Some Charlton fans have recently been discussing rumours that the club’s majority shareholder Tahnoon Nimer plans to demolish The Valley in order to build 1,000 flats on social media.
The reports suggesting that Nimer intends to demolish The Valley to build flats originally surfaced via Romanian publication gsp.ro, which reported that Nimer intends to use the land where Charlton’s stadium currently stands for a real estate project.
Gsp.ro goes on to claim that Charlton’s ex-chairman Matt Southall has informed them that the Addicks’ current majority shareholder intends to build a complex comprising of 1,000 apartments where The Valley currently stands, while Charlton would be relocated to a new stadium.
This alleged news has spread among some Charlton fans on social media, who have been sharing their thoughts on Nimer’s reported plans for The Valley. Read the reactions of some Charlton fans to these recent reports in the tweets below.
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https://twitter.com/HenryIrving10/status/1242094385724080130
old rumor , regurgitated , you’d get MORE than a 1000 on there anyway !
— Andy (@AndySolihullred) March 23, 2020
Wouldn’t put it past them
— RAG (Rob) (@RAG20191) March 23, 2020
Would you like to see Charlton Athletic move to a new home ground?NO, THE VALLEY SHOULD STAY
YES, IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE
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He knows what buttons to push.
— Metal Mickey ????????????????? (@RobDrew3) March 23, 2020
Coz we don’t need a bigger stadium. Have u been to The valley lately?
— James Torrison (@CAFCTorrison) March 23, 2020
Go every week mate. Charlton fans have this obsession with the Valley. I get it. I helped as a kid make the valley what it is today. My dad did a lot of graft. but sometimes, it’s time to move on. I was just saying I wouldn’t want a new stadium with a capacity of 20k. no point
— Jamie burton (@Jamieburton13) March 23, 2020
Ah I see. He hasn’t got the money to build another stadium. This is a right pickle
— Ryan Mason (@UniversalMSLtd) March 23, 2020
So many lies revealed and ongoing, it’s becoming difficult to know what to take seriously any more!#cafc
— John Pitchers (@JohnPitchers1) March 23, 2020
What do we think?
This alleged news hasn’t sparked an overwhelmingly positive reaction from Charlton fans based on the tweets above. According to Transfermarkt.co.uk, The Valley can hold a maximum capacity of 26,875 people. However, Charlton have failed to draw an average attendance of more than 20,000 people in any of the last 11 seasons, including the 2019/20 campaign.
Considering that the club currently do not fill their stadium to its maximum capacity, it may be understandable why some Addicks supporters wouldn’t want to see their club move to a bigger stadium at present. However, Charlton supporters may also not want to see their club downsize while losing a football ground that has stood since 1919, which one Charlton fan has stated that some supporters of the club have an “obsession” with. As a result, it may be fair to say that Nimer might not make himself particularly popular if he decides to demolish the club’s current home ground in order to build apartments.