Wednesday 15 January 2020

Ramsgate fan speaks out - and it kicks off

Ramsgate-based fan and VOTV editor Rick Everitt has been relatively silent recently, but one could always expect him to probe any ambiguities in the takeover deal at the club in line with his background as a journalist.

He has now emerged from his Ramsgate fastness to tweet: 'Former Charlton director loans have not been repaid and they have not be told by ESI what is happening, despite pre-December discussions. Still waiting for takeover to be posted on Companies House to understand structure of deal without training ground freehold.'

He was then challenged in the following terms by someone who appeared to be posting as the Man in the Moon: 'Surely the same deal would be in place, the repayments start on promotion to the Premier League. Are you really going to start getting on their backs two weeks into their ownership?'

The Rickster replied:'Just facts - it’s not clear that the deal as presented can be done without releasing their charges.'

Some of his critics see Everitt as being on a personal ego trip. However, I think that he has the best interests of the club and its fans in his heart, and there are few who can rival his knowledge of the club and its history or have such a wide range of contacts. Sometimes he does edge towards being a 'Napoleonist' or permanent oppositionist, but the questions he is raising here are legitimate ones.

There is now a poll online on whether one agrees or not with the VOTV stance on the takeover, but like all referendums it offers a binary choice on a complex issue.

Some fans clear object to Everitt's involvement with the Labour Party (he is leader of Thanet District Council), but presumably something around a third of the Addickted support Labour if they are a cross-section of the population. Others support a range of parties. But does that really matter? It's our love for Charlton that binds us together, let's not look for sources of division outside football.

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