Red's rug ridiculed

5:27pm Monday 10th September 2001

HOW embarrassing for Charlton Athletic.

Not because Mohammed Al Fayed stood them up but the fans' reaction to their club's swanky new arrangements.

Whether or not the club's top-brass did lay on the red carpet for the universally-disliked Egyptian billionaire, or they want to keep the reception area clear of normal fans, the move seems ill-judged.

The fans' reaction speaks for itself. Generally they chuckled about the ropes, red carpet and guards but there was a sense of discomfort among many.

For a club which prides itself on being all-inclusive and community-minded, the grand move of cordoning off the central area for VIPs or “executives” must seem slightly ambiguous to the club's season ticket holders. Isn't being a football supporter all about being able to mill around with your fellow fans?

Segregating rival fans inside the ground is one thing, but segregating your own supporters by wallet size outside the ground seems a little bit like snobbery.

Perhaps the club's senior management genuinely believe “normal” fans need to be kept out of sight of their wealthier counterparts or maybe they are getting carried away with their Premiership status.

One thing is for certain fans don't go to football to be looked down on by their club. Hopefully this was, as the supporters suspect, a one-off gesture to impress Mr Al Fayed.

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