The Charlton Athletic hierarchy's relationship with supporters suffered another blow on Tuesday night.
The Championship club released an official statement in which fans were described as customers, following the protests against the manner in which owner Roland Duchatelet runs the club at their game against Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Supporters had a mock funeral march ahead of the game at The Valley and then threw beach balls onto the pitch to delay it.
Fans reacted angrily to the statement to the statement, with one supporter stating it was a declaration of war.
Dear Fans,
Last Sunday, some individuals did not come to The Valley to watch the game and support the team, but came to create disorder on the pitch and interfere with the players and the game. Disorder which is, allegedly, needed to drive change in ownership and management.
Whom would they expect the club to be sold to? How long would a sales process take? Is it easier to sell the club when it is in League One rather than Championship?
Some individuals seem to want the club to fail. This is a confused approach, since following this logic leads to exactly the opposite of what we all want: staying in the Championship.
Allegations regarding the CEO are misrepresented* and are continuously used as a method to discredit and fuel personal abuse, hatred and with a risk to personal safety.
Although certain individuals tell you it does not happen, in recent weeks Roland Duchatelet has met the fans, the CEO has met with several different groups of fans and the communications team have attended several fans meetings. We will continue these meetings and constructive dialogue with fans.
We have 9 games left in which we have to get 6 points more than our competitors.
The team just got 7 points out of 3 games.
We still have the chance to make it happen with the support of the fans until the very last game. We must believe it is still possible. Every football fan knows the 12th man is a crucial factor in the success on the pitch.
*I think the difference is also because fans don't see themselves as customers and {…} they go to the restaurants with their families every week and they go to the cinema but if they aren't satisfied with the product will they go and scream to the people in charge of it? No they don't, but they do it with a football club and that's very weird (meaning unique) because they feel a sense of ownership of a football club and that's a really difficult balance of how you try and engage with fans and make them, incorporated into some of the decisions of the club, {…}.
Charlton Athletic statement 