Sad days and unchartered territory for this particular Addick...

I'm really going to try and keep this brief.

Two things have happened in the past 24 hours that have shocked me to my core in footballing terms.

The first demonstrates how detached I have become from Charlton Athletic, something that has been such an important part of my life for decades.

I sat on the train this morning opened the sports pages of Metro and saw that we had played at home last night to Oldham Athletic. For the first time ever since supporting the Addicks back in 1980 I hadn't even realised we were playing.  I don't know whether to feel embarrassed, annoyed or resigned that the ridiculous regime and the way it has divided support and created a thoroughly unenjoyable and toxic atmosphere at homes games has finally left me completely apathetic towards my football club.

Back in the days before the internet my Saturdays when we were away from home and before my parents would allow me to go to away games consisted of a ritual of playing Subbuteo on our landing whilst simultaneously watching teletext for updates and listening to LBC for the latest match reports.

All rather shocking and leaving me feeling a touch lost.

The second is the 'interview' with this Dreisden character. (More of a rant really).

What a nutjob !!!

The lunatics have certainly taken over the asylum.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers...(or the straw thats broke the camels back)

When I was a kid one of my favourite films was called 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. To cut a long story short none human invaders would grow a facsimile of you in what looked like a giant marrow, once fully grown they'd bump you (the original) and masquerade as you in your form but in a soulless nature until they completed their dastardly invasion plan.
So you could find your best friend, wife, lover or brother looked like they used to, but on the inside the soul was not the same - in fact they were entirely not the same person you once loved and new inside out.

Sound familiar?

Last season was difficult, attending the Valley with my family, using our season tickets, watching dross that although it looked like Charlton ie.  Same strip, same ground, same red red robin playing the lads out onto the pitch was just a shell of itself. A big red soulless thing.

I was going to approach this season on a pay as you play basis, not renewing, but equally not completely giving up on the Club.

But then today I saw this.



Charlton Athletic simply do not exist anymore.  Not the community club we all loved and fought so hard to keep alive so many times over the years.  That was plucky and punched above its weight numerous times.  Cited as 'the model club' frequently.

I will keep following our results and blogging my opinions (at least with no season ticket and no intention of visiting the ground whilst this bunch of knobheads are in charge they can neither cancel my season ticket or ban me from attending) but will not go and watch this imposter masquerade as Charlton Athletic.

I'm going to try out some of my local none league clubs and see which one I feel I have an affinity with.  At least until the inept opinion police piss off. (Sooner rather than later please you fuckwits!)

With that in mind, as a footnote and message to the board of the football club that was once Charlton Athletic 'YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING...'

Cheers

 

Another home grown talent sold off to line you know who's pockets...

I've written and not posted several pieces to try and get across how I feel about Charlton at the moment.  It's all so confusing.

One things for certain, we could definitely have better owners and a more sensible/competent CEO.

Worries about our inexperienced and paper thin squad were alleviated a touch with the signings of Rudd and Pearce - but then this morning the news Callum Harriott is off to Reading brings us backwards a few steps.

Harriott did really well in Riga's first spell in charge, was then deemed not good enough for the Championship and farmed out to Colchester for half a season.  Riga returns and then he's called back into the first team set up. He then was looking like a natural starter on the flank this season and ends up going to a Championship side (a division not too long ago he was deemed not good enough for) for another undisclosed fee.

I'm still agonising over whether to renew mine and my sons season tickets, the generation up from us has had enough and will not be renewing.  In fact Northampton at home will be their swan song, certainly until the Mad Flem's depart.

My issue is 'why should I let these idiots take away something that's been such a major part of my life since 1981?' But then I think to myself 'well they already have!'

As things stand I'll be buying tickets for the first two home league games and then see where I go from there.

As for my own expectations for the season ahead? I do not anticipate mediocrity. I honestly think it's on a knifes edge and we will simply sink or swim.

A promotion push may well see some supporters come back to the club, the downwards spiral carrying on it's current trajectory and we will see an even more self defeating toxic atmosphere at the Valley than we did even last season. And it was pretty unenjoyable, results aside.

Part of me still has that spark of excitement today on the eve of the new season. Wonder how long it will last?

...Club lurches to yet another disastrous customer relations cock up...

Just seen the ticketing prices for match day purchases.

I've not renewed so this will apply to me. With the £5.50 handling charges it will cost me £34.50 to watch a League One match against the likes of Bury FC, my two kids a tenner and my oap Mum £21. So £65.50 in total just to get in. £1,703.00 for the season.  Last season we paid circa £850 for all four of us to watch Championship football. This time round  season tickets for my lot will cost £1,110. So we will be penalised by nearly 600 quid for not renewing the season tickets, two of which have been dutifully purchased, even whilst at Selhurst since 1980. Several words spring to mind. Extortion being one. Blackmail being the other. And the audacity to class any games as being 'gold' status is ridiculous. Millwall, Gillingham and Sheffield Utd! Really? Gold?

The club (or more likely Katrien) is playing a very dangerous game of poker with those who haven't renewed.

For those of us who have been supporting the Addicks with our purchases of season tickets, match day programmes and other items for decades making the decision NOT to renew and support the regime had actually been really difficult. And I have nearly faltered on numerous occasions.

Be wary StarPricks Holdings or whatever your called. This may well backfire. And the agonising and ongoing internal battle loyal supporters who have not yet renewed have been having with themselves may turn into complete apathy towards what the club has now become.  We may well see a swell in tickets and attendances at the likes of Welling Utd, Bromley and Dartford.

Supporters Divided...

A comfortable 4-1 win at Welling Utd saw new boy Ajose score a hat trick, some low key protests and from what I've read on social media a continually going rift amongst some supporters.

The installation of a Russell Slade as Manager followed by some decent looking signings has been enough for some to call for cesation of hostilities towards the regime, for others this is no where near enough and they demand the protests continue.

For me it's all a bit more complicated and foggy than that.

I'm in no doubt that the current board view us (the supporters) as a bit dim and silly, and the fact they have changed their game plan is more to do with the necessity to stop the downward momentum that has been gathering at a pace over the last two seasons.

Having said this I'm not sure that disrupting every home game will do any of us any favours.

Personally I think the way forward, until we see some drastic re-structuring at board level, would be to boycott programmes and other official merchandise and catering products. Before and after match protests and saving in match disruption for the big games when we will get maximum publicity.

We don't need games such as the Northampton home game disrupted. I'm sure all will agree that despite being owned by The Rat we still want to see Charlton playing decent football and winning on the pitch.

Still not quite enough to re-new...

...That's the general Cooper Consensus at the moment.

The appointment of Slade an only be viewed as the most positive step taken by the current Charlton owners during their 2 and a half year tenure.

Unfortunately showing the usual lack of media savvy both Kat and Dicky put there feet well and truly in it. Yet Again!

Murrays 'poor me...blah blah blah...they called me names' self pitying and self indulgent whinge followed by Kats amazingly stupid statement about Varney's takeover bid include moving Charlton away from The Valley.  It will certainly be interesting to see the email trail mentioned by Varney who has threatened to publish them if no retraction is made within 48 hours.

Their actions meaning the season ticket re newel forms will stay firmly in the kitchen drawer.

What may guide a change in my thinking would be what happens during the preparation for the new season.  What players come in. Who leaves and who stays.

Slade is either a yes man or is self confident enough that he feels he can build success whilst managing his relationship and negotiations what he wants with the owner and his minions. Obviously I'm hoping for the latter.

Not sure what protests CARD have in store for the new season - my only concern would be that if they IF there has been a change in direction for the club and sensible decisions are beginning to take place any protests may well have a counter productive effect on the new look team climbing back up  the league.

Looking forward...

...It's been the best part of a month since my final rant of the 2015-2016 season, and despite nothing changing my mood has mellowed somewhat.  Not towards the regime so much, more that the events and outcomes of the various play offs have left me happy and seeing some eventual light at the end of this long dark tunnel we have endured.

First off, Palaces 'heartbreaking' defeat late in extra time having scored what twinkle toes Pardew seemed so self assured  would be the winner and project him into the legendary stratosphere he performed the most embarrassing example of Dad dancing I've ever seen.

Then, Miiiiiiil...(the only downside being we can kiss at least six points goodbye next season).

Finally, and most importantly was AFC Wimbledon achieving promotion beating fancied Plymouth Argyll in their play off final. A fine example of a club facing the ultimate adversity and bursting back to life thanks to it's loyal supporters.  A lesson to us all to persevere with the road ahead.

I'm not even going to moan about the none manager situation coupled with player acquisitions and back room appointments with no manager.  Come on, it's just what we should expect from the clueless ones.

I honestly believe, that after an exhaustive search, we will end up with one of the following:-

1. Another network numpty - step up that Hungarian fella.

2. An Englishman, but one who's already in the club so has not yet built up a reputation to lose, and is   a big enough Charlton fan to roll his sleeves up and try and help the club. (Not the regime).

So Nobby Viganovic or whatever his name is or Johnny Jackson it will be then.