? Does @happyvalley have to start predicting the future?
1878, the doorknob was invented by Osbourn Dorsey.9 -
The protests here and in Belgium compliment each other. In-ground protests were near impossible with L1 crowds but that will change this coming season. Media coverage will be greater as well.MartinCAFC said:There's definitely value in the protests taking place in Belgium as there's always a reaction one way or another but I feel any value in protests at The Valley would be extremely limited especially when RD isn't even there.0 -
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1899, Billy Cotton born. It is his version of The Red Red Robin that is played when the team come out at The Valley.36
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Morning all, just back from hols last night and got a message re the "European bid" as I guess we can call it. Please bear with me, I am at arm's length with these guys, so if after reading the following, you have questions, well, you and me both! Anyway...
They have tabled an offer and this has been "accepted". That appears to mean that currently RD thinks it's one he will accept if he doesn't get a better one. The concern that this group share with most of us is that they fear that RD is playing everyone, and more or less at his leisure. The next step from these guys is that the main man will fly to London in approx two weeks together with the Charlton fan investment banker who has brought the bid team together. The only other thing I am able to mention is that the Charlton fan (I'm tempted to code name him Bexley Boy, 'cos he is ex Bexley Grammar :-) ) is well aware of the directors' loan issue and the proposed deal would address it. How, I don't know. The bigger issue seems to be the same as all other serious bidders must have had - how to persuade RD to finally say to himself, OK, I have tested the market enough, I take the best bid.91 -
Thanks @PragueAddick, so it appears that RD is still playing with the bidders? My concern is that the next meeting is not for 2 weeks, the season starts in 3 weeks and transfer window shuts in 4 weeks (I think), its a pity therefore that Bexley Man (lets call him that) and the main man cant get out to Brussels instead of London next week. anyway thanks for the info....a potential chink of light at the end of this very dark tunnel.3
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🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞PragueAddick said:Morning all, just back from hols last night and got a message re the "European bid" as I guess we can call it. Please bear with me, I am at arm's length with these guys, so if after reading the following, you have questions, well, you and me both! Anyway...
They have tabled an offer and this has been "accepted". That appears to mean that currently RD thinks it's one he will accept if he doesn't get a better one. The concern that this group share with most of us is that they fear that RD is playing everyone, and more or less at his leisure. The next step from these guys is that the main man will fly to London in approx two weeks together with the Charlton fan investment banker who has brought the bid team together. The only other thing I am able to mention is that the Charlton fan (I'm tempted to code name him Bexley Boy, 'cos he is ex Bexley Grammar :-) ) is well aware of the directors' loan issue and the proposed deal would address it. How, I don't know. The bigger issue seems to be the same as all other serious bidders must have had - how to persuade RD to finally say to himself, OK, I have tested the market enough, I take the best bid.9 -
We have another deadline to get excited about..PragueAddick said:Morning all, just back from hols last night and got a message re the "European bid" as I guess we can call it. Please bear with me, I am at arm's length with these guys, so if after reading the following, you have questions, well, you and me both! Anyway...
They have tabled an offer and this has been "accepted". That appears to mean that currently RD thinks it's one he will accept if he doesn't get a better one. The concern that this group share with most of us is that they fear that RD is playing everyone, and more or less at his leisure. The next step from these guys is that the main man will fly to London in approx two weeks together with the Charlton fan investment banker who has brought the bid team together. The only other thing I am able to mention is that the Charlton fan (I'm tempted to code name him Bexley Boy, 'cos he is ex Bexley Grammar :-) ) is well aware of the directors' loan issue and the proposed deal would address it. How, I don't know. The bigger issue seems to be the same as all other serious bidders must have had - how to persuade RD to finally say to himself, OK, I have tested the market enough, I take the best bid.
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One to go. We're almost there!Off_it said:What happens when this thread gets past page 2019? Does @happyvalley have to start predicting the future?1 -
If you believe LDT (hahaha) then it’s a race to the finish line so another group could get complete a deal before this group get a chance to progress theirs.0
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Exactly my concern, mate. All I would say is that they are both based in mainland Europe, and if RD wanted it, they could get to Brussels just as easily as to London. It's possible though that the main man has not yet visited the Valley. Or it could be that RD finally visited the dental hygienist and was told that the work would take two weeks...Redmidland said:Thanks @PragueAddick, so it appears that RD is still playing with the bidders? My concern is that the next meeting is not for 2 weeks, the season starts in 3 weeks and transfer window shuts in 4 weeks (I think), its a pity therefore that Bexley Man (lets call him that) and the main man cant get out to Brussels instead of London next week. anyway thanks for the info....a potential chink of light at the end of this very dark tunnel.12 -
Nice one Prague
on a 1 to 10 basis
1 being Roland and 10 being a dream owner (we all have different ideas of what that is )
where ,with whatever limited info you have Prague, would you rate Bexley Man and co
disclaimer : your answer will not be used against you when they turn out to be utter pony12 -
I’ll be honest I am not bothered if the new owners seal a deal one minute after the transfer deadline, long as yellow panelled teeth is gone, think long term.Redmidland said:Thanks @PragueAddick, so it appears that RD is still playing with the bidders? My concern is that the next meeting is not for 2 weeks, the season starts in 3 weeks and transfer window shuts in 4 weeks (I think), its a pity therefore that Bexley Man (lets call him that) and the main man cant get out to Brussels instead of London next week. anyway thanks for the info....a potential chink of light at the end of this very dark tunnel.26 -
Quick phone call to his dentist.......he can remove every tooth and fit him with dentures in 5 days!!! Sorted.PragueAddick said:
Exactly my concern, mate. All I would say is that they are both based in mainland Europe, and if RD wanted it, they could get to Brussels just as easily as to London. It's possible though that the main man has not yet visited the Valley. Or it could be that RD finally visited the dental hygienist and was told that the work would take two weeks...Redmidland said:Thanks @PragueAddick, so it appears that RD is still playing with the bidders? My concern is that the next meeting is not for 2 weeks, the season starts in 3 weeks and transfer window shuts in 4 weeks (I think), its a pity therefore that Bexley Man (lets call him that) and the main man cant get out to Brussels instead of London next week. anyway thanks for the info....a potential chink of light at the end of this very dark tunnel.1 - Sponsored links:
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BR7_addick said:
I’ll be honest I am not bothered if the new owners seal a deal one minute after the transfer deadline, long as yellow panelled teeth is gone, think long term.Redmidland said:Thanks @PragueAddick, so it appears that RD is still playing with the bidders? My concern is that the next meeting is not for 2 weeks, the season starts in 3 weeks and transfer window shuts in 4 weeks (I think), its a pity therefore that Bexley Man (lets call him that) and the main man cant get out to Brussels instead of London next week. anyway thanks for the info....a potential chink of light at the end of this very dark tunnel.Exactly. What's the worst that can happen if they buy after the transfer window closes? A Charlton team not quite equipped to compete as well as we would like in the league? You'd have to go back to 2011/12 to find a squad that properly was. We're used to it. I'd take starting the season with 7 senior players if it meant knowing that Roland is gone and we might be able to enjoy being Charlton fans again.That's not to say that anything will happen though. They'll probably meet him and then it will all go quiet until whispers come out a week or two later that they were shocked and appalled by whatever bullshit Roly pulled on them at the meeting.13 -
How does happyvalley know when to become the top post on a new page? Blows my tiny little mind10
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Just to say that I've worked in the City & I went to Bexley Grammar.....but sadly I not "Bexley Boy".......
However, an ex player & someone who's father is very very close to the workings of CAFC did go to BG........
I give you Gavin Peacock as your saviour.....😉0 -
30 posts a page. He either keeps count of the number of comments on each page or he keeps count of the total number of posts on the thread and keeps adding 30 to it to know when to post again. Dedication whichever way you look at it. My task of a seat for each post means I can sit back for some time yet, thousands more posts needed until we fill The Emirates Stadium.ValleyGary said:How does happyvalley know when to become the top post on a new page? Blows my tiny little mind
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Which makes you wonder why he made the 10 pm call to Lee Bowyer offering a better deal. Don't ever try to understand the mind of a person with cognitive dissonance.Chris_from_Sidcup said:
He probably plans to spend little to no money this season, watch us get relegated back to league one...........then add another 10m onto his asking price.cafckev said:If Roland can’t or won’t sell the club on the back of the Wembley victory, it does make you question this intention to actually sell the club.
Ps. I believe he was told by his family he would need 24/7 security if Bowyer was allowed to walk at that time after the highs of Wembley. (I said don't try to understand his mind SAM !)3 -
well, I still have a few unanswered questions myself which means any answer at this stage is based on less info than would make me confident in my answer. But here goes.oohaahmortimer said:Nice one Prague
on a 1 to 10 basis
1 being Roland and 10 being a dream owner (we all have different ideas of what that is )
where ,with whatever limited info you have Prague, would you rate Bexley Man and co
disclaimer : your answer will not be used against you when they turn out to be utter pony
Bexley Man himself is not an investor. He's a proper Charlton fan who is rather bending his professional remit as an investment banker to try and save his club, by finding such investors.
As for the main man, he is already in football, and when i investigated the recent story of the club, I was very pleasantly surprised. That club is in the Europa League qualifiers, and to the chagrin of a couple of rivals who consider themselves "bigger". Also the "community" story around that Club, and his interest in that around Charlton (thanks to Bexley Man who showed him various videos) is very positive. Bexley Man believes he will want to restore the link between the boardroom and active fans.
However I don't think that he's overall as rich as RD (but then again, fat lot of good that did us). Also with his current club, it enjoys a lot of sponsorship backing from a massive company, which makes perfect sense in that location, but AFAIK the company does not plan to launch into the UK market (but again, only AFAIK). It might be that there could be another player who joins the bid, only my speculation but obviously an unknown factor if that happens.
So I think a cautious "7". From what I know (i.e what i have read on here) I would not give either the Aussies or Dalman that much, maybe a 6 in both cases. Aussies I mark down because of the bizarre business of the EFL submissions, Dalman, not sure of his motivation to own us.25 -
It’s gonna happen!1
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Hold on ... who do we know who works in a major bank and went to Bexley Grammar 🤨🤔PragueAddick said:Morning all, just back from hols last night and got a message re the "European bid" as I guess we can call it. Please bear with me, I am at arm's length with these guys, so if after reading the following, you have questions, well, you and me both! Anyway...
They have tabled an offer and this has been "accepted". That appears to mean that currently RD thinks it's one he will accept if he doesn't get a better one. The concern that this group share with most of us is that they fear that RD is playing everyone, and more or less at his leisure. The next step from these guys is that the main man will fly to London in approx two weeks together with the Charlton fan investment banker who has brought the bid team together. The only other thing I am able to mention is that the Charlton fan (I'm tempted to code name him Bexley Boy, 'cos he is ex Bexley Grammar :-) ) is well aware of the directors' loan issue and the proposed deal would address it. How, I don't know. The bigger issue seems to be the same as all other serious bidders must have had - how to persuade RD to finally say to himself, OK, I have tested the market enough, I take the best bid.
Come on xxxxx ... spill the beans0 -
Muir might well join another bid, if invited.PragueAddick said:
well, I still have a few unanswered questions myself which means any answer at this stage is based on less info than would make me confident in my answer. But here goes.oohaahmortimer said:Nice one Prague
on a 1 to 10 basis
1 being Roland and 10 being a dream owner (we all have different ideas of what that is )
where ,with whatever limited info you have Prague, would you rate Bexley Man and co
disclaimer : your answer will not be used against you when they turn out to be utter pony
Bexley Man himself is not an investor. He's a proper Charlton fan who is rather bending his professional remit as an investment banker to try and save his club, by finding such investors.
As for the main man, he is already in football, and when i investigated the recent story of the club, I was very pleasantly surprised. That club is in the Europa League qualifiers, and to the chagrin of a couple of rivals who consider themselves "bigger". Also the "community" story around that Club, and his interest in that around Charlton (thanks to Bexley Man who showed him various videos) is very positive. Bexley Man believes he will want to restore the link between the boardroom and active fans.
However I don't think that he's overall as rich as RD (but then again, fat lot of good that did us). Also with his current club, it enjoys a lot of sponsorship backing from a massive company, which makes perfect sense in that location, but AFAIK the company does not plan to launch into the UK market (but again, only AFAIK). It might be that there could be another player who joins the bid, only my speculation but obviously an unknown factor if that happens.
So I think a cautious "7". From what I know (i.e what i have read on here) I would not give either the Aussies or Dalman that much, maybe a 6 in both cases. Aussies I mark down because of the bizarre business of the EFL submissions, Dalman, not sure of his motivation to own us.15 -
Fingers crossed, but suspect it’ll run into the same barriers all the others bids have run into, when the lawyers start digging. Hope not though.3
This discussion has been closed.
