Charlton planning last game abandonement v Burnley!

[Blue_Boy]

Been sent this link from a mate who works with a Burnley fan & there is much concern on their various forums plus local rags due to Charlton insisting they will invade the pitch in their last game against BFC in order to have the game abandoned or at least significantly delayed to highlight their upset with their owners

http://www.uptheclarets.com/message...2&t=3342&sid=e41bf7bc0db54b4e5caa9ea7bd38ae7c


The Charlton boys are getting quite worked up & even talk of throwing safety pins or drawing pins on the pitch & various objects at various times then if that's not enough for the Ref to haul both sides off they aim to rush the pitch & stay there. Charlton protest forum:-

http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/72860/burnley-protests/p10


I've read enough posts for this to concern me. In some posts Charlton protestors are very complimentary to us for joining in their march last Saturday but they wont be doing us any favours if the game IS abandoned & played after the result of our game v Boro is known. The implications are massive - there'd be appeals flying all over the place if Burnley were promoted via a result at the point of the game being called off or a replayed game behind closed doors

The League, FA & Police are apparently aware of this but I hope they have bigger numbers in the home end than Saturday to prevent objects of any kind causing long & frequent delays or to prevent a pitch invasion

I can't imagine the 3,000+ Burnley fans sitting there peacefully either. I've no faith in the league after last season's final day farce at Blackpool when fans invaded the pitch in the 47th minute or so & after an hour the ref called it off & the result at that time stood. It's too big a game to be at risk of neither of the 3 top teams having promotion decided by any other way than all 3 playing & finishing their games at the same time

Sky will be cacking their pants too. Apologies if this has come up already but I've only just become aware of it & it worries me that we might finish our game v Boro & be promoted only for a called off game to be replayed a few days later & then be pipped by Burnley. Or they could award an unfinished game to Burnley if the score is in their favour when the game is stopped

Regardless of it being over a week away there has to be bloody strict measures in place now & reassurances to all three Clubs at the top that the title will be won fairly & how they propose to do that. It would affect Play Off dates too if a game was replayed

Not a good sign that Charlton Athletic players have been told to keep the following week clear as a further game may need playing - that tells me their Club is expecting an abandonment going off that. Have we any pull with the lads at Charlton to protest but let the game be fulfilled?

This worries me a lot after reading the contradictory statements from the League regarding abandoned matches. This for instance

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=d486242d-f049-454e-9747-d9e3df3eaab1

It takes some reading but will somebody else delve in & let me know what you think. It's causing Burnley fans to flap but they could end up with an awarded game or play knowing our result v Boro so have a big advantage. Hope this doesn't go down

 

[Da Man Clay]

Not a surprise really. Would be amazed if this game isn't either played behind closed doors or abandoned. Could do without all of that.

 

[atomised]

There was comment somewhere on here on one of the other threads on this suggesting the league were aware and would insist on the game being played in full rather than awarded one way or the other

 

[Marshy]

I said as much after our game, be staggered if it finished

 

[Driver8]

I don't think we should worry about Burnley. They are 99% up already.

Just concentrate on what we can influence, i. e. our two games.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think they have a right to be frustrated so what they do is up to them. We should concentrate on our job in hand and not worry about Burnley and Charlton.

 

[spongy]

We know what we need to do. Hopefully we'll be in a position where we won't have to worry about it..

 

[Diego Napier]

I don't think it's that significant if they have to replay the game at a later date, it won't make their players any more determined to win. Anyway, 2 wins and we're up.

 

[seagurn]

Could you not put the charlton fans in the top half of the stands it may deter but then again may inflame them more.... like it would us.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Not convinced they'll go that far. Charlton fans have a lot of goodwill from people in football currently. They'd lose that in a heartbeat if they caused a game that might be pivotal to the Championship promotion battle to be abandoned.

 

[The_Viper]

Two wins from two and no matter how much flapping goes on we're up.

 

[Blue_Boy]

True enough that we can only look at our own next game v Derby which is unlikely to be a stroll in the park but I have to admit the anger & lack of concern - not just for the potential league hassle - but for players' safety to throw sharp small objects onto a pitch with a game in play goes beyond what I consider a protest

I'd no big objection to walking along with their fans & supporting their protest but I remarked at the time they had few Police on duty to prevent beach balls being blown up then chucked on the pitch & that a bigger, more threatening demonstration would've seen our game called off & replayed

Perhaps I'm alarmed due to having no faith in the authorities to control such situations & then make the right decisions. We could have a long game at the Riverside to make it fair that all teams end at the same time. 7am return home?

Agreed that apart from my own worry about the authorities our big issue is seeing Derby off. Even if they 'rest' 4 or 5 players they've a bloody big & talented squad to still put out a good team. We wont let that get to us. Focused from the off

 

[JonnyComeEarly]

To be blunt a pitch invasion and abandonment is their only last chance to make a stand and the nation to hear. Beach balls and balloons aint gonna cut it anymore for them

 

[Munchkin]

Be gutted if we are beating Boro convincingly to win the league and the celebrations are cut short due to an abandonment meaning the league are unable to award the league trophy.

Getting ahead of myself? Yep. Daring to dream? Too bloody right.

 

[JonnyComeEarly]

Duplicate post

 

[Nixonator]

It's a fantastic opportunity for them to make themselves heard, potentially to our detriment.

Just hope it ends up a meaningless affair (for us), in a positive way.

 

[Icy Gull]

Police should insist game goes ahead behind closed doors. Fans can clamour and shout outside, the football game doesn't get abandoned or delayed and the Charlton fans get lots of publicity about their plight.

 

[beorhthelm]

To be blunt a pitch invasion and abandonment is their only last chance to make a stand and the nation to hear. Beach balls and balloons aint gonna cut it anymore for them

the problem is whether their cause is just? they are being mismanaged but not facing oblivion, with no apparent owner waiting in the wings to take over. maybe they could focus on finding a new buyer over the summer, then putting pressure on the current owner to sell.

 

[Ernest]

If we win at Boro it won't matter what happens to any other team, let them worry we need to focus on our game

 

[Driver8]

If we win at Boro it won't matter what happens to any other team, let them worry we need to focus on our game

Assuming we get a result v Derby or Boro don't beat Birmingham.