Has anyone read ......

[Fred Elliot]

Garry Nelson's autobiography !

(well thumbed copy to lend if you want)

Well, it describes the Charlton fan's fight against local and regional opposition to the Valley's redevelopment.

Basically it was decided through a concensus of opinion that the only way to strategically fight  the local authority's opposition to the redevelopment plans were to fight them within and stand for council as an independant with the manifesto remit purely surrounding the advantages to the community that a league football club brings.

It was unanimously agreed that the impact of such a stance would not benefit the cause if just one candidate was standing in the ward that the Valley ground was situated. It was therefor decided that the movement would propose and pay deposits for candidates to stand in every ward that was being contested in the "catchment area"

Result :  People sat up and took notice of the swell of opinion and the Valley was redeveloped with the backing of the local authority and populus.

Now....... I am not saying that we have an identical demographic model here but it just goes to prove that the silent voter is more powerful than the likes of Mr Doyle could ever imagine !

Please do not get me wrong, I am not a political animal by any means, but do you know what ?

I was stood on my own in Winners on Saturday and I looked at the place absoloutly jamming.

Do you know what ?

60% of the people in there were from a couple of boys teams (players and parents) that obviously Clive MacGuire and his team were looking after for the day....................these are now (hopefully) fans that will contribute the the atmosphere and the coffers.

Also :

Computer courses run underneath the Nationwide.
Summer soccer schools
Role models contributing to local issues such as the "stop bullying"campaign.
etc
etc
etc

Its time for the the non vocal, compliant to make themselves heard.................................. I FOR ONE AM !

[Spud]

I put forward that J1mmy stands for council.  

[Ironside]

:king:

[Bedford Red]

It would be good if people could get the money together and get enough candidates. Isn't it quite expensive to stand though, about 500 quid per candidate I think although that could be wrong.

[Fred Elliot]

Ill make some enquiries................ Ill e mail John Doyle and ask his opinions !

[Reg Smeeton]

The key difference was that Charlton were homeless away from the Valley which was just rotting......its the sort of thing that focusses minds...we seem able to muddle along.

 It will need the board to start plan b in action, a move away from the town, that may have some effect.

 Mark Devlin on the Adver site suggested in answer to a question of mine that  is some way off.....but I can't see the club getting anywhere with SBC, so they may as well start in that direction.