Mr Robin has left the building

Rick Everitt has posted the following statement on Charlton life: I can confirm that I have today been sacked by the club by email in a letter from Martin Prothero but signed in his absence by the club's personnel manager Helen Reed. I understand Martin has not been at The Valley today. This is the decision of a disciplinary hearing that took place on Friday, September 28th, 19 days ago, and according to the club is the culmination of a disciplinary process that began on Tuesday, July 10th - more than 14 weeks ago.

I hope you will understand that I have not been able to respond to the many kind and generous postings about this situation on this thread over the last five weeks. I would, however, like sincerely to thank everyone who has posted messages of support, both publicly and privately - and of course those who have pointed out that I am not the only person responsible for the many things in which I have been involved over the last 14 years or in my previous roles outside the club are entirely correct. The club must go on and that is what matters.

I would also like to thank my colleagues across the staff at The Valley for their staunch support over the last five difficult weeks and over the many years that preceded it, as well as Corinna who has had to live with me and hear me rehearse the issues at second hand. I know I am not the only one who has found it stressful.

I am not going to go into the details of the allegations at this time, but I am absolutely confident that when they emerge - together with the truth about the termination of Peter Varney and Steve Kavanagh's positions at the club - it will be apparent to all of you that I have never compromised my loyalty and commitment to the club or its supporters. All these matters will shine a powerful light into what is going on behind the scenes and the people involved.

I have always been mindful that I have been extraordinarily lucky to have worked at Charlton for more than 14 years, to have enjoyed the support of people like Steve, Peter, Richard Murray, Martin Simons and many others, and to be able to put into action so many of my ideas, like Valley Express, Football for a Fiver and all the other initiatives. That is the context and I am proud of my record as an employee and a supporter, and the fact that it will all culminate on Saturday in a near-capacity crowd and a record Valley Express service. It is a spectacular irony that they have chosen this week to act.

I would also like to make clear, in view of the fact that Richard's name has been mentioned in this thread, to point out that I have no dispute with him and he has not been involved in this process. As an employee I had many heated arguments, but not with Richard. The chairman is rarely involved in day to day matters or seen at the ground; he and I saw more of each other before I worked for the club. Mostly, in fact, the arguments were with Peter or more latterly Steve, but we always respected each other's motives and that is still the case. They are and remain my friends, and I regard Richard in the same way.

Back in 2001, in my final editorial in the last Voice of The Valley, I wrote that having got back to Floyd Road, going back to the Voice if and when it was necessary would be relatively easy. So it will be.

Finally, please stay solidly behind Chris Powell, whatever happens on the pitch in the next few weeks. As we all know, he is a special person and we need him more than ever to be part of our club and to know that we are with him, whatever the future brings.