Charlton Athletic vs Sunderland: fans work inside to send their club back on sale

The overflow of emotions at the end of a semifinal dam, dominated by Charlton Athletic and Doncaster Rovers, was simply unbelievable. The scenes of jubilation, the invasion of the field, the following week of euphoria online: it would be wrong to think that the season is officially over and that Charlton Athletic is promoted.

But if the last nine days of excitement may be a little exaggerated for an inexperienced eye, there is much more to do under the surface of a first trip to the national stadium in 21 long years and a romantic meeting with old opponents Sunderland, the opposition to the famous second-level thrill tower of 1998.

The following years of Premier League, Alan Curbishley's dear underdogs, were well documented. The club's struggles over the past few years with controversial new owner Roland Duchatelet have also attracted a lot of attention from the media – dams of little pigs flying on the pitch in the middle of a match will have this effect – but somewhere in the middle lies the genesis of a particularly poignant road to Wembley.

In 2009, two years after the Premier League relegation, the Addicks suffered a further fall in third place. It was at this point that the club really began to suffer financially, with a wave of layoffs and severe financial restrictions that prevented Phil Parkinson from bringing his team back to the championship, which ultimately ended in an unsuccessful attempt to break the Wembley duck from the team.

The worrying financial dilemma that led indirectly to Duchatelet's acquisition of Charlton began when double relegation forced the people still employed to do the work twice to give the impression that things were going on as usual, despite a wild speech and a big broken screen suggesting the opposite.

On the media and public relations side, several graduates supporting Charlton, whose career path had accelerated under the circumstances, and longtime members of the unofficial Charlton Live radio fan, such as Peter Finch and Terry Smith , have been helped.

On the day of the match, comments on the club's online service will be provided by Smith and one of these graduates, Greg Stubley. Smith has covered the Reds at home and away since they've been knocked down following the relegation of 2009. He recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of his first live game in Charlton. He was in the crowd at Wembley in 1998 with his family.

"I had a place by chance on Charlton Live," Smith explained. "After the closing of the radio station that welcomed him, Matt Wright [then Head of Communications] and some of the other team members such as Pete and Dave Lockwood have found it with the support of the club and my "work" for the club has started there. "

Smith had ups and downs at The Valley prior to Clive Mendonca's immortal treble. But despite the widespread discontent under Duchatelet, his role has never seemed ungrateful to a certain extent.

"In the past, we had evidence that the highest personalities of the club listened to us and appreciated what we were doing," explained Smith. "Recently, I would say it was still the case up to a certain level, but I suspect that the most senior people are not really aware of what we are doing.

"As an extremely lucky fan, he also commented on the match. I do not see it as a job. Part of me would like to be with my family and friends, but I am honored and proud to do something that I could not have dreamed of having the chance to be able to do. "

Unlike her former partner Charlton Live and commentator, Finch will be watching the stands. He will be with his son, 21 years after pbading block 146 under the twin towers with his family.

"The transition [from radio to cafc.co.uk] That's because the club wanted someone to run a fan show on its subscription service, "Finch said. "It was agreed that we would present each week a Sunday night. We had a few meetings and set up the team and the studio towards the end of the 2009/10 season.

"Our first broadcast was a pre-season friendly, commenting Terry and I, Terry had some experience at that time. I did not have one.

"And yet, I remember the morning of an early season game, shortly after, when I received a call from Matt who told me that I would play the role of summary for BBC Radio "

Despite the baptism of fire caused by the tight budgets surrounding Charlton and the long-time national broadcaster, Finch found his pace and became a regular at the club.

In 2012, with Addick in the second level after a successful campaign, the commentary service was integrated with Terry and Peter, becoming full time presenters.

"As for my real job, I was very lucky," Finch said. "I was working for a good boss who knew I was working beyond the hours for which I was paid and knew what I was doing for the club. He was therefore in favor of me rushing north for mid-week games.

"Certainly, going home after games, after three hours of work, until three or four in the morning before going to the office the next morning at the usual time was a challenge, but that "Never affected my job."

Pete was one of the many Charlton fans and staff members chased by the actions of Duchatelet and his former CEO, Katrien Meire. That said, since Finch's successful position prior to his departure from Addicks in 2015, it was clear that only one person had called the shots.

"When Roland fired Powell, Jose Riga kept us in shape, but only got a contract until the end of the season. Despite what was happening at the club, I think everyone wanted to see him named in the off season. The owner had other ideas.

"I really became worried about a week after this season, attending a charity dinner and talking with Katrien Meire to ask if Jose Riga would get the job. She told me that the owner wanted him or someone else that he had in mind. I was a little stunned when she asked me if I would email the owner and support Riga for the job. That even told me that she was not making the decisions that her job title suggested. "

It was Bob Peeters, whose reign lasted six months before senior management began to burn anyone in a department – including those who spend their time filling staff gaps that have not been fully filled since 2009.

"When Peeters was sacked, this lack of voice became more obvious than ever before for many of us," Finch explained.

"In the days leading up to Peeters' dismissal, rumors circulated that Guy Luzon, a former boss of Standard Liege, would still be on the owner's payroll.

"Peeters was sacked on a Sunday. I remember that while we were on the air and I was told that I would make a statement during the show, but that I would continue as if I had no idea. Then, over the next few days, Katrien said that interviews would be organized and that she would receive a large number of applications.

"I sincerely think that she thought she would have a say in the care, then, suddenly, Luzon arrived and she was undermined.

"I remember the press conference announcing his arrival very well. She was like a rabbit in the headlights during the whole process. She was obviously not happy and afterwards, she seemed a little shaken.

"Luzon was effectively unable to work until his work permit was settled, which the club had missed. So we took a game away in Watford and were beaten 5-0. It could have been a lot more that day.

"After that, Luzon worked well for a while and things started to go wrong for him. Outside the field, Katrien was increasingly overwhelmed and made public statements that did not serve anyone.

"My last comment was a midweek game on a Tuesday. I remember commenting on the last 20 minutes, Charlton being totally outmatched and finding it so difficult. I've practically decided to quit during those 20 minutes.

"I kept it for myself and I did not share it with colleagues because I knew that they would try to dissuade me, but I slept on it two nights ago." and then I made the decision.

"I did not feel relieved at all, I felt completely devastated. I had abandoned something that was close to my heart because of the owner and his total disregard for my club, his supporters and the future of the club. "

An ephemeral takeover of Charlton in early 2011 by a consortium led by Michael Slater led to much needed full-time hires. However, the consortium 's prolonged efforts to sell the club, presumably to make a profit, set in motion the Duchatelet – era process and the high levels of turbulence that forced more than Peter to join. ;go.

Jimmy Stone was one of the new hires in 2012, with championship football on the verge of being badured.

"I knew I wanted to work in football," he said. "I studied journalism at the university and shortly after graduation, the position was reinstated. It was a bit like destiny in many ways.

"Some people who worked at the club said that supporting them would never be the same once you worked there. And they were right.

The remarkable events of Duchatelet's reign led to Stone's voluntary departure in 2015. Less than three years after winning the dream job, he had the impression of waking up from one of the strangest nightmares ever recorded.

"After meeting Duchatelet and hearing his plans for the club, I immediately had great doubts," Stone admitted. "In the end, it has become more of a personal matter. I think it would be wrong to say that I left to protest what was happening, but it certainly played an important role. I could have stayed longer but it hurt me to see what was going on and I had opportunities up the ladder. "

Stone's role in the club's timeline, however, was not over.

He then published the podcast mini-series, Learning to Know the Network, which explained exactly how Duchatelet thought the club should be run. Peter 's horror stories have been confirmed, as have many others. And the new ones have been made public. Suddenly, the difficult situation of the half-opponents of the Addicks Dam match under Ken Richardson had competition.

"Many of us have always joked that Charlton at that time would have been a great sitcom," said Jimmy. "But someone suggested the podcast, so I decided to record some interviews. After each interview, I was told to talk to that person or person and, finally, things got complicated. It was like putting together a puzzle. As a fan, it was fascinating and as a journalist, I knew it was a beautiful story. "

His career continues to flourish in the London Marathon team with West Ham United, but his former colleagues have warned him: Charlton's lifelong love affair carries the scars of his day and his life.

"It's not the same. I do not think that will be the case. When you engage every day of your life in something, you have certainly felt that something more is slipping in and in many ways.

"I remember when Ben Hamer saved a penalty at the last minute in Leeds, I also remember thinking that he could have saved their work to a lot of people. It's hard to explain, but it seems to me that something is missing now.

"It had a lot of advantages. I was basically our audience if it made sense. I knew the history of the club and I knew what made it such a special place.

"But when it comes to decisions that you think will seriously hurt the football club, it's definitely harder to accept them. In a club like Charlton, it's sometimes hard not to feel involved in the problem.

The likes of Terry, Peter, Jimmy and others, even in these difficult times, would create a ripple effect. Their efforts and pbadion have inspired other fans to cross this line, and few of these players are as well known to the community as Louis Mendez.

"I've been listening to the Charlton Live radio show for a long time and often interacting with the studio via Twitter or phoning to get a say," said Mendez, who has covered Charlton independently over the years. recent years for a number of local events. publications as well as the BBC.

"Thanks to the wonders of social media, I became friends with some of the guys in the series and I was finally asked if I wanted to join the team. Things started to snowball from there.

"The club needed help for an internal video commentary that I did several times. It put me in the news during a match day. I became familiar with a few faces from the local press and he asked me to start writing a column of fans for the News Shopper.

"At the same time, the club was starting its own comments on the radio, leaving a void for BBC Radio London's summary of Charlton's coverage, which I had to name for a few months. This coverage stopped at the end of this season, but I was given the opportunity to work as a reporter at pre-season friendlies next summer, which included an interview with the director. Bob Peeters.

"I started running the series on Charlton Live at that time before taking over full-time after Pete Finch left. At first, the work of BBC Radio London was quite uncertain before becoming practically every game, but I started to cover News Shopper and then South London Press matches at that time and I did not never looked back. "

Thanks to much of his work on the other side of the imaginary partition between the reporters and the club's communications department, Louis has so far emerged from his own clashes with Charlton's recent struggles over enriched.

"My experience has certainly been almost exclusively positive," he said.

"You get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how the club works and that can sometimes be a revelation. I met a lot of great people and started working with very talented journalists and teams. In addition, I always spend time with people I've always been to, and with games, which is important to me.

"Everything that happened off the court while I covered the club probably helped me a lot. I have more responsibilities than when I was just a fan who supported the club and talked on Twitter. I must be fair and impartial, but also be able to report when things are going well or bad. Nobody will ever get everything perfect, but I hope to find the right balance. "

He continued, "Things are not really tense now, but at the height of the Charlton problems, some people would not be happy with how the club could have been portrayed in the media – but that was not just about me

"There was a major problem in denying that things had slipped inside the camp – something that Duchatelet still seems to be struggling with, according to his recent statements on the club's website. .

"Some managers read articles I wrote or even listened to Charlton Live and were not happy about not being painted the best way possible. But when a season ends in relegation, you feel that you have been sadly justified in what you said.

"The other managers are not happy with the way the interviews are held after a defeat, but that tends to end next week. You must also learn to ask firm but fair questions in such circumstances and I think I have improved over the years. "

Mendez has come a long way since the 1998 roadblocks final, as has club reporter Olly Groome. Bromley's two longtime friends were there, each with his tenth birthday on the horizon. Although they have spent much of their football work on opposite sides of the aforementioned score, the tandem offers a positive example of the internal development of media talent, comparable to that of the famous academy.

"I had to leave Cub Camp early to attend," recalls Mendez of 4-4. "I remember getting bored and unable to finish a hamburger in one of the stands outside, while I was resplendent in my tracksuit for Euro 96 and my third kit for Charlton.

"I only remember bits of the game – even though I cried a lot and wanted to go home at different times. I remember the discouragement after Niall Quinn scored 3-2 after Clive Mendonca's second goal and cashing into the fray after another Addicks goal.

"When Sasa Ilic dismissed Michael Gray's penalty, the stands were chaotic. I think I just shouted "we did it" again and again. A good day."

Groome, meanwhile, was sitting behind the goal in which Richard Rufus scored his first senior goal to force extra time, alongside 15 close relatives of Charlton. When I met him by phone on Saturday, he was on his way from Bromley to Wembley, as he had been two decades ago.

This time, in addition to being extremely early, he was alone.

The sheer volume of logistics, digital content, media requests, and video previews over the past nine days has allowed Olly to barely pause to think about parallels.

And yet, even this lonely ride through the capital long before the blurring blur of red and white enveloped the area around the stadium to have a length ahead of the blanket did not feel as lonely as it was. he had done it shortly after joining the team in 2013.

"I spent two years embarrbading myself," he joked, referring to Pete, Terry, and Dave on the Charlton Live team before following a route similar to many of the other events. Others via club comments and website articles. "Even when the club was able to engage Jimmy and Iain [Liddle, now at BT Sport], the team members left one by one. And I think almost all of them were because they were tired of what was going on behind the scenes.

"When Matt left, I was offered a full-time position. At this point, I came to contribute more regularly and when the team leader left the group, he arrived at a stage where they knew they could not get away with making me work for free. But they could pay me less than what they previously paid to senior managers, so they were happy.

"Not long after, Gary [Haines, Olly’s predecessor as club reporter] left too. After the takeover, Iain and Jimmy did the same. In a year, the team was more than me.

"It meant I had to learn a lot, fast. At that time, I had already gritted my teeth, but there was still a lot to do. To be in charge of media access, dealing with many different departments and personalities. It was a lot.

Matt was not replaced at the head of communications for three and a half years, outside the infamous infamous Mel Baroni's stay. Although both George Jones and Steve Adamson had found full-time help, both of whom were following the same path of fan and employee volunteers, he was at a very low point from the start.

"I graduated in journalism in 2009, but while I was trying to get into freelance, I had a hard time getting myself and I mostly worked at London until I start helping Charlton in 2011. The situation worsened quickly from there, but I love what I do.

It's under Groome that the club's approach to social media began to evolve. With a few exceptions, many football teams continued to use Twitter as an automated extension of their official website just five years ago.

"It was when Iain and Jimmy were still here that we discussed and agreed that it made sense to show more personality online," Olly said. "It was a natural evolution, these two laid the foundation and I had the opportunity to evolve it soon after."

An occasional tweet involving Addicks could secure the win by a 19-goal margin to prevent Bournemouth's promotion into the Premier League fairy tales quickly exploded, and the CAFC official did not look back.

You may have noticed that the team, especially Olly, was out of social media, while providing live updates of the Doncaster thriller. Everything was as real as entertaining. More importantly, it was genuine, which is Groome's main goal.

"Honestly, I think fans want Facebook and Twitter, and others, to be perceived as human-driven, because they're run by humans, humans who care about this club," he said. he said.

"A few months after Bournemouth's tweet, we played Hull at The Valley. We were leading 1-0 before Abel Hernandez scored an equalizer in the 89th minute. Hull's Twitter account wrote "Goal". Literally just "goal". We could not take offense.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson then scored the winner in stoppage time, eight minutes in fact. In our tweet, we went bonkers.

"It was also not seen as a conscious reaction to the way they scored their goal. The whole climax of the match was crazy, and as supporters, we were trained for the ride. It reflected that.

However, social media is also the main problem for fans / staff: to support the weight of fan dissatisfaction online. And with the troubles that have surrounded the club in recent years, Olly, George, Steve, Jimmy and his company have a lot to suffer.

"To be honest, it does not happen as much as before," Groome said. Around 2015-2016, many fans saw everything we did as an extension of Roland Duchatelet, at a time when the relationship between the two became really tense.

"They would react as if we had chosen to have some of the players sign the club. It is difficult because when you have just conceded an 11th goal in two games, you are as upset as everyone else. Moments later, they attack you.

"It made me wonder why I sometimes embarrbaded myself, but everything we do is aimed at the fans and I think even of those who did not realize that, at that moment, they managed it slowly in recent years. "

Olly's and Louis's travels round the loop when they sit in the press space for the play-off final. And despite their links with the club and its community, they would not trade their offices and tasks under the famous steps leading to the trophy presentation platform against a replica jersey, an inexpressible hamburger and a ticket for seated among the 38,227 members of Addick who would be present for the date with destiny.

"I would not change anything," said Mendez. "It's a chance to live a very special day for the club. I will celebrate or sympathize again with my friends afterwards, but it is a real privilege to participate in such a great occasion. "

"From one side, my family, my girlfriend and my friends will all be among the crowd," explained Groome, "but this trip as a press has given me a second family and it will be a day." Special to share with guys like Terry, Louis, Greg, George and the people with whom I have shared many trips on the road, sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes unbelievable. "

Finch and Stone, meanwhile, will swim in this sea of ​​red during the day, filled with bittersweet memories but also with endless optimism that a second final victory over Sunderland will open a new positive era in the world. Charlton Athletic history.

"I'm delighted that some of my former colleagues have their day at Wembley, something we came so close to the day before Powell was sacked," said Peter.

"The promotion will have everything for the fans and of course for the players. The failure of the victory will result in an exodus of off-contract talent, but this low-cost Lee Bowyer team has achieved something remarkable this season, regardless of Sunday's result.

"I'm not sure that winning will have emotional significance for the owner, but the fans go there despite the owner. I hope he's watching TV and realizes what he could have accomplished had he handled things properly. "

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