What will ESI do if we're relegated?

Henry Irving said:

Aussies ready and waiting to pick up the pieces.

Is there a music hint in there Henners, are The Average White Band investing as well?  

cafcdave123 said:

hoof_it_up_to_benty said:

Lincsaddick said:

as I have said on here before, they will be gone gone gone and gone and don't expect massive investment when we stay up

I've never expected big investment but am concerned what happens if they go? Do we get RD back or......

why would he take us back?

he's rid of us and either gets his big payday in the summer when he offloads the ground and training ground OR he is rid of us and owns some prime real estate in SE london 

Please explain how he would own prime real estate in SE London.....far from prime, more trouble than it’s worth to get the relevant planning permission......Sparrows Lane impossible.....The Valley fraught with many planning permission problems, if anyone did miraculously get planning permission it would take years of legal wrangling.

golfaddick said:

charltonbob said:

Lincsaddick said:

LargeAddick said:

ESI did say something along the lines of relegation wouldn't be a disaster and companies in the Middle East would still be interested in investing whether that be sponsorship or whatever. My take is that if we are relegated then :

a) they walk and we are left with RD and the nightmare continues

b) they stay but the playing side is still underfunded as now and RD still owns The Valley and Sparrows Lane

c) they stay and invest heavily in the playing side but RD still owns The Valley and Sparrows Lane

d) as c) plus they buy the freehold of The Valley and Sparrows Lane

nicely covered 'all the bases' there ((:>)

There is of course an f) ESI walk, the Belgian sits on his hands doing nothing as he owns two pieces of land & CAFC are wound up.

What happened to e)..........?

I'll go with a variation of f).....but instead of  being wound up RD does a deal with Millwall & we ground share with them at the Valley, leading to a merger of the 2 clubs by 2025.....called Milton FC.

Trying to give them up

Seriously who knows for sure? It is something we as fans should be concerned about. If they do walk away we are fooked...and quite royally too.

Todds_right_hook said:

They have a 5 year plan, this will need to be revised to a 7 year plan. They give bowyer a good league 1 budget and we are champions by Christmas. 

Or, corona virus wipes out 80% of the world population. The east stand roof will then be used as a camp for survivors as the high ground provides good defensive cover from attacks from the east London tribes.

Oh yes the 5 year plan, didn't "his excellency" say we'd be told what it was shortly or did I dream that ? 

charltonbob said:

Todds_right_hook said:

They have a 5 year plan, this will need to be revised to a 7 year plan. They give bowyer a good league 1 budget and we are champions by Christmas. 

Or, corona virus wipes out 80% of the world population. The east stand roof will then be used as a camp for survivors as the high ground provides good defensive cover from attacks from the east London tribes.

Oh yes the 5 year plan, didn't "his excellency" say we'd be told what it was shortly or did I dream that ? 

or was it that the plan will be revealed in 5 years ?

Todds_right_hook said:

They have a 5 year plan, this will need to be revised to a 7 year plan. They give bowyer a good league 1 budget and we are champions by Christmas. 

Or, corona virus wipes out 80% of the world population. The east stand roof will then be used as a camp for survivors as the high ground provides good defensive cover from attacks from the east London tribes.

The White Swan tribe may have the advantage over the EastStanders

NorthStandUltra said:

Didn’t Matt Southall say they’ve got plans for both outcomes, or have I made that up? 

Didn't Southall say we had bought The Valley and Sparrows Lane?

guinnessaddick said:

Curb_It said:

Imnot Athletic said:

I don't think they would have invested in the first place if their plan was to drop us like a hot potato at the first sign of trouble

I'd expect the price they eventually pay RD will depend on what division we are in and I'd still expect them to buy the ground and training ground but that price may vary a bit as a result of relegation

Bouncing back first time round will be the mantra, but we know from experience this isn't easy so managing that expectation within the boardroom and with fans will be a key factor.

Most of the coaching staff have signed long term deals so I expect they will stay, but if we are not in the top 6 come the end of October pressure will be high and it won't be a cakewalk with holes to fill in defence (Sarr, Marshall), Midfield (pretty much everyone) and up front (Taylor & Hemed)

I'd expect a top 6 wage budget and some money to spend, but we will have pressure from players and agents to sell (e.g. Bonne & Phillips) which will make a difficult job worse

Efforts to engage with fans, fill the ground on a matchday, maximise commercial income will continue as this will form a higher proportion of income.  How successful this is will depend a lot on how we navigate the change in personnel and how we fair in August and September 

What did they invest? 

An unused super deal phone. 

And used a Nokia instead.

Covered End said:

FFS.
If ESI walk there would be plenty of buyers willing to take Charlton on for £1.

Yep , plenty of chancers willing to come in, suck in the masses with bullshit and then cross fingers that some money comes from some hoodwinked backers who think “investing” in a football club will yield a return 

What will ESI do if we're relegated?

Come off social media...

They'll provide LB with the ammunition to get us back where we belong. The Ghost of the Belgian rat will be exercised & the lost fans will return, trust me. Anyone who doesn't want to be a part of this journey can do one. My family have been in the wilderness over the last few years, but have got our passion/love back with a vengeance. The feel good factor is back & if we just weren't good enough because of the transition period, then so be it. 

oohaahmortimer said:

Covered End said:

FFS.
If ESI walk there would be plenty of buyers willing to take Charlton on for £1.

Yep , plenty of chancers willing to come in, suck in the masses with bullshit and then cross fingers that some money comes from some hoodwinked backers who think “investing” in a football club will yield a return 

Thing is it's the same situation for pretty much every club outside of the big boy money machines.

Unless there is a billionaire with  bottomless pockets bankrolling the club happy to make losses the  you're left with the sensible chairmen that fund the club with a strict break even philosophy which usually gets on fans tits after season upon season of drudgery. 

Either that or go through a cycle of spivs, chancers and charlatans hoping to strike lucky before pulling out quicker than a catholic on anniversary night when the promised returns no longer seem viable or as easily obtainable as first pitched.

Meanwhile devoted fans of century plus old local institutions sit by in quiet desperation hoping that this one might just be the one like a dizzy old sort who "loves bad boys" on her dating profile and wonders why she's left crying into her prosecco every few months when another dirty den has done a bunk.

Seems a very bleak and broken model and unless there is root and branch reform it could see long established clubs going under and out of existence like the lights going out one by one in  an office block.

I mean Bury for example ...have just gone and other than well meaning sentiments of disgust across the football fan fraternity nothing has changed.

We've let the corporate money men into our national game  and they've monetized it, bastardised it and transformed it beyond even where it was 15 years ago and its unrecognisable from 30 years ago.

We as fans have lapped it up and facilitated it with our sky subscriptions and contributions to the whole business and whilst some aspects have been fantastic others have been potentially terminal for our clubs.

Like the boiling frog analogy and you only really take heed to it when it's your club feeling the heat by which time it's probably too late.

Having said that it might be alright after all with this lot and win tomorrow and I'll be in a good mood so hey ho keep your chins up

well if ESI don’t buy the ground and Sparrows soon they won’t shift many season tickets.

IMHO this will be the only thing they can do to show they are not a load of bullshiters.

NorthStandUltra said:

Didn’t Matt Southall say they’ve got plans for both outcomes, or have I made that up? 

No, he made it up!