WATCH: Sheffield United's game at Charlton held up by ball protest against Addicks' owner Roland Duchatelet

Charlton fans, keen to force the businessman to sell the club, recently hired a taxi to drive to Duchatelet's home town in Belgium and peacefully confront him, following other protests involving beach balls, a mock funeral procession through the streets of London and plastic pigs.

And within seconds of referee Graham Scott blowing his whistle to kick off today's game, hundreds of rubber footballs and taxis rained down on The Valley pitch and forced Scott to postpone the game while a clean-up operation ensued.

Charlton officials clearly anticipated some kind of protest, with a team on hand to quickly clear the pitch, but home fans made their feelings known with a loud rendition of 'We want Roland out' while United's players were thrown footballs - full sized ones - to kick around and keep warm.

The protests are organised by fans' group CARD (Coalition against Roland Duchatelet.