| Charlton crowd issues 21:05 - Feb 6 with 13525 views | E17hoop |
Well before the game the crowd was struggling to get in and there was a serious crush right before the game.
I strongly suggest sending complaints into Charlton, that was dangerous. |  |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 10:02 - Feb 8 with 3211 views | themodfather |
i have not read every thread but for me, crowd safety is paramount, we were held back by stewards at west ham for 2nd searches and they took their time doing it, police did nothing despite my loud protests.
anyway firstly charlton holds approx 30k and should be safety cert as that , why can they not handle , safely, a 21k corwd? even if away end sold out?
fans should complain to QPRFC, supporters groups, maybe even the local fire station ( as they'd attend any emergency at ground) local police? and charlton fc.
maybe even the hillsbrough trust ( wish i'd done that years ago after game at selhurt, over crowded , wooden seats, and fire exits padlocked !! i did chase up and used the football supporters trust? but it faded away as no pics) so if any complaint get pics from fans and not rely on CAFC footage etc. easy to blame away fans but something went wrong. ref can delay ko if told of crowd issues ( for safety)
remember chelsea away when we won, stewards searched us on a freezing night for hidden bedsheets and flags with anti john terry messages !! many did not get in until 25 mins after ko , we had to open coats ffs . as many know i hate STEWARDS , few are really trained, have limited powers and most are students or such like. police should manage most games imo , now they say they cannot interfere ?? |  | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 10:47 - Feb 8 with 3009 views | stowmarketrange |
| Charlton crowd issues on 10:02 - Feb 8 by themodfather |
i have not read every thread but for me, crowd safety is paramount, we were held back by stewards at west ham for 2nd searches and they took their time doing it, police did nothing despite my loud protests.
anyway firstly charlton holds approx 30k and should be safety cert as that , why can they not handle , safely, a 21k corwd? even if away end sold out?
fans should complain to QPRFC, supporters groups, maybe even the local fire station ( as they'd attend any emergency at ground) local police? and charlton fc.
maybe even the hillsbrough trust ( wish i'd done that years ago after game at selhurt, over crowded , wooden seats, and fire exits padlocked !! i did chase up and used the football supporters trust? but it faded away as no pics) so if any complaint get pics from fans and not rely on CAFC footage etc. easy to blame away fans but something went wrong. ref can delay ko if told of crowd issues ( for safety)
remember chelsea away when we won, stewards searched us on a freezing night for hidden bedsheets and flags with anti john terry messages !! many did not get in until 25 mins after ko , we had to open coats ffs . as many know i hate STEWARDS , few are really trained, have limited powers and most are students or such like. police should manage most games imo , now they say they cannot interfere ?? |
There was a bloke from that ticket office who came out of the office to take photos at 7.50pm,so Charlton must’ve been aware of the situation. |  | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 11:46 - Feb 8 with 2871 views | E17hoop |
| Charlton crowd issues on 10:02 - Feb 8 by themodfather |
i have not read every thread but for me, crowd safety is paramount, we were held back by stewards at west ham for 2nd searches and they took their time doing it, police did nothing despite my loud protests.
anyway firstly charlton holds approx 30k and should be safety cert as that , why can they not handle , safely, a 21k corwd? even if away end sold out?
fans should complain to QPRFC, supporters groups, maybe even the local fire station ( as they'd attend any emergency at ground) local police? and charlton fc.
maybe even the hillsbrough trust ( wish i'd done that years ago after game at selhurt, over crowded , wooden seats, and fire exits padlocked !! i did chase up and used the football supporters trust? but it faded away as no pics) so if any complaint get pics from fans and not rely on CAFC footage etc. easy to blame away fans but something went wrong. ref can delay ko if told of crowd issues ( for safety)
remember chelsea away when we won, stewards searched us on a freezing night for hidden bedsheets and flags with anti john terry messages !! many did not get in until 25 mins after ko , we had to open coats ffs . as many know i hate STEWARDS , few are really trained, have limited powers and most are students or such like. police should manage most games imo , now they say they cannot interfere ?? |
You may not have seen, but the complaints go to Charlton in the first instance. They have the safety certificate, employ the stewards, have the plans in place and have safety and safeguarding officers. They have to be given a chance to respond first. Complaining to people like the fire service will just get redirected to Charlton and ignored.
For info, the full complaint:
Dear Charlton Athletic FC Complaints/Safety Team,
I am writing as a Queens Park Rangers away supporter to make a formal safety complaint about stewarding and crowd safety outside the away end at The Valley before your match against QPR on Friday, 6 February 2026. In line with EFL guidance that incidents affecting supporters at EFL grounds are handled in the first instance by the home club through its established supporter contact and complaints procedures, I am raising this directly with Charlton Athletic FC for investigation and response, with escalation via the EFL and the Independent Football Ombudsman only if necessary.
Location and time
Location: Away section (Jimmy Seed Stand turnstiles and approach/concourse, including Valley Grove immediately outside the entrance gates)
Time: Approximately 19:30–20:00 for a 20:00 kick-off
What happened
Train issues and delays meant large numbers of away supporters arrived in a short period from around 19:30. This created a substantial surge of fans attempting to enter the Jimmy Seed Stand in the final 30 minutes before kick-off. I recognise that train disruption is outside Charlton’s control, but as the home club and safety certificate holder under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, you remain responsible for managing ingress safely in accordance with your General Safety Certificate and Operations Manual. The conditions in this area created an obvious risk of injury, particularly for children, shorter supporters and older people caught in the middle of the surge. At points, movement in the crowd was largely involuntary, with people being pushed from behind and sideways, and there was very limited space to regain balance or avoid falling if someone had stumbled.
Outside the away end, including on the approach road immediately in front of the Jimmy Seed Stand entrance gates, there was:
Severe congestion, with crushing and surging in the queues. The build-up extended back into the roadway, with tightly packed supporters and moving traffic nearby.
No meaningful queue management. There were no clear lanes, no barriered structure, and no visible attempt to regulate flow into the ground, manage pressure points, or control the interface between the crowd and the road.
A lack of information or announcements to supporters about the causes of delay or how entry would be managed.
Trip and fall risks on uneven surfaces, kerbs and changes in level within a tightly packed crowd, with no visible efforts to identify or mitigate these hazards as numbers built up.
When supporters, including myself, raised concerns about the crush and the lack of control, one steward responded, “You should have got here earlier.” When I attempted to escalate the matter to a supervisor, the response was that I should “write in”. There was no attempt to address the safety issues on the ground.
I appreciate that the congestion on the road outside was created by the volume and timing of arriving supporters. However, as event organiser and safety certificate holder you retain responsibility, alongside the local authority and police, for co‑ordinating and implementing reasonable crowd‑ and traffic‑management controls on the approaches to the away end (the external or arrival zone) to prevent dangerous congestion and unsafe interaction with vehicles. The lack of steward intervention or structured queuing on the road outside the Jimmy Seed entrance therefore appears inconsistent with those duties.
Why this is a safety concern
The situation described above appears inconsistent with your obligations under the Charlton Athletic FC General Safety Certificate (Issue 3, 28 September 2018), including:
Clause 4 – the Holder must “take all necessary precautions for the reasonable safety of people present at the sports ground”, with responsibility for safety resting at all times with the Holder or their appointed representatives.
Clause 7 – the terms and conditions apply from three hours before kick-off, which clearly covers the 19:30–20:00 period.
Clause 11 – the Holder must ensure that “any measures for managing crowds prescribed in the Operations Manual and this certificate are observed”.
Clause 15 – the Holder must, based on risk assessment, identify and provide sufficient stewards and safety management personnel “to monitor, direct, guide, manage and assist spectators” during specified activities.
Given the known risk of late surges caused by transport disruption, I am concerned that either:
the risk assessment, Event Management Plan, Stewarding Plan, Contingency Plans and Traffic Management Plan did not adequately address this foreseeable scenario, including queues and crowding on the approach road; or
the plans were not implemented in practice for this fixture, particularly at the away end.
What I am requesting
Acknowledge this complaint
Confirm in writing, within three working days, that this has been logged as a formal complaint relating to stewarding and spectator safety at the Jimmy Seed Stand (turnstiles, concourse and Valley Grove) on 6 February 2026.
Explain your investigation
Set out the steps you will take, including as a minimum:
Review of CCTV and/or body‑worn video, traffic cameras or other recorded monitoring covering the away turnstiles, concourse and approach road between 19:30 and 20:00.
Review of stewarding and safety officer logs, deployment plans and briefings for this match, particularly for the away end and its external approaches.
Obtaining statements from relevant stewards and supervisors who were attempting to manage the crowd.
Identification of any incident or near‑miss reports raised in relation to this ingress period.
Provide your findings and actions
Within 15 working days, provide a written response that explains:
Your findings on crowd density, queue management, traffic‑and‑crowd interface, and staff conduct in the away area, including the road outside, during the period in question.
Whether, in your view, the arrangements were compliant with clauses 4, 7, 11 and 15 of your General Safety Certificate and the associated Operations Manual, including the Stewarding Plan, Event Management Plan, Contingency Plans and Traffic Management Plan.
What remedial actions you will take to prevent a recurrence, for example, changes to steward deployment, queue‑ and traffic‑management arrangements, communications with supporters during disruption, and staff training.
Confirm engagement with the Safety Advisory Group
Confirm whether this incident will be reported to the Charlton Athletic Football Club Safety Advisory Group (SAG). If it will not be reported, please explain why it does not meet the threshold for SAG consideration given the safety concerns raised in this complaint and the requirements of the General Safety Certificate.
Copies
I am copying this complaint to the Football Supporters’ Association, as they support away fans with safety and stewarding concerns, and my own club, QPR, so they are aware of the safety issues affecting their travelling supporters.
Please respond by email. I am retaining a copy of this complaint and your response in case escalation is required via the SAG at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, EFL or the Independent Football Ombudsman.
Yours faithfully, | |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 11:55 - Feb 8 with 2847 views | E17hoop |
| Charlton crowd issues on 09:27 - Feb 8 by dmm |
E17Hoop, please keep us updated on Charlton's response to your complaint. If it's unsatisfactory, we could make some kind of joint communication to back you up. As many have said, this is an issue of fans' safety and Charlton must not ignore it. |
I have half a dozen pics or so, but any images or videos of the crush would be appreciated.
If people have stuff or links to it on social media, they can DM me here, and I'll sort out a way to collect them in case they become necessary. | |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 12:06 - Feb 8 with 2810 views | TK1 |
Nobody likes a smart ars but think the key on the way is get on at Cannon St rather than London Bridge...
Got the 7:03 from Cannon Street.
Empty train, more or less. Got a bank of six seats.
Was pretty full by London Bridge, saw plenty couldn't get on.
Bit of queue to get in the ground. Some were pretty much strip-searched, I got a mild air pat. In the ground for the teams coming out.
Way back, left right on whistle, jogged back, train pulling in to Charlton as we arrived. Got a bank of seats again. Back in the pub by Cannon St for two rounds before last orders. | | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 19:41 - Feb 8 with 2445 views | paulhoop2 |
| Charlton crowd issues on 11:55 - Feb 8 by E17hoop |
I have half a dozen pics or so, but any images or videos of the crush would be appreciated.
If people have stuff or links to it on social media, they can DM me here, and I'll sort out a way to collect them in case they become necessary. |
E17 the stewarding company concerned is Centre Circle maybe cc them too ? | |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 20:18 - Feb 8 with 2377 views | E17hoop |
That's for Charlton to do. Like all the other people involved, Charlton retain accountability for this and if the security company are at fault, the issue rests with CAFC since that procured them.
I've had the acknowledgement from CAFC.
Thank you for contacting Charlton Athletic Football Club regarding your concerns about stewarding and crowd safety outside the away end at The Valley prior to our fixture against Queens Park Rangers on Friday, 6 February 2026, with a 20:01 KO.
Please accept this email as formal acknowledgement that your correspondence has been received and logged as a complaint relating to spectator safety, stewarding arrangements and crowd management at the Jimmy Seed Stand turnstiles, concourse and the external approach area, including Valley Grove, during the ingress period you have identified.
We take all matters relating to supporter safety extremely seriously. Your complaint has been passed to the Club’s Safety Management Team for investigation in accordance with our established procedures and responsibilities as Safety Certificate holder. As part of this process, we will review the relevant safety, stewarding and crowd management arrangements in place for this fixture, together with any available evidence and reports relating to the period in question.
We will now investigate the issues you have raised and will respond in due course with our findings and any appropriate actions arising from that review
*edit
Never have your company pìss me off btw. I complain REALLY well.
*edit 2
I've run their response through a proctoring tool designed to identify AI text and it came back as 100%. 🤔 [Post edited 8 Feb 20:28]
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| Charlton crowd issues on 20:29 - Feb 8 with 2355 views | terryb |
| Charlton crowd issues on 19:41 - Feb 8 by paulhoop2 |
E17 the stewarding company concerned is Centre Circle maybe cc them too ? |
Isn't that the same company that are the agents of four of our players, three Australian's & Smith?
At least, this is what was claimed on the Christian Pullella thread. [Post edited 8 Feb 20:37]
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| Charlton crowd issues on 08:10 - Feb 9 with 2041 views | daveB |
| Charlton crowd issues on 12:06 - Feb 8 by TK1 |
Nobody likes a smart ars but think the key on the way is get on at Cannon St rather than London Bridge...
Got the 7:03 from Cannon Street.
Empty train, more or less. Got a bank of six seats.
Was pretty full by London Bridge, saw plenty couldn't get on.
Bit of queue to get in the ground. Some were pretty much strip-searched, I got a mild air pat. In the ground for the teams coming out.
Way back, left right on whistle, jogged back, train pulling in to Charlton as we arrived. Got a bank of seats again. Back in the pub by Cannon St for two rounds before last orders. |
Getting to Cannon Street instead of London Bridge would have taken longer for me so wasn't really an option and the train we got from London Bridge came from Cannon Street so made no real difference where we got on
Going back the packed train I was on went to Cannon Street so again didn't really make any difference |  | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 08:51 - Feb 9 with 1952 views | wombat |
| Charlton crowd issues on 08:10 - Feb 9 by daveB |
Getting to Cannon Street instead of London Bridge would have taken longer for me so wasn't really an option and the train we got from London Bridge came from Cannon Street so made no real difference where we got on
Going back the packed train I was on went to Cannon Street so again didn't really make any difference |
they was asking people to open there wallets well before KO friend of mine got in the ground early and they asked him to open his wallet up alledgely to see if he had any drugs on him ! think last time i heard of stewards askin for walletts to be openned was at nottingham forest in the mid 80s |  |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 09:17 - Feb 9 with 1904 views | TK1 |
| Charlton crowd issues on 08:51 - Feb 9 by wombat |
they was asking people to open there wallets well before KO friend of mine got in the ground early and they asked him to open his wallet up alledgely to see if he had any drugs on him ! think last time i heard of stewards askin for walletts to be openned was at nottingham forest in the mid 80s |
There's quite a long thread on Reddit with various away fans complaining about it happening at...QPR.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Champ
Feels like a civil liberty violation to me, especially when more coke is snorted in London pubs than football grounds every weekend without customers having to open wallets to doormen, but...football. | | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 09:21 - Feb 9 with 1893 views | TK1 |
| Charlton crowd issues on 08:10 - Feb 9 by daveB |
Getting to Cannon Street instead of London Bridge would have taken longer for me so wasn't really an option and the train we got from London Bridge came from Cannon Street so made no real difference where we got on
Going back the packed train I was on went to Cannon Street so again didn't really make any difference |
Just giving an alternative version of the journey!
Gates were open at Cannon Street too, so not tapping in made no odds. Free journey. | | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 09:27 - Feb 9 with 1869 views | GroveR |
| Charlton crowd issues on 11:55 - Feb 8 by E17hoop |
I have half a dozen pics or so, but any images or videos of the crush would be appreciated.
If people have stuff or links to it on social media, they can DM me here, and I'll sort out a way to collect them in case they become necessary. |
 |  | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 09:30 - Feb 9 with 1863 views | TheChef |
| Charlton crowd issues on 23:23 - Feb 6 by Boston |
Year you were born, Col? |
1855 more like. |  |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 09:47 - Feb 9 with 1798 views | colinallcars |
| Charlton crowd issues on 09:30 - Feb 9 by TheChef |
1855 more like. |
Aye, there were some rapscallions around then. |  | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 10:21 - Feb 9 with 1736 views | E17hoop |
| Charlton crowd issues on 09:27 - Feb 9 by GroveR |
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Ta. | |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 21:33 - Feb 12 with 1158 views | E17hoop |
For those interested:
Charlton have responded to my formal complaint about the Jimmy Seed Stand ingress on 6 February.
The short version: they have acknowledged the issues, committed to specific actions, and confirmed the matter will go to their Safety Advisory Group. That is a better outcome than I expected at this stage.
What they accepted:
Crowd conditions during the 19:30 to 20:00 period were uncomfortable and movement became restricted
The steward responses I described ("you should have got here earlier" and "write in") did not meet their expected standards, and this has been addressed with the contractor
Further proactive measures could reasonably have been taken to manage crowd flow and the interface with traffic
What they are committing to:
Updating risk assessments and contingency planning for late ingress scenarios
Reviewing external queue and crowd-flow management at the Jimmy Seed Stand
Reinforcing steward training on communication and escalation
Reviewing how they communicate with supporters during disruption
Where I am pushing back:
Their response states there was "no crushing." That is a categorical denial that does not reflect what the photographs from that evening show. I have three images taken at Entrance 4 during that period. They show a densely packed crowd with no queue structure, no lane separation, and no barriers. One image shows police officers embedded inside the crowd at the entrance pinch point rather than managing the approach from outside it.
I have sent a further reply attaching those photographs, asking that they be included in the SAG review. I have also asked Charlton to account for why no near-miss report was recorded given the conditions documented and to explain specifically whether the decision not to delay kick-off at 19:25 included a review of external crowd management at the away end.
I am not escalating to the EFL or Independent Football Ombudsman at this point. If the SAG review is substantive and the committed actions are implemented, that is a reasonable outcome from a complaint process.
I will update when I hear back. [Post edited 12 Feb 21:45]
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| Charlton crowd issues on 21:47 - Feb 12 with 1131 views | TwoHalves |
For space reasons I won’t quote the above again but, suffice to say, well done and total respect for your tenacity in taking this on, E17. I wasn’t at the game but it sounds like a nightmare for those who were and got caught up in it. Charlton seem to recognise the seriousness of the situation and appear to be engaging, which is a good thing. | | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 21:53 - Feb 12 with 1110 views | E17hoop |
| Charlton crowd issues on 21:47 - Feb 12 by TwoHalves |
For space reasons I won’t quote the above again but, suffice to say, well done and total respect for your tenacity in taking this on, E17. I wasn’t at the game but it sounds like a nightmare for those who were and got caught up in it. Charlton seem to recognise the seriousness of the situation and appear to be engaging, which is a good thing. |
I would agree but the review goes classic DARVO - Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender - about halfway through:
"QPR supporters arrived via two party boats. Large numbers intoxicated.
Numerous supporters were intoxicated, with CCTV evidence of Class A
drug use.
Enforcement activity included: 25 ejections for various things resulting in 9
arrests.
Multiple tailgaters jumping the turnstiles without tickets.
Additional response teams were deployed at the compound to filter
supporters towards the turnstiles."
They're saying that, as a QPR fan, the activities of other QPR fans made their job difficult.
Tough
I said back at them:
The closing section of your response covers intoxication, drug use, arrests, and tailgating. I understand why that context is relevant to your overall operational picture. It is not relevant to my complaint, which concerns queue management and steward conduct at a specific location during a specific period. I would ask that it not be read as a response to the substance of my concerns. [Post edited 12 Feb 21:54]
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| Charlton crowd issues on 22:14 - Feb 12 with 1017 views | TwoHalves |
Hmmm. Hope they’re not going down the South Yorkshire Police route in that case. | | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 22:33 - Feb 12 with 967 views | wombat |
| Charlton crowd issues on 21:53 - Feb 12 by E17hoop |
I would agree but the review goes classic DARVO - Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender - about halfway through:
"QPR supporters arrived via two party boats. Large numbers intoxicated.
Numerous supporters were intoxicated, with CCTV evidence of Class A
drug use.
Enforcement activity included: 25 ejections for various things resulting in 9
arrests.
Multiple tailgaters jumping the turnstiles without tickets.
Additional response teams were deployed at the compound to filter
supporters towards the turnstiles."
They're saying that, as a QPR fan, the activities of other QPR fans made their job difficult.
Tough
I said back at them:
The closing section of your response covers intoxication, drug use, arrests, and tailgating. I understand why that context is relevant to your overall operational picture. It is not relevant to my complaint, which concerns queue management and steward conduct at a specific location during a specific period. I would ask that it not be read as a response to the substance of my concerns. [Post edited 12 Feb 21:54]
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I was on one of the party boats ,docked around 615pm and me and a fair few others headed straight for the ground ,so poor excuse from Charlton saying that was part of the problem , no comment about the train being delayed causing more to arrive late though .that would or should have been enough grounds to delay the ko by 15 mins prob easily solved . | |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 22:36 - Feb 12 with 959 views | Northernr |
Well done E17, keep going.
School End is every bit as bad though, we should probably do more to pressure our own club on that front. |  | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 22:59 - Feb 12 with 891 views | E17hoop |
| Charlton crowd issues on 22:36 - Feb 12 by Northernr |
Well done E17, keep going.
School End is every bit as bad though, we should probably do more to pressure our own club on that front. |
AGreed - I have copied in our supporter services in to my follow up and happy to take it to them after. Different problem though - CAFC need to respond to this first. | |
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| Charlton crowd issues on 06:54 - Feb 13 with 642 views | GroveR |
| Charlton crowd issues on 21:53 - Feb 12 by E17hoop |
I would agree but the review goes classic DARVO - Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender - about halfway through:
"QPR supporters arrived via two party boats. Large numbers intoxicated.
Numerous supporters were intoxicated, with CCTV evidence of Class A
drug use.
Enforcement activity included: 25 ejections for various things resulting in 9
arrests.
Multiple tailgaters jumping the turnstiles without tickets.
Additional response teams were deployed at the compound to filter
supporters towards the turnstiles."
They're saying that, as a QPR fan, the activities of other QPR fans made their job difficult.
Tough
I said back at them:
The closing section of your response covers intoxication, drug use, arrests, and tailgating. I understand why that context is relevant to your overall operational picture. It is not relevant to my complaint, which concerns queue management and steward conduct at a specific location during a specific period. I would ask that it not be read as a response to the substance of my concerns. [Post edited 12 Feb 21:54]
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Can't see how the mode of transport to the ground is relevant - we could travel to all away fixtures in a convoy of clown cars, still doesn't absolve the host club from operating a safe venue. | | | |
| Charlton crowd issues on 08:26 - Feb 13 with 565 views | Watford_Ranger |
Presumably back in the day there were far more than 3300 in that stand with the same turnstiles mostly turning up with the same amount of time until KO as most did last week. Stewards and police wanted confrontation and to piss people off. | | | |
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