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Post by hhsussex on Aug 12, 2016 8:34:47 GMT
Charlton has been much reviled by its fans for the poor management under Duchatelet's ownership that has led to a slide into what ought to be called Division Three, for selling off its few remaining decent players, and for acting as a feeder club to and for some of the other underachieving sides scattered through Europe in the Duchatelet empire. The weak and paranoid management have responded with what looks like one of the worst own goals for public relations ever known, far outstripping Gerald Ratner.  They have written to at least one of their season ticket holders to arrange "a mutual appointment" for allocating tickets in person, subject to the purchaser signing an "Agreed Behavioural Contract" which bars them from posting anything the club regards as derogatory or inflammatory on websites or message-boards.
This would be laughable if it didn't express so strongly the repressive nature of the people who "own" a vehicle designed for providing popular entertainment, who regard themselves as above any kind of reproach and seek to bully their supporters into silence. It would be fitting if other League sides refused to play Charlton until an apology is made in public to all of their fans.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Aug 12, 2016 8:58:48 GMT
Quite extraordinary! It sounds like a story from 'The Onion'.
One has great sympathy for supporters and Members of lower division football sides and less influential cricket counties. Once a hierarchy of that club morph in to the structure, it is extremely hard to kick them out.
Using cricket as an example, Sussex had their '97 Members Revolt, Derbyshire had the Christopher Grant hierarchy coup; yet, Members are often to blame. They may believe they have little power but when en masse, as Caffyn and Co at the Brighton Grand Hotel discovered, they can move mountains.
Charlton's members should refuse to purchase a season ticket - refuse to attend home matches - refuse to participate with the club in any way. Power to the people and all that. No supporters = no club. Duchatelet and his cronies would then be forced out.
The problem being, how do you energise such supporters en masse? It seems that until such things become so horrendously awful, Members and supporters are willing to carry on without a fuss. And that can not be right.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2016 10:18:50 GMT
There's another side to this story. Read the Charlton message boards and you will see named club staff routinely called "slag", "bitch", "whore", "c**t" and worse. If people aren't doing their job properly, then public criticism is fully deserved. There's a fair bit of it on here of Sussex staff, and in my opinion most of it is both fair and justified. But on the Charlton messageboards we are not talking simply about criticism of the alleged lack of competence of certain staff but personal abuse of the most foul and obnoxious kind.
One of the main protagonists last week posted that Nelson Mandela was "a murdering terrorist sh**head bastard". I think that gives you a flavour of the kind of people Charlton are having to deal with here. They even went to Belgium and turned up on the doorstep of the parents of the club's Belgian 29 year old female CEO to tell them their daughter was a useless bitch and then leafletted their neighbours saying the same. That's harassment of a totally unacceptable kind.
The mistake Charlton made was in sending this letter. They should simply have banned the offenders for life.
Honestly, let me tell you - these are deeply unpleasant people who most definitely do not deserve your sympathy!
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Post by hhsussex on Aug 12, 2016 11:24:30 GMT
There's another side to this story. Read the Charlton message boards and you will see named club staff routinely called "slag", "bitch", "whore", "c**t" and worse. If people aren't doing their job properly, then public criticism is fully deserved. There's a fair bit of it on here of Sussex staff, and in my opinion most of it is both fair and justified. But on the Charlton messageboards we are not talking simply about criticism of the alleged lack of competence of certain staff but personal abuse of the most foul and obnoxious kind. One of the main protagonists last week posted that Nelson Mandela was "a murdering terrorist sh**head bastard". I think that gives you a flavour of the kind of people Charlton are having to deal with here. They even went to Belgium and turned up on the doorstep of the parents of the club's Belgian 29 year old female CEO to tell them their daughter was a useless bitch and then leafletted their neighbours saying the same. That's harassment of a totally unacceptable kind. The mistake Charlton made was in sending this letter. They should simply have banned the offenders for life. Honestly, let me tell you - these are deeply unpleasant people who most definitely do not deserve your sympathy! Thanks for pointing this out borderman, and of course no-one should have any kind of sympathy for people who act in that manner. The mystery then is why Charlton should have thought of writing to someone with such a proposition. Surely the best response would have been - if they were very sure of their facts - to have returned that person's subscription and simply told them they would not be welcome on the ground. The letter I posted has been doing the rounds on Twitter today - not sure if Charlton actually sent it to the right person, because I can't belive that a thig of the kind you describe would revel in their own humiliation. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2016 13:10:10 GMT
There's another side to this story. Read the Charlton message boards and you will see named club staff routinely called "slag", "bitch", "whore", "c**t" and worse. If people aren't doing their job properly, then public criticism is fully deserved. There's a fair bit of it on here of Sussex staff, and in my opinion most of it is both fair and justified. But on the Charlton messageboards we are not talking simply about criticism of the alleged lack of competence of certain staff but personal abuse of the most foul and obnoxious kind. One of the main protagonists last week posted that Nelson Mandela was "a murdering terrorist sh**head bastard". I think that gives you a flavour of the kind of people Charlton are having to deal with here. They even went to Belgium and turned up on the doorstep of the parents of the club's Belgian 29 year old female CEO to tell them their daughter was a useless bitch and then leafletted their neighbours saying the same. That's harassment of a totally unacceptable kind. The mistake Charlton made was in sending this letter. They should simply have banned the offenders for life. Honestly, let me tell you - these are deeply unpleasant people who most definitely do not deserve your sympathy! Thanks for pointing this out borderman, and of course no-one should have any kind of sympathy for people who act in that manner. The mystery then is why Charlton should have thought of writing to someone with such a proposition. Surely the best response would have been - if they were very sure of their facts - to have returned that person's subscription and simply told them they would not be welcome on the ground. The letter I posted has been doing the rounds on Twitter today - not sure if Charlton actually sent it to the right person, because I can't belive that a thig of the kind you describe would revel in their own humiliation. You can't just come on here and call someone a thig. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2016 15:52:49 GMT
This statement from CAFC explains the procedure and suggest to me that the individual concerned - who has made an unreserved apology for his behaviour - has been let off very lightly indeed. Far from 'acting like North Korea', Charlton seem to have taken an unusually enlightened and liberal attitude. Personally I'd have banned the bloke...
"The club can confirm that they sent a letter to one supporter relating to continued inappropriate behaviour towards members of staff on Charlton’s official social media accounts and foul and abusive language captured on stadium cameras.
No other letters have been sent to supporters. A letter was sent to this individual as it was relating to a particular set of circumstances.
On Thursday, August 11th 2016, the individual was called by the club to arrange a meeting to discuss foul and abusive messages directed towards staff, both in person and via Charlton’s official social media channels.
For a number of years, the club, together with the Metropolitan Police, have run an Agreed Behavioural Contract process which is designed to respond to anti-social behaviour rather than criminal prosecution or banning orders.
In the past, such contracts have been signed by individuals to address a variety of issues such as constant use of foul and abusive language in the family area.
In this instance, the club called the meeting to explain the Agreed Behavioural Contract process with the individual and the reasons behind it. It was emphasised that the meeting was not due to any involvement with supporter protests, but solely in response to his continuous, personal behaviour and abuse.
The individual met with Head of Matchday Operations Mick Everett, who has worked for the club for more than 20 years, and recently appointed Duty Safety Officer, Cliff Eager, who joined the club in June after 35 years of experience as a Chief Inspector with the Police.
During the meeting, the level of abuse, which the individual has since voluntarily removed from their Twitter account, was discussed.
The club also discussed the video footage, after which the individual apologised on several occasions for his behaviour and assured the club that he would not continue to engage in an abusive manner.
He was accompanied by the Chairman of the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust who witnessed the individual’s apology.
The meeting ended amicably and, as he appeared sincere in his apology, the club handed the individual his 2016/17 season ticket and he was not asked to sign an Agreed Behavioural Contract.
Charlton wish to emphasise that we encourage supporters to engage with the club, but like any other football club, will not tolerate abusive and threatening behaviour.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2016 16:03:30 GMT
I don't like to raise the issue but I do feel there's a need for more levity on this board.
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Post by flashblade on Aug 12, 2016 16:54:09 GMT
I don't like to raise the issue but I do feel there's a need for more levity on this board. Isn't that what magicians do? |
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Post by hhsussex on Aug 12, 2016 20:16:27 GMT
I don't like to raise the issue but I do feel there's a need for more levity on this board. Isn't that what magicians do? Spiritualists, I think...ectoplasm is very hard to get rid of. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2016 20:50:17 GMT
It just shows that things are often not what they first seem and one should never rush to judgement without being in full possession of the facts: it now transpires that the recipient of the letter is an aggrieved former employee of the club who has been sniping at and abusing his ex-employer and former work colleagues.
Which puts a completely different complexion on the preposterous twitter storm that has been going on all day...
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