Maximum Exposure...

So Charlton's 2014-15 accounts have been published and it would appear to provide all the evidence you'd need that our absent Belgian owner is loading us up with huge debt by virtue of personal loans rather than actual investment. I know of a few Addicks who, even now, have kept their powder dry on Duchâtelet under the pretence that he 'saved us' from administration. Hopefully this will finally provide the proof to one and all that Duchâtelet's business model is a selfish vision to the complete detriment of our Charlton Athletic.

 

In many ways, the timing could not be better. News of the accounts comes just before Charlton's latest appearance on Sky TV for this Sunday's game against Boro. Normally you'd have every right to dread a live Charlton game, but this is a little different. This is a great opportunity to provide as much exposure as possible to the on-going protests against the owner and his hapless sidekick.

 

With this in mind, CARD have organised a mock funeral procession from the Charlton Liberal Club in Charlton Church Lane from 2.45pm and they are inviting supporters to line the route to 'pay their respects' to the dead soul of the club. Amongst other protest initiatives that will be announced nearer the time, a mass walk-out is also planned on 74 minutes, withy fans invited to reassemble in the west stand car park. 

 

Some will favour more direct and aggressive action, but I continue to applaud CARD for creating effective and innovative protest ideas that will gain national sympathy and positive attention rather than condemnation for angry, unlawful scenes.    

 

I know there will still be a good number of people who will not support the walkout, or even a focus that may well be more on the protests than the football. I can respect the view, but I consider it to be woefully short-sighted when set against the real and undeniable fears for the very existence of this club in the not-too-distant future. 

 

Under the full glare of the Sky cameras, now is the time act, not in the summer when nobody will be around to hear our voices.  

 

I totally get the view that despite the desperate situation we are in on and off the pitch, some still come to watch a game of football and won't compromise that. My view is the football is dead. Simple as that. There is nothing on that pitch that remotely excites me any more and the otherwise perfectly reasonable 'Back the Boys' mantra is completely undermined by too many players who simply don't give a shit. You can convince yourselves otherwise all you like, but if, like me, you braved the cold on Tuesday night to witness an utterly gutless display against MK Dons, you will know the players have given up as well.

 

That said, it's not necessarily their fault. They may well have come into our club with all the best intentions to do well but Duchâtelet's flawed and ever-faltering vision, actioned by the astonishingly inept Katrien Miere, has spread apathy and disillusionment across Charlton Athletic as a whole, and it will only get worse unless we act.

 

If you want change then please support the initiatives outlined by CARD here.