The spirit of Seville was on show in south London yesterday as Charlton fans staged a beachball protest against their club owners during the televised win over Middlesborough.
Shortly after the match had kicked off a sea of lack and white beachballs were launched onto the pitch as supporters took their anger over the way that Katrien Meire and owner Roland Duchatele are running the club.
Before the match hundreds of fans had lined up behind a coffin as they staged a mock funeral on their way to the match.
Responding to the protests the club issued a statement saying: “The club is extremely saddened by the situation which has led to supporters demonstrating ahead of, and during, the match against Middlesbrough on Sunday.
“Every supporter has the right to voice their opinion and we are determined to do everything we can to work together with supporters to build our relationship with them and make sure they remain at the heart of this club.
“We would like to thank supporters for getting behind the team today as we picked up a valuable three points in our fight to stay in the Championship.”
Charlton fans half their game by throwing beach balls on the pitch to protest against owners…we need to do this. https://t.co/DgEerRqfBY
— charlie cox (@charlie_cox6) March 13, 2016
Charlton fans hold a mock funeral procession as Chris Powell offers his thoughts on the current goings on #FL72 SS1 https://t.co/6skAjPlNr1
— Football League (@SkySportsFL) March 13, 2016
Beachballs were first taken to a football match when Celtic fans celebrated reaching the UEFA Cup Final by hosting a beach party at Ibrox three days after the semi-final win over Boavista.
Supporters turned up in party mood wearing sombreros, bouncing beachballs around the Broomloan Road stand with some fans also taking lilos to the game.
As Celtic ran out at Ibrox hundreds of beachballs appeared on the pitch with the kick off delayed as some over enthusiastic ball-boys, stewards and police officers attacked the inflatables.
Despite being forced by the SPL to play a crucial league match 60 hours after the tie in Boavista Celtic won 2-1 in a match refereed by Hugh Dallas.
The following season as they celebrated the Irish Potatoe Famine Rangers (IL) suipporters threw potatoes onto the pitch at Celtic Park.
