Our new manager has been quoted as saying he would like to learn more about the protests so we have written to him as follows inviting him to meet us to hear from our perspective:

Dear Karl,

Firstly, on behalf of Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust (CASTrust) I’d like to warmly welcome you to the club and to wish you the very best of luck in taking the club forward.

We note that you said in your interview with Rob Stevens of the BBC that you wanted to learn more about the protests against Roland Duchatelet. The purpose of this letter is to say that CAS Trust would be very happy to spend time with you to explain what is going on from the perspective of the ordinary fan. We can provide you with objective background based on our opinion surveys and written representations from our members.

CAS Trust is the largest Charlton supporter group with over 1100 paid up members. We are a democratically constituted organisation verified by the national organisation Supporters Direct. We have carried out regular surveys of fan opinion over the last three years and our most recent survey (October) revealed that 80% of respondents felt “very negative” about the future of the club under Roland Duchatelet. A further 15% felt “quite negative”. 88% of respondents said that the protests must continue.

Results are obviously very important but the current unhappiness of the majority of supporters is rooted in a fundamental dismay and embarrassment at how Charlton Athletic has been mismanaged under Duchatelet. People have lost their sense of affinity with the club. Many are actively protesting but many have just stayed away in sorrow. The massive drop in season ticket sales (down 4000 on last season) and attendances bears witness to this.

Every member of CAS Trust is keen to see the club recover its once envied reputation and for it to achieve success and we are sure that you share these aims. We would greatly value the opportunity to meet with you to explain further the rationale of the protests and to answer any questions you may have about them.

If you would like to take us up on this offer please contact me at chair@castrust.org or by phone.

Yours sincerely

Richard Wiseman
Chair – CAS Trust