#the addicks

Revelado Calendário de Jogos da Temporada 2017/18

O Charlton inicia sua caminhada na temporada 2017/18 recebendo o Bristol Rovers no The Valley. Uma data importante no calendário é o confronto em casa contra o Portsmouth no sábado 9 de dezembro marca a comemoração de 25 anos do retorno da equipe ao The Valley.

Calendário 2017/18

Sat Aug 5     Bristol Rovers H

Tue Aug 8     Exeter City A (Carabo Cup R1) (Date TBC)

Sat Aug 12    Plymouth Argyle A

Sat Aug 19   Northampton Town H

Sat Aug 26    Rotherham United A

Sat Sep 2      Oldham Athletic A 

Sat Sep 9     Southend United H

Tue Sep 12   Wigan Athletic H

Sat Sep 16    Gillingham A

Sat Sep 23    Bury HTue Sep 26    Walsall A

Sat Sep 30     Fleetwood Town A

Sat Oct 7       Peterborough United H 

Sat Oct 14     Doncaster Rovers H

Tue Oct 17     Oxford United A

Sat Oct 21      Bradford City A

Sat Oct 28      A.F.C. Wimbledon H

Sat Nov 11     Shrewsbury Town A

Sat Nov 18    Milton Keynes Dons H

Tue Nov 21    Rochdale H

Sat Nov 25     Scunthorpe United A

Sat Dec 9      Portsmouth H

Sat Dec 16     Blackburn Rovers A

Sat Dec 23     Blackpool H

Tue Dec 26     Southend United A

Sat Dec 30     Wigan Athletic A

Mon Jan 1     Gillingham H

Sat Jan 6       Oldham Athletic H 

Sat Jan 13      Bury A

Sat Jan 20     Walsall H

Sat Jan 27      Blackpool A 

Sat Feb 3       Oxford United H

Sat Feb 10      Doncaster Rovers A

Tue Feb 13     Bradford City H

Sat Feb 17      Milton Keynes Dons (A)

Sat Feb 24      Shrewsbury Town H

Sat Mar 3         A.F.C. Wimbledon A

Sat Mar 10       Peterborough United A

Sat Mar 17       Fleetwood Town H

Sat Mar 24       Plymouth Argyle H

Sat Mar 31        Northampton Town A

Mon Apr 2        Rotherham United H

Sat Apr 7           Bristol Rovers A

Sat Apr 14        Scunthorpe United H

Sat Apr 21         Portsmouth A 

Sat Apr 28        Blackburn Rovers H

A senior official at the Belgium Embassy will raise concerns about the activities of Charlton owner Roland Duchâtelet with the Belgian government and public officials.

Counsellor Alain Leroy, who reports directly to the Belgian Consul General in the UK, hosted a delegation from the Coalition Against Roland Duchâtelet (CARD) on Wednesday, April 17th at the embassy in Belgravia.

He listened closely as the CARD representatives outlined how the actions of his countryman were harming the club, its supporters and its wider community, as well as attracting widespread ridicule in the media and across the football industry.

A CARD spokesperson said: “We were impressed that Mr Leroy was so well informed, which shows how much attention Duchâtelet’s actions have generated beyond the football world.

“He had a good knowledge of the situation at Charlton, particularly with regards to the issue of the unpaid staff bonuses and Duchâtelet’s recent bewildering rant demanding that the EFL buy the club from him.”

With Lee Bowyer’s team having already reached the League One play-offs this season, CARD emphasised that the continuing opposition to Duchâtelet was not related to results, or Duchâtelet’s nationality.

Among the issues highlighted were the possibility of further protests against Duchâtelet in Belgium if he fails to deliver on his commitment to sell the club, announced 15 months ago, and that these protests were unlikely to be restricted to St Truiden.

The representatives also assured Mr Leroy that the coalition had had nothing to do with the graffitiing of premises linked to Duchâtelet earlier this year, and no knowledge of who was responsible, but explained how it would not be a surprise if other groups took an increasingly militant approach should Duchâtelet remain at Charlton.

Although the Belgium Embassy is unable to interfere in private matters, Leroy noted the concerns expressed to him and pledged to report back to the relevant authorities in Belgium, which include government officials, the regional authorities and the police.

The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) has withdrawn its plans to protest against the current ownership of Charlton Athletic at the Easter Monday game against Rotherham United.

CARD said there had been significant developments since its previous announcement two weeks ago. That followed then manager Karl Robinson’s comments to the media suggesting a takeover might be delayed indefinitely.

A CARD spokesperson said: “Although we have not received the firm evidence of a takeover that we wanted, things have moved on and we no longer think it is appropriate to take action on Easter Monday.

“Karl Robinson’s departure as manager is clearly linked to the takeover, which is now being widely reported by mainstream media as imminent.

“Public and private sources suggest there is no reason to think that Duchatelet himself intends to be owner of Charlton for much longer.

“In addition, we believe the change of manager and subsequent dramatic improvement on the pitch last Saturday have revived fans’ hopes that the team could still be promoted via the play-offs.

The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) is to stage a day of protest at The Valley on Easter Monday unless there is firm news of new Charlton Athletic owners before April.

Fans have finally run out of patience after team manager Karl Robinson made clear on Tuesday night that even he no longer believes what he is told about the takeover by the existing two-man club board.

Robinson told the media after the latest defeat: “Our CEO was gone at the end of December. Our financial director has gone now. We were told the club would be done in two weeks. That was seven or eight weeks ago in the beginning of January. We thought we’d have somebody in in mid-January to try and push us forward and give us some funds. I’m stood here in mid-March and being told it’s nowhere near.”

A CARD spokesperson said: “While we appreciate the takeover requires a degree of confidentiality, it has become clear that that neither Karl Robinson nor a majority of fans now feel they can rely on what director Richard Murray says.

“Murray said on February 28th that a price and terms had been agreed and ‘we are now just waiting for their respective lawyers to finalise the sale and purchase agreement’. Robinson’s comments suggest the manager has now been given a different story.

“Fans have been very patient this season and wanted to give Karl Robinson and the players every chance. But another opportunity to get out of League One has been squandered, the club has no effective leadership or strategic direction and there appears to be every prospect of this continuing into the summer, while the absentee owner sits in Belgium counting his money.

“If necessary we intend to target Roland Duchatelet’s business operation in Belgium for lawful protest, as well as all three April matches at The Valley, because this situation cannot and will not be allowed to continue indefinitely.”

CARD will announce further details for the Easter Monday game against Rotherham United in due course, with the games on April 14th and 28th to follow, and is focusing its attention abroad on Duchatelet’s plan to open a new 25-room hotel in Belgium in May.

The group is also calling on Charlton fans to boycott season-ticket sales for 2018/19 until new owners are in place.

The spokesperson added: “If the club is sufficiently foolish to bring out its season-ticket prices ahead of a takeover we would hope most fans would say enough is enough.

Members of the Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) met last week, and reaffirmed their joint commitment to the removal of the Belgian businessman as owner of Charlton.

CARD – formed in January 2016 and bringing together representatives of a number of different Addicks groups and organisations, including the Charlton supporters’ trust - has no early plans to resume disruptive protests during matches. But it remains active and intends to pursue its aim in other ways as the season progresses.

A spokesperson said: “We congratulate manager Karl Robinson on the team’s overall start to the season and on achieving the longest of the eight separate managerial tenures since Duchatelet bought the club three years and eight months ago. We also look forward to the celebrations when Karl reaches a full calendar year in charge.

“While any improvement on the pitch is to be welcomed, CARD’s concern is to ensure that Charlton fans still have a club to support in five, 10 and 20 years’ time and we continue to regard Duchatelet as a profound threat to that objective.

“He bought a Championship club and it is entirely down to him and his choice of chief executive, Katrien Meire, that the team is currently in League One for a second season. That is more important to most supporters than any short sequence of results, good or bad, as is the club’s damaged and diminished reputation resulting from their mismanagement. It is reflected in the fact that Charlton have lost 40 per cent of season-ticket holders.

“However, CARD does not believe it would be responsible or sensible to organise protests which could potentially impact on the team’s chances of winning promotion, and we believe that is also the majority view among fans as a whole, so we are not currently planning any that affect matches.

“We do wish to acknowledge the supporters who continue to wear black and white scarves and protest shirts to games, and encourage them to carry on. They can be assured that we are making other plans behind the scenes.

Following the final home match of the season, the Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) has thanked everyone who supported Sunday’s protests, whether by turning up early behind the north stand, wearing black and white, or simply making their views clear during the game.

CARD’s spokesperson commented: “Police put the 11am turnout in Harvey Gardens at well over 2,000. This was spectacular and in fact, the numbers overwhelmed our ability to communicate with and organise people as we would have liked.

“We made the mistake of underestimating Charlton fans’ willingness to turn out early on a Sunday morning, and with hindsight we would have handled things differently outside the stadium, because there was potential to do more. But we are hugely grateful to the number who came and will learn from that.

Nevertheless, the main exterior objective of blockading the car park was highly effective.

“Inside, the black and white balloons and fake season-ticket tickertape were not intended to stop the game in the same way as previous items like the pigs, but rather to create a visual spectacle, as well as remind some fans why we are protesting. They did their job well.”

CARD also addressed the views of some fans who would have liked to see more direct intervention, such as a pitch invasion to stop the game as had happened at Leyton Orient the previous day.

The spokesperson said: “With protests like Sunday we are playing a game of cat and mouse with the club and forcing them to address things that might happen, which was especially true of the focus on the lower west stand. We recognise that this can lead to unfulfilled expectations among fans as well. But next time, who knows? As it was the club had to double the number of stewards and the directors were left in no doubt of fans' feelings from the large number of loud, black and white-clad protesters close around them.

“There are a variety of views within CARD, as well as outside it, about how far protests should go. However, we are guided by the extent to which they are likely to be endorsed by most supporters opposed to the regime and what they are likely to achieve, as well as the legal position. It’s inevitable that this will be too much for some and not enough for others.

“We were pleased to work with two other groups who are strongly opposed to Duchatelet - Women Against the Regime (WAR) and The Belgium20 - in Sunday's protests. But anything we do will have limited impact without the active support of so many Charlton fans. Sunday showed irrefutably that even after the regime has driven a third of supporters away, a huge majority want the regime out and back our protests aimed at achieving this.

“On that basis, CARD will continue for as long as Roland Duchatelet and Katrien Meire remain involved with the club. We would all like that period to be as short as possible and remain hopeful that it will end sooner rather than later.

”Meanwhile, we offer our sincere and huge thanks to all those who have worked so hard and over such a prolonged period to plan, organise, support and participate in our protests."

The Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) wants to thank the hundreds of Charlton supporters who made the 500-mile round trip to Sint-Truiden to join Saturday’s Unity Protest march through the town, as well as the many other fans who spontaneously demonstrated their own feelings about the owner and his regime during the team’s 2-1 defeat at Northampton Town.

More than 100 supporters of a wide age range travelled to Belgium by coach and they were joined by many dozens of others who had made their own way from England by rail and road. The fans kept in touch with events at Sixfields via commentary relay to the coaches and a video link to the pre-march buffet, where Addicks protest band The 2percent also performed.

They were then accompanied by a small contingent of Sint-Truiden fans for the procession through the town to Stayen, home of Duchatelet’s Belgian club, STVV. Police estimated total numbers at about 300. The owner was at the stadium but did not show himself during the demonstration, which was covered by both local and London television outlets, and a range of other media.

The exemplary conduct of Charlton fans was underlined by the tweet posted by local police chief Steve Provost, with whom CARD had liaised extensively before the day. He said: “Nice demonstration #cafc, good agreement with the organisers, perfect execution by [police] colleagues.”

CARD also welcomed the sensible and proportionate policing of the march. But it contrasted the fans' conduct with the prior claims of Duchatelet, who called disaffected supporters “vinegar pissers” in a local newspaper and said the police chief and town mayor would have to take responsibility for the "consequences" of allowing the demonstration.

In a statement to the Guardian newspaper, published on Saturday, the club also said: “We would request that anyone travelling to protest in Belgium this weekend will conduct themselves in an appropriate and respectful manner.”

A CARD spokesperson said: “It appears to be Roland Duchatelet who needs advice on how to conduct himself in an ‘appropriate and respectful manner’. He has previously called protest organisers ‘stupid people’, misognynists and ex-employees. Charlton must have had a huge turnover of staff if all those in Belgium were ex-employees.’

“The club also misled some national journalists into believing it was transporting all 1,400 travelling fans to Northampton. They ran five coaches and had made clear from the outset that they were not prepared to run more than that. They took 258 people, which is no bad thing, but they could not even be honest and transparent about that.

"The regime has long demonstrated its poor judgement, but this was both naive and desperate, even unethical. It is yet more evidence of the management's incompetence, as is the team’s plunge towards possible relegation to League Two, despite one of the biggest budgets in the division. Duchatelet and chief executive Katrien Meire have no idea what they are doing, which has been evident to many fans for some time.

“The protest in Sint-Truiden went well beyond our expectations and in addition to CARD’s role we want to acknowledge the part played in delivering it by the Belgium 20 group, as well as Women Against the Regime (WAR). It was months in the planning, so it was not just about recent results, but three years of hopeless management of the club - confirmed by the team’s league position, the emptying Valley and thumping financial losses.

Charlton fans organising Saturday’s Unity Protest against the club’s owner Roland Duchatelet in his home town of Sint-Truiden have confirmed that every seat on the two coaches travelling has now been sold.