Three Points but The Fight Goes On

Rotherham 1  - Charlton Athletic 4.

A welcome 3 points today and the confirmation that having somebody who has more than the very slightest clue sitting in the Head Coach hot seat, really can make a difference.

If only somebody had thought to tell Katrien and Roland eh?

Except for the final 25 minutes, I didn't follow the game today as I was on the move.
I looked at twitter using the WiFi on South West Trains into Waterloo and then the brief moments of contact as my Jubilee line train paused at the stations heading to North Greenwich.

I've just seen the highlights on Channel 5, (with the added bonus of Chris Powell being a studio guest), and it did seem as if Charlton were worthy winners, despite Rotherham blowing the chance to get back into the game, amusingly sending a penalty kick into orbit.

While on the train, I attempted to watch the video of the Fans Forum.
To be honest, it was ridiculously tedious and was less of a forum in the true sense of the word and more of an exercise in justifying what has happened since RD arrived and denying any blame for the mistakes - or even acknowledging there have been any mistakes.

No change there then.

I scrolled forwards and watched small chunks so there may have been some nuggets I missed but one section I did see was when KM was asked to explain why Roland hasn't seen fit to watch a game live since 2014.

The usual flannel about him being passionate about the club and sitting with a live stream of every game was let loose to stink out the room but then, (and I paraphrase here as I really, REALLY can't be bothered to go back and transcribe the exact wording), Katrien made the odd statement that he was really too busy to attend.

This amazed me.

It might surprise you to learn that I am neither a multi millionaire or even the boss of where I work. Like most people, I'm a wage slave who can't pick my hours or even decide the order various projects are to be tackled.

Roland Duchatelet on the other hand, can decide what days he works, where he works or even if he is going to get out of bed that day.
There can't be many people who have made their fortune but don't have the resources and safety net of a fawning staff to answer the phones while they sneak out of the office to indulge in things they are 'passionate' about.

Katrien Meire has stated she wants to get 20,000 people inside the Valley.
What are the chances of finding 20,000 people less busy than a bloke who could be living a life of leisure?
I have a demanding job yet I shuffle things around to do all the things a grown up has to do.
 I make the time.

Surely, maybe even just out of curiosity, you'd imagine Roland might want to see first hand something he is so, (ahem), emotionally connected to?

 It's not like he's got that far to come. His potential journey is less miles than a trip from London to Newcastle yet multimillionaire Mike Ashley seems to manage to squeeze in visits to see his team each week.

Duchatelet could come for the day using Eurostar or even a half day using a quick flight into City Airport.

He could even gain some brownie points with Mrs D, or his secretary, or his Mistress, (I'm guessing here) and make a weekend break, staying in a nice chic London hotel, a spot of shopping on Bond Street and an evening at Lion King with a classy meal at Pizza Express or Nandos.
*He would of course have to nip off for a couple of hours to see that pesky sports team he's passionate about but everyone has to make compromises.

What we all know is that if he wanted to, Roland could juggle things around and come to the Valley at the very least once a month but he doesn't because he has zero interest.

Yet another example of the people in charge treating us like idiots.

Today's result changes nothing.

The low below the last 'New Low'

Huddersfield Town 5 - Charlton Athletic 0

Pathetic. Nothing more to add.

I'm finding it hard to put into words how I'm feeling as a Charlton supporter at the moment.

So where words fail, here's a picture that neatly illustrates how 'The Shareholder' and his useless cronies are treating the Charlton fanbase.

We are doomed.

Shock? Nope.

Colchester United 2 - Charlton Athletic Bistro 1.

I have to be honest here. 

I couldn't raise myself to head to Essex despite the attractive pricing and a relatively easy journey.

What transpired is exactly the kind of performance I was expecting from the current Charlton, under the stewardship of our Interim One.

His record speaks for itself.

It's pony. 

Our club is broken.

In no way was Colchester beating Charlton a shock or an upset. 

Magic of the cup? 

Naah. 

To this end, I gave myself a Charlton holiday and went to visit my mum in her care home. 

Spending time with a person who is a shell of the one I remember is always done with a heavy heart. 

At present it is millions of times preferable to spending any extra cash on Charlton.

Of course, just as you might look at a totally dependent, bed bound Altzheimer's patient and remember the good times, we can all look at the YouTube clips of Charlton's amazing history- the history KM has dismissed as irrelevant to the project The Shareholder has set up.

I refuse to accept the highlight of being a Charlton supporter should now be spotting ex Academy graduates on Match Of The Day. 

I won't be getting all warm and fuzzy as I think of the handful of games they played for us before being sold off ASAP to keep the pockets bulging of our multimillionaire owner. 

(Valley Gold anyone?)

Sorry KM but we deserve better. 

If you wanted that kind of relationship with football fans customers,  your boss should have bought into a League 2 club or below. 

Of course, we may well be a League 2 club before the project is completed, though one with 'Premiership Aspirations' naturally.

Charlton Athletic 2016 is a mess. 

The 'weird' customers have had enough.

Here We Go!

Charlton Athletic 1 - Nottingham Forest 1.

'Wolfie' Citizen Smith, Spelling It Out to the Belgians.

Blah, blah, blah... Callum Harriott, blah, blah, Danish bloke haircut, blah, blah 1-0 down at Half Time, blah, blah, second half improvement, blah blah, Danish bloke scores equaliser, blah, blah, 2 quick yellow cards, blah blah, sending off, blah, blah, nearly won it in added on time, blah blah.

Right. That's the match taken care of.

I've always been one of life's protesters. 

At secondary school, I was heartily impressed by the older kids demanding changes to the way my Comprehensive school was run by having 'Sit Ins' and barricading the teacher car park with hundreds of chairs.

Now, as a grown up union rep, I've of course been on many a march, I protested against the invasion of Iraq etc, had my collar felt by a rather 'over keen' copper at a demo against US fighter planes taking off from UK soil back in the mid 80's, was one of the last cohort of students to go through Higher Education with our fees paid and a maintenance grant, (so it was our duty to demonstrate the unfairness of the situation for the benefit of those who followed) and I've been part of many a letter/email writing campaign for Amnesty International. 

Oh and don't get me started on the Poll Tax protests!

I'm one of those irritating people who to quote Vic and Bob, 

"Wouldn't let it lie".

Yesterday thousands of other people,  your ordinary folk, both young and old, (not rent a rabble), felt so strongly about the appalling situation at Charlton Athletic, they were prepared to demonstrate twice in a day outside the ground. 

If you are reading this you'll know why but just on the off chance, here's a quick summary.

Shambles

There were also rousing choruses of disapproval for our absentee owner and his minions throughout the game.

I was extremely proud to be a part of something so close to my heart.

To those people who say we should not be demonstrating as it effects the team, I can dismiss your argument with a flourish.

The two biggest demonstrations the supporters have managed so far have been against Sheffield Wednesday (we won) and yesterday against Forest, when despite having 10 men, we hung on for a draw and but for some fine goalkeeping could even have snatched all three points.

I hope this is the start of something. 

Perhaps Roland may be swayed, ever so slightly, to change his gameplan, even by a mere (ahem) 2%?

We can't afford to stop now. The wheel has started turning. 

Pressure needs to be maintained.

Keep On Keeping On.

'Til The Fight Is Won!

Just before the blind came down! KM pretending it's just a normal post match slap up feast.

M.