I thought there were human rights laws about peaceful protestors having to be provided food and access to toilets, etc? I seem to remember prison rioters being passed Pizza Hut takeaway. Although they may have been holding hostages...
We really are a unique bunch us Charlton fans. Not many clubs would have hundreds of fans break into their stadium, pile down pitch side and the respectfully file carefully around the perimeter to ensure no one went on the pitch. I didn’t see a single foot cross the line.
I was one of the last to leave the pitchside area and I’ve photos of the media backboard that clearly doesn’t have any damage in them so wonder what the supposed damage was. All that was happening was kids having their photos in front of it.
I think the PlayStation was in the players lounge for the players kids to use.
Regardless, it's scummy to nick it or bottles of champagne. Nothing to do with protests, just like pissing in sinks.
There's no debate that Southall and Amis have nicked a lot more but that doesn't justify nicking booze.. There are toilets just outside the board room for fucks sake.
Just a massive downer on what should have been a good day.
Spent the afternoon counting the £1 coins and then got told Thomas Sandgaard was matching the amount raised. Fantastic and what we should be about, not petty larceny.
I'm in no way defending those who stole drinks. Had they popped open a bottle of fizz to celebrate 'taking the boardroom' I would have had a glass. The guys I saw taking liberties with booze were young and tried to justify by saying the owners has stolen from the club. It probably didn't occur to them at the time that the club is not Nimer or Southall and that this tab would have to be picked up sometime.
The toilets were all locked, as were the changing rooms. I personally find pissing in the sink massively disrespectful, its inconsiderate as some poor sod has to clean it up. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I didn't see it. Whoever stole the games console should return it posthaste, really poor form.
Superb work with the piper and all the dosh raised. The chap who spoke on behalf of CARD was very good and hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel.
COYR.
First rule is you have to be squeaky clean or the press will just focus on the wrongdoing.
Toilets were all locked when there was a skeleton staff working there?.
There’s a world of difference between “what the press will focus on” and what a press office give to the media. One is looking for the story, the other is trying to direct the message they want out there.
I’m not saying this was a very sophisticated comms operation or that people in comms set out to damage fans, but if the staff are in any way competent you’d expected the statement to reflect the club’s objective. They are not reporters. The media are not entitled to the information.
What possible objective is there in giving this information to the national media on Saturday night, rather than fans privately or even on Monday via the website? It’s not a necessary or appropriate way to communicate with the organisers or participants. It can only be to tell a wider public about the negatives. Who wanted that? Why did they want it?
The argument that the club only told the national media and didn’t put it on the website etc to reduce the impact is simply bizarre.
I’m afraid bad behaviour by a minority is the price of organising this kind of invasive protest and it’s naive to think otherwise. It’s why CARD had previously pulled back from staging an occupation. We knew it would be hard to stop this kind of thing or worse happening. But I’m not criticising those who decided to do it.
Most toilets will be locked most of the time except on matchdays. Fans wouldn’t necessarily be aware which were not.
@AFKABartram Nathan chapman the grounds men accused fans of going on the pitch, that’s where the info came from he’s employed by the club so could be bs.
The peaceful protest in the car park - it’s fine if you want to do that I merely said it’s not that effective ( in my opinion ) and I firstly said well done to those going. The entering the boardroom and drinking - the club have now tarnished the good efforts with this, a console being stolen wether returned or not is way out of line.
@Bedsaddick I’m done with rowing today but it was by someone who was there. And now the club are going to review footage and probably seek penalties for those who were peacefully protesting inside the ground, a few bad pennies have ruined it for all. The plight is lost.
Think you're being a bit OTT mate.
What the last collection of shitbags in the boardroom in an official capacity have been doing the past few years is well beyond anything that has gone on today.
Keep the fanbase united. Don't let the fuckers divide and rule.
You've taken a hammering on here today mate and no need for it as we all need to pull together not attack each other. Don't agree with your views on the whole situation today but don't think fans should be rowing amongst ourselves.
These northern monkeys and the drips that cling onto them for whatever reason will be doing everything they can to cause ructions within the fanbase to undermine the protests. Same as when the CARD protests caused rifts in the fanbase.
Better of united whilst the real enemies are still around and then once we have a half normal ownership and the actual football is the main concern we can all go back to our little tiffs but until then we should show a united front against those who will do far more harm to our club than anyone there today would in a million years regardless of whether it's poor form or not.
And fuck whoever wrote that official statement....get off your high horse and pipe up about the damage done to our club by your paymasters you utter cunts.
Patronising wankers.
As per Olly's comment it was a combined statement from both the Comms team and Senior Management Team
Trouble is if someone has pissed in a sink etc. its not going to be Farnell / Elliott cleaning up is it?
I stand by what I wrote.
@ValleyGary has come out with the most sensible course of action
As for sitting there in silence, would you prefer those working in the background the throw away their jobs in token gestures just to stand with the fans?
Ultimately what does that achieve if anything?
No...but then don't come out and undermine today's protests by publicising out of order behaviour that will play into the hands of the enemy and divide the fanbase when you have kept entirely schtum about the wrong uns in charge for many years.
Say something or nothing. Cowards.
Stop blaming Olly. There was crass behaviour today that let down the protests. Whether the press release was given to the press on the OS makes little difference IMO. Seen it before many times. A valid protest’s impact negated by a few pricks.
However, before we get all sackcloth and ashes, there was plenty of good publicity on the early evening TV news bulletins, and that can’t be undone.
Haven’t followed events too closely in the last few hours, but I’m hoping later bulletins ran the same footage, if they covered the story at all. So long as police haven’t commented or made arrests, I’d guess that would be the case.
Anyone complicit in releasing a media statement designed solely to undermine valid protests by focusing on the unnecessary and wrong, yet relatively trivial (in the bigger scheme of things) incidents needs to take the criticism on the chin if they are supposed Charlton supporters regardless of whether it's their job or not....it's proper shoddy.
As I’ve already tried to explain, it wasn’t designed to undermine the protests whatsoever.
There’s plenty in that statement which was designed to support the fans for the protest, that’s why it was a difficult balance. I know you won’t agree and I get that you have no reason to believe or trust what I say, but there was no attempt or intention to take anything away from the good work done by the vast majority. The fact remains, that some of the incidents caused by the minority were bang out of order and needed addressing. In an ideal world, the statement to press, which was in response to their request, would have solely been one of unity and praise, but that small minority prevented that. I really don’t want to get stuck in arguments about it. We did what we thought was best. The last thing I’ll say on the matter is that there is no division - the staff within the club are on the same page with those protesting peacefully today and there is no one going out of their way within the club trying to suggest otherwise. There was absolutely no malicious intent with what was said in the statement.
I think the PlayStation was in the players lounge for the players kids to use.
Regardless, it's scummy to nick it or bottles of champagne. Nothing to do with protests, just like pissing in sinks.
There's no debate that Southall and Amis have nicked a lot more but that doesn't justify nicking booze.. There are toilets just outside the board room for fucks sake.
Just a massive downer on what should have been a good day.
Spent the afternoon counting the £1 coins and then got told Thomas Sandgaard was matching the amount raised. Fantastic and what we should be about, not petty larceny.
I'm in no way defending those who stole drinks. Had they popped open a bottle of fizz to celebrate 'taking the boardroom' I would have had a glass. The guys I saw taking liberties with booze were young and tried to justify by saying the owners has stolen from the club. It probably didn't occur to them at the time that the club is not Nimer or Southall and that this tab would have to be picked up sometime.
The toilets were all locked, as were the changing rooms. I personally find pissing in the sink massively disrespectful, its inconsiderate as some poor sod has to clean it up. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I didn't see it. Whoever stole the games console should return it posthaste, really poor form.
Superb work with the piper and all the dosh raised. The chap who spoke on behalf of CARD was very good and hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel.
COYR.
If the toilets were locked it would explain why someone pissed in the sink.
Err, surely "toilets being locked " implies access to the Rest rooms themselves.
In which case, said sink would also be "locked "inside.
And, for further argument as it appears to be the night for a good ruck, unless the plug was in the sink, how would anyone detect a wee ?
Now if it was something brown and smelly........
Just trying to clarify matters, of course.😏
Other than sinks in the toilets, which were locked, the only other sinks that I can think of are the ones in the bars. So a girl shaking her lettuce 🥬 would be seen.
@AFKABartram Nathan muller accused fans of going on the pitch, that’s where the info came from he’s employed by the club so could be bs.
The peaceful protest in the car park - it’s fine if you want to do that I merely said it’s not that effective ( in my opinion ) and I firstly said well done to those going. The entering the boardroom and drinking - the club have now tarnished the good efforts with this, a console being stolen wether returned or not is way out of line.
Just to confirm, I am not the groundsman.
I believe this is Nathan Chapman, which in fairness, he has worked hard getting the pitch ready for the new season.
@AFKABartram Nathan muller accused fans of going on the pitch, that’s where the info came from he’s employed by the club so could be bs.
The peaceful protest in the car park - it’s fine if you want to do that I merely said it’s not that effective ( in my opinion ) and I firstly said well done to those going. The entering the boardroom and drinking - the club have now tarnished the good efforts with this, a console being stolen wether returned or not is way out of line.
Just to confirm, I am not the groundsman.
I believe this is Nathan Chapman, which in fairness, he has worked hard getting the pitch ready for the new season.
Apologies I knew it was a Nathan!
Sky sports news 1 minute 38 seconds peice 1st 23 seconds are about the protests the rest is about the clubs statement and the anti social behaviour.
Saw on Twitter, if it’s not already been made clear on here that an inventory of the booze taken was made and details of who will be paying left so that it can be paid for.
Each to their own @PalaceHater i respect your view and you’ll never please all the people all the time. For many years Charlton fans were the most activist and headline-makingly respected throughout the football world, yet criticised by other Charlton fans for not being edgy enough. That edge is now there and predictably some don’t like it.
The games console was wrong, I suspect down to just one individual getting carried away after a few beers, and has quickly been rectified I understand. An away support should not be wholly criticised because one twerp threw a smoke bomb.
We move on. Yesterday was clearly a huge success. From fears of just a few dozen turning up for a pointless protest, 500-1000 turned out and through various actions generated press and awareness all the way up the media chain to the BBC, ITV and Sky at the very top. No one got abused, no one got hurt, a minor incident has been blown out of proportion and promptly rectified.
Less headline making, but it felt fantastic to be back at The Valley again with fellow fans. The sun shone down on our beautiful ground and I think every single person come away feeling better for it and reminded of just how much Charlton Athletic means to them and their lives.
Pissing in the sink......If your in a boardroom peacefully protesting but then unable to leave the room to use the toilets as the police say you will not be able to return to carry on with the protests. Where do you go?
@AFKABartram Nathan chapman the grounds men accused fans of going on the pitch, that’s where the info came from he’s employed by the club so could be bs.
The peaceful protest in the car park - it’s fine if you want to do that I merely said it’s not that effective ( in my opinion ) and I firstly said well done to those going. The entering the boardroom and drinking - the club have now tarnished the good efforts with this, a console being stolen wether returned or not is way out of line.
Not again today? Why don’t you get off your phone and go out for the day?
Each to their own @PalaceHater i respect your view and you’ll never please all the people all the time. For many years Charlton fans were the most activist and headline-makingly respected throughout the football world, yet criticised by other Charlton fans for not being edgy enough. That edge is now there and predictably some don’t like it.
The games console was wrong, I suspect down to just one individual getting carried away after a few beers, and has quickly been rectified I understand. An away support should not be wholly criticised because one twerp threw a smoke bomb.
We move on. Yesterday was clearly a huge success. From fears of just a few dozen turning up for a pointless protest, 500-1000 turned out and through various actions generated press and awareness all the way up the media chain to the BBC, ITV and Sky at the very top. No one got abused, no one got hurt, a minor incident has been blown out of proportion and promptly rectified.
Less headline making, but it felt fantastic to be back at The Valley again with fellow fans. The sun shone down on our beautiful ground and I think every single person come away feeling better for it and reminded of just how much Charlton Athletic means to them and their lives.
I agree wholeheartedly with this. I thought there might be a rag tag and bobtail group of about 20 of us, very similar to my thoughts going to the Valley on that clean up day all those years ago. Just like that day, to arrive early and find a large number there, and swell to hundreds was fantastic. Also there was something cathartic about both events, simply being there in that beautiful place, the smell of the cut grass and the sun shining yesterday and people of all ages milling about was very lovely. A bonfire was the damage on clean up day, and a sink that might need disinfecting possibly was the harm yesterday, but the overwhelming feel for those there was one of positivity. A perfect example also regarding not taking negative reports as the main story, the main story was about love not loos.
Pissing in the sink......If your in a boardroom peacefully protesting but then unable to leave the room to use the toilets as the police say you will not be able to return to carry on with the protests. Where do you go?
Well, if you had recently consumed a bottle of club wine ( which I emphatically don't condone) you might make use of the empty bottle. You might then adopt your most indignant face and complain to the most senior SMT that " this wine is corked" before inviting them to sample and verify your complaint
@AFKABartram Nathan chapman the grounds men accused fans of going on the pitch, that’s where the info came from he’s employed by the club so could be bs.
The peaceful protest in the car park - it’s fine if you want to do that I merely said it’s not that effective ( in my opinion ) and I firstly said well done to those going. The entering the boardroom and drinking - the club have now tarnished the good efforts with this, a console being stolen wether returned or not is way out of line.
Whenever there are mass gatherings,it is always the small group of the feeble minded who get the attention,2000 supporters go to an away match,10 decide it is a good idea to rip a toilet cistern off the wall,that gets the attention,thousands protesting in London one mentally challenged individual decided to piss next to PC Palmers memorial,that gets the attention,not the many thousands who conducted themselves properly.Not there yesterday,but all the footage I have seen suggests a well organised ,effective protest,I would hope the various forms of pond life intent on destroying the club and other clubs,now know what they are up against.
We really are a unique bunch us Charlton fans. Not many clubs would have hundreds of fans break into their stadium, pile down pitch side and the respectfully file carefully around the perimeter to ensure no one went on the pitch. I didn’t see a single foot cross the line.
I was one of the last to leave the pitchside area and I’ve photos of the media backboard that clearly doesn’t have any damage in them so wonder what the supposed damage was. All that was happening was kids having their photos in front of it.
You must have just missed the three big blokes with a pick axe and spades desecrating the pitch and the media board being used as target practice by mates of @SE7toSG3 with a 25 pounder.
Absolute disgrace the Club releasing that statement and no amount of 'toning down' (from what? Arson? Raping and pillaging?) justifies either it's virtual immediate release or the accusations made without an opportunity for those there to respond.
Still no update as to what has subsequently occurred, just a tweet from Mick Everett saying the games console has been returned. Where's the 'official' press release update @Ollywozere?
Well done everyone for yesterday, hugely successful.
The wrongs of those fans who acted like morons, have attempted to be made right and everyone will learn and move on for the next time. A few bad individual decisions cannot smear yesterday's movement.
Yesterday's actions would have stung those who it was aimed at, hence the deflection method from the club, which was a poor choice of comms in my opinion. The fan groups are always open for engagement so if the club were really bothered, they knew who to go to straight away for answers, but they didn't, which shows their intention.
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I was one of the last to leave the pitchside area and I’ve photos of the media backboard that clearly doesn’t have any damage in them so wonder what the supposed damage was. All that was happening was kids having their photos in front of it.
There’s a world of difference between “what the press will focus on” and what a press office give to the media. One is looking for the story, the other is trying to direct the message they want out there.
I’m not saying this was a very sophisticated comms operation or that people in comms set out to damage fans, but if the staff are in any way competent you’d expected the statement to reflect the club’s objective. They are not reporters. The media are not entitled to the information.
What possible objective is there in giving this information to the national media on Saturday night, rather than fans privately or even on Monday via the website? It’s not a necessary or appropriate way to communicate with the organisers or participants. It can only be to tell a wider public about the negatives. Who wanted that? Why did they want it?
The argument that the club only told the national media and didn’t put it on the website etc to reduce the impact is simply bizarre.
I’m afraid bad behaviour by a minority is the price of organising this kind of invasive protest and it’s naive to think otherwise. It’s why CARD had previously pulled back from staging an occupation. We knew it would be hard to stop this kind of thing or worse happening. But I’m not criticising those who decided to do it.
Most toilets will be locked most of the time except on matchdays. Fans wouldn’t necessarily be aware which were not.
The entering the boardroom and drinking - the club have now tarnished the good efforts with this, a console being stolen wether returned or not is way out of line.
I should have guessed.
The games console was wrong, I suspect down to just one individual getting carried away after a few beers, and has quickly been rectified I understand. An away support should not be wholly criticised because one twerp threw a smoke bomb.
We move on. Yesterday was clearly a huge success. From fears of just a few dozen turning up for a pointless protest, 500-1000 turned out and through various actions generated press and awareness all the way up the media chain to the BBC, ITV and Sky at the very top. No one got abused, no one got hurt, a minor incident has been blown out of proportion and promptly rectified.
Less headline making, but it felt fantastic to be back at The Valley again with fellow fans. The sun shone down on our beautiful ground and I think every single person come away feeling better for it and reminded of just how much Charlton Athletic means to them and their lives.
It's quite rare to get a more positive summary from Sky and BBC on a Charlton demo at the Valley than this actual thread
I thought there might be a rag tag and bobtail group of about 20 of us, very similar to my thoughts going to the Valley on that clean up day all those years ago.
Just like that day, to arrive early and find a large number there, and swell to hundreds was fantastic. Also there was something cathartic about both events, simply being there in that beautiful place, the smell of the cut grass and the sun shining yesterday and people of all ages milling about was very lovely.
A bonfire was the damage on clean up day, and a sink that might need disinfecting possibly was the harm yesterday, but the overwhelming feel for those there was one of positivity.
A perfect example also regarding not taking negative reports as the main story, the main story was about love not loos.
You might then adopt your most indignant face and complain to the most senior SMT that " this wine is corked" before inviting them to sample and verify your complaint
Absolute disgrace the Club releasing that statement and no amount of 'toning down' (from what? Arson? Raping and pillaging?) justifies either it's virtual immediate release or the accusations made without an opportunity for those there to respond.
Still no update as to what has subsequently occurred, just a tweet from Mick Everett saying the games console has been returned. Where's the 'official' press release update @Ollywozere?
The wrongs of those fans who acted like morons, have attempted to be made right and everyone will learn and move on for the next time. A few bad individual decisions cannot smear yesterday's movement.
Yesterday's actions would have stung those who it was aimed at, hence the deflection method from the club, which was a poor choice of comms in my opinion. The fan groups are always open for engagement so if the club were really bothered, they knew who to go to straight away for answers, but they didn't, which shows their intention.
Great to see the Brighton and Wigan fans too.