Fans that we don’t want
I’ve not seen any other blogger mention this, but it was widely reported this week that nine so called Charlton followers were arrested by police in dawn raids on Wednesday morning investigating suspected racist chanting on a train into Waterloo Station following our cup tie at Fulham on 7th January.
I did speak to Dave today, who told me that he was on the train and on arrival at Waterloo the doors didn’t open for five minutes as police put a cordon around one carriage. According to a policeman on the scene one of the moronic ditties was “David Norris is our friend, he kills n******.” Nice.
Apparently this pleasant collection of racist simpletons are part of what is known as ‘our youth’ although those arrested from homes in Bexley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Bromley were as old as 30!
Frankly we don’t need these thick chavs following the club. They are an embarrassment to the club and us real supporters and I hope they and their hangers on piss off somewhere else and the club take a firm stand, which I know they will as should the rest of us.
Maybe I’m getting old but the ‘Addams Family’ song and the ‘Kevin Lisbie chant’ not only annoys me because they hardly inspire the team on the pitch but they embarrass me as a Charlton fan too.
As I said to Dave, I would love to have seen some of those brainless twats being dragged around with the real boys back in the 80’s like those of a certain age. They wouldn’t have been so brave with their mindless chants.
Anyone with information about the incident should call 0800 40 50 40 quoting incident B11/LSA of 23/01/2012, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Very well said, CA.
Hear ! Hear ! Well said CA.
Phil ANEM.
Well said. I noticed a few of these dickheads at Orient and again at Fulham. I hoped that they maybe ‘floaters’ and that the Den was their normal home, but as they were there again at Wednesday that was not the case. Hopefully we wont be seeing them at any further matches.
Herek Dales
They are part of the same group of “‘yuth” ‘supporters’ who chant peurile rubbish for much of away games and (if you care to watch them) seldom follow the game. In fact, it is common to see them chanting at and looking to the opposition’s stand when there is a critical goal mouth incident that seems to be a second priority.
They are the ones who mouth off other supporters and occassionally spit at or beat up our own fans, as reported on other blogs after the Fulham game. The latter was a great shame as 99% of fans at Fulham were absolutely great.
If these ‘fans’ are the future then the club is going to gain a bad repoutation, and genuine fans will grow so sick and tired of them that they will not go to games, especially away fixtures.
Reminds me of a Villa game some years back when the rabble were chanting ‘stand-up if you love CAFC’ and when the faithfull fans didn’t formed a cordon behind them, verbally abusing and threatening them. Most of those who were sitting in their seats trying to watch the game had been through thick and thin with the clubs when those ‘fans’ were in their iron barred cradles.
Well I’m old too Chicago and I hate the Adams Family song. Worse for me this season was the two Sheff U games – particularly up there – when there were 3 supporters who kept starting a song about (I presume, because I don’t read the tabloids) a Sheff U player who had been accused of rape. I didn’t even catch the name of the player involved and I really don’t care. What got me was the way they kept laughing, thinking they were so clever – how can rape be funny under any circumstances? As a woman I felt sickened. But I have to admit I wasn’t brave enough to go and say anything – I just glowered a bit (they probably thought I fancied them). They had obviously been drinking and although I didn’t fear them physically who knows what might have started. When I saw the news this week I really hoped they were among the 9, but sadly I think they were a bit too old.
I’m not connecting the two events in any way other than the dates but since we exited the Premier League, I’ve noticed more and more ‘youth’ at away games who make my blood boil.
The puerile chanting and abuse of stewards just isn’t big or clever.
Last season, at Brentford for the JPT game, I was having such a miserable time due to the muppets I was packed in near to, I very nearly left at half time.
The final result, plus the bottle thrown at our *OWN GOALKEEPER* from just in front of me really made me wish I had.
The same group were at Waterloo East after the game, giving abuse to staff.
Personally, I’m glad those people were arrested. If that makes me not ‘proper Charlton’ in some people’s eyes then I’m proud of that too.
As the club are banning those charged, once there’s a conviction, it’s good riddance from me.
Unfortunately, it’s more than any ‘nine’ who are giving us a bad reputation and other followers need to be made unwelcome too.
It’s surely no coincidence that our away support receives much heavier police presence than it used to.
We are not Millwall and some people need to remember that.
Marco.
Of course you’re “proper Charlton” Marco. I don’t get over much but the experience of standing on Brentford station this season with these young kids of 15/16 spitting venom at the Bees fans make me sick and frankly afraid. I don’t want to be “too old for this” but at some stage I don’t think I’m going to feel safe anymore when watching my beloved football team.
It is sad that you think like that SLC. They are complete no marks and you will still be flying over to enjoy games long after they have pissed off somewhere else on a Saturday afternoon.
Excellent post. Agreed with every word. I suspect that this will become more of an issue if we get promoted.
Damn right. Glad the club were quick to condemn them too. Idiots like these we don’t need as fans.
CA – glad you broadened the subject – this is about anti-social behaviour which (regrettably) includes racism.
It has no place in the game I love and should not find a home in SE7.
The club say they are tackling this public issue (racism/fulham) but my feeling is that they could and should be taking a stronger stance about the way this anti-social behaviour is manifest at the Valley – this extends from toilet smoking through to the incest song and the general standing even though you can’t see stuff.
The proof will be in the pudding – lets hope it rings true across the spectrum.