Kings Hill Addick

Eng-er-land

2012-02-10T13:36:00.001Z

I don't normally get involved in discussing England on this blog as most Charlton fans (like all passionate fans of clubs) are not really all than interested in England, save for the big tournaments when even the Receptionist with the ridiculously big boobs and even more ridiculously small IQ becomes and England Fan for a fortnight - "Yay!"

However, with my New Years resolution to write more this year and with us facing a successive Saturday with no football I thought I'd add my two penneth worth to the debate.

Firstly I should mention that it is my preference for all managers to be of the nationality of the team they manage. This is not some Anglophobe attitude - I have no problems with all nationalities coming to be employed in English football (or other industries, for that matter) but when it is a competition between the English and, say, the Italians the English Manager should be English and the Italian manager Italian.

I know this risks me being accused of being silly, but would we have been so accepting if we'd employed an Italian striker or an Italian 'Keeper? I'm sure that those that run the Premier League would be more than happy to have the 'National' teams eligibility being based on where the players ply their trade. Thus the 'English' team would have to be picked from players that play in the Premier League and the Brazilians would have to all play in Brazil. That would make for a different tournament. However, this is not how it works - and nor should it.

So my preference is for the English manager to be English.

This brings me on to the two major discussion points:

1> Fabio Capello - and Sven-Göran Eriksson

2> Who should be the new England Manager

The further back you go in history the more difficult it is to analyse what happened and specifically what the impact of changing one event would have been. The FA have alternated their policy of Manager recruitment to include the 'Form' manager, the 'Popular' manager, the manager that has managed to achieve so very much with so very little (normally by managing very few players of international standard) and the 'Successful' manager. I know the definition of successful is not simple, but I think we would all agree that Eriksson and Capello had CVs that made them look successful.

If we go back to Glen Hoddle (the last English Manager that managed to get the National team past the group stage in a major tournament) you have to conclude that the Press hounded him out of his job. The Press in the UK (and for all I know the world over) have an inflated opinion of themselves. You only need to spend ten minutes watching the Sky Sports program the Sunday Supplement to realise that these chaps think that they know more about football than most of those playing and managing. They seem to believe that they have a greater input than reporting what happens, and they are totally offended if they are not shown respect. Hoddle used the press (without their knowledge) to mislead opposition - particularly in the 1998 World Cup Finals. He made the journalists look stupid and as a result when we lost that penalty shoot out to Argentina his days were numbered.

There was a lot of discussion about some mad woman messing with the players' heads, and he was reported to have said some controversial things about reincarnation (all of which might have been true) but the press hated him because they failed to show them the respect that they believed they were due, so they built up a campaign that forced the FA to push him out the door. After a great World Cup he had managed a couple of indifferent results, and that was all it took. For the record I think this was a mistake on a footballing basis, and we haven't got close to winning a tournament in the six that have follower, despite having better and better players available to the managers that followed.

As the press had forced the FA to sack Hoddle they were allowed to drum up public support for his replacement. In stepped Kevin Keegan. I don't have the time to do the necessary research, so I'm going to use a bit of poetic licence so please excuse the lack of specific facts. However Keegan had taken over at Newcastle in 1992 when the club were in dire striates. They were facing relegation from the second division and a potential decade of decline. Keegan kept them up (maybe from his mere enthusiasm alone) and in the following season he basically spent a fortune to get them promoted. He bought Robert Lee from us for something like £650k (he later went on to play for England) when we were challenging them for the top spot. He also signed Andy Cole for a club record transfer fee (£1.75m from memory) as well as others that were all too good for the division they signed to play in.

He was then given a transfer budget that dwarfed just about every other club in Europe while they made a couple of serious attempts at the Premier League title. During all this time there was little pressure on Keegan as he was managing a team that was (despite spending a fortune) performing better than expectations. His, now famous, outburst aimed at Alex Ferguson "I would love it if we beat them" showed how the pressure affected him. On 21 Jan 1996 Newcastle were 12 points above Man United (and Liverpool) with 15 games to go, but the pressure got to them and they finished the season four points behind United and Keegan was a broken man. The following season Newcastle spent £15m on Alan Shearer, but Keegan lasted until January when he resigned after failing to beat us at The Valley in the FA Cup.

His time with Fulham was another example of a team signing players for Premier League transfer fees, only this time they were in the third division. He managed to get this Premier League squad out of the third division and was then 'hounded' to take the England job.

It is my, personal, belief that Keegan had failed to demonstrate that he had what it took to win proper competitions when he was on a level playing field. Getting Fulham promoted with a team from two divisions higher is not the kind of thing that should propel a manager into the England job.

Anyway, none of this mattered as the press had decided that he needed to be the new man, and he was. He lasted one tournament. Two wins and three draws (against uninspiring opposition) secured us a play off spot, 9 points behind Sweden and goal difference above Poland. We managed to beat Scotland 2-1 over two legs (we lost 1-0 away) and we qualified. The tournament, itself, was a disaster. Sure we beat Germany - who drew one and lost two of their three games - but we never looked like being able to compete.

Keegan left the England job when he, allegedly, decided mid crap that he wasn't up to the job after we'd lost at home to Germany in the last game at the old Wembley.

The FA, I believe, decided that they needed a new approach. We had what was to become known as the Golden Generation of English players that included the Man Utd 'kids' - including Beckham, the Nevilles and Scholes, along with Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdand and Sol Campbell. We just couldn't allow another decade of mismanagement to allow this generation of players to fail.

The decision was taken to appoint a foreign manager (should he be the best choice) to maximise the chances of International success that seemed to have alluded us for so long.

Sven was an interesting choice. He had managed two Swedish clubs to the title, and one to Uefa Cup success. He had won everything in Portugal with Benfica, and made both a European and Uefa Cup Final. He'd won the Italian Cup four times (with three different teams) and another Uefa Cup Final appearance, a European Super Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup.

For me the seven top tier titles with four different teams were impressive but the record in the European Cups (which I think are more like International Football) was the clincher for me. As I've already said I would have preferred an English manager, but if he wasn't going to be English then this guy had the CV didn't he?

In my view Sven did enough as English Manager. We made it to three quarter finals (what Hoddle achieved) losing one of them to Brazil, who went on to win it, and the other two were losses on penalties. One with just ten men.

Sven was, also, targeted by the press, although not necessarily the sports journalists, and he was caught on tape accepting another job for a pay rise (shock horror) and left the England job with a credible record - both on the field and with the ladies.

Sven's replacement was an Englishman. It was the Wally with the Brolly. How he got the job I have no idea. He had managed to keep Middlesbrough in the Premier League with more money than many of the clubs he regularly finished below. He also won a League Cup - this being the competition that none of the top teams play first team players in. Sure he was English (my preference) and he had won something (which none of the others interviewed - including Curbishley) had, but he was just not good enough.

In fact I was at Wembley when we lost 3-2 to Croatia and all three of us (that had gone together) were quite happy to lose and fail to qualify as it meant McClaren would be sacked. What a shocking state of affairs.

For the record I'm not sure that I would have preferred Curbishley or Allardyce as they were both known for dour football and hadn't won anything. At least McClaren had been involved in the England camp - the only thing I can think of that get him the job.

So in 2008 we needed a new manager, and we had discovered that despite failing to find a decent English manager in the ten years since Hoddle had gone we were still nowhere in terms of training managers to manage at the top level. Bobby Robson was approached (it might not have been in 2008) but he was happy at Newcastle, and the only other English Manager that had been successful was Venables, who had been involved with McClaren and was not getting any younger either.

The decision to 'insist' on English in 2006 had now backfired on the FA and they went for the best they could find. Capello had an outstanding CV and he was the kind of strict manager that it was thought was needed after the WAG debacle of 2006. McClaren had attempted to sort this by dropping Beckham (presumably assuming that the press interest was all about him and Victoria) but brought him back into the squad (too late) when it was clear that he was, in fact, also a footballer.

The hard line by Fabio seemed to work during the qualifiers (a week or two together under strict rules) as we qualified with ease for the 2010 World Cup. He, even, managed to wrangle an extension to his contract until 2012 before the tournament started.

It was an unmitigated disaster. The strict rules, that were clearly ok for short periods were never going to be accepted by multi-millionaire men that are surrounded by sycophants that blow smoke up their backsides all day long. I've heard stories that players at the top teams call out 'hired help' to empty their vacuum cleaners, change their tires and pick up their dry cleaning. These boys go to night clubs are are offered sex in the toilets by complete strangers - they just do not do 'As they are told'. They were never going to be 'managed' in the way Capello thought for six weeks plus in the run up to, and the tournament itself.

The results, and performances, were only two years ago so I don't think I need to describe them,but they were bad!

The dropping of John Terry before the World Cup, and the reinstating him a year later, along with the recent events, are not necessary to be discussed here, but the fact that Fabio thought he would come out and publicly criticise the FA over their insistence that he lose the armband this month meant that there was always a possibility of him leaving before the tournament.

What a mess?

So there are a few candidates, apparently. Remember that the FA stated last year that the new manager would be English.

The latest odds from are:

'Arry Redknapp 2/7

Stuart Pearce 7/1

Jose Mourinho 9/1 - Not English

Guss Hiddink 9/1 - Not English

Roy Hodgson 12/1

Arsene Wenger 25/1 - Not English

Martin O'Neill - Not English, but been in English Football for most of his career

Alan Pardew 28/1 - I would have to stop following England if he took over

Alan Shearer 33/1

Rafael Benitez 33/1 - Not English

Roberto Mancini 33/1 - Not English

Sam Allardyce 40/1

All others (including Sven) are 50/1 plus.

Now, I know that all these odds are determined by the bets that are put on them, but if we ignore Shearer, Pardew and Allardyce (all Newcastle managers at one time, incidentally) we have three Englishmen. With Pearce having so little experience (two years at Man City and the U21 job) that leaves us Hodgson and Redknapp. Hodgson would have been an ideal candidate if it were not for the disaster that he had at Liverpool, but I still think he is a credible option.

Redknapp is just about everyone's favourite. He has shaken off the fraud issues due to twelve of his peers believing that money being paid into a bank account, offshore, in the name of his dog, from his employer was not, in fact, income. Case closed.

Redknapp does not have a reputation for selling himself cheap, and with Fabio's reported £6m salary I can see Redknapp holding out for the same - especially as just about all the players have already called for him to get the job. The FA are reportedly hoping to reduce the Manager's salary.

What worries me is that the clamber for him to take over is not unlike that of Keegan in 1999. Also, the fact that Redknapp has only won one trophy (an FA Cup with Portsmouth, who ended up c. £150m in debt) and has, in fact, only managed a big side (well Tottenham) for two full seasons. Sure they have done well, but he has spent some serious money and is known for being a wheeler dealer. Despite the fact that Mr Redknapp, the professional football manager, doesn't like to be called a wheeler dealer he has been successful by changing the squad that he is managing. This is very important for club management, but is largely irrelevant for an international manager as the 'squad' is limited by the nature of players having to be English.

Clearly you wouldn't expect Redknapp to court the England job while he is at Spurs and Fabio is in situ, but I can't help feeling that what is going to happen is that he will hold the FA to ransom in order to secure the largest salary possible. I can understand why he would do that, and just because I would rip their arms off for £1m a year doesn't mean that 'Arry can't demand more - and probably get it.

What I don't want to see is another long term contract on outrageous money that forces the FA's hand if things don't work out.

Having said that as there is, realistically, no obvious alternative he can demand what ever he likes, and unless we are going to go foreign again any time soon he will, probably, be the best alternative for the medium term.

At some point we need to address the fact that there are so few English managers in the Premier League, but I have no idea how we do that, and I don't think this is the place to discuss it.

I'm OK with 'Arry. I am not completely sure I'd employ him to oversee the financial transactions of my company, but as far as managing the England team and being English, he does seem to be first in a group of one.

Come on England!

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

2012-02-01T12:54:00.002Z

An average, at best, game that had all the ingredients that we can expect from now until the end of the season. We had most of the possession, we created a number of half chances - none of which is was a crime not to convert. Mostly, however, we looked unable to break the deadlock from start to finish.

If you consider that the Skipper managed two cracking free kicks and Green managed to force the Keeper to palm the ball into his own to account for the total goals we've scored in the last three games, it is clear that we are not carrying the goal threat that makes us favourites to score three or more goals.

Clearly this hasn't mattered as we have been keeping clean sheets and 'snatching' a goal from an unlikely source (by that I mean not from a striker). Sooner or later a 1-0 win is going to turn into a 1-1 or a 0-1 defeat. This is not a problem if you have strikers that can score (and we do) as there is every possibility that the 1-0 win will turn into a 2-0 win and then the whole situation changes.

Anyway, we started last night with out a forward that had the pace to stretch the defence. On another day this wouldn't have been a problem., We know how good Yann is, and we, also, know how many goals Clarke has scored in this division this season, so there was no reason to worry that BWP wasn't playing. Well, there was a small part of me that worried that we were finalising a deal to sell him, but with the benefit of hindsight (and the closure of the window) it made sense to rest him as he is not 100% fit in the knee department and two games in a week (well, three in 8 days) might have been a bit much for him.

The game panned out in the way that I feared. We couldn't get the early goal that would have changed the play completely, and totally against the run of play Bury scored. The goal came from a difficult angle, but what was most significant about it was that in the run up to the final pass we were just a foot (or a fraction of a second) short of making the tackle about half a dozen times. If any of those tackles had been closer it might have ended up with a different game and result, but once we'd conceded it was going to be ten men against the ball with serious amounts of time wasting - and that's exactly what it was.

With MK Dons and Sheffield Wednesday drawing it was probably a decent nights work, but it was an opportunity to increase our lead further, and we didn't, but we did beat the two teams we really needed to, and we have MK Dons at home in a couple of weeks, and that is a much more important game. Also we managed to gain a point (I say gain as our goal came very late and on that basis we came close to losing - both on the night and our unbeaten home record too).

Anyway as the game was coming to a close, Stephens had a shot from distance and he missed to the left of the goal and hit, and ripped, the advertising hoarding. The goal is not a big target from that range, and with so many bodies in the way the potential for a deflection or block makes it most unlikely that one will score from that far out.

Then in injury time we had an attack and we looked like we were going to overpower them at the back. Morrison had come up from the back and Haynes was providing the pace that we'd been missing all game. Then the ball was cleared and fell to Stephens, something like 40 yards out. There was a minute or two of injury time left, the box was crowded with our players - players that can score and Stephens just had to chip (or pass) the ball into the box. He looked like he's gearing up for a shot - just minutes after he missed the target from closer in.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" I shouted - or screamed if I'm perfectly honest.

He did, and he scored! There are few better ways to score an equalising goal than a long shot in injury time, even if it is after one demands not to shoot.

It is likely that BWP will be back for Rochdale, and in any event we only needed score early last night and I'm confident that the game would have been completely different. I'm not, at all, concerned about not winning every game, and it has looked, recently, like we are going to struggle against those sides that come to defend more than those that come to win. MK Dons, for that very reason, should prove to be a more open game - and hopefully a win.

We still look like Champions - coming back from a goal down in injury time when we have not played well is also a plus point.

On a separate note my Son says he enjoyed the game and wants to go again. He did spend a little while on the iPad, but he chose a new hat from the club shop which he wore all night, and he did join in with some of the songs, as well as singing them on the way home. He was tired though, not that this was a huge surprise. I'm not sure it was ever our intention for him to come to many evening games on school nights, but one was ok. I don't want to 'push' football onto him as I fear it might scare him off, but so far so good.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Bury at home

2012-01-31T13:32:00.000Z

Despite being determined to make this blog more consistent I failed to find time to write a preview or a report of the Exeter game. I wasn't at Exeter, and after being at the two games against Sheffield, which were more significant and probably exciting, I guess I just found Exeter a little uninspiring.

Thankfully the team didn't and we dug in and secured a third 1-0 win on the bounce. Interestingly Exeter hadn't lost for four, and there are no easy games at any level. The goal, that I saw on the television, did look a little fortunate, but they all count, and I'd take that and move on. It is another three points towards our total, and we extended our lead over Huddersfield by two points, and we traded our game in hand on Sheffield and MK for a three point extension. All great news.

Tonight we play our game in hand against a Bury side that have won three and lost three of the last six games. That makes them sound a little inconsistent, and should be unable to match the league leaders. It follows, as Bury are sitting eleventh in the table and should, one would expect, beat the relegation strugglers and lose to the promotion candidates, which is pretty much what they have done this season.

It is imperative that the managers and the players (and I am confident of them) and the fans need to recognise that teams like Bury will not just roll over and wait for us to score a hat full of goals. We will probably face a team that will get ten men behind the ball and defend, defend, defend.

It is in games like this that we need that little extra bit of quality to break down a stubborn team that will time waste and generally frustrate us to try to come away with a point, or to snatch a winner. Our defence has been amazing in recent weeks. Since the end of October we have six clean sheets, two one all draws, a one nil defeat with ten men for 85 minutes, a 5-2, where we went to sleep at 5-0 and a 3-2 win at Yeovil which is probably the exception.

Thus I am confident that if we score a goal we will not lose and will probably win. Two goals and I'd be amazed if we lost.

We are playing (at least the results demonstrate) like the Curbishley sides that we now look back on with such fond memories. Powell has even mentioned in a press article (might have been on the web, I'm not sure) that he has based his approach on Curbs, and it looks like it is working. The team that won the First Division Championship had a very similar approach. We managed six 1-0 wins that season, and we have four this season already. What this does (having a very tight defence) is make each goal much more likely to be a game changer.

If you regularly win by the odd goal in five (or even seven) then each goal is just part of a match. If you normally win (or lose) by the only goal of the game, it becomes a bigger thing to score (or concede). People talk about big scoring games as though they are special, and as they are unusual they are special. However, if you do see four goals plus every week they soon become less exciting. The 3-2 win at Yeovil was special because it was unusual for us to concede two goals, and we have only scored three or more on seven occasions, and only won by the odd goal in five twice this season - Rochdale away being the other.

Ultimately I'd be more than happy with 1-0 wins all the way to the end of the season - except for tonight. Back in September 2008 I took my son to his first football game. We lost 2-1 to, of all sides Sheffield Wednesday, and apart from the first half of the following game against Ipswich he hasn't been back since. He didn't, exactly, take to it, and found that it was a bit loud. In his defence we have, since then, discovered, via some medical tests, that he has unusually sensitive hearing, and this has been a problem that has come up a few times since.

Anyway we are discussing his birthday party (which is in May) and I floated that he might like to take some friends from his school to a football match (there are many football fans at his school) and he thought that was a good idea. He has become a 'Charlton fan' in the intervening period (since he came three and a half years ago) but has not looked interested in coming to a game again - until now.

With my Dad away and with Mrs KHA working in the City again, it did pose an interesting dilemma. Obviously with my Dad and his wife away it depleted our baby sitting options, and I had a spare ticket. To be fair my wife did offer to come home from work early to look after him, but he says he wants to go, so come he will.

It could have done with being a less cold night as he is only seven, but he rarely complains about being cold, and I have been given a whole pile of clothes that I should wrap him up in. I suspect that he is a little less excited about going to football than I am (both for him and me) but I will come prepared with sweets, drinks and an iPad2 (with headphones that will also be able to tackle the loud noise - should that be an issue) which should ensure that even if he fails to enjoy the football I will be able to stay until the end.

With this in mind I would like to see a number of goals tonight - preferably more of them being scored by us, and with any luck I just might be able to tempt him to come again on Saturday, but I'm not holding my breath.

Up the Addicks!

Season Tickets

2012-01-23T22:59:00.001Z

For the last couple of years I've been a little underwhelmed about the season ticket offering. There have been a number of reasons as to why I've not felt truly satisfied in recent seasons but I have discussed those in detail already, and it never does any good to repeat yourself, especially in writing.

Anyway today we were advised of the deal to renew before 5th April (or maybe a day or two later to account for the post) and I'm impressed and more than satisfied.

Interestingly the main reason I'm so happy is that the current board have already shown that their genuine ambition is every bit as much as the talk that they have given.

One can understand why a football club (or any business) would set out to use their PR machine to maximise revenues, and when you are selling a annual subscription to anything you only need to 'sell' it once a year, so you can make statements that fail to come true and you have a whole year to 'fool' your customers before asking for their money again.

I'm not saying that the club has done this intentionally in the past, nor am I saying that they've done it by accident, but the truth is that the ambition (or rather the success achieved) has fallen very short of the published aspirations at the time of asking for fans to commit to season tickets.

So, taking nothing away from the previous board members and Richard Murray, this new regime has delivered both in terms of providing support and resources to the manager, but also with success on the field. I mention the previous board (and, of course, Richard was involved previously and still is) because it now appears that they were doing everything they could for the club, but just ran out of money or didn't get the breaks or made a few misjudgements.

Anyway, all is very rosy in the Charlton garden right now so it is a very good time to be asking the fans to commit to another season. Clearly we are not likely to have as much success on the field next season in a higher division, and if we fail to go up now it will be because the wheels have come off and most fans will be disappointed.

Weirdly the relative comparison between this season and next and last season and this makes for a interesting debate. Based on how terrible last season was, particularly the recent form when the club invited sales of season tickets, you could argue that the improvement constituted a better deal. Of course, very few of us realised how much better this season was going to be over last season. I mean we finished on 59 points last season - one less than we have now with 20 games to go.

On the assumption that we will be in a higher division next season we are likely (and I'm not being negative here, just realistic) to win many fewer points and we might even be in a relegation struggle, yet we are all probably more keen to commit now that we were twelve months ago. I waited until June last season as I thought I wanted convincing by the board that they were going to do more than bring in a handful of free transfers during the week before the season started, which is what we've seen in recent seasons.

I would go as far as to say that the transfer activity this (2011) summer was as significant as I can ever remember. Sure we didn't break the transfer record like we did in the Premier League a few seasons running, but the squad rebuilding was much more more comprehensive. The fact that the squad gelled in time for the season is a magnificent achievement. Clearly it was helped by making early signings. This is, however, not a new revelation, but it is something that we (and many other clubs) have failed to do in the past.

So what I'm trying to say is that the board, and Chris Powell, have gone about their business in the way that we wanted them to, and they have made good judgements where they suggested they would. There is absolutely no reason to question their motives or judgement, even if the undisclosed nature of the transfer activity means that we don't know how much money they have invested. Having said that even if they've put little money in (after the sale of Jenkinson) they can't be knocked as they have managed to put together a squad that is clearly good enough to hold it's own in this division - and this is the only division that we could compete in this season.

I never intended for this to be a review of the season, and it's not, but it helps to give the background for me to make the bold statement that I think the club has delivered this season and, despite the nice comments about how our support has helped and is appreciated, I believe that this season the balance is in the club's favour. I believe that the price we paid for our season tickets was not only better value than recent years, but under price for what we have seen.

There I've said it. I think that I should be grateful for what has been provided for the £400 I paid for my ticket last June, and with a price of £375 for next season (I didn't buy early enough for that price last year) I can't believe my luck.

Needless to say I will be renewing by the 5th April deadline.

Up the Addicks!

Charlton 1 - 0 Sheffield United

2012-01-22T21:49:00.001Z

I was confident of a win, but I was all too aware of United's form coming into this game, along with the fact that they had managed to hold on to several of their players from last season, and that was always going to give them an edge in tight games this season. That little bit of extra quality that can make a chance or score a goal.

However, as I say I was confident of a win, but I went to the pub with Dave from Drinking During the Game, and suddenly felt the need to declare that I'd probably take a draw. Dave was having none of it, he was looking for a win and wouldn't accept a draw before kick off.

Interestingly I have always tended to settle for a little less. I might be confident of a win but would take a draw when I probably shouldn't, but when we are four points clear, and have just won away to another top five side there is some logic in ensuring that we keep the four point lead with some more winnable games to come.

Anyway, I needn't have worried as we did win, and despite the fact that I was nervous for most of the second half we never, actually, looked like conceding a goal after half time.Rather like The week before, our defence looked strong and impenetrable. Taylor and Morrison are looking more solid each week, and the full backs also both have a good claim for player of the year. Solly's marking and tackling is amazing and Wiggins has pace to burn and gets up and down the wing all afternoon.

In fact we have built our success this season on both defence and attack. Until his recent barren spell Bradley Wright-Phillips was scoring us the goals to win games. We had a brief spell where we were scoring a lot of goals, but throughout that we have been tight at the back. What that means now is that, in most cases, one goal will mean a win.

Again our only goal came from a Johnnie Jackson free kick, and this week's was even better than the one that beat Wednesday. He really is a great player, and Skipper.

The game was, until the sendings off, a little drab to be honest. We scored the goal we needed and then we defended while looking for a goal on the break - something that I think Wright-Phillips is the perfect player to get.Bradley has had a barren spel but his confidence doesn't look to have been affected and I think it's only a matter of time before he scores again. I suspect that he is being given more attention, and I think that Paul Hayes is probably going to make more chances for him than Kermorgant, but the latter will, probably, chip in with more goals of his own.

Either way Paul Hayes looks like he has fallen right down the pecking order for the time being. After cameo's in the last two league games for Clarke it was Danny Haynes that came on yesterday. He didn't get long enough for me to say very much, but he looked fast and sharp, and I'm confident that he will make an impact before the season is over.

The only real point of interest in the game, save for the goal, was the incident and the aftermath that reduced both teams to ten men. From the East stand it looked like a firm tackle with studs up, but the replay on the TV shows that it was not, in actual fact, a two footed tackle. Interestingly there has been some debate on the TV recently and it would appear that two footed tackles are not banned. The issue is wreckless and/or dangerous. I am no specialist, but the tackle did look like it could have caused injury, and as the referee had a good view and was so close I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt. We will know what the club's view is when we discover if they will appeal the three match ban.

The video, and still, footage of James Beattie's throat attack on Yann was not in any doubt. Beattie has not been offered a contract with United yet, and this might make a difference. I have never liked ths player from when he first scored against us for Southampton over ten years ago, and his red card for Everton when he head butted William Gallas and proceeded to, literally, run over him when he wouldn't get out of his way shows what sort of man he is.

Lucky for us, probably, as with an extra man, with the pressure that they had been putting on us I think we might have conceded our lead, but it wasn't to be.I have always said that I would be happy to win a drab game, especially in a big game, so I'm not going to complain. In fact, I couldn't be happier.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Sheffield United at home

2012-01-20T19:57:00.000Z

It is quite a coincidence that we play both teams from Sheffield in the space of eight days, but what is more unusual is that we play two of the teams that will almost certainly finish top five back to back.

I'm going to try to avoid making any other comments about the fact that they both come from the same city except to say that I lived in Sheffield for a year when I was doing my MBA.

It's a decent city, although I've only lived in that one and Canterbury, so I can't really compare that well. While I was at University I joined a football supporters club. For those that have been to university you will know that there is a club for, just about, everything - especially at the larger Universities.

Before I made some proper friends, two of which I still speak to on a regular basis now, nearly twenty years later, I did some socialising with this football supporters club. Something else that many of you will know is that most of these clubs are formed in September and disbanded by the New Year when all the students have made friends, started relationships, or discovered alcohol or other chemicals to keep them entertained.

Anyway as well as a quiz and a few nights out drinking the football supporters club arranged a tour of Bramall Lane, which was not that far from where I was living at the time. The tour was great - just like any other I suppose. However, part way through the tour we bumped into Dave Bassett, the then Manager of Sheffield United, who were in the Premier League at the time. It was the first season of the Premier League, and Brian Dean of United had scored the first, ever, Premier League goal.

I mention all this as Harry Bassett couldn't have given us more time. He talked to the group of us (about half a dozen, from memory) and talked about United and all our clubs. There was only one Sheffield United fan in the group, but this didn't stop Harry from making us feel very welcome. This reminded me of what Charlton was all about. This was the time that we were at Upton Park, a few months before we came back to The Valley.

Anyway I decided that day that Sheffield United would be my second team - my team away from home, if you like. I'd always had a thing for Liverpool when I'd been a kid, like a lot of children born in the early 70s, but I didn't go to Anfield until 1996, and that was as an away fan when Charlton went there. I went to Bramall Lane a few times during that season, as well as coming home for every Charlton game. As a fan of Sheffield United, I clearly didn't have a lot of time for Sheffield Wednesday - and still don't today.

Anyway enough of my history. Second team or not I want us to win tomorrow, maybe not as much as I wanted us to win last week, but a lot never the less.

Following New York Addick's analysis I am not treating this like any other game - even if Chris Powell is. Clearly the professionalism and the training should be the same (or close) but the significance of the game, and the increased crowd, should ensure that the players know this is not like any other game.

Last week was fantastic. It was great to win away to one of our promotion rivals; it was great to beat a team that was unbeaten at home all season; and it was great to beat a team that has some fans that are, shall we say, very confident of their club and it's stature.

However, this is the first time it has been 1st vs 2nd. We nearly had that when we beat Huddersfield back in November, and, save for United playing a game more we could have had it last weekend. This, however, is the real deal, a top of the table clash.

The fact that we will still be top at 5pm, and we will still have a game in hand on the team in second takes nothing away from the significance of the fixture for me. This is an opportunity for us to make another statement about our credentials, and for us to increase the lead, over second, to at least seven points.

As well as beating Sheffield Wednesday at home for the first time this season we also signed a new striker last week, and I have a funny feeling we will see something of him tomorrow. We now seem to have a surplus of strikers, and I am more than happy with the two that have been starting. I know little about Haynes (or Clarke for that matter, save for his scoring record this season) but I trust Powell's judgement and I can't wait to have a look at them - from the bench, of course. It does make it look like Hayes is going to struggle for match time, but he has failed to make an impression from the bench, and he just isn't going to force himself in front of Wright-Phillips or Kermorgant.

I am confident of a win tomorrow. I know that Sheffield United have been in great form, and we have drawn two and lost one of our last six, but we have performed better in the big games this season, and after last week I am as convinced as I think one can be in January that we are on a march to the second division.

Tomorrow will not decide our season, but it may define it. If we end up seven points above at least two teams tomorrow evening it is entirely possible that we will end up being more than a win from second place from the start of November to the end of the season. Not at all bad, if you ask me.

Up the Addicks!

Sheffield Wednesday 0 - 1 Charlton

2012-01-15T12:11:00.000Z

I did say that the game would be tense, and it was. What I didn't predict, however, was that we would win and keep a clean sheet. I didn't, in all truth, dare to believe that we would win.

I was going to celebrate like mad if we managed a draw to be honest. I couldn't get any access to the Internet on my phone so I didn't know what the other scores were until I'd left the ground, but that aside, I did think that avoiding defeat would have been a decent days work.

I find it interesting reading reports from fans that have vested interests in the clubs. I did mention the Wednesday fans on their forum before the game, and I have read some of their comments since the game. They claim that we were time wasting from the first minute. I hate time wasting, so I'm probably likely to be more biased on this subject, but I didn't feel like we were time wasting. Sure, we were not taking goal kicks and throw ins in a hurry as we were not chasing the game and an away side will always look to regroup from a stoppage in play. Only if you are losing towards the end of the game do you want to see your 'Keeper running to get the ball, put it down and then immediately kick it anywhere towards the other end of the pitch.

Other points they made were their two near misses while not mentioning BWP's one on one that Weaver saved. Also the Wednesday fans think the ref was on our side but I counted at least three incidents that could have justified a red card for them that was yellow.

One point I do agree on was Morrison. He looked shakey at the start, and he made a couple of mistakes that made him look nervous - having said that we did keep a clean sheet so I have no complaints.

What I didn't mention before the game was that Charlton fans are just as likely to spout rubbish, and I am, personally, a little embarrassed by some of the comments I've read on Charlton Life this morning (Sunday). Maybe I'm being uncharitable towards our fans following a big win, but I think there is often something to be gained by honest praise of opponents if and when appropriate.

Anyway my 'unbiased' view of the game is that we managed a good side and a strong vocal support to secure an unlikely but, probably, fair result. I've read a lot about how Wednesday are not all hit and rush, but there was little evidence of that yesterday. What we need to remember is that this is not Wimbledon in the old First Division in the late 80s, it is third division football, where it is both acceptable and, potentially, profitable to play a 'direct' style in this division.

I don't understand football snobbery at this level. Sure I'd rather watch passing football, but I am more interested in winning, and what ever gets us out of this division. It's clearly working for Wednesday who, until recently, had been top two fr weeks.

Anyhow, back to the game. As I was hoping to avoid defeat I thought it was important not to concede early. The opening ten minutes or so they came at us almost constantly. This was when Morrison looked a little shakey, and this was obviously a crucial time for us. I haven't seen us much away this season, so I can't comment on our normal game plan, but we did look like we were settling into the game before we started to open up and play a bit.

There were no real hair raising moments, but we did look like the away side. The fans were not as vocal as I'd expected, but it was early days, and many fans tend to wait for the team to lift them and not vice-versa.

As the game wore on we did start to look like we had found our feet and we had a few attacks. Nothing to get too excited about, but we did look like we had weathered the initial storm and the match had grown into the tense game I was expecting with the result likely to be a draw or a one goal margin win. Wednesday were negative in breaking up play. I would be tempted to call them cynical but to be honest I was going to save that word for the second half when they got much worse.

A free kick outside the box on our left gave us a good chance. You will all have seen the goal now, but it was a great free kick. Top right corner.

Suddenly we have something to defend. The last fifteen minutes we defended while attacking on the break, and I was glad to see half time, althought in the cold light of day I realise that we were not in any real trouble during that time, it just felt like it.

The second half had two different phases. For about half of it we both had breaks but we stood firm at the back and we just didn't quite hit that pass right, or just couldn't reach that ball. I guess, in truth, Wednesday were doing most of the attacking and we were hitting on the break, but we both had half chances (they were attaching the other end so my view was not as good). Then Megson took his last gamble and changed his side to a 4-3-3 and went all out for the win.

This had a couple of impacts. 1) They attacked more. 2) We defended more and more deeply. 3) This was the point that I would use the word cynical as their game plan seemed to be to sacrifice defending and just attack. This left them unable to cover break away attacks so they, literally, fouled every player that got on the ball. This should have brought a red card. If the first one had been red then I suspect the game would have changed as they would have had to defend differently. Ironically a red card would have changed the game and, it could be claimed that, it would have finished Wednesday's chances, but then so would have a goal if any of our attacks had been allowed to continue without a cynical, professional, foul. 4) The crowd seemed to wake up and made some serious noise.

It needs to be remembered that this team have only drawn two games at home this season and won nine. They even beat West Ham, with a last minute goal, at home last weekend. The fans, obviously, believed they were in the game right to the end. It made me more nervous, especially as the referee wasn't going to show a red card and we were not likely to get another shot on target if our players weren't going to get past their last defender, with both the ball, and their legs.

Bradley Wright-Phillips did manage to out run a defender and come in from the left to earn himself a one on one with Weaver. It was a great save, from a very narrow angle, but it was a reminder that this is a proper goal scoring striker and shouldn't be dropped despite a run of not scoring in recent weeks. When his luck changes and the goals come back I suspect that we will have more wins by bigger margins - but I'm more than happy with 1-0s or 2-1s.

From my perspective, especially with the increased support from the crowd I was happy to accept a draw at any time until the last fifteen minutes. I thought of a win as a bonus, but as the game came to a close I started to believe that we should hang on. Also as the noise levels increased I was convinced that if they'd got one we would have been under massive (and I used that word on purpose) pressure, until the final whistle, for them to get a winner.

They did play, and the fans supported, like a team that hasn't lost a game at home all season. They clearly believed that they would get a goal, but it wasn't to be and we won what I think was a defining game in our season. It wasn't as big a result as Huddersfield at home, nor, probably, Sheffield United away, but due to it being nearer the finishing line, than the other two games, it can feel more like an indication of what the end of the season will bring. Next week is another game of such stature, and I can't wait for that one either.

Just a couple of other observations: Chris Solly was immense. He has really proved himself this season and I couldn't be happier about it. Bradley Pritchard is another payer that has proved himself his season. No disrespect to Bradley but he has not achieved what Solly has this season but he made a big step up and with a layoff through injury to contend with, he has earned his place in the side and been more than worthy of it. It's a shame for him that Dale Stephens is back in the squad, but it is good news for us.

Semedo was unnoticeable today, save for his tackle that should have earned him a red card for him being the last defender. Sure it was on the half way line, but he was still the last defender. I think Semedo is the type of player that is better suited to a team that is looking to be negative and break up play which is why I think we haven't missed him so much. That Wednesday play this way is to his benefit, but if I'm honest I'm not sure he was of much benefit to them as they were chasing the game for such long periods of time. Anyway I wish him well. We signed him on a free and he left on a free and always give his all and seemed genuinely loyal to us while he was here. If he was able to earn much more elsewhere then good luck to him.

Last comment is about the coach journey. It was a long day leaving at quarter past seven and getting home at quarter past ten, but it was comfortable, we parked right outside the stand we were in and with an iPad loaded up with things to watch I wasn't too bored either. This method of transport seems even more acceptable with hundreds of fans missing the first half due to a problem on the trains. I would be tempted to do other away games on the coach if and when I am allowed the whole day out again.

Ironically, rather like the win over Huddersfield, this will have the shine taken off it somewhat as Wednesday are, suddenly, not the main challenger any more. They are now 4th so we are looking at Sheffield United and Huddersfield as the two, one of which we need to keep in front of. This is probably the biggest insult we can throw at the Wednesday fans I suspect, and if we fail to beat United next Saturday then this situation will be compounded.

Having said that, it was very, very nice at the final whistle yesterday, what with Sheffield Wednesday being such a massive club and all.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Sheffield Wednesday away

2012-01-12T14:34:00.000Z

In September 1988 (at the age of 17) I decided to go to an away game on my own. My Dad was away or busy (I don't remember now) and I went on the 'Football Special' to Coventry. I didn't, actually, talk to any other Charlton fans, but I did walk with them and the Police escort to the ground. It was a great day out. Bob Bolder went off injured with a dislocated finger (I think) and Steve Gritt went in goal. We lost 3-0 but Gritty made a couple of great saves. One in particular was a full length dive across the goal and diverted the ball from the top corner with an outstretch hand. the ref blew for a foul or offside so it wouldn't have counted, but we gave a great cheer all the same.

the result was, obviously, terrible, but the day out had been so enjoyable I decided to do the same again for the next away game - Norwich on 1st October. This was the game that Paul Mortimer scored the goal that is top of my personal Top Ten Goals. This was probably one of the most memorable games I've been to, that was not a significant game before kick off.

Strangely enough I didn't go to another away match that season until 21st March when we drew 2-2 at Highbury, but it was a special time in my life with regard to developing what has become an obsession with Charlton (well it is isn't it?) and turning 18.

Anyway, the reason for the brief trip down memory lane is because yesterday I decided, well applied for a whole day pass anyway, to go to Sheffield this weekend. I had been thinking about it for a week or so, and had my Dad been around I'm sure we would have gone, but with him just a few days into a six and a half week holiday in Tenerife, I was going to have to go on my own, and that is a very different decision. I'm not 17 any more and I have to seek (if not beg for) permission to spend all day at a football match these days. The situation was compounded y the fact that my wife started a new job on Monday and for the first time in years she is back in the City, with the long journey, early starts and late finishes.

I did ask in such a way as to make it seem less of a big deal until I had some acceptance, but to be fair to her I did make it clear that I would be out all day on her first day off with our son since she'd started her new (and more demanding) working schedule.

Anyway with a day pass in my proverbial hand I bought a ticket online and subsequently bought a seat on the coach that goes from down here. It leaves earlier that I normally get up, but I suspect I can always sleep on the coach? I'm not sure I've spent a whole day on a coach since I was at school, but I'll be prepared with a good book, and iPad with some games and films on it and an iPhone with some songs to listen to. I'm sure the journey will just fly by, or not!

Anyway the purpose of all this is, of course, not research into cross country coach journeys but to see the top of the table clash. It's interesting that when we played Huddersfield, due to the Sky cameras it failed to be 1st vs 2nd as Wednesday had climbed above Huddersfield on the Saturday.

Wednesday's home form has been outstanding this season, but to be fair they have only beaten MK Dons of the top five. They drew with Huddersfield, when they were, themselves, having a bit of a sticky patch - two wins in six and back to back defeats. It is clear that they are good at home, in fact, they are good, full stop, but we are good away. In fact we are good full stop, but I don't want to sound arrogant.

The defeat to Orient was, obviously, in part (I think large part) due to having to play most of the game with ten men. Stevenage was one of those games that we could have drawn, or won, if we'd had a lucky break, so I can't see us being played off the park. I can't see us struggling in any of our league games this season but if we are going to it is as likely to be this one as any other. This makes it a bog game for lots of reasons.

One of those reasons is the interest that there seems to be on Charlton Life this season with the Owls Forum - specifically how many of their fans believe that they will, at some point, catch and overtake us as we are just not as big a club as they are. I have to confess that having had a quick look at this forum I am, also, a little bit intrigued as to keep reading what this delusional fans come out with. To be fair to them their form (after the first three games) is better than ours during the same period*, so they could claim that they are doing well. We are the top two based on form during that period, as well as from the start of the season based on average points per game - Sheffield united have played one more game than both of us.

Thus we should expect, probably, that this game will be a little tense, and will be won by the odd goal (if it isn't a draw). I think Wednesday will have to come at us, and I'm not sure that will be the best approach. After all we are not top of the division by luck alone, and as our away form shows we are clearly able to soak up pressure. I think we should (and will) keep it tight at the start and hope that as they become more and more tense at not breaking us down they will allow us chances to grab a goal, or two.

I have to confess that I would take a draw right now. Not because I think we are not worthy of a win, but because it is enough away from home when you are five points ahead of the team in third with the second placed team to come to you in the next fixture. I'm not sure I'd gamble for a win at home to Sheffield United if I was offered the draw either, but that is a decision for another day.

This game will not settle the season, nor will it have that much impact on the confidence of either side as we are all, really, playing for one of the top two places - first is a bonus. However, if we do win the next two games then it will give the fans a lot more confidence as the gap to all of them will be that bit bigger.

As I've suggested in the past, I sometimes take games on a match by match basis and look for a good game, and a result irrespective of the impact on the league table. I'm trying to do that right now, but however much I try this is a massive game for us (and them) and the result is important for the league, the day out and to show some of those delusional Wednesday fans that we are genuinely worth our place at the top of the table.

Up the Addicks!

* Sheff Wed have managed 46 points from 21 games compared to our 45 points from 21 games. However their goal difference if +15 and ours is +24.

Fulham 4 - 0 Charlton

2012-01-08T10:41:00.000Z

The history books will show that we lost this game 4-0 and were clearly the weaker side. This is not exactly what happened, but despite how well we played at times in the second half I never, really, believed we would do anything other than lose after e'd conceded in the 8th minute.

To be honest, I never thought we'd do anything other than lose as soon as the draw was done. You see the Premier League clubs have just so much more quality, and this will always be enough to overcome a third division side if both the manager and the players are committed to winning the game.

In our time in the Premier League we had some poor results against lower division sides, but that was when we were fighting for our survival (or thought we were) and didn't have the same comittment to the cups as those teams that believed they were safe had.

Fulham have, despite many Charlton fans saying otherwise, become an established Premier League club. They have 'survived' longer than we did, and they have gone a lot further in cup competitions than we did. Sure, they have had more money injected into their team than we had, but the result is that they are better than we were six years ago, and they are much, much better than we are now.

Fulham, from the top down, we're taking this game seriously, and that meant that the was very little chance of us getting anything from the fixture.

In fact the game payed out exactly as I expected. Fulham carved out a goal from a great defence splitting pass, and they they sat back and allowed us to pay while not being in much trouble. In the second half we raised our game and looked like we were going to score and they did the same and almost immediately they scored what was sure to be the winner.

I'm not critising our payers, I think we'd played well and at times looked like we were as good as Fulham, but the main difference between us and them was that they had that little bit of extra quality thought their side. They also passed the ball around without giving it away, something that we are getting better and better at, but we have a little way to go before we can compete with an established Premier League side.

Strangely enough my dad and I were talking about the possible outcomes on the way to the game - both this result and the rest of the season and I pretty much decided that I wanted us to lose. I know that might sound silly, but I was concerned of what would happen if we drew an even bigger away fixture in the 4th or 5th round and the player's focus cost us a few results in the meantime. Worse was the worry that if we had a big game at Old Trafford or Anfield and lost there the hangover might cost is so many points that we might be struggling to finish second, and the playoffs are something of a lottery as we know.

So my favourite outcome, despite hating Fulham, was for us to give a food account of ourselves and lose by one goal, maybe two, and believe that we could have won had we hae a lit of luck, a different refereeing decision etc.

In the end the 4-0 did, probably, flatter Fulham, but I can't help wondering what would have happened if they'd needed to beat us 5-0 to avoid relegation. We will never know, but it was a great day out with both my Dad and other Charlton fans, and to cap it all off when the Skipper threw his armband into the crown my Dad caught it.

Today my Dad flys off to Tenerife for six and a half weeks, so he is going to miss a few games. If I was offered five points clear of second, and seven points clear of third when he comes back I'd rip their arm off. That would mean that. Have eight fewer games for the pack to catch us, and we will have played three of those teams along the way.

For now I think the players and the fans did us credit, and we still have a lot to be thankful for this season, and I believe that we are going to have a lot to celebrate come May.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Fulham away

2012-01-07T00:05:00.002Z

I'm not going to do a full preview of this game as it's late on Friday evening and chances are that no-one will read it now and even if they do they will have read a few others.

However, I do have a few things to say about them and our chances tomorrow. I have an abnormal hatred of Fulham for reasons that I've discussed before, but as we've fallen so far in the last five years my interest in these other teams has been lost in my obsession to get out of this division and return to a level where the club can be sustainable in the long term.

Not that this means I don't hate Fulham any more, I just don't have the energy to show it in quite the same way.

I'm also acutely aware that their budgets in terms of wages and player transfers should ensure that we just cannot compete with them if they have any reveal interest in winning this game.

For that reason I'm going tomorrow and I suspect that unless we are very close to getting something, or we are cheated in some way, I will not feel angry or disappointed if we lose. Clearly I don't want to get hammered, but any result that sees us lose by less than fee goals and I will be perfectly happy with the day out.

Having said that I am not expecting to be impressed with the stadium. I know we are not in the same league as Man Utd, but The Valley is as impressive as all but the top football grounds England has to offer, and very few can put it to shame.

I also, suddenly, realise that I don't have as much anger towards our former players as I used to have. When Danny Murphy left us for Spurs I understood it as they are (and always were) a bigger club than Charlton. I suspect that Murphy came to us as he thought he was more likely to play, and this was, probably, the main reason he was willing to leave Liverpool. However, I was still angry about it as it was such a bad time for us - the news came through after 11:45pm on the last day of the transfer window. Maybe he realised with us that he'd rather be a big club than be playing regularly - especially as Curbishley had dropped him. As it happens, he was correct to fear that he wouldn't be able to hold down a place at Spurs, and he moved on to Fulham, where he has contributed to a European cup run that culminated in a final, and he hasn't been in a team fighting relegation every season.

Maybe if he'd joined Fulham before Spurs he would have ended up with us and we would now be in the Premier League and Fulham would be in the third division. I know this sounds fanciful, but I honestly believe that if we'd won that Fulham game at The Valley, when they equalised from a free kick that should have gone the other way, we would have stayed up.

It's all in the past now, but I no longer harbour any bad feeling towards Murphy, and I actually consider it to have been a privilege to watch him, and others like him, play in a Charlton shirt during what I fear will be the only golden era I will see at The Valley in my lifetime. So, tomorrow, I'd take a draw right now. I don't think we'll get close, but there is no point is accepting anything less right now, and even though I expect us to beaten easily, stranger things have happened.

Up the Addicks!

Yeovil 2 - 3 Charlton

2012-01-05T10:14:00.002Z

Never would I have imagined that we would have been 8 points clear of the second placed team after Boxing Day!

In fact, if you'd offered me this in August I would have said no as I would have been sure that it was some kind of trick and that when I realised out the gag I wouldn't have been able to get out if it.

Back in May 2010 we were, for a period of, I believe, twenty minutes, in second place on the last day of the season. The end result was that we fell down to 4th and lost in the Playoffs. It just goes to show how much things can change as at one point yesterday afternoon we were losing 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday were winning at Walsall and our gap, that we'd worked so, so hard to build was going to be less than you can overturn in one game.

I announced to my Dad when we let in the second goal that I'd take a draw if Wednesday also drew. I never imagined, for a second, that that last five minutes of the games would see such a swing. I sent another text to my Dad after the game to suggest that this could be the day that we won the title. I know that sounds a little premature, but eight points is four straight wins while we draw four, or three straight wins while we lose fee on the bounce.

Sure Wednesday, along with half a dozen others, are able to string together four or five wins on the trot, but I can't see us going four games on the trot without a win to the end of the season, and even if we did that it would have to coincide with a run that matches as soon as any of those sides have managed all season.

You also need to take into account that fact we have performed well against the top sides (from memory - two wins and two draws against the other four sides in the top five) and they will be playing each other every few weeks which will, obviously, cost at least one of them points.

I really thought that Sheffield Wednesday were going to be our biggest challengers after Huddersfield lost to Bournemouth, but with they, literally, throwing away a win at home to the invincibles, and then conceding two goals in injury time at Walsall they have failed to make up any ground while we drew two games that I would have fancied us to win before kick off.

I have no interest in looking (well I do, but I'm writing this in the car with no interest access) but I'd be surprised if there are many examples of a team throwing away an eight point lest with half the season to go, and let's remember that we are in front because we are, in actual fact, the best team in the division.

I know that comes across as arrogant, but we are not one point in front after the games. No, we are eight points ahead after 22 games, and the teams below us have not had a bad half season either, in terms of points total. I mean Huddersfield are the best team that has ever played football in England since football was invented, and we are nine points above them.

I just had to check the league table for that stat and I discovered that Sheff Utd have gone second and are now only seven points behind us - all of the above still applies though, it's just one point different.

Anyway, after what looked like being a bad day we all got what we, most, wanted for Christmas.

Up the Addicks!

Charlton 2 - 0 Brentford

2012-01-02T20:27:00.000Z

Following on from the doom and gloom of our second league defeat of the season we have, again extended our lead at the top of the table. After winning the manager of the month award Chris Powell has seen his side win one and draw two of the four games in December.

However, with that month behind us we have started the year as we finished November with a 2-0 home win. Brentford have not been very consistant this season, but they did manage a draw at Sheffield Wednesday in November, one of only two games that they have failed to win at home this season (the other being Hudderesfield) and they came back from 3-0 behind to snatch a draw at home to MK Dons on Saturday.

I thought we would be tired towards the end of the game after playing with ten men less than 48 hours ago, but I didn't expect to see one of our players unable to run from mid way through the first half. Johnnie Jackson seemed knackered and dead on his feet after about twenty minutes. He managed to stay on the field until half time, but he did look like he was struggling. If it weren't were Rhoys Wiggins behind him I thing me night have been in a little bit of trouble down our left flank. He seemed more lively in the second half, but I wasn't surprised when he went off.

To be fair to him he hasn't been involved for a month and then playing 81 plus minutes and coming out again less than 48 hours later he was hardly going to feel on top of the world. Still we won and he wil be fitter for Saturday and, more inportantly, for the two games against the Sheffield teams that will have a big bearing on our season later this month.

On the subject of the Sheffield teams, United lost for the first time since they lost at Stevenage seven games ago (we went on a six game winning run aft losing there) and that left them to fall back into third and Wednesday climbed back up into second, but are five points and a massive ten goals difference, behind us.

With MK Dons eight points behind us it does look like we have some margin for error.

I'd still take second right now, and if I'm honest I don't think I'd be distraught if we managed to draw our two next league games. It would probably mean that our lead would be slightly reduced, but it would ensure that we are still top after playing the two teams currently second and third. Have said that I fancy us to get more than two points from those two games.

However, before that, we have Fulham away in the FA Cup tcoming up. Fulham have just reached full time and beaten Arsenal 2-1 at the Cottage. I have a feeling that we will come away from there feeling very disappointed. Time will tell.

In the meantime I'm going to enjoy being top of the league, where we've been since the 13th of October.

Up the Addicks!

Leyton Orient 1 - 0 Charlton

2012-01-01T11:27:00.001Z

One of my New Year's resolutions is to find time to write this blog on a more regular basis. I'm not setting any specific targets, just that I intend to make a bigger effort.

With that in mind I thought I should comment on last night's game, although if feels like it was last year now after the alcohol I consumed last night.

The game can be summarised easily. We started off ok, the game was just settling down nicely and we were finding our feet away from home then Hamer was sent off. Then we played out the first half defending for our lives, and managed to keep the score down to 0-1. The second half Orient dropped back a little and we gradually took over and towards the end we were unlucky not to grap an equaliser.

There were some significant points in the game worth discussing. The sending off was debatable. I think Hamer could have stayed on his line ad Morrisson was chasing back with Mooney, and it would have been very difficult for the former Charlton striker to score - particllarly based on the later evidence of his ability to hit the target.

Of what there is no doubt is that the ball hit Hamer's arm outside of the box. This, itself, gives the Referee the justification to show him the red card. We need to remember that he only gets a split second to make the decision, and despite the fact that if he'd stayed on his line it would have been a non event, Hamer did stop the ball on a goalwards direction with his arm outside of the box.

I have no real critisism of Hamer, he made a judgement call and suffered the worst outcome.

I watched the game at my Dad's house (I don't have Sky TV - but I'm getting it tomorrow) and his first comment aft the red card was that we were playing for a draw now. This was not a negative comment, but in truth it is very hard to avoid defeat if you play one short for more than 80 minutes. Having said that both Brighton and Colchester managed to draw with us in similar circumstances last Christmas.

It is questionable if Wagstaff was the best player to make way, but I thought I heard, or read, that he has been struggling with an injury so it might have been something to do with that.

The other points of contention were the 'off side' goal just before half time, and the 'foul' on Lisbie that, I believe, should have been a penalty.

On the whole I had plenty of time to get used to the idea that we would lose - over 80 minutes, and as disappointed as I was I can live with a defeat when we had ten men for almost all of the game, and we are still 4 points clear, with a much better goal difference from second, and another point above third.

I have no real complaints about any of the players. Hayes looked a little off the pace when he came on, but he hasn't played a lot recently, and I'm not sure he is a goal scorer either, and when your game involves holding up play and creating chances for others you are going to struggle with a limited cameo playing ten versus eleven. He has plenty of time to make a contribution.

It was very encouraging to see the Skipper back though. He managed over 80 minutes and the seemed to be no no ill effects or reoccurrence of his hamstring injury.

On the whole I would have taken this position at the start of the new year if it'd been offered to me in August, and with a fully fit squad and Leon Clarke joining I am confident that we can push on in the second half of the season.

The next three league games are massive!

Up the Addicks!

Next... Huddersfield at home

2011-11-28T13:44:00.000Z

Every so often something comes along that is a little out of the ordinary, a bit special.

There are lots of examples of this, and I've been mulling over in my head as to whether I was going to list some to make the point, but I think you get it. Football is a repetitive business. By definition a league season is 46 games, many of which are not significant at all, and many that are significant for something that happens during the game that couldn't have been forecast in advance. An obvious example of that, for me anyway, was the Boxing Day fixture against Swindon where we came back from 2-1 down to snatch a late draw with nine men. The game was on Boxing Day, which is a tradition that I love, but that aside I would never have considered it a 'big' or significant game before hand, but it turned out to be.

The Swindon play-off semi-final second leg was a big game, but it failed to please me after the final whistle. It was still a big game though, and that is what all us football fans look forward to.

The Millwall derbies that season were important, and the game at Oldham was exciting, but they, and the semi-final first leg, were the only games of any real significance prior to kick off since we were relegated from the Championship. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that they were the only games that were this exciting since we were relegated from the Premier League.

We have fallen from such a high position, relative to where we were ten years ago, that it is difficult to get excited about much these days, but tonight is a little different.

Sure I'd like to be the team to take their unbeaten record, I'd like to be the team that pushes them into third place with their first defeat in eleven months, but the truth is that I just want to win this high profile game. I've literally just been listening to The Football Ramble podcast and they discussed the recent breaking of the 42 game record held by Nottingham Forest and they made the point that we much be doing well to be five points above them. They also poked fun at the play-off final defeat.

In all honesty I do respect their achievement, and think that they have been relentless in their performances since the turn of the year, and under normal circumstances I would not want to spoil their attempt to beat Arsenal's record, but this game takes on such significance in our season that we must win.

It's too early in the season for it to be defining, and we could well beat Huddersfield then still finish below them at the end of the season, but it wouldn't half be nice to beat them in our back yard!

With Jackson injured we are going to miss a major presence both in terms of his talent and his captaincy. I think it is not a coincidence that we fell apart last season when he was missing. To be fair we have better players in the squad this season, but it will be a set back for sure, and not only tonight. However, I think that Ephraim is a real player, and the adrenalin tonight will probably make up for his absence to some degree.

I am tempted to say that I would take a draw tonight as it keeps us five points above the team in third (our real goal) but for tonight I just want to win the game. Sure there's three points at stake, but it's a chance for us to beat the team that everyone is talking about and send out a message about our intentions. It'll also be a cracking night out for the Charlton fans.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Hartlepool away

2011-10-28T13:24:00.000+01:00

What a week we've had?

I thought we'd stumble over the line with a 1-0 win at home to Carlisle last Saturday, and despite the fact they they made some defence howlers we still ran out 4-0 winners, and were 3-0 in front when they went down to ten men at the end of the first half. The icing on the cake was the saved penalty. In fact just about everything went our way.

The 2-1 win at Wycombe, which was fully to be expected is still a win, and still three points that we can put in the bag for the final tally up come May. Sheffield united, for example lost there, and I don't think they will be the only top six team to do so over the course of the season.

It's easy to be confident of a win against the struggling teams, but it's not always that easy, and you do have to go out there and win the game, and despite a nervy ending to the game we won, and that's all that mattered. With the bonus of no injuries or suspensions, and with Andy Hughes getting another start, and demonstrating that we need not be too fearful of the odd injury or suspension in the middle it was a good weeks work.

This was important, of course, as we had failed to win any of the three previous matches, and even lost to the team on a run of four straight defeats the week before. I accept that there will be blips, and as I said above just because we would expect to beat Stevenage, doesn't automatically mean we will do so. However, the real test is what happens after a defeat, and I think we have answered all the questions that were surfacing, including some of my own.

Powell's start at Charlton was followed by such a fall that it was easy to worry about his ability to lift a demoralised squad, but I am not too worried about that now.

So on the Hartlepool? Well they started the league campaign with four straight draws (MK Dons, Walsall, Huddersfield and Stevenage), before going on a run of five wins all be it against the less glamorous sides (Rochdale, Exeter, Carlisle, Bury and Bournemouth) then followed that up with three defeats (Sheff Wed, Notts County and Wycombe) they then beat Chesterfield, away, last Saturday before losing at home to Tranmere in the week. So they face us with one win in five (with four defeats), having lost their last three home games.

If you analyse their results with respect to the teams they do look like a solid mid table side that will not pull up too many trees against the top six but should be able to keep above the relegation zone. They finished 16th last season after having finished 20th and 19th in the two seasons before.

So, their side shouldn't be good enough to pose too many questions of a top side on a good run, they have struggled a bit with recent form so this will be a good test for us. This is the sort of game we have struggled in in the past, and Stevenage might not look like a one off by 5pm on Saturday.

However, I believe that we are no longer that sort of side. I think the players that we have wearing the shirt this season are better than that. I was never sure if it was complacency or the inability to break down teams that defended in numbers, but I do believe that Stevenage was a blip and I think we will collect three points tomorrow.

I'm going for a 1-0 win tomorrow. I still think there will be games when we need to grind out a win by breaking down a tough side and keeping a clean sheet. I think tomorrow will be one of those.

Elsewhere I was buoyed this week, despite the unpopularity of my pleasure, by Sky TVs decision to move our game with Huddersfield from Saturday 26th November to Monday 28th November. I have always been committed to attend every game, and I have missed all sorts of family occasions in the process. I have sent my wife to weddings on her own, and have passed on all sorts of social occasions in order to keep my 100% attendance on a season by season basis. However on the 26th of November I am, for the first time and I hope the last, attending a posthumous graduation ceremony for my late brother-in-law. Some of you will remember that he died in a car accident in 2008. It would seem that all universities have a scheme to extrapolate results up to date (there was a small celebration in the summer of 2008 when his first year results were released) but we were unaware of this tradition until until a few months ago when Nottingham University contacted my in-laws to invite them (and my wife and I) to attend the ceremony.

Having only attended two graduation ceremony in my life - both of them my own, I would not normally recommend them as a fun day out, and they would always be a second choice to a football game, never mind a top of the table clash (I know it might not be by then), but I felt that it was where I should be. The fixtures weren't out when we committed to go (not that my decision would have been any different), but I feel vindicated in going as circumstances have conspired to ensure that I won't miss a game after all.

To all those that are now going to miss the game as it has been moved from the Saturday, and to those that will have increased travel costs due to early booking of train tickets (something that I was not aware of until this week) I do sympathise, but I have to confess that I couldn't be happier about it.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Carlisle at home

2011-10-21T18:42:00.000+01:00

Following on from our win at Sheffield United we had 27 points from eleven games. We were five points in front of MK Dons who we'd drawn away to and eight points ahead of Hartlepool who were in seventh. With eleven and a half games a quarter of the season this was looking good.

Interestingly, after eleven games in 2009 we has 24 points and Leeds who were top had 27. After 13 games in 2009 we had 28 points, exactly what we have now with the same number of games played. Last season we had 16 points after eleven games and 19 after thirteen games.

So, on the whole it was a good start to the season. It was significantly better than I had dared hope for back in June. The board have given Powell plenty of resources and on the whole the team have repaid him with good results. We haven't always been totally convincing, Huddersfield are the only team that seem to have done that, but I'd take second place right now, and would have done at any point if it'd been offered to me.

However, after the Sheff Utd win, and the celebrations on the pitch and the pats on the back all round that Powell gave out we seem to have lost our way a little. The odd result going against you is perfectly understandable, and to some degree acceptable. The defeat in the JPT was ok. I would have liked to have gone to Wembley, but in the grand scheme of things it didn't really mater that much. Losing 3-0 at home to a team from the same division was a little bit harder to swallow, but again, it was only the JPT, and despite Brentford doing the same we did only play half of our first team.

Tranmere at home was a little less impressive. Tranmere came to us with three defeats, one win and a draw in five, so we should really have been able to pick up a win at home. There were changes, bringing in Green and Kermorgant which seemed like a reasonable move based on their contributions from the bench at both MK Dons and Sheff Utd, but it just didn't work. Tranmere defended to highly and we failed to get a passing game going and immediately seemed to lump it up the park to the tall Frenchman. This failed miserably. Sure, we managed to steal a draw, and could have even snatched it at the end, but to be truthful, without the Penalty we could well have lost that game.

Then we went to Stevenage, who were on a run of four defeats. What we needed was to to keep it tight and score first and then they would have been forced to come out and attack, leaving us chances to increase our lead. We managed to concede an early goal and then they did exactly what you'd expect from a team playing in a game they expected to lose. No disrespect to them, but I'd be amazed if we finish less than ten points above them, and they would probably have been happy with a draw.

So one draw and two defeats in three. having said that we are still forth in the form tables (last six games) and we are still top of the form table for the last six away games. Six games that include trips to the teams that are 4th and 8th. I'm still happy with our current progress, and the initial bedding in period for the team to 'gel' doesn't seem to have cost us many points.

I think it might be time to reinstate Wagstaff and Hayes. I think it was a little unfair on them to be dropped, despite the replacements having great impacts from the bench. Maybe that is where they need to utilised. Green has demonstrated great crossing ability, and I have been willing him to succeed as I do love a 'proper' winger that gets to the line and crosses the ball, but he has, frankly, failed to deliver. I'm not saying that he won't have a big part to play this season, but for now I think Wagstaff should be given the nod. I also think BWP looks a better player with Hayes, and we seem to play a more passing game with him in the side.

Of course, it could just be that other teams have worked out how to play us now. I always find it worrying when we can't seem to break down the rough, tough huff and puff sides. If you fail to beat them then it encourages more sided to employ those tactics, and they spoil the game in my opinion.

Tomorrow we entertain Carlisle who inflicted our forth straight defeat back in March that was, for me, the signal that we were playing for the playoffs not automatic promotion. In the end the seven games that followed with just two points took that away too.

This is a real test of Powell and his new side. We need to send out a message tomorrow both to our fans and to the rest of the teams in this division. We need to demonstrate that when we are knocked down we get straight back up. Basically we need win and never look like doing anything else. We need to pass the ball around the pitch. We need to be first to the loose balls and we need to be firm in the tackle. We need to make it clear that we cannot and we will not be bullied into submission.

The fans need to play their part too. We need to make The Valley less of a fun day out for the opposition. our away form has been fantastic this season, but we have only won half of the games we've played at home. We need to make The Valley a fortress, starting tomorrow.

I am confident of a win. I don't, actually, think I'll see all those things I listed above, and at the end of the day I'll take a win - any win. I'm going for a 1-0 win. Keep it tight at the back and nick a goal. IT won't exactly send out the shock waves I'd like but it will confirm that we have got back up again. And it will, of course, keep us at the top of the table.

Up the Addicks!

Football for a Fiver

2011-09-22T18:17:00.000+01:00

There is part of me that feels the need to complain about the cheap tickets when I have paid for a season ticket, and there is part of me that finds it aggravating when I end up sitting next to someone that annoys me in some way when I know they are only there as it's cheap.

However, there is, absolutely nothing like a full house (or close to it) at The Valley and it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up with the sound and the colour of a full stadium.

I also like the idea that many children are there for a rare treat or their first ever visit - to the Valley or a football ground. A full Valley is, in my opinion, as good an atmosphere as almost any other ground in the country and if children can't get excited about what they'll witness on Saturday then maybe football is not for them - at least not yet, anyway.

Since I last got off my backside and wrote something on here there has been a lot to talk about. We have settled (I think and hope) into am established level of performance and results. Two years ago we were a little unknown in this division and, to most of us, the division was a little unknown too. Now I am much more confident of what the division has to offer and, indeed, how able we are to cope with it.

Parkinson's first season for us in the third division it took a few months for the other sides to know how to cope/deal with us. Shelvey was outstanding, yet underrated. his form dipped a little and the results dried up. There were a few outstanding players (at this level) in our squad that season, but our midfield was our real (and probably only) strength. Certainly once Youga disappeared with injury, and Richardson started falling in and out of the side (also due to injury) we were never the same. We managed some notable performances and results against the top sides, but the autumn start was never recaptured and proved to be a false dawn.

Last season Parkinson has much, much fewer resources at his disposal, and he managed to keep us in the hunt for a few months, but I suspect that the fall down the table was always coming irrespective as to who was managing the side. After the initial run under Powell we looked more and more like a poor side that had benefited from a purple patch at just the right time in the run up to Christmas.

This season we look like a side, with a little cover in key areas, that is winning the games that it deserves to. This is always a good sign. It's ok, and sometimes more enjoyable, to win games against the run of play, but results without performances, like luck, run out in the end. I've always said that I'd rather have a lucky manager (and goalkeeper, for that manager) but if you have the choice it is better to have a good one.

Form is temporary but class is permanent is a nice way of saying that a rubbish team can only get away with it for a while.

So I am quietly confident that we have what it takes to win a significant proportion of our games this season and with a bit of luck (some of the other sides close to us have to have a bad run at some point) that should be enough to take us up - hopefully without the need for the playoffs.

All this leads me on nicely to our recent results and, more importantly this Saturday's clash. I don't want to take anything away from the squad, but the results haven't impressed me massively so far. Don't get me wrong I am more than happy with where we are, and the performances have been great - especially coming from behind at Bury and losing a two goal lead but still winning at Rochdale, but I believe that the squad is good enough to expect these results.

I'm not raising expectations for the sake of it, I just believe that we are good enough to expect these results, and we are getting them. There will, no doubt, be a period when our form tales a dip, and I was by no means certain we would be where we are at the start of the season, but I've seen enough to be convinced.

With this in mind I fully expect (and I mean predict not demand) a comfortable win on Saturday. Sure Chesterfield have had a few decent results in the last couple of weeks, but I fully expect us to be too good for them. I also think that the new squad will be lifted by the atmosphere at The Valley on Saturday, rather than be in fear of it, which is what seemed to happen last time.

Assuming we get an early goal it could well be a party atmosphere for two hours. Last year my Dad was away for the Exeter game so this will be his first big crowd since we lost to Swindon in the playoffs semi-final in May 2009, and the atmosphere that night was filled with the kind of tension that I don't expect to feel on Saturday.

I have been looking forward to games much more this season that I was last season, especially towards the end, but I'm really quite excited about this one.

I predict a 3-0 win.

Up the Addicks!

Charlton 2 - 2 Scunthorpe

2011-08-22T12:44:00.000+01:00

So, after my bragging that we had won two games convincingly, we went on to draw a game that we probably deserved to lose.

I know that conceding a late goal (injury time) to lose a lead gives the impression that a draw has been snatched from the jaws of victory, but in truth we didn't dominate this game and at 2-0 we effectively sat back waiting for the game to finish for us to pack up and go home with the three points we had already won.

It's interesting that Powell seems to be happy to defend the approach of sitting back and allowing the team to attack us for great periods of the game when we are in front. In his defence we had only conceded one league goal in three games, so he could be forgiven for thinking that we could close the game out for the last twenty minutes with a 2-0 lead.

Changing Hayes for Euell was not, necessarily, a mistake, but taking off BWP for a centre half late on in the game is the sort of thing you do against Man Utd, not Scunthorpe. I know we need to be realistic, and accept that we are not going to win the division at a canter and, indeed, may well be chasing 6th place by May, but I would have thought that we could have pushed on for a third goal to kill the game off.

Anyway, it is what it is. We were not the best side by far on the day, and had we been two goals down with twenty minutes to go I wouldn't have thought it at all possible for us to get back into the game.

I will just add my backing to the general displeasure with the short corner with three minutes to go. Bearing in mind how long it took us to lose the ball it would probably have been back in our half just as quickly if we'd crossed for a shot and lost the ball immediately.

Other thoughts on the game, Danny Green is fantastic at crossing the ball - I've not seen anything like it since we last entertained Beckham at The Valley. I'm not saying Green in the next Beckham, but his crossing is the best since we last saw the format England Captain.

Paul Hayes had a bit of a stinker. To be fair to him he has admitted as much on his Twitter. In the first couple of games he has looked a real asset. His running and his ball hold up play have been impressive. He can also pick out a pass and will, no doubt, prove to be worth his place in the side, but he missed a chance on Saturday, despite keeping the ball down and hitting the target, he should really have done better. His biggest fumble, however, was when he was clear away and dribbled the ball rather than kicking it and chasing it and the defender took the ball off his toes before he could get a shot off. He is clearly not an out and out striker, but to be fair we knew that when we signed him.

I also felt the midfield looked tired on Saturday. It's ok keeping a winning side, but when the games come a bit thick and fast it might be better to rest the odd players rather than have them tire out. Towards the end on Saturday we seemed to have conceded the midfield completely.

On the whole ten points from the first four games is a fantastic return, but we are, clearly, not going to dominate this division at a canter which was what we being suggested before Saturday.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Scunthorpe at home

2011-08-20T09:16:00.000+01:00

Following on from a terrific display at Colchester (my Dad and I were there) we entertain one of last season's relegated teams that have made a stuttering start to the season. I have no idea how they will fare as the season unfolds, but I think we are meeting them at a good time - for us.

There are some similarities between us and Scunthorpe in that Atkins achieved so much with them and since he's left they seem to have been in free fall. Maybe they will be strong contenders this season, but 29-1 to win the division, the bookies clearly don't fancy them all that much.

Anyway, as it's already Saturday morning I'm not going to write a full match preview just add some observations following last Tuesday's win in Essex.

I was not terribly keen for Parkinson to be given the job when we were in the Championship; I was not all that sure that he was the man to get us out of this division in the summer of 2009, however I think he managed to get a lot out of a limited squad in 2009/10 and last season he kept us in the playoff places with a side that was put together on a shoestring budget (I'm refusing to include the wages that someone else agreed to pay his players before he took over).

Despite my lack of enthusiasm in giving Parkinson the job he did manage to secure wins and pick up points by grinding out results. This was unattractive and never seemed convincing, but it did seem to work. This season it is different. To be fair Powell has been given the chance to build the squad he wanted, something that Parkinson never had.

The change is staggering. We were well worth our win on Tuesday, and we were well worth our win against Bournemouth. I can't remember the last time I saw us win two games back to back and deserve to win them both. Seriously, I really can't remember!

Two seasons ago we won six straight at the start of the season, but that included four that I went to (the home games and Orient away) and of those four we were only convincing in the first half agaist Wycombe and we managed to concede two goals after being three in front to make for a tense ending to the game. Thus we are looking better, relative to the opposition, than we did two years ago. That is the most pleasing aspect of the start we are watching - we actually look like we are better than the opposition.

Clearly it's early days, but you can only beat what's in front of you, and at the moment I'm feeling very optimistic about the season.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Notts County away

2011-08-12T10:25:00.000+01:00

When we were first relegated to this god forsaken league (no disrespect intended to any clubs that are happy to be in it) I really thought we wouldn't be here long enough to bother reading up on the players we would be facing each week. Having said that I didn't bother going to too much trouble when we returned to the second division in 2007 either.

Anyway, last season I, again, thought I would wing it with my previews and not bother going to all that much trouble to familiarise myself with the teams we would be meeting each week. This year, however, I intend to make more of an effort. I've decided to take a leaf out of Chicago Addick's book and look into the opposition a little more. Clearly this is going to much easier once the table takes shape and the teams new squads settle in and the stars of the season become more identifiable. Anyway Notts County?

Their forum thread for tomorrow's game is rather short, but the feeling is that they should keep the same eleven, with maybe Hughes being given a rest if he is tired following their 3-3 draw AET at Forest on Tuesday. Hughes, who is 35, scored his 51st goal for County on Tuesday before missing a penalty that would have sent them through - they lost the shootout 4-3.

With six goals in their first two games (all be it one of those came in extra time) it is clear that they have some firepower this season. The three they conceded to Forest are hardly cause for concern for them, Forest made the playoffs last season, and with Andy Reid looking slim (no, really he does) they are probably going to be in the mix this season.

Thankfully teams normally struggle four days after extra time and penalties, and with Lee Hughes having scored two of their goals this season they might need to play a slightly different game if he is not going to play. At 35 it would be a lot to ask for him to play three games in eight days, and after his performance against us last season at The Valley I'm more than happy for them to rest him. Strangely the BBC season preview (which is admittedly short) suggests that County have a shortage of goals, hence their interest in Paul Benson. They have now had three bids turned down for Showunmi by Tranmere. Even the player is suggesting that he is happy to stay now. This does suggest that Allen thinks/knows his squad needs more fire power.

With that in mind, I'm tempted to suggest that a Hughes free line up should be there for the taking. We have shown that we can score goals with a three goal margin for the first time since Powell took charge. In fact a 4-0 win at Tranmere (August 2009) a 5-1 win against MK Dons (14/11/09) and the 5-1 win at Peterborough (13/11/10) we haven't managed a three goal margin since Chris Powell scored himself in a 4-1 win over Coventry in May 2008.

Clearly we will not win every game by three goals, nor will we score three goals most weeks, but we do seem to have much more fire power this season. I would like to think that Wright-Phillips, Hayes, Benson, Jackson, Stephens, Green and Wagstaff are all in with a shout of getting ten goals this season. That does mean that marking our threats out of the game is going to be a little more difficult this season. Lloyd Sam and Kyle Reid both suffered with double marking at times, but who would you double mark with Green on one flank, Jackson on the other and Stephens in the middle? I also think we will increase those options with a loan player or two in due course.

Interestingly, Norwich managed nine wins by three goals or more during 2009-10. I'd take that right now!

So even though under different circumstances I'd be inclined to take a draw away to a team that have won their last league game 3-0 away and matched a second division team in midweek, I'm confident enough of our abilities to suggest that we will win this game. If there is anywhere near as much fatigue in the County players as I think there might be I would look to push on in the latter stages of the game to see if we can get another goal or two.

As for the team I, personally, would prefer to see Green get a game. I know Wagstaff has done nothing wrong, but it is a long season, the games are coming think and fast right now and it makes sense to play your best side when ever you can. I expect both Wagstaff and Green to be playing 30 games plus this season (particularly if you include substitutions) and for that reason I'd like to blood him this weekend and bring Wagstaff on for the last twenty minutes or so when their legs are tiring and when his pace can really punish them.

Having said that I expect Powell will stick to the winning side, something he did last season with McCormack and Francis - if you can justify keeping them in the side on the back of a win Wagstaff should be a shoe in.

Other than that I'd not change anything else. Maybe we will see Alonso on the bench, as I'm not sure he is not going to be a star for us this season. Danny Hollands looked the real deal on Saturday, but on the basis that we are going to need cover, one of them will be first choice, and for me the jury is still out on that. It's no secret that we, at Charlton, love a crunching tackler, maybe even more than a flair winger.

So, I'm going to go for a 4-0 win. I know that sounds silly, but I had a feeling we would win 3-0 last Saturday but went for a 2-1 to be a little less arrogant, and to save me having egg on my face. To be fair even at 4-1 we will have the second of our nine three goal margin wins.

Clearly I'd take a 1-0 win all day long.

Up the Addicks!

Holiday's over

2011-08-10T15:34:00.000+01:00

It has been almost a month since I last added anything to this blog, and I have only written three blogs since March.

The end of last season was very demoralising in terms of Charlton, and I had always intended to have the summer off to recuperate. However, on Sunday 22 June one of my best friends was killed in a road traffic accident. That in itself put things into perspective - it was a week over two years after my wife's brother was killed in a car accident, and this does make one see things differently.

Following the death of my friend I spent a lot of time helping his wife with his business. I should explain. We were both in the same industry, and were each other's locum - an agreement that we made never expecting to have to call upon it. This has taken a lot of my time, and combined with my son being home from school since the start of July I have had my hands full, and blogging hasn't been much of a priority.

I have watched us sign players, and have read other blogger's thoughts and really wanted to add something of my own, but really couldn't justify the time it takes me to write something. I don't seem to be able to just pen a few lines, it always ends up with what I expect is more than many read to the end.

I was determined to write a season preview, or at least a Bournemouth preview, but having pretty much sorted most of the outstanding business for my late friend I have, effectively, inherited his clients and I am much busier with work as a result. I have to say that this development is great news for me, financially, but I can honestly say I wish he was still here and had kept his business.

Anyway, today I thought I should make a decision about the blog, and either get my back side into gear and write something - maybe less than I normally end up writing - so that I can justify calling myself a blogger, or officially give up. The latter was never a realistic option. I love being able to describe myself as the writer of a blog. Even if the blog is rubbish, and most people that I tell about it never bother to read it, it doesn't matter. It has also helped me to make new friends, and enables me to believe that I am part of a small community of bloggers, and I really like that.

For years I have gone to football with my Dad, and I wouldn't want it any other way, but when he is away I can now 'invite myself' to join my new friends in the pub for a pint before the game. This has opened a whole new world to me, and one that I would have never had if I'd not started writing my silly thoughts on the internet.

Anyway, enough about me, I should really write something about Charlton, after all that's why you're here isn't it?

The squad that Powell has assembled is so, so exciting. I have often played football manager games and I have always looked to sign young players that will develop. Clearly computer (and latterly PS3) games are a little predictable. All young players will develop and have their skill level and 'score' go up each season. Clearly in the real world this is not guaranteed, and there is a massive gulf between how a computer program assess a player's abilities and what happens in real life. With this in mind I used my normal logic and went and got excited because we are signing players that are young with massive potential.

I have no idea if the players we are signing now are ever going to be good enough for the Premier League, but I'm damn sure I can convince myself they are if we win a few games.

I went to Woking to see our second team play in July, and I went to the home friendly where we won the 'People's Cup'. I was very impressed with what I saw. There are few in the reserves that are going to make a significant impact on the first team in my view, but I am bursting with excitement at Dale Stephens (who did play at Woking) Danny Green, Paul Hayes, Michael Morrison, Matthew Taylor and Danny Hollands. I am excited, even though I've not seen them play, with Mikel Alonso, Ruben Bover, Cedric Evina and Andy Hughes. This on the basis that I was already excited about getting to see Johnnie Jackson and Bradley Wright-Phillips next season. I am impressed with the signings of Sullivan and Hamer, even though I know little about the latter. I should also point out that I am more than happy with Paul Benson (assuming he can manage less red cards this season), Chris Solly and Scott Wagstaff.

I am disappointed that we have been unable to secure a long term contract with Rob Elliot as it is a rare thing for a real fan to play for your club, and not only do I think he is a good 'Keeper, but I like having him in the side. My only worry with Rob is that he seems to miss more games with injury than would be ideal, but it would still have been my preference to keep him. Having said that if he can secure himself a better future elsewhere then good luck to him, and I really mean that.

I was pleased that Scott Wagstaff signed a contract extension, he is not finished developing yet, but I would much rather have him stay at Charlton while he achieves his potential than have him do so elsewhere. Johnnie Jackson, however, was a real worry to me. We looked like a different side last season when he moved forward from left back to play on the left of the midfield, and we clearly missed him in the run in. With just a year left on his contract I feared he would move on, but his contract extension (especially as it was a further two years) was, for me, the best signing of the summer (well, maybe level with Dale Stephens). I am more than happy for him to be named Captain, and his extravagant celebration with the People's Cup was exactly what I would have liked to have seen.

So, on the whole I am very happy with the changes. Without going into any details, I'm also not disappointed about any of the departures. Last summer it was clear that losing Lloyd Sam, Dion Burton, Jonjo Shelvey, Sam Sodje and Nicky Bailey was going to make us much weaker. This summer I think only Semedo would have been a close call for me. With his wages he was probably going to be difficult to keep, and I understand those that think he and Racon were more the problem than the solution, but I think we need to wait to see how we perform against those teams that are chasing promotion this season before we can say, categorically, that we don't need a midfield enforcer in the side. Either way, he is the only one that I would have kept, and it doesn't matter now anyway.

With Racon going to Millwall I now feel obliged to hate him. It is so easy, now, to think of him as a player that cost us £440k (although that might have been Euros) to sign and £1.248m in wages during four years when we finished 11th in the second division (when he was out on loan a lot), bottom of the second division, 4th in the third division and 13th in the third division. If this wasn't enough, He gave more effort in the last ten games than he gave in the other three and three quarter seasons when his contract was coming to an end.

In truth he is probably being harshly treated with those stats, but I seriously doubt that we have managed anything like value for money for the near £1.7m that Racon has cost us (ignoring the employers NI, and other expenses).

Anyway at this stage it looks like Dale Stephens is going to ensure that we don't miss Racon at all, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Millwall swap places with us at the end of the season.

I should briefly discuss the Bournemouth result. I predicted a 2-1 win, but I did have a feeling that it could be 3-0. We need to secure some decent results in the first ten games or so, and then we can really judge the squad, and it should be in it's stride. With the signings coming so early in the summer we are likely to be in front of where we were last season when we were still waiting for the team to gel after a dozen games.

The win was, for this reason, more important than the performance. However, we played well, played the type of football that we all want to see, and the new boys looked good. Not to mention Scott Wagstaff scoring a cracking goal. Something tells me that we will not have three midfielders having scored more goals than Wright-Phillips for too much longer, but right now I'm more than happy with the situation. I know that Bournemouth have had their squad raided, and I expect they will probably end up struggling this season, so a win was really necessary bearing in mind our aspirations, but a 3-0 home win is a great way to start the season.

I'm not going to discuss the riots in London, as this is not the place, and I suspect that my Dad is the only one still reading now, but it was a real disappointment to have our game with Reading cancelled last night. It would have given us a chance to test ourselves against a team that would, despite the changes to both sides, have given us a better indication as to how good the squad looks. As a consequence, however, we are now planning to travel to Colchester next week, the venue of a terrible defeat two years ago. I am confident that we will do better this time, all be it that we would struggle to fare worse.

My last note concerns the signing of Jason Euell today. I'm more than happy with this. He came on at Woking and looked like he had something to offer. I think it is easy to forget just how much better than us the Premier League teams are these days, and Jason played in that division last season, and he also had some games in the Championship. Many players play at the top level at 34, and bearing in mind we don't expect him to play 40 games this season I think his addition will be a real positive, and I can't wait to see him play for us at The Valley again.

Up the Addicks!

Viva Espania

2011-07-16T15:22:00.000+01:00

In July 2006 Mrs KHA and I took a long weekend trip to Valencia. I told her that there was a lovely beach right on the doorstop of a reasonably priced 5 star hotel that had excellent reviews on expedia and I promised lots of wine and Paella. I had only had my business up and running for six months and I thought I could spare a Friday and a Monday away.

Imagine my surprise and excitement when we arrived there only to discover that Charlton were playing a friendly at the Estadio Mestalla against the Mighty Valencia! Well I was, I thought, looking genuinely delighted. "Imagine the odds of that happening without us knowing?" She didn't even say anything, I just got that look. Those of you that are married will know the look, and those of you that aren't are better off for not knowing it.

Anyway with my punishment negotiated (in Euros to be spent on presents for Mrs KHA at the earliest opportunity) we made our way to the game. It was a night to remember. It was the first time I'd seem Charlton play abroad; it was the first time I'd been to a game that finished the day after it started (they kicked off at about eleven o'clock in the evening); and they made a huge fuss over their players as they were introduced to the fans - not something we do at Charlton.

I thought about having a little trip to Spain for these recent friendlies, but just couldn't bring myself to spend all the money required to watch Bristol City or Cardiff. I do think it's a great idea for the club though, and a good way to 'reward' the players for all the hard work that they will have to put in over the next ten months.

The results were more than acceptable. Beating Bristol City was impressive, and a narrow defeat from a team that went close to promotion for the last two seasons was hardly embarrassing either. It sounds, from the match reports, that we are look to have made some very good acquisitions this summer. It all bodes well for the coming season. I'm conscious that we shouldn't get carried away, but if you can't be excited at the start of a season, when can you?

As for players I think we still need another centre half or two, and might need another right back, even if Francis stays, which I hope he doesn't. I was very excited to read that neither Simon Francis nor Alan McCormack travelled to Spain because they were agreeing personal terms to leave. I have nothing against the two players personally, all be it I think McCormack was a little irresponsible with his tweets when we lost to Swindon, but I just don't think either of them are good enough for where we want to be.

In all honesty, both players are unlikely to ever be signed by a club as big as Charlton again and even though we are where we deserve to be, there are very few clubs in our position that have Premier League facilities. It must be really tough for either of these players to come to terms with the fact that at such a young age they have reached a point in their life that they will never see again once it's gone - which looks likely to happen soon.

I expect, also, that with the current economic climate in football they are going to have to take pay cuts, and will quite possibly never reach this level of wages again. I could be wrong, but as McCormack was signed on a free and Francis was signed for a 'nominal' fee they will both have signed good contracts. With this in mind I can't, really, be angry with them for not going. Disappointed? Yes, but not angry.

Hopefully they will find clubs to move to. McCormack is being reported as being unwilling to drop a division, and that might make it more difficult, but sooner or later they will probably be shipped off on loan to get them out of the building and reduce the total we have to pay them. In Francis' case I think a fee is a realistic aspiration for the club, but I guess he must know that if he waits long enough he will be able to leave for free (even if he has to wait 12 months) and that might just appeal to him, as he is likely to get more choice of destination and, presumably, more money.

On the whole things are looking good for us right now. There were a few more trialists in the squad in Spain, and at Welling, so there may well be more 'new' faces in the squad by the time we line up against Bournemouth in just three weeks.

I'm unlikely to make any of the friendlies this season so that will probably be my first look at the new team. I can't wait.

Up the Addicks!

Signings, signings, signings

2011-06-29T18:22:00.000+01:00

I don't know what the figures are but the club (well those running it) have proved to be true to their word and they have made what I would happily call 'Significant Investment' in the playing squad.

Not that I'm saying it's ok for them to stop now, not while they are on such a roll, but I have (obviously) made the decision to renew my season ticket. This was the closest I've come to not doing so, but in all honesty I could get a lot closer and still end up committing again.

I would suggest that we can probably turn our attentions to central defenders now. Tomorrow, or maybe Friday, we are going to see confirmation of those that are not being kept from this season. We know that Racon will not be here next season, but even if we'd not already signed Hollands, Alonso and Stephens I would have been happy to have him leave. I think he has looked the real deal on occasion, but it is entirely too infrequent and the number of times he has gone missing have made me lose confidence in him. I would be neither surprised, not disappointed if he suffers another relegation next season with Millwall.

Semedo is probably the only other player from last season (who is out of contract) that I would be all that bothered about keeping. I liked Llera, but I think he is a little limited for the aspirations we have. Dailly has looked a little too old to go again, which to be fair is no insult as he is 37. I liked Kelly Youga, and even though I don't really have a problem with him signing a good contract when he was offered it, or being injured, I just don't think he can be trusted to play enough games to be offered anything like he was on and I suspect he will move on.

Of the others the only one that really creates much debate is Kyle Reid and I think he has had plenty of opportunity to demonstrate that he has then complete package to be a success at Charlton, and I am really talking about attitude there I think. I know it's unfair as I don't really know him, but I can't quite get the feeling out of my head that he thinks he is too good for us, and we have never had success with players that believed that. If Paulo Di Canio can fight for a place at Charlton I can't see why Kyle Reid shouldn't. I know we are in a lower division, but our success has always come from hard work and determination.

So, apart from Semedo, and that is not settled yet, I am happy with the departures that were out of contract. There are a couple under contract that I would like to see the back of, but that's another story.

On the whole things are looking up. Of course if we don't sign any centre halves we are going to need to score four games a game, but I, suddenly, have more confidence in those running our magnificent club.

Up the Addicks!

What Next?

2011-06-03T15:24:00.000+01:00

The cynic in me always assumes that there is bad news around the corner and that we are being fooled by coincidence or design. This ensures that I am rarely disappointed and often very pleased.

Since the end of what can only be called a terrible season, and a frankly disastrous second half, it is difficult to point to positives.

Johnnie Jackson comes out of the season with much credit - he was missing for most of the shocking run and performed well and scored some vital goals - and he started the season in defence.

Bradley Wright-Phillips looked like the 20 goal a season striker that we have been so desperate for since Darren Bent left, and despite not looking as good towards the end of the season I think we can be assured that if he can stay fit he will be a real asset for us next season.

Paul Benson showed, in flashes, that he might well be able to cope with this division. His discipline may be a little bit of a problem, two red cards in one season is a worry.

Racon and Semedo had acceptable seasons, well Semedo did, all be it that if we want to be winning this division there is some argument as to the need for a defensive midfielder. Racon looked better on the left and I am concerned that this coincided with his contract coming to an end. There are some players that only seem to bust a gut when they are looking for a new deal, and at times Racon reminded me of that. Over all I think his contribution has been less than we could have expected from him. I mention these two players together as I suspect that both of them will be able to fine higher salaries elsewhere.

This leaves the rest. I haven't been all that impressed with any of the rest to be honest. Chris Solly has been ok, all be it that I think I (like many others) cut him more slack as he came through our youth side, but he suffers in my estimation due to the length of time that he is unavailable due to injury. A similar issue exists with Rob Elliot and Joe Anyinsah. Kelly Youga hasn't played all year, and Christian Dailly has been sent off three times earning himself twelve games suspended, and also had a lengthy spell out with a broken face.

I'm not looking to attribute blame for injuries, but it does affect a players ability to impress when it matters.

I'm not going to go to much trouble to discuss the loan players as they are probably not going to be back playing for us, and I'm really looking to the future rather than the past. I will just mention Lee Martin, however, as I think we has underrated, and was missed when he left.

There are a number of players that were so disappointing that they deserve a special mention. I'm not normally keen on singling out individuals, but as I'm here discussing the squad I'd probably include Kyle Reid, Alan McCormack, Simon Francis and Gary Doherty in that list. Reid has looked like he believes he is too good for us and at times and his comments on Twitter haven't helped him.I believe he lacks a real end product, he is skillful, but he often seems to run into dead ends or end up shooting from distance. This is a good way to score great goals, but also loses possession too often. Doherty is a good pro, and had he not come with such a great reputation he might not have been on this list, but I just expected so much more from him in terms of commanding the back four. The two Southend players are just too limited in my view. Francis can look really good going forward, sometimes, but his lapses of concentration at the back make him a weakness that we should be looking to eradicate. McCormack did himself no favours bragging about his expensive night out when he, and the team, performed so badly. I have some sympathy with him, and I agree with those that say that if you want the players to share their personal lives with us fans then we need to accept that very rich young men are going to enjoy, and take for granted, things the average fan cannot. I find that a bad game can affect me much more than a bad day at the office, so why should he be any different. However, that said, I just don't think he is good enough for Charlton. Despite the fact that we have fallen from grace so dramatically in the last five years, I cannot accept that we can ever be bad enough that we need to fill our squad with players with so little to offer. I don't doubt their effort (maybe Reid's attitude) but those players have just not been good enough this season.

So on that basis I think we have a decent midfielder (left or centre) and a couple of decent strikers, this is assuming that Semedo and Racon leave (which I believe will happen), and we have a number of players that are ok at padding out the rest of the side when they have a good day.

This leaves Chris Powell the task of finding a new right back, a new left back (or two), two new centre halves (maybe one really good, fast one will do) a better winger than Wagstaff, at least one more winger, two or three central midfielders and another striker (or two). I'm adding a new goalkeeper to that list as Ross Worner has been released already.

Thus we need - I've attributed names of signings where appropriate

Goalkeeper - Sullivan
Right Back
Left Back
Left Back
Centre Half
Centre Half
Central Midfielder - Hollands
Central Midfielder
Central Midfielder ?
Right Winger
Another Winger
Striker
Striker ?

The signing of Danny Hollands from Bournemouth is encouraging, unless, of course, he is the only replacement for Semedo and Racon. If we can attract another quality (creative, please) central midfielder then we may well be ok.

Sullivan looked good enough to be considered a better replacement that Worner, and if the rumours of us offering £300k for the Bournemouth left back are to be believed it does bode well.

The signings made last summer, some of which I've already talked about, were made with little or no money to spend. I believe that the current financial climate, coupled with the division we are in, means that free agents can be good enough to be successful for us. We just need to be looking to attract the right kind of players, and this will, ultimately, be down to how much money we have to play with.

Following on from the disclosure from Chris Powell that we will not have a much bigger budget for 2011/12 than we had for 2010/11 we need to remember that we will not be hamstrung by having three players earning c. 25% of our total budget. I have a lot of time for Semedo, but I doubt that either Racon or Youga could have matched their salaries elsewhere twelve months ago, so there contracts coming to an end may well be better for us than having them on the payroll - especially for Youga who hasn't played for nearly two years.

With just under four weeks until I need to make a decision about renewing my season ticket or risking losing my seat I'm still erring on the side of paying on a match by match basis as I'm not convinced that on the whole there is going to be enough to make me want to give up my Saturdays. This is a combination of the general malaise that I feel following five seasons of free fall, the commitment of time now that I have more pressures, and family obligations and the fact that I'm not sure that I will enjoy watching us play next season enough to want to go to 20 plus home games. Also by going to fewer home games I will have more time and money to go to away games, and I have always wanted to see new grounds. It could be argued that we were not much better at home than away last season, so you are not necessarily likely to enjoy the games any more at home either. This is especially true if you factor in that you are generally happier with a draw away than you are at home.

There is still plenty of time for the new signings to inspire me, but as it stands I may well be starting my first season without a season ticket for 22 years. What is most frightening about that is that the thought of it doesn't feel wrong. If you'd asked me five years ago what are the chances of me deciding not to renew I would have just laughed at you.

Up the Addicks!

Ryan Giggs

2011-05-23T23:30:00.003+01:00

Following on from the events of this week, I have to say that this chap has really won a lot of Premier League titles, hasn't he?

Rochdale 2 -0 Charlton

2011-03-30T10:26:00.000+01:00

I have to say I'm not really surprised by this result. I was incredibly pleased with the performance against Southampton, and the result there and at Bournemouth. Both of those two results were a bonus as far as I’m concerned.

I really believed that we were going to find ourselves in a relegation battle before I saw us against Southampton. I was encouraged by that game and really thought that we would be able to get another couple of points, and as I pointed out previously we are almost certainly going to be safe with 51 points, and 50 could well be enough.

Bournemouth was a bonus, and it made us unbeaten in two, but just like I was not convinced by the performances when we won four on the bounce at the start of Powell’s reign, I was not really bowled over with two draws, especially as Southampton seemed nervous to go on to kill us off at 1-0, letting us back into it, and Bournemouth should have scored at least three goals in the last five minutes, and from all accounts we were very lucky there.

There has been some suggestion on Charlton Life that we played well yesterday and deserved to win. However, despite not wanting to sound hypocritical (criticising wins when we play badly) at this point we need a win to be sure of being in this division next season. I no longer care for good performances when we lose – especially as we have failed to put back to back performances together all season.

If we underperform on Saturday against a Orient team that really can still make the playoffs, and beat us at home last season then we will be back where we started.

Dave has a good analysis of what the run in and the potential implications, and I don’t intend to covering the same here, but I do agree with his conclusion. You would think that we would be able to secure at least one more win by mere statistics, but if you work on the basis that we have only performed well in about ten percent (or less) of the games since Powell came in, there is a real possibility that last night took all that our players have to offer for the last ten games.

I still think that we must be able to luck a win from somewhere, and with Walsall needing to make up ten points, Dagenham & Redbridge nine and Notts Co. eight we might well have enough points already. Walsall only have seven games left, which gives them a maximum 21 points. Even if we lose our next six games (possible but not very likely) I still think we will be safe if we draw at their place on 30th April. However I’m beginning to think that a defeat there will take us into the last game of the season with something to play for.

I know we have a game in hand over them but if you assume that we will lose it (and it is, technically, Southampton away) it will only make our goal difference worse and is unlikely to yield any points. In fact with a goal difference that is 13 better that Walsall, one big defeat and four other losses during this time and we could well lose gap.

As Dave says, if anyone can, we can.

One bit of good news, however, is that I am going to Florida on Sunday for two weeks to see Mickey Mouse. Needless to say my six year old son is getting excited but nowhere as near as excited as I’m getting. Work has been really good for the last twelve months, and I’m encouraged both by that and the future outlook. My Son is doing well at school and it looks as though Mrs KHA is going to be getting a promotion this week (fingers crossed). All in all everything in the Kings Hill Addick household is looking rosy – save for the rubbish football team, of course.

I know this sounds mad now but we deliberately booked to fly on the Sunday as we didn’t want to miss the Orient game. My whole life has been arranged around Charlton home fixtures for years – no more!

The only disappointment about our two week holiday is that we are not going to miss more than one game – Huddersfield.

When we get back we will have just four games left. By then it could be really interesting. It could be squeaky bum time, as Alex Fergusson likes to say.

Up the Addicks!

An audience with Chris Powell

2011-03-29T13:30:00.000+01:00

I have been to a few meetings over the years with club officials. I've seen Richard Murray speak several times and went to the Slater/Powell meeting at The Valley earlier this year. These meetings are always interesting, and you often get an idea of the thoughts behind those running the club.

The manager is a different proposition all together. You get much more insight into the thoughts of those making the footballing decisions, and you often learn a few things about players that you didn't know and this can often change your perspective on things.

I went along to Bromley Supporters Club last year to hear Parkinson speak and he was a revelation. He was very, very open and my view of him. both as a manager and a man, changed.

Sadly he was not able to complete what he started at Charlton, and this is not the time nor the place to debate that. However his replacement is going to following into the cauldron that is the Bromley Supporter's Club.

The following was posted on Charlton Life by Henry Irving:

"This will be members only.

If you aren't a member or just too tight to pay up like Rothko : - ) you can pay on the night. Your membership will cover you for the 2011/12 season.

£5 adults, £3 Seniors and free to students in full time education.

Money left after costs goes back to the Football Club in some form or another anyway such as shirt sponsorship, Valley Gold or Sponsoring the U15s tracksuits.

Usual venue.

Bickley and Widmore WM Club
Tylney Road
Bromley
Kent
BR1 2SH

8.00 pm start

People will moan that "no one will ask him a difficult question" or say after the event that "Why didn't anyone ask blah, blah, blah." Well come along and ask the question yourself. It's only £5 and it's only in Bromley.

Those that have been to the meetings before will tell you that the difficult questions ARE asked and answered.
No pre-set questions, no vetting. You just stick your hand up and ask.

They'll be the usual raffle for a signed Charlton shirt and the bar is open.
There will be plenty of opportunity for photos and autographs if you want.
See you all there."

I haven't edited what he wrote, and I doubt that there are many reading this that do not pop onto Charlton Life from time to time so you probably already know, but just in case you didn't....

Up the Addicks!

The Season Ticket Scandal

2011-03-29T13:04:00.000+01:00

I'm not sure how long the club keep information of season ticket holders. I know it was mentioned on Charlton Life some time ago that the club doesn't know how long current season ticket holders have had their ticket - not seat as some have had them since we played at Selhurst Park, Upton Park and during various building schemes at The Valley. Thus, those of us that were season ticket holders at Selhurst Park were not differentiated against by those that bought s ST in the Premier League to turn up half a dozen times a season to watch the glamour games.

Admittedly there are probably none of those type left now, but if the historical information is discarded we are all treated the same.

Having said that most businesses are infinitely more interested in how much money than can extract from their customers in the future, opposed to how much they have gave in the past, so we can hardly be surprised or disappointed. Also, for obvious reasons, the more likely one is to renew the less effort should be expended to convince him to do so. In fact, the majority of the budget should be allocated to those that might not renew. Loyalty is a great thing, and shouldn’t really be taken for granted, but equally if you are ever going to take someone for granted it should be one of those that are most loyal, as you can trust them to be there what ever happens.

I seriously doubt that these discussions have not gone on. It would be irresponsible of the Target 40,000 committee and their associates if they did not target those that the club are most likely to lose. I appreciate that it must be difficult to identify the specific groups, and it might be more expensive to market them in different ways, however, the price that will be charged in the summer, along with the ‘threat’ of fans losing their seats is likely to be more pivotal for renewals for those that don’t do so in April.

This leaves the club with a dilemma. Do you need to be seen to be treating the loyal (will renew at any price and when ever the club demand it) fans by them getting a better deal for renewing early, or do you want to offer better terms to those that refuse to renew with the current prices in April but could be tempted in June, July or August.

I know it is different, but there are similarities between this and the football for a fiver scheme, which looks to reward exactly the least loyal customers. The cheap football was, in effect, a financial reward for those that declined the option to buy a season ticket in March 2010, again in June (before swap week) again in August just before the season started, and again in September when a deal was made after a few games and again at Christmas when, I believe, the last PR campaign was run for part season tickets.

It would be business suicide for the club to reduce the prices in the summer to incentivise those that didn’t renew in April, but it would also be a little naive to think that those who didn’t commit for next season in April would be willing to pay more and/or switch their seat in June, July or August.

I believe there is a real possibility of those fans choosing to pay as they go. I’m not suggesting that any of them will stop supporting Charlton, but all the time we have seen no visible signs of actual squad rebuilding, and quality being added at that, there is the temptation to believe that some of the midweek games (especially in the winter) and the run in if it is going to anything like this one present very missable games. If there are enough of these missable games, combined with the odd football for a fiver deal and one or two family occasions it might even work out cheaper – this is before you factor in the cost of paying for a whole year upfront.

The club have a very difficult decision to make about future sales of season tickets. Promotion is virtually impossible now, as is relegation (thankfully), so the marketing people will have to weigh up the cost of losing some season ticket holders against the risk of upsetting those that will always renew irrespective as to how they are treated.

They also need to ensure that their credibility is intact. This is the second year in a row that the club made it perfectly clear that no seats will be guaranteed if you don’t renew early (and I think March and April is very, very early) yet I don’t know of any seats being made available before the swap week last year and current season ticket holders were given plenty of time to renew, at the same prices, before swap week commenced.

I have no real reason to assume that the club will not follow through on all the promises that have been made, all be it that they are vague enough to make it impossible to prove otherwise, even after the event, but I do know that if they intended to build a squad on the cheap they would have said exactly what they have done. Significant investment could be £10m on transfer fees; it could just as easily be describing bridging the gap between income and expenditure for another year – which was estimated to be £4m this season. The difference in playing staff of those two is massive.

I believe that last year many fans renewed in March as they believed that there was a very real possibility that they would lose their seat if they didn’t. The way that the club ensured that no one lost their seat as long as they renewed in June last year makes that threat seem a little toothless this time around. With promotion off the agenda now, a Championship priced ticket looks very unlikely now too.

So why would anyone renew in April for something that they will not benefit from until August, and can almost certainly buy in June, probably late June at that?

Many of Charlton Life have stated that they have renewed already, and I’m sure there are many others that will also commit to next season before the end of this week, despite the worst run of results (and I’m guessing based on the division we are in) in the clubs history.

They are clearly very loyal fans. I have to say that I admire them. I used to think of myself as a loyal fan. During my three years at Kent University (in Canterbury) I didn’t miss one home game. I also attended every home game when I lived in Sheffield for a year – quite a financial commitment for a student. I have most of the replica shirts that have been available since the 1980s onwards and I have a program for just about every home game for well over 20 years. I have had a season ticket every year since 1989, and I have been obsessed with Charlton since before then and am still now.

However, I felt a little conned in 2008 when the club’s representatives pushed the free Premier League season ticket offer for the second year running only to sell several of the best players after the deadline had gone to balance the books. I felt mislead in the summer of 2009 when the ‘Takeover’ was going to be completed in a week for months while season tickets were being sold. The, then, Chief Executive promised that the club would sack the manager and get us a new one if we bought enough season tickets - something that is now claimed to be a joke but wasn’t thought of as being one at the time. All the while the board were refusing to allow Parkinson to bring in players to make the side much more balanced as it was suggested that after the takeover we would have so much more money that we would be signing better players.

Last summer the club did exactly what it said it was going to do. We sold everything that had a value and renewed none of the contracts of players on good money and allowed them to leave for free (something that we couldn’t have stopped, to be fair). However there was this ‘offer’ made of two divisions one price. The price for the next season would be held at the current price and you would be able to secure your seat (opposed to losing it) if you committed by the end of March.

Then in May, with automatic promotion sill a possibility and the playoffs guaranteed (from memory) we allowed Shelvey to leave and not be involved in the most important games of the season to raise money.

I understand the need to raise money, and I also know that my season ticket price is a drop in the ocean compared to what the board have invested (and in most cases lost) but I still feel as though I have been misled at best, lied to at worst.

This season, like last, I am not going to renew early. I have my season ticket application pack, not that I think I’ll need it as I will purchase online if it is going to save me £5, and I can’t see me being anywhere else than at The Valley on a Saturday afternoon when my Dad is not away. But, I feel as though my loyalty has been abused. I know some will claim that we have new owners and I should give them the benefit of the doubt, but I doubt that it is a coincidence that the club has many of the same employees and consultants strategising on Season Ticket sales, and the ‘threats’ of what happens if you don’t renew early look the same as last year.

For that reason I’m going to wait until the summer. If the price is increased slightly, and/or the board make what I believe to be impressive investments in the playing staff I’ll renew then. If, however, they put the price up a lot and/or sell my current seat to someone else then I’ll not renew at all. Then those selling tickets will have to keep impressing me with the football each week to tempt me to come to the next game, something the club has failed miserably to do in at least three of the last five years.

If this makes me disloyal then so be it.

Since I started my love affair with Charlton, thirty years ago, I have been all the way through senior school, ‘A’-Level college, University, twice, had major open heart surgery, started two business, got married and become a Dad. During all that time Charlton has been the one constant in my life (apart from my family), but I have a full life, and I now love other parts of it more than I love football. Can I take it or leave it? No, I can’t. Can I cope with being a little lower on the ‘Loyal Supporter’ ladder by not having a season ticket? Yes I can.

Time will tell.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Southampton at home

2011-03-21T14:25:00.000Z

As we enter the the last eleven games of the season we have a much better idea of how likely the top two is, how likely the play offs are and how likely relegation is. Ignoring deviation (which I know distorts the results) the average number of points achieved by the team finishing 2nd in this division over the last five seasons in this 86. 6th place had an average of 74.8 (let's call it 75). The average number of points the fifth from bottom team achieved was 50 and two thirds (50.6 recurring - let's call it 51).

We currently have 48 points with 33 to play for. That means that we must finish on between 48 and 81 points. Realistically that makes the automatic places beyond our reach. However in 2006 Colchester (with a Mr Phil Parkinson in charge) finished second with 79 points above Brentford in third with 76 points. Thus, potentially, we could have won automatic promotion with 77 points - a massive four points less than we still could achieve. That means that we could lost tomorrow night or draw tomorrow and at Bournemouth and still go up without the need for the playoffs.

The 75 that I suspect we would need to make the playoffs would only require that we only win nine of our remaining eleven games. Certainly if we win them all 81 points would be enough (the maximum a sixth placed team has achieved is 80, and that was last season. I would also suggest that if we go into the playoffs on the back of an eleven game winning run we would have to be considered the 'form' team and I would be confident of a successful conclusion.

However, I am not all that confident, as things stand, that we are going to win our next eleven games, or nine of them for that mater. So we find ourselves looking down. First the good news, we are only one win away from having the magic 51 points that would be enough to keep a side up in four of the last five seasons. One win and a draw would be enough to keep us up in all of the last five seasons.

The bad news, however, is that if all the teams below us manage to replicate their last six games over the next six the team forth from bottom would have 46 points - we have 48 and have to go to Walsall in the penultimate game of the season, and they managed 9 points in their last six games - they are nine points behind us and are currently forth from bottom.

The biggest worry for me is that we haven't looked like winning a game since Parkinson left (despite winning four that we had no right to) In fact if you take those twelve points away, or even make them four (i.e. four draws) we have managed just 9 points since the 20th of November, fully 18 games. If you assume we'd lost all four of those games (and from what I saw we could easily have done so) we have managed five points from 18 games. Scary stuff eh?

You can see why I'm no longer looking at MK Dons remaining fixtures can't you? Our average points haul since 20th November is 0.94 per game. The good news, however, is that there are four teams with a worse average during that time than us. Sadly this doesn't take into account the 12 points we won with pure luck. Take them away and we have the lowest return in the league for that four month period.

So, on that basis I think New York Addick might well be in the money with his hedging on us being relegated. It looks like we have enough points with eleven games to go, but if we perform as well (and get what those performances deserve) as we did in the last eleven games we are going to be very close when the fat lady opens her throat.

In some respects it makes the end of the season more exciting. Sure it's not the kind of excitement we had all hoped for, but exciting none the less.

This is, of course, assuming that Chris Powell doesn't have any special tricks (or Jedi Skills) up his sleeve to snatch two wins out of that eleven. Who knows, anything can happen.

Southampton have never been my favourite second team, and the way they knocked their debt a couple of years ago still annoys me, but right now (post Pardew) they are nothing more than another game in which we can look to secure the magic three points we need this season. I don't want to be too greedy, I'd take a point tomorrow night.

In fact, I'm not sure I would turn down a 2-0 defeat right now our goal difference is better than Walsall and Dagenham and Redbridge, but a couple of 5-0 defeats and that would all change.

There is so much doom and gloom about right now it's difficult to feel any enthusiasm for the club or the football that we have been watching - hardly the best time for the club to asking for season ticket renewals, but we are where we are.

I will be there tomorrow night, I am not exactly looking forward to it, but who knows, maybe we will play well and win - stranger things have happened.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Chelsea v Man City

2011-03-18T13:25:00.000Z

This weekend I'm being saved from watching us lose again. With our season over, save for a flirt with relegation that I predict early in April, there is no real interest in our result, not now.

So, I was delighted when I was offered a ticket for the Chelsea v Man City game that is on Sky on Sunday. I am a little indifferent as to who wins if I'm honest, but as I'm going with a Chelsea fan who is supplying the ticket, and as we are in the home section I will be a Chelsea fan for two hours.

Make no mistake I will not defect on a permanent basis, but I am really looking forward to seeing some decent football and not feeling embarrassed by the result. The truth is that of all the teams in the current third division Dagenham and Redbridge are probably the team that it would be most embarrassing to lose to. With us only drawing against them at home I can see this being a season to not remember between the two sides for all Chalton fans.

Anyway, I will not be there, and I will probably not bother listening to the commentary, and I have today cancelled my current subscription to CAFC Player as there is going to be little to see or hear on there of any interest from now until August. That will save me £15.96, which I can spend on a few pints and a burger at Stanford Bridge.

I don't intend to do a match preview, as I doubt there are any Chelsea or Man City fans reading this, save for my last boss who is taking me, but I guess he will hear enough of my drivel on Sunday.

To those that are going to Dagenham and Redbridge I salute you. I just don't have it in me any more this season.

~~Blue is the colour...~~

Up the Addicks!

MK Dons 2 - 0 Charlton

2011-03-08T23:38:00.002Z

Let's ignore the fact that we beat them at home and really, really didn't deserve to. Let's ignore the fact that we beat them 5-1 last season when they were clearly better than the score line. Let's ignore the fact that we've beaten them five times in the last two seasons (this and last). Let's look at the implications of this result, and the importance of the game on our season.

Actually, let's not. Parkinson might have put this team together and that might be a disadvantage to Chris Powell, but there is no getting away from it, we have performed well below Parkinson's teams since he left. I know there is an argument that not beating a ten man Brighton and Colchester were not exactly great achievements, but to be fair Colchester were on a bit of a run when we played them (4 wins and a draw in 7), and Brighton have been a little bit good all season.

Sure the Walsall and Swindon games were poor, but they were no worse than Exeter, Carlisle or Tranmere. This season Parkinson managed to average 1.54 points per game, Powell, with Eccleston and BWP has averaged 1.3 points per game. I know it's early days for Powell, but out of interest last season MK Dons averaged 1.3 points over the season and finished 12th. Also it needs to be mentioned that Powell's ten games have come against teams that were in an average position of 13th when we played them. We won four games and were, shall we say, a little fortunate, then we lost five and drew one out of six.

What this tells me is that we have not improved. We have actually gone backwards. We have released the two strikers that we had that could be used as target men and brought in two that clearly cannot. We have now committed to playing a different style of game from long ball (something we have done for over a year - including in most of Powell's games). We just do not have the players for the pretty passing on the floor - not if we want to see any forward passes.

I know it's early to be jumping to conclusions (and believe me I really want to be proved wrong) but it looks like Chris Powell is out of his depth. His substitutions on Saturday were too ineffective - mainly because they were way too late, and the way the team is being sent out to play is just not suited to the type of players we have. I know he's new, but surely he has seen these players in training and watched a few videos of our games.

It seems like a decade ago now that Michael Slater answered the question about the criteria of the new manager that 'he needed to win the first three games', followed by laughter and cheers from the fans in the North Stand Lounge.

We will never know what would have happened if Dowie had been kept on in 2006, we will never know what would have happened if Pardew had been kept on in 2008 and we will never know what would have happened if Parkinson had been kept on in 2011, but one thing for sure is that the club has failed to get as high in the league pyramid as it was at the time of any of those sackings since.

How long does Powell have to be given to turn things around? I don't know. The truth is that, unlike an experienced manager with a long term track record, there is no evidence that Powell will turn it around. I know you can never tell and some managers are good at some places, and rubbish at others, but if Chris Powell is never going to make it as a football manager then the longer we leave him in his post the worse off we are likely to be.

I don't want to be accused of panicking, and I'm not calling for his removal, even though others are, and more will the longer we continue to look this poor, but at some point things have got to improve or he will have to go, I guess.

The worst thing is that we are most likely too far away from 6th place now to make the playoffs a realistic target, but if the performances continue as they are we might be pulled into a relegation battle. I know that is very unlikely, and I'm not suggesting it is going to happen. However, the board are going to have to do something to lift the fans enthusiasm to renew their season tickets. If we continue to slide (even a few wins along the way are likely to see us fall down the league) then the renewals are likely to be dependent on summer signings. Despite suggestions to the contrary I suspect that summer signings will be dependent (maybe even financed by) season ticket sales.

Thus we are likely to need to bring in expensive loan signings this spring even when they are likely to make no appreciable difference to our season just to help sell season tickets. I know we have a new board, but for each of the last four years the season tickets have been marketed and sold with the 'suggestion' that what you were going to get was significantly better than what actually happened.

In 2007 the season tickets were sold with the potential of avoiding relegation from the Premier League, and a free ticket if we were relegated and then promoted at the first attempt. We finished 11th in the Championship in 2008.

In 2008 the season tickets were sold with a free ticket if we are promoted, and the promise that the club would do everything in their power to achieve that. Then over the summer we sold Bougherra for £2.5m, Marcus Bent and Amady Faye for about £1m each, and McCarthy and Iwelumo for about £500k each. That raised c. £5.5m and we only brought in Nicky Bailey for £400k. Apparently we were ready to sell ZZ for a further £2.5m but he didn't want to go to WBA. I would say that this was hardly doing everything they could to win promotion - we were actually relegated the follwing spring.

In 2009 the season tickets were sold with the backdrop of the 'Takeover' that club insiders promised was going to happen 'within a week' every week for two months. This was also at a time when we were promised that negotiations were ongoing to see if we could keep ZZ, Hudson and a few others (that I can't be bothered to look up) all of whom were long gone by the time the season started. Needless to say the takeover didn't happen either. That summer there were suggestions that if we had new owners there would probably be a new manager who would want to bring in his own players, so there was no point in Parkinson signing any. He didn't and we had a very unbalanced side and finished 4th and missed out on the playoff final.

Last summer there were few promises, except that the club would look to manage budgets and would expect to be well positioned to challenge for the playoffs. However, before the summer, we sold season tickets in March (many of which were for 5 seasons), we sold Shelvey in May and went on to sell Bailey late in the summer - long after the deadline for the swap week had passed (the true deadline to renew your seat). In all honesty I think the club had (until Parkinson was sacked) achieved just about all it 'suggested' when selling season tickets in the summer. However, the season tickets were originally marketed in March as being a good deal for the Championship if we went up. There was also the cleverly worded 'suggestion' that if you didn't renew by 31st March there was no guarantee that you could keep your seat. There was some debate about this at the time, but it was clear to me that the club were not going to sell fans seats out from under them in April, but still I would suggest that the club positioned the tickets as being for something that was very different from what we got.

So, what happens at the end of this month if we fail to perform better in the next six games than the last six, and there are no player movements to add credibility that the board are going to back the manager? Rochdale in 13th are just two points behind us, Brentford who we play on Saturday are 16th and just five points behind us. It is hardly unrealistic to suggest that we could be in the bottom third of the third division by the time the deadline for the current price expires. The club has not promised that there will not be a price rise even if we are not promoted if you don't renew by 4th April. I'm tempted to risk ridicule by saying that I am confident that the club will not put the prices up in June if we fail to win promotion.

This all suggests that the club will almost certainly have to bring in more loan players between now and the end of the season, irrespective as to the cost, or they might find they will sell very few season tickets before June (or even later). I guess it doesn't help that the season ticket application packs haven't arrived yet.

I don't have much to say about tonights game. Fom what I could establish on the commentary we played like we did against Exeter and Carlisle, and got what we deserved. I don't think there is much nore to say really.

There is some good news, however. Today I went to my six year old son's Parents' Evening, and it would appear that he is doing very well at school - something that I haven't always been able to say, and he was described by his teacher (who I liked a lot before she said it, and even more afterwards) as a very nice boy. His reading has improved significantly and it would appear that he has a bit of a flair for Maths, and his only real weakness is that he doesn't like writing, especially joined up writing, and needs to remember capital letters and adjectives. Clearly there is a little bit of a conflict of interest as I would likely have been a very unsatisfied customer had she said something too critical, but it's nice all the same. It's also nice when your football club is slipping down the toilet if something else in your life can compensate by going in the other direction.

The other piece of good news is that my Dad is back for Saturday so I will not be driving up to game on my own again. Having said that I had a very pleasant chat with Dave and his friends before, and during, the game last Saturday - something I will hope to do again when my Dad is away.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Tranmere at home

2011-03-03T11:43:00.000Z

I decided to wait until today before posting anything as I wanted to avoid being too emotional.

Strangely, I wasn't angry. I went to the game with an old friend of mine, and we had a good laugh. We used to work together and don't see each other very often now, so we could have done anything and we would have enjoyed each other's company. Just as well really.

That was (when taken into context of what has gone before) the most rubbish football game I have attended. There were goals, we scored one, we weren't really taken apart and in the end we only lost by two goals. That said it was cold, we played rubbish, and when all's said and done we have managed to lose four games in a row in the 3rd division. Between the 4th and the 18th of April 1981 we lost four games, and went on to finish third. That statistic is the only thing that stops this the worst run since I started going to Charlton, but it does equal it. However, we didn't concede three goals at home in that whole season, in fact you have to go back to March 1926 for the last time we conceded three goals in back to hack home games in this division, and we drew one of those 3-3. In all fairness we did draw the last home game of 1972-73 3-3 before losing the first game of the new season 4-2 at The Valley, but you get my point.

It is just rubbish. This must surely be the worst position the club has been in since I started going in 1981, and taking into account all other factors (our recent past, the fact that in the 1920s we were a young Football League club, the current set-up, expectations and running costs) this must be the worst state of affairs.

In fact, I can't ever remember deciding to avoid a league game on a Saturday. I've passed on a couple of FA Cup games against lower league opposition over the years, but not a league game. I've had a season ticket since 1989, and have missed just a couple of games since then (when I had a heart valve transplant) but after Tuesday night I decided that I would find something else to do on Saturday. Remember that I don't even have to pay for the ticket - or, rather, I've already paid for it.

I thought that by now I would have changed my mind. I thought that I would have accepted the inevitable, and that is that I always go, irrespective. However, my resolve seems to have hardened. It's not as though I have a family wedding, or the like, to go to, I have, obviously, kept the day free as I always go to the games. No, I have come to the conclusion that even with an already paid for ticket I would rather stay home and sit on the sofa or be marched 'round Bluewater with Mrs, and Junior, KHA than go to the Valley on Saturday.

I have to confess that a lot of this is that my Dad is away, and when I go with him, rather like Tuesday night with my friend, the game is a social event and well worth the dross that I have seen.

It is only Thursday, and I may well change my mind between now and Saturday afternoon, but right now I don't want to go; I don't care if we win, lose or draw; I don't even think I'll bother looking at the scores until after the final whistle.

If this is what we can expect then I'll probably be reviewing my season ticket renewal this season. My Dad goes away for a large part of the winter, and misses at least six games a season - it's normally nearer ten. With the 'promotional' days where the tickets are cheap, the games on TV and the cold evening games that we might both choose to miss I am confident the season ticket will cost more than paying as we go. This and the fact that unless something drastic changes we will be averaging close to half the capacity next season I am hardly going to struggle to sit where I want to - I might even like to move around the ground like my Dad used to do in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Again, I have plenty of time to change my mind on this, and even if I do pay as I go, I will probably get another season ticket if/when the club starts playing better and/or wins promotion. Having said that I'm not sure we sold all the available season tickets back in the Premier League days, so I doubt I'll miss out altogether.

I am not going to review the game here, if you were there you saw it, and if you didn't you are better off in ignorance.

I hate Tranmere and, under normal circumstances, would love us to beat them, but right now, I really don't care.

Something needs to change, and soon.

Up the Addicks!

Notts County 1 - 0 Charlton

2011-02-26T10:59:00.001Z

The problem with luck is that, by definition, it is random. You can't rely on luck - well you can but you can't make accurate predictions, unless you're lucky, or course.

I have worked in Financial Services for years, most of it, like, I guess, most industries requires an element of 'sales'. If not sales than clients to transact business with. One can be very skilled with one's job, but with no clients there is little work to be done, or money to be earned. I have heard this quaint little phrase many times "You make your own luck". what a load of rubbish. That's sales talk for we can't give you more business chaps so just make it happen. It is interesting to note that those that earn ten times more than their peers are not ten times better, just ten times luckier. It all depends on who just happens to pick up 'that' call.

Anyway, I'm getting a bit off topic. The truth is that since the summer break-up of our Championship (I clearly mean division not league winning) side we have been lucky when we've won and when the luck deserted us we have lost or drawn.

I know we had good wins at Swindon and Peterborough, but I think two good wins out of thirty look more like luck than form or class.

So, we had Parkinson put together a squad with peanuts, then we proceeded to have poor games that we won, and a combination of luck that led to an extended run undefeated. Basically we are in a very poor league and still we don't seem to be able to beat the teams in the division without luck. Parkinson's luck ran out and he lost his job. I'm not saying I disagree with this outcome, by the way, just noting the relevance of luck.

In fact the biggest slice of luck Parkinson had on that eleven game unabated run was that we played teams from lower divisions on no fewer than five times. In fact, not only were we not good enough to be convincing to beat teams in our division, we needed five games to record three wins over Barnet, Luton and Southend. Only one of those games was won by more than one goal, and that was Luton away as we deserved to lose.

Chris Powell looks like he had his whole season's luck in his first four games. I have already made a comment about the first four games being lucky and us losing the opportunity to push on from there. With three straight defeats (something I believe Parkinson never suffered with us in this division) we look like we have learned little and progressed even less.

I know we don't have much of a decent squad, but the board seem to believe that with the right coaching this is a good enough side to get us out of this division. The four win streak, combined with real strengthening in January would have given us a real shot at the automatic promotion places. However, for what ever reason we have not invested in the squad anywhere near enough. I don't know why we haven't brought in the quality we needed, nor do I really care (at this point) but the fact remains that we have a side that seems unable to win in the terrible decision unless we are lucky.

That suggests that we should be preparing ourselves for an even longer stay in this division. Sure, we can still make the playoffs, and once in them we can win them with nothing more than luck. The problem with luck is that it is random.

I am more than happy to be nothing more than lucky, just as long as the luck doesn't desert us, but in the end it always seems to.

The loan signings are going to have to be an instant success. I'm guessing the chances of players that can make enough impact being available for the run in are slim.

We can only hope.

Otherwise we are facing a third season in this division. My view is that if a club spends three seasons in one division then they definitely deserve to be there. All the talk about us being a big club, or punching below our weight will be confirmed as rubbish, in my view, if we are here for three seasons.

It is time for the board to wake up and realise that getting out of this division is not as easy as appointing an old favourite player and giving him a couple of players to add to a below average squad. Michael Slater mentioned Bobby Robson and Brian Clough. I seriously doubt either of those managers, in their pomp, would be able to get this team winning convincingly.

We need change, and we need it now.

Or, of course, we need more luck than Harry Potter on a 'luck potion'.

Up the Addicks!

Life begins at 40

2011-02-23T10:52:00.001Z

I'm not so sure about that, but with my 40th birthday coming up (on Friday) I thought this would be a good time to review my first 30 years as a Charlton fan.

It's interesting how consistent a football club is in one's life once it is 'adopted'. Clearly my parents and my sister have been ever present in my life (my sister is there years my senior) but they are the only survivors from before I attended a Charlton game when I was 10.

My best friend (ignoring my family) I met at senior school and despite being friends now for 29 years, I was already a Charlton fan by the time I met him.

In fact, it wasn't until I started writing this post that it occurred to me just how many of my current friends (and family) have come along since I started going to The Valley. My son, who is my best friend and fills most of my waking thoughts has only been here for six years (nearly seven actually) which is a fifth of the time I've been an Addick.

To be fair my association with Charlton has changed over the years. A new girlfriend tends to reduce interest (obsession) for a week or two, and University and certain jobs have been very demanding on my time and thoughts. Being a parent is also a massive life changing event (not something I intend to get into here) but the ever present has been my football club.

I would say that my obsession has grown significantly in recent years for two reasons. Firstly we have been in the Premier League and that has increased interest and coverage. It has also been responsible for the major changes around The Valley - which is unrecognisable from the tired and tatty stadium that I first attended in 1981. In fact I wonder what on earth made me want to go back then. The second cause of my obsession in Charlton has been the advancements in technology. This is both the advancement in the Internet and television coverage and the new array of devices that mean that I can stand outside the women's toilets at Bluewater while Mrs KHA has a pit stop and check for news or views on my mobile phone.

It is this latter development that I think has made the biggest difference to me. Not only do I write a blog, but I also read many others. This is before you add up the amount of time I spend on Charlton Life. In fact, one of the main reasons I wanted an iPad (which I writing this post on) was so that I could always just check on the latest without having to boot up the laptop or faff about with the mobile phone which is ok for the odd bit of browsing, but it's very small.

This season has seen my interest wane a little as has been discussed elsewhere, but when I first came to The Valley in 1981 we were in this division, and if you'd told me then that when I turned 40 the last game at The Valley would have been in an all seater stadium (at 10 I might not have even known what this was) in front of 24,767 fans playing Exeter I would probably have just laughed at you.

The fact that I have seen us play at Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea, Villa, Leeds, Forrest, Blackburn, Man City, Derby and Wembley twice - and win at all those places during the 30 years is also testament to our success during my Charlton following. That list is all the more impressive when you take into account that fact that all but two of that list have been the English Champions during that time. Actually we have beaten them all home and away during my first 30 years following them. Interestingly the only other team that has won the league since I started going was Everton, and we have beaten them home and away, I just haven't been Goodison Park.

Interestingly we are on Sky on my birthday. What makes that interesting is that my Dad was celebrating his 60th birthday in 2001 when we won 4-2 at Highbury in front of the Sky cameras. Maybe I'm clutching at straws, but I do have another one for you. My 18th birthday was on a Saturday, and we won at Villa Park with Carl Leaburn scoring his second goal in two years, and bearing in mind he scored on his debut, this was a significant event.

Overall the last 30 years have seen some real disappointments, but also some real highs. I can't believe it was really 30 years ago that it all started. Back then I used to remember how many times I'd seen us play, now I have no idea. I don't know when I stopped counting, but clearly I did at some point.

Despite the fact that we are where we were when I started going the club is much bigger now than it was then. I really believe that we are on the way up again too.

Let's hope that the next 30 years are as good as the last 30 - even if we end up here again when I turn 70 it will have been a great ride, again.

Up the Addicks!

Charlton 1 - 3 Exeter

2011-02-20T02:32:00.000Z

Normally I try to look for positives, but today there were none that I can think of. Our luck ran out on Tuesday and today we didn't have any, but probably got what we deserved based on the balance of play.

It was great to see a packed Valley again - I had wondered, on and off, if I would ever see the sight again. the atmosphere was good, but not twice what we normally have, but then there were a lot of 'day trippers' there today. Some of them will be football fans (opposed to Charlton fans) that wanted to come to a game of football for £5. I mean, you can't buy a PS3 magazine for £5 these days, and the game lasts longer than it takes to read.

The sad thing is that some of the 'extra' paying customers were probably true (if not regular attending) Charlton fans that just might have come back had the game been different. To be fair it wasn't rubbish - the quality of the football on offer wasn't anything like you see from the Premier League Top Four love in, but it had all the necessary ingredients. There were goals, we were in the game for most of it, and we scored the last goal - all be it that many had left by then.

Interestingly one of the Mum's that I talk to in my son's playground was going today. She was going with her family (all Charlton but don't go regularly). She was taking her two boys (aged 5 and 7). I believe it was their first visit to The Valley. Something tells me that she will not be in such a rush to take them back when the tickets for the family go up from £20 to £60 - especially based on the game experience as a whole. I will ask her after half term and I'll report back.

Which reminds me, I had a Dad siting next to me today. He was there with his son and daughter. I'm guessing, but they looked four and five to me. Now I do the school run and I like to think of myself as a good and confident Dad, but I wouldn't have taken my son on my own when he was four (his Mum came on the odd occasion he did come - he doesn't really like it yet) but this chap had brought two children on his own. He had a couple of rucksacks with him, one a little pink one that I'm guessing was his daughters. He had them packed with drinks and treats and he managed to keep both the children interested for the whole game. He did, however, keep promising his children that we had time to score enough goals to win, right to the end. By the end I'd started to believe him and felt really cheated when we failed to get the goals.

Some of you will know that I sit in the last row before the executive boxes in the East Stand, so this Dad was just in front of the box where a fan in his 20s (a guess) insisted on standing for the whole game and doing that 80s chant/song of ooooooooooo, you're shit. Ahhhhhhhh every time Exeter took a goal kick. Now it's possible that he paid a lot of money for his seat (it was an executive box after all) but if football for a fiver is going to attract that kind of ingrate then I'm happy for us to give it a miss. I tolerated it a few times before I turned to look at him for a couple of times, before I had to say something. I know I might be being a little dramatic but what is the point of going to all the trouble and cost of getting in families (with young children) only to behave so appallingly. Please comment if you think I am wrong, but I can't stand that sort of thing around children.

To be fair to them I think they did have a decent day out, and maybe they just can't budget for another day like that at full price, I don't know, but imagine how much it is worth if those two children become regulars. Then imagine how likely that is if one of them decide to shout ooooooooooo, you're shit. Ahhhhhhhh the next time Mummy walks into the living room.

Anyway, rant over, I'll get back to the game. We started very slowly again. I can't believe that the players wouldn't have been buzzing with the crowd there, but they didn't all seem to be.

Individual mentions for Jenkinson, who I thought had a good debut. Ironically he might have been better off playing his first game in a less atmospheric scenario, but I thought he did ok, rather like the Brentford cup game. I think he'll make it. Having said that, and this might be in part due to the line up and system, I think we really missed Francis's crosses today. I know he gets some stick for not being the best full back in the world (which could be why he is in the third division) but when he is missing it is noticeable - which is, I guess, a compliment.

Ecclestone looks class. He did a number of things today (and I know he didn't score) that none of the other members of the squad have looked like doing - ever. I'm not going to include Bradly Wright-Phillips in that as I've not seen enough of him, but I doubt he could do it either. I spent a few minutes in the second half thinking about previous loan signings and could only think of Costa that came in and offered something much better than we already had. The recent loan signings have been comparable at best. Lita scored a few goals, but took ages to settle and McEverlyngs today (and I know he didn't score) that none of the other members of the squad have looked like doing - ever. I'm not going to include Bradly Wright-Phillips in that as I've not seen enough of him, but I doubt he could do it either. I spent a few minutes in the second half thinking about previous loan signings and could only think of Costa that came in and offered something much better than we already had. The recent loan signings have been comparable at best. Lita scored a few goals, but took ages to settle and McEverly looked a decent player before getting himself injured. All the others have been short term replacements for injured players or unfit players coming for a bit of match fitness and not been better than what we have. I've actually just thought of Danny Mills who did add something, but I didn't think of him this afternoon.

Anyway, you get my point, he has been a great signing. I can see why Powell played the three strikers today. BWP is on fire, Abbott offers something different than two pacey wingers that are not great in the air, but Ecclestone has more class than anything else we have. He was a real pleasure to watch at times.

Matt Fry looked weaker today than he did earlier in the season. This might have been due to no real width in the midfield, of course. With Bessone looking out injured for a few weeks we are likely going to need Fry, and I'm very pleased to have him back.

Then we get on to the players that I think let us down today. McCormack puzzles me. I really don't know what his role is, what his strengths are, or what it is that Powell sees in him that I can't see. I can only assume that Racon has been injured (as I've read elsewhere) and needed a few weeks rest. For me, and I don't like to slag off our own players, the worst thing about this division is that we have to accept that players of McCormack's ability are as good as we can expect. I don't want this to be a slur on the man, but I believe that he wouldn't have got anywhere near the first team of any side I've seen us put out for at least ten years, probably twenty. I wish him well, and all that, I'm sure he's a nice chap and he loves his Mum, but I really want to be watching so much better on a Saturday afternoon.

That just leaves Gary Doherty for individual mention. I was surprised to see Norwich release him in the Sumner. I know he was frozen out by Lambert last season, but their results faltered and he was brought back in. I had perceptions of him being the sort of leader that could drag a team up to the plate. I just thought he was going to be a huge character in the defense and that his personality would rub off on other players. Half a season in and he has, quite frankly, disappointed me. I can now see why Lambert didn't fancy him. It's very difficult to know if a player protects his teammates or vice-versa. I thought Doherty had been a 'rock' in the Norwich defense. I now wonder if he was more than a cog in a wheel that had stronger cogs along side it.

To be fair to him he has been ok this season. Perhaps time is catching up catching up on Dailly and this is making Doherty's job harder. We have seemed a lot less tight at the back this season. In fact after 29 games last season we'd conceded 32 goals, this season it's 42 goals - that's a third more (near as damn it). Interestingly last season we'd scored 52, this season it's 48, so the big difference is at the back.

Doherty has been referred to as a disaster waiting to happen several times this season, and today he was a bit of a disaster. In his defence he has been ok this season, and let's not forget we hardly had a bundle of cask to spend in the summer, but we have too many players that wouldn't get into the first team of the sides that I expect to finish in the top two, and would struggle with the other play off candidates too.

My best guess is that we will need to bring in some real quality from the loan market if we are going to make a decent stab for promotion this season - something I am less convinced of right now. I know I have been talking about lucky wins causing us to be 'Fooled by Randomness' but I have probably been fooled a little too.

Right now it looks like Slater was hoping Powell could coach us to success where as the latter know we needed better players. To be honest though we can hardly expect much more when you consider how much money has actually been spent on this squad.

After an uninspiring first half where we probably shaded it, we were a little sloppy in the second half at the back. The first goal was hardly against the run of play but it did make it a little more difficult for us. The second killed off the game, and you can't legislate for that. The third was a disappointment, but the consolation was nice, especially for the children in the audience. Who knows that goal could be coming up in discussions for years to come. "The first goal I saw scored at the Valley was......"

This brings me on to the manager. I think all managers have to learn things for themselves. I have often questioned why something is done a certain way, even if it's something I know a lot about. The answer might be very logical and reasonable, but I still don't forget why I asked the question. Then later (in life) I am in a position to make a decision about the exact same thing. Clearly (with no disrespect to the advice I was given) I go with what I thought back when I asked the question. I'm wrong, and I realise (even though I already knew it) that the way it was being done was the right one all along.

I guess this is the same logic that makes children touch the hot kettle when their patents, that have never lied to them about stuff like this before, tell them it will hurt them. "He'll never do it again."

Chris Powell needs to go through that process, and it might take him years before he has enough experience to prevent the kind of mistakes that cost games. I'm not saying he got something specific wrong today, but at some point the starting eleven needs to be based on an ideal. That can be to build a team around a specific player or 'spine', or it could be to select the best team even if it means leaving out the best player, or it could be to select the best eleven players and then find a system that includes all of them.

I'm thinking about BWP, Ecclestone and a forward/link player/target man that can play with them. I don't think I would have started with a 4-3-3 today, but I can see why we did. We wanted to go out there and score goals for our big crowd. We wanted to play Ecclestone and BWP while keeping Abbott as the other two don't have everything to play together. There must also be an element of needing to keep Ecclestone playing to keep him. I read his tweets and it would seem he is staying in a hotel/motel and hardly loving his time in London. I don't have a problem with him saying those things, by the way, and don't want him censored, but if he is putting himself through that and not getting any game time he is soon going to want to go home, or elsewhere.

It's a shame as I was really hoping that with four straight wins we might have settled on a team and formation without the learning process costing us any points. However, Powell has been open enough to confirm that he wouldn't change a winning team. I'm not so sure about the logic when some of the wins have been very lucky, but he is the boss, and he, for sure, knows a lot more about football than I do. I just feel, now, as though personnel changes and experimentation are required, and we are now battling to stay in the playoffs.

Having said all that those twelve points will be defining this season. It wouldn't have been a hanging offense if we'd lost those opening four games while we brought in new players in January and in the emergency loan markets. We do, however, need to get a result on Friday as three defeats in a row would seriously threaten to undo the work done in winning the first four.

My last comment regards the ticket pricing, both match and season. On the face of it a reduction on match day tickets looks like a good idea. Get some fans in and hope that they'll come back. There does need to be a balance to ensure that season ticket holders aren't tempted to pay on a match by match basis next season. As attendances have been lower than tickets sold I can only assume that some season ticket holders don't go to all the games. Just how many Saturday's need to be reduced to reach a tipping point I don't know, but it is potentially very important.

As for the season tickets, I was very impressed to hear that next season's tickets would be £50 less for all (well most - including me) adults. I was less impressed when the club used the same language as last year to suggest that this offer is only available until 4th April. 4th April seems a lot later that 31st March, but in reality it's only four days, and two of them are the weekend. Maybe it is for tax reasons, the 4th April is this tax year. However, I suspect that it's more likely that it's just a cash flow exercise. This worries me. This worries me a lot. This suggests to me that those that have bought our club for £1 may well not have the kind of serious money that we will need to keep this club afloat and challenging for promotion in this division - especially if success is expected to be from coaching a load of free transfers, journeymen and young players rather than signing better players for serious money. I just can't help worrying that the new owners think that winning promotion is a lot easier than, in reality, it is.

Also, one last point on the season ticket price reductions. How will this make those that paid for 5 year season tickets last March feel?

Anyway I think I've waffled on enough, and it's well past my bedtime.

Up the Addicks!

Next... 20,000 plus at The Valley

2011-02-17T13:14:00.000Z

It must be a long time since we managed more than 20,000 in the third division, if at all. I, sadly, have little interest in looking it up, but I'm confident that it will be a milestone, and a huge achievement.

I have been very sloppy at writing my blog this season - this being the first post for over a month.

I'd like to say that I've got better (more exciting) things to do. I do have a family, and that will take up as much time as you give it, and then some, but it's not that either.

I seem to have lost the obsession in Charlton over the last twelve months. I don't think it is because our fortunes on the field have diminished, although there is no doubt that since the early run last season our performances and results have been rubbish relative to how big a club I perceive us to be.

I don't really know why it is, but I must confess to feeling no increase in my enthusiasm when we replaced Parkinson with Powell. I liked Chris Powell as a player, and he is clearly a good man, but with the transfer window now shut we have effectively replaced Lee Martin with Bradley Wright-Phillips and Nathan Ecclestone with Akpo Sodje. The new left back from Leeds is really only a replacement for Kelly Youga as Johnnie Jackson has moved from being a left back to being a left sided midfielder - something many of us already knew.

I think Parkinson was given a tough time. Sure, he inherited a team and a position that I will always believe was recoverable in November 2008, but take away his failure that season (something that many don't agree with) and he has been given few chances to 'build a squad."

Many will say that he had a huge wage bill last season to work with, but we should remember that included two players that we actually paid to leave for free last summer. The rumored takeover in the summer of 2009, that I believe was played out in the public arena to help sell season tickets, prevented Parkinson from making any changes, and he was left with a very unbalanced side, and in the end it showed.

Fast forward twelve months and with Sam, Burton, Bailey and Shelvey gone we needed to rebuild a team from scratch. I suspect that we paid all of the players that we signed too much money, but then as a big team in this division that was always going to happen. Like it or not I am confident that Football Agents are sharper, cleverer and more devious that anyone that owns or works for a football club. This, I believe, is why we have ended up with so many poor players on silly contracts over the years.

Anyway, with this in mind, I suspect that our playing staff are not twice as good as those at a club with half the budget, because no one sees them as a soft touch.

Anyway, I digress, I was aiming for the position where I could point out that our recent run of results looks just like the run under Parkinson way back in November. Playing ok (based on the rubbish division we are in) but winning games that we probably shouldn't have. I was advised back during Parkinson's run, by New York Addick, to read a book titled 'Fooled by Randomness'. I have finished the book now, it is a little academic and hard going in places, and clearly written by someone that wants to rubbish many of his peers achievements by suggesting that they are mostly down to luck, but it does compare very well to Charlton this season.

In essence we have been lucky, and the combination of a series of random events have 'fooled' many into believing that we are something we are not. I wasn't at Yeovil or Hartlepool, but we were not very convincing against Plymouth, we were lucky against Colchester and even more so against Peterborough.

The point of all this is that Tuesday's defeat was always coming. If you win convincingly (even if by one goal) then you can be confident that you will keep winning. If you keep winning with a large slice of luck, in the end luck will run out and you will lose. Unless we are lucky, or we bring in some impressive loan signings, we are, in my opinion, unlikely to get anywhere near the automatic promotion places come May. That is not a complete disaster - the playoffs require a win over two legs (on penalties if necessary) and a victory in one more game - again penalties would be good enough. Thus it is not simply a case of top two or another season in this terrible, terrible division.

In fact, it looks like the club have come to a similar conclusion. If we were gambling on a top two finish we would have brought in loan players last week so that they were available for the last two games we have played, along with the next two. The fact that we have not done so suggests that we are wating until the end of next week so that we can sign players on loan that will be eligible for the playoff final (emergency loans are for a maximum of 93 days).

This suggests that we are not taking huge gambles - something that has failed miserably to work in the past. In fact, I would go as far as to suggest that the new board are very reluctant to make any financial gambles at all. At the recent Q&A Michael Slater pointed out that Charlton were a no brainer at £1 for the lot. The one loan player and the one signing (small fee and 18 month contract) don't constitute a significant investment either. this does bring me on to the one worry I have with the current set up. Despite suggestions elsewhere that there is a significant amount of money behind the new owners, they don't seem to think they need to spend any of it. Michael Slater suggested at the Q&A that one doesn't need to spend money on players, one just needs to coach them well. He made reference to Brian Clough and Bobby Robson, as if finding another manager like those two was easy. He thought that if Chris Powell achieved what was expected of him we would win promotion with the current squad and good coaching. Interestingly it was less than ten minutes later (on a different subject) that Chris pointed out that the only way to improve a squad was to bring in better players.

All this waffling probably makes me look negative and argumentative. Not at all. I'm very glad that we are in a solid financial position and as I've always said I'd much rather have Charlton in the third division than in liquidation, and the latter has been hanging over our heads since Pardew's spending sprees.

Ultimately I believe that the current board (well the two that we know of) thought that they could pick up a Premier League football club for peanuts. I think they believed they could buy it for a pound, put in enough to bankroll it for two or three seasons, tweak the squad slightly and hey presto, promotion to the Premier League. On the basis that most Premier League Clubs, these days, have c. £50m of debt, that makes us a fantastic bargain. The only thing missing is that back to back promotions (even if not in consecutive seasons) is, actually, quite tricky to achieve.

Anyway, Exeter at home. The game itself, along with the opposition, is now irrelevant. It will be a big crowd, massive by third division standards, and we need a big performance to win over the fans that are there for a cheap day out.

I really hope we win, but most importantly I really hope we look like we deserve to do so.

Up the Addicks!

A New Era

2011-01-16T21:25:00.001Z

I always liked Chris Powell. When we signed him in 1998 he was, from memory, our most expensive signing for a day or two before we signed Neil Redfearn. History suggests that Chris was a much better deal.

He was the first Charlton player to play for England in my life time, and I, like so many others, was so proud of that achievement. He actually went on to give a good enough account of himself that he played a total of five times for England and was only squeezed out in the end by the emergence of Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge. The latter of this two was a very competent left back, who has, in my view, swapped money for playing time, otherwise he would be coming to the end of his career with much more reputation. Ashley Cole is possibly the best left back of his generation - in the world. On that basis it was no shame that Chris Powell lost his place in the England Squad.

In my view Chis had probably lost his pace to the point that his place in the side was under threat when he left us the first time. It was a shame to see him go, but I was very disappointed to see John Humphrey made to look slow when he came back to us - a game on the TV at Birmingham springs to mind. Humphrey was a magnificent right back, and was one of my heroes so to have memories of him past his best was upsetting. To be fair I have managed to purge them from my memory now, but Chris avoided that by moving on when he did.

He came back, of course, and I was a little worried, but to be fair he was more than enough for us in that Championship season, even though he was not signed to play every game.

One of my favourite memories of a Charlton match was seeing Chris score that goal against Coventry. I don't know quiet what it was that made that game special, we won 4-1, the goals from Varney and Gray gave us the impression that the next season offered hope, but it was the fairy tale ending for Powell, the last real survivor of our Premier League dream. It was apparent that he would get to do his tunnel celebration when we were 3-1 up, but his goal made the game for me. It also enabled us all to go home happy after what was the worst season we had experienced for over a decade - we didn't know it was going to get much, much worse.

It was suspected that he would go on to be a coach, and then a manager. There were many that wished for a return one day. I think that when he left we all thought that we would stay in the Premier League and it would be after a spell as a manager elsewhere that he came back to us. However, we have to accept that as a Third Division club we are that 'elsewhere' for coaches to make their first break into management.

It is always a risk to appoint someone without experience, but it is also a risk to appoint someone with experience these days. Dowie and Pardew were experienced and failed miserably to achieve the targets that were expected of them. The jury is still out on Parkinson - I believe that he failed, but I also accept that he had significantly less resources than the two I have already mentioned.

Chris Powell represents a big gamble - something that I thought the new owners had enough money to avoid having to take, but it is looking increasingly like they do not.

Chris may well be a success as a manager, but we just don't know. Where he will be an asset is with the unconditional support that he will be given by the fans for quite a while. Pardew was a former player, and had been successful with West Ham and came in when we were desperate. The support he was given lasted until it became apparent that we were going to miss the automatic promotion after spending £12.5m in the Championship.

Powell will be given every opportunity to find his feet by the fans, and sometimes that can make all the difference. Just how much time he'll be given by the board remains to be seen - although if they are, as I now fear, expecting to get us promoted by tweaking here and there and hoping increases in attendance will fund player acquisitions then he may well be under pressure sooner rather than later.

The three and a half year deal looks like the board have confidence in his ability, either that or Powell would't commit to a shorter contract (guaranteed income for three plus years) but can we expect to see Chris still in post if we fail to win promotion this season or next?

Sometimes all a club needs is a short boost, and the results that come from it increase confidence and performances to the point that the corner is turned. I think we have some decent players in our squad and it is more balanced that last season, but we have lost the quality that I believe won us so many points towards our forth placed finish.

In truth I have no idea if we will be successful or not. I believe that Kinsella's involvement with Parkinson has removed some of the shine on his association with us from those golden years. I really hope that doesn't happen with Chris. Sadly I can't see how we can manage any other outcome in the long term. I know that sounds pessimistic but realistically anything less than promotion and a serious run at another one will undermine his achievements as a player. I think the odds are against that happening personally, but I could be proved wrong - I do hope so.

Anyway, all that will become apparent in the months and years to come. For now I would like to join other bloggers in welcoming Chris back, and he really is welcome.

The game at Sheffield Wednesday was acceptable - well the result was, I wasn't there. To lose a 2-0 half time lead is not ideal, but I'd have ripped your arm off for a point and two goals before kick off, so I'll take that. We are now further behind all but Southampton, and Chris starts his managership outside of the playoffs, so we could finish sixth and fail to go up and he would have lifted us from where he found us.

The rest of the month is, actually, going to be more about transfers than results, but we should see some more interest in our home games during this time, at least.

Despite the massive overkill on Charlton Life about the return of whom some insist on calling 'Sir Chris', I actually feel a little underwhelmed about the events that have transpired since New Year's Eve. The new owners clearly have less money that we all hoped, the recruitment of a new manager has been dramatic, but we have, in effect appointed a first team coach from Leicester with mo managerial experience. We are half way through the transfer window and we have signed a 20 year old on loan from Liverpool reserves.

Kap from 'From The Hill to the Valley' asked me the question as to how happy the fans would be with an inexperienced coach from Leicester if he wasn't Chris Powell?

I do hope we have a good crowd on Saturday, and I hope we get off to a winning start under our new manager, but right now I feel a little less than enthusiastic. In fact I think I'm about as unexcited about Charlton as I have been for a very long time. I hope I'm on my own with this feeling, as it doesn't bode well if the new owners are hoping that increased attendances are going to push us on to success.

Good Luck Chris, I fear you might need it.

Up the Addicks!

nPower Home Team Heroes

2011-01-10T12:44:00.000Z

During it's long history the Football League has been sponsored by several different companies. the FA and the Premier League also have several deals with official sponsors, with drinks suppliers, and I think they even have an official nut based chocolate sponsor.

Since the Premier League was formed the Football League has had a number of sponsors, including Coca-Cola and Nationwide, both household brands that needed little introduction to the public yet wanted to increase their prominence.

This season the football League is sponsored y nPower. As well as providing funds to the Football League they also offer a £45 voucher to be spent in the club shop for any football fan that switches from their current energy provider to nPower, you can do this here.

nPower are also working with the 72 Football League clubs with the community programme called Home Team Heroes. The goal is to help children in the home towns of the clubs. More details can be found here.

I have no personal or commercial relationship with nPower, but if they are funding Charlton and projects in the local area then I applaud them. Not only because we are a community club, but also as anything that benefits children, as a parent myself, is always welcome.

In order to increase awareness of the Home Team Heroes campaign nPower are making available a limited number of complimentary tickets for Football League matches. To that end I have been asked to offer four pairs of tickets for the Charlton v Plymouth game on 22 January and two pairs of tickets for Charlton v Colchester game on 2 February.

If you would be interested in either of these games them please email your name and phone number to mail@kingshilladdick.co.uk.

Up the Addicks!

Colchester 3 - 3 Charlton

2011-01-01T18:31:00.001Z

Ten men again. Parkinson made some comments about how it's hard to play against ten men after we drew at Brighton, and I suspect he will mention it again after today's game.

In his defence, we have beaten both Bournemouth and Orient with ten men, so there is clearly something in it. Also there is no way to know if we'd have even drawn these two games if we'd been playing against eleven for 90 minutes.

In all honesty I'd have taken two points from these two away games. The postponed game from Boxing Day looks more interesting now, but I have serious doubts about our ability to beat Southampton and I think they may well be in the top two for the rest of the season. I know the table is very tight, but they started badly and their results since Pardew left have been Championship form, and they clearly have the strongest squad in the division, and they have had over a year for the majority of the players to gel.

Brighton are probably, despite their 5-0 win today, the one most worried about our new owners and the potential we have to strengthen our squad, but to be fair they are now six points above both us and Southampton, and we have to pay each other twice before the end of the season, and they seem to have recovered from their dip in form.

Strangely I feel a lot less optimistic than I did yesterday, but due to my iPad literally eating my preview yesterday, you wouldn't know anything about that. I am most confident that we will be able to finish in the top six, but the top two seems a lot more difficult. I think my enthusiasm has probably been affected by losing at home to Walsall and then drawing two games where we had more than a half against ten men. Having said that a new face or two in January and a couple of wins and that could all change.

In all honesty it was always a bit unrealistic to expect us to finish two positions higher than last season with the players we lost in the summer. Despite Bailey not playing all that much for Middlesborough and them being in a relegation fight, Shelvey and Sam were important last season, and haven't been replaced.

It does leave me believing that the transfer dealings in January are going to be very important, as is the fact that we will now miss Benson for three games at a time when Sodje and Anyinsah are injured.

It is very unusual for a January signing to make much impact during the season they are signed, but it is possible that a new face, or two, could make all the difference in the same way that Anyinsah made an instant impact when he came into the side back in September.

It s clear that we do need to add something that we seem to be lacking. We have not played very well this season despite having some good, and some great, results. Maybe one addition or two, of proper quality, will make all the difference.

Despite the fact the new ownership makes the club viable if we don't win promotion this season, I don't want to be in this pants division for another year. I want to get back to the Premier League, and despite the fact that I am willing to accept less than that, I want to be in and around the playoff places in the Championship as soon as possible.

So today was acceptable, we scored three more goals than last season, while conceding the same number, and we managed a point to follow up the one from Brighton.

The next few weeks will shape our season, but then I've been saying that for about three years now. Parkinson has done ok with his squad building, in my view, so I'm confident that if he is given license to bring in a couple of players we will be better equipped for the run in.

Let's hope so.

Up the Addicks!

Underwhelmed

2010-12-31T16:32:00.001Z

I don't want to sound ungrateful, and I am very pleased that any potential administration is less likely following this new takeover than it was before, but I can't help feeling a little deflated following the announcement of the new 'owners' this afternoon.

I have never heard of Michael Slater, and why should I have done? Tony Jimenez, however, is a name that has been around football, and Charlton, in the past. I have no reason to assume that they are not going to be successful for the club, even if it's more modest than we would have dreamt of, but in the back of my mind I was hoping for a big money backer that could literally buy success. I know it's unlikely bearing in mind the club and our position, but after the Zabeel debacle two years ago I think my hopes and aspirations have risen.

The biggest worry is that we have no idea who the financiers are. We must be reassured that Murray wouldn't do harm to the club, but to be honest he is clearly out of options now. It is (or was) getting to point where anyone that could keep us out of administration had to be considered.

On the subject of Murray, the details that have been released so far suggest that he has taken a hit by effectively giving away the club - including the debts, of course.

Thus I suspect that we are in a much better position now than we would have been without this change of ownership, but it is just a little less exciting that I was hoping for.

Having said that there is obviously the possibility that there is serious money available and the new board want to prevent us being taken to the cleaners on new player acquisitions. Quite how easy it is to keep this sort of thing quiet in the football world is anyone's guess, but there are already suggestions that we will have money to spend in the January transfer window.

On the plus side, we have managed a very settled transition on the field while this has been going on. The defeat to Walsall was always around the corner, and (most) clubs have the odd result like is in a long season, and runs can, realistically, only last so long. Avoiding two, possibly three, more games in the JPT look like a godsend with the postponed games that we have to fit in, not to mention any more, or the impact of further FA Cup fixtures for us, or teams we might be playing on the Cup weekends.

I think that, even without money to spend in January, we are in a great position to progress this season. We are goal difference behind second with a game in hand. With the stability that will come from financial security (for a season or two at least) plus the potential tweaking to the first team squad we should be confident of a decent challenge in the second half of the season.

With my conservative business man head on I am actually bursting with excitement that we have long (well realistically medium) term financial security, and there is no impending fire sale to pay wages or bills.

On that note, welcome Mr Slater and Mr Jimenez. Let's hope that in 20 years time we can all look back on this takeover as the start of a new, and successful, era in our history.

Up the Addicks!

Next... The Takeover?

2010-12-23T19:02:00.001Z

Well it seems like the first couple of weeks flew by from the announcement back at the start of the month. We will have new owners by Christmas Eve, although I think they described tomorrow as December 24th - much more professional.

With Christmas looming I found plenty to keep myself busy without spending time wondering if it would be a Wise Man bringing Gold, or a Dennis Wise gearing up the club, or something else completely.

However, after the last day at School last Friday I have been keeping my son company at home this week, and there is a limit as to how many times I can take part in Pokemon Battles or Bakugan Battles before I find myself telling my Son I have 'work' to do. My Dad used to pull this little stunt on me when I was a little boy and I was determined not to do it myself, but like father like son...

'Work' normally means picking up the iPad and surfing the internet, which means internet shopping (none left to do now) or Charlton Life. The latter has been the focal point of my attentions this week, and despite having what could be described as an unnatural interest in many things not Charlton just because Charlton fans are doing or talking about it, I have found it very uninspiring this week. I have given up on the Official Web Site since the switch over to FLi. I was, interestingly, not too worried about losing our own site when the money involved was disclosed, but due to the sheer weight of adverts, most of which won't sit still, I can't find anything on there worth the hassle.

So Charlton Life it is. To be honest any news is on there within minutes of it being of the Official Site, and due to the adverts pages that you just have to go through to get to the news section, that is probably quicker anyway.

I'm not normally very industrious, in fact I'm rather lazy, but I still manage to actually do some work when I'm 'in the office' so being at home this week I have found myself looking at Charlton Life every half hour or so to see if there is any news, and in actual fact the forum doesn't get updated hat often, so it feels as though I've only looked at it five minutes before.

It is now looking increasingly likely that the 'no later than December 24th' will mean not before. I could have saved myself the bother and not looked for news all week. Of course, it is still possible that that the takeover will not happen tomorrow either. I don't want to tempt fate, but the nearer Christmas Eve got the more I believed that it wouldn't happen on that day at all. I know it's not logical, as that did say December 24th, but the nearer it gets the smaller the time left to get it sorted the more I worry. It's a bit like when you need a win and you are drawing. It doesn't matter if the winning goal comes in the 5th minute of injury time, but as the time ticks past I become less convinced that the goal will come.

Anyway, we might find out tomorrow, and we might not. I have no real axe to grind with the potential new owners. Clearly there is part of me that wants to see very wealthy investors that have no interest in financial return, merely buying success for what ever reason they have. I think this is unlikely simply because there are not many people in the world that have that kind of money, and very few of them would want to spend a lot on a football club, and those that would be willing to do so are unlikely to choose Charlton.

If it is Dennis Wise, as has been suggested elsewhere, then so be it. I have do real empathy with him, he is nothing like the kind of man I aspire to be, but if he is in a position to buy the club, and the club is in a better position after he does so I think I should give him the benefit of doubt - I can't really do much about it anyway.

So it would seem that we are close to the revealing of a secret, good or bad, and that in itself is exciting. Christmas is all about surprises, even at my age, and I'm even excited to see what the Fat Man brings my son, and I already know!

So tomorrow (or later tonight - 23rd) or not. After the supposed takeover last summer 'happening within a week' for three months we should hardly be surprised.

So Santa, if you're listening, you can keep the socks, pants and handkerchiefs, all I really want for Christmas is a Multi-Billionaire to buy Charlton Athletic, and I've been a very good boy.

Up the Addicks!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

2010-12-20T17:19:00.003Z

Just thought I'd share a few of the Christmas views out of my window in Kent. I know it's hardly exciting, but it's probably better than reading the drivel I normally write.

It looks lovely, but it does make the last minute shopping a bit tricky.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Up the Addicks!

Brentford 0 - 0 Charlton

2010-12-15T10:39:00.000Z

It's strange how many Charlton fans rubbished Jose Mourinho's comments after we won there on penalties in the League Cup a few years ago (it seems like a lot more than a few now) but I still consider last night's game as a draw.

If it had been a league game I would have been perfectly happy with a clean sheet and a point away to the other 'form' side in our division.

In the end it is a cup game and no official draw is allowed so you progress or you don't and we didn't.

I was quite excited about the JPT as I thought it offered us a realistic opportunity to play at Wembley again, something that might not happen any other way during my lifetime (not to mention my Dad's who is clearly older than me), but in the end I suspect that even this round has cost us points in the only competition that really matters.

I have no idea if we would have won on Sunday if we'd not had the distraction of this game hanging over us. even last night we were just a one game away from a two legged tie that would have sent us to Wembley. This could well have had an impact on some of our players as it is unlikely they would have even dreamt about sitting their grandchildren down to tell them the story about how they were lucky enough to be in the side that beat Walsall at The Valley on a Sunday in 2010.

In actual fact my enthusiasm for this competition completely dwindled about three weeks ago when I realised that the Final was taking place while I was going to be in the air flying to Orlando to take my six year old to Disney World and the other attractions that are on offer there. I have arranged, and re-arranged, many social events over the years, but there was no way this was going to be avoided. Thus I wouldn't have known about the result until four hours after the game finished - and would have missed out on the big day out.

I was still, honestly, hoping that we would get there as it is good financially and it is a good day out for other Charlton fans, but I was hardly devastated. It was hardly the same as the playoff semi-final defeat in May. to be honest, after a second successive missile throwing event by our fans I'm not sure I'm all that bothered about all Charlton fans missing out either.

I know we need all the fans we can get (well their money anyway) but I really am happy to do without those that throw missiles. While I'm on the subject those that insist on singing the word c**t can stop coming too. Ah, and that stupid incest song. The thing is if I was uneducated, unintelligent and uncivilised I would go out of my way to keep it to myself. These people seem to be pleased to advertise that they are are the lowest members of society. normally I am reluctant to criticise people on here for fear of a backlash, but I'm confident that those I'm talking about can't actually read so I have little to worry about.

Anyway, back to the game last night. It was hardly a classic, but I don't think we were particularly lucky, and we did keep a clean sheet against a team that has been in good form, and it was away. Also, let's not forget that we lost there 2-0 in the league a few weeks ago (our last away defeat).

I am, therefore, pleased with the result, not disappointed with the performance, and very excited about what we saw from Carl Jenkinson. He looks a real prospect, which is good as Francis is a real liability (on occasion) and Solly is unreliabile (can't seem to be fit enough to play when needed).

The fact that I wasn't going to the Final in any event means that I have't lost out on a day out at Wembley, and we have avoided two more midweek games on the hard pitches that winter provides.

Not exactly what we were hoping or, but a lot better than Walsall, and it gives me a little hope that maybe, just maybe, we might be able to claw enough results together this season to make it a success - maybe.

Up the Addicks!

Charlton 0 - 1 Walsall

2010-12-12T23:55:00.001Z

Well, it was hardly pleasant watching was it?

What is most strange is that had we won this game 1-0 against a poor side, that clearly wanted it more than us, we would have congratulated ourselves on 'Just beating what's put in front of you'.

When you think that we finished just two points short of automatic promotion last season it is painful to see us lose a game that we so clearly could have won. I'm not going to say 'should' have won as we shouldn't, but we may well come to really rue those three dropped points in May.

I don't want to be disrespectful to Walsall because they played the more adventurous football, and deserved their win based on the 90 minutes, but we were a little clueless and just looked tired and/or believed that all we needed to do was turn up and the game was won.

Hopefully, if it's the latter it is a mistake that we will not make again. Maybe it would be best if we could lose at Brentford on Tuesday and then play our U18 side at Spurs so that the players can concentrate on the promotion that the club so desperately needs?

Again let me say that is with full expect to Walsall, but they are tailed off at the bottom of the division for a reason. We ought not face an easier home fixture this season, apart from Luton that we only drew, and Barnet, that we won 1-0, but you get my point.

We have looked like a blessed side on a few occasions this season.
We shouldn't have beaten Notts County (we should have lost) and we were probably a little lucky against MK Dons. We were also a bit fortunate to get back into it against Yeovil with ten men. On that basis we must have known that we either needed to raise our game, continue to be incredibly lucky, or lose a game we would, otherwise, have expected to win.

In all honesty I'm more than happy to continue to win games against the run of play and I'm more that happy to be promoted at the end of the season with a string of 'lucky' results. My worry is that old saying 'class is permanent, form is temporary'.

Parkinson got us close last season, and he got Colchester promoted from this division. Maybe the way you it is to play average to rubbish football and just keep winning games you deserve to lose. If that's a winning formula then I'll have some. If not then at some point we are going to have to start looking like we can actually play a bit at home. Otherwise the crowds will fall and in all likelihood we will be stuck in the god awful division for at least another season.

Up the Addicks!

Just how wrong can you be?

2010-11-30T13:49:00.000Z

I've always been a little bit quick to criticise. I do try not to, but I often fail. The likelihood of me being too quick to criticise is directly proportional to how much I care. Thus I have a reputation for being very good at bitching about things I can be bothered to care about. Charlton being very near the top of that list.

I've been rather quiet recently. This is not just because I'm incapable of saying anything nice, but mainly as I haven't been to any of the fantastic away games in November, and I've been really busy with work. However I thought I'd review my thoughts from after the Brighton game to show just how little I know about football.

You will all remember the Brighton game, we lost 4-0 at home in the third division. Please try to remember that as you review my ramblings.

- Benson had an average game compared to what I've seen so far.
I think this is ok. He has gone on to score four goals in the six league games since.

- Abbott was shocking from start to when he went off. He looks overweight and cumbersome when he runs. I had very high hopes for him at the end of the season, but I'm now wondering if he was just having a good season last year at Oldham.

Again, I think this situation has not been resolved. Abbott still looks slow and overweight, but then we've not seen a lot of him, which is understandable based on the fact that we are scoring for fun with Benson and Anyinsah upfront - not to mention Johnnie Jackson.

- Our players played like a group that had met in the changing room. The suggestion that the team needs to gel is looking like wishful thinking now. We are just not a team in any sense of the word when comparing us to BrightonAlthough this is probably a fair reflection of the game itself, clearly the players have gelled a lot since then and started to look like a team that can grind out results as well as having a score fest.

- We chose the worst performance for what could well be the highest crowd we will have for years if not decades - especially if we continue the decline we seem determined to.

I m not so sure we will beat that crowd this season, but we seem a little less determined to continue the decline than I suggested we were.

- Parkinson could have no excuses if he were relieved of his duties this week, and the pressure of that will almost certainly make it harder to turn things around.

Yeah, I was right on the money there wasn't I?

I went on to say:

If we are going to turn around our fortunes like Norwich did last season we are going to have to follow their lead and replace the manager. Otherwise we are going to have to get lucky, raise the performances above what we have been seen in the first fifteen games (including cup fixtures), and scrape through the playoffs.
Again you could be forgiven for thinking that my mouth had been replaced by my bum as I was clearly talking out of my arse hole.

I think Parkinson has been given plenty of time to prove himself, but take out the first six games of last season and his performance is not good enough to get us where we need to be. To get us where the club can actually survive financially.
Clearly we need to win promotion to get us back to where we can survive financially, and that is by no means guaranteed, but I think we don't need to get lucky to scrape through the playoffs now. Parkinson has also done a lot more that win the first six games of last season.

Overall I think we have failed to really perform at home. I know the teams come to defend in many cases, but we have now played the team bottom of the forth division and a conference side at home and after nine league games and three cup games we have failed to record a two goal victory. We haven't even held a two goal lead.

This can be offset by us having scored more goals away than anyone else in the division.

I remember reading an interview with Steve Gritt from the 1970s (I think) where the suggestion that away performances are better because of the pressure that the home crowd put on the players at The Valley. We are certainly more demanding at home that other teams in the division, but then so we should be, we are one of the best supported teams in the division, and were in the Premier League a few years ago.

Since we lost to Brighton in what we were describing as a six pointer before kick off, but not afterwards, we have picked up 16 points from a possible 18 and we have won seven and drawn three from ten games. Maybe we are going to do a Norwich after all?

Either way I would like to distance myself from the negative comments (and thoughts for that matter) that were released too soon after the 4-0 defeat at home.

I have always given our manager my full support, but I'd like to confirm that I am fully behind Parkinson. This is unless we lose at Rochdale and Luton, or course, in which case I'll be calling for him to be sacked!

Up the Adicks!

Half full or half empty

2010-10-26T18:00:00.002+01:00

There are many emotions that the average fan experiences during a football match. Even a drab 0-0 can take us through highs and lows, and sometimes a comfortable win (or defeat) can cause little emotion due to inevitability of the result once a decent lead has been established.

The most exciting games, however, involve something of a surprise result from a certain point in the proceedings. Our game at Newcastle in January 1992 was such an example. From being 3-0 behind in the first half we managed to come back to win 4-3. I wasn’t at the game, but I still remember, some eighteen years later, screaming in the car when the third, and especially the forth, goals went in. The season was unremarkable, despite us missing out on the playoffs by three points, and Newcastle finished just five points above a drop into the third division, but that game will probably be memorable for the rest of my life.

The game on Saturday had a number of emotions. The excitement and trepidation when we went 1-0 in front. It is difficult to come back from a goal behind and win, especially when you have as little confidence that we have right now, so to score first was very important. The trepidation was that having expected a defeat we suddenly had something to lose.

At 2-0 I started to feel really excited at the very real possibility that we were going to get at least a point – away to a side that had started the season well, and much better than we had.

At half time I just thought we needed to keep it tight for the first five minutes and leave them chasing a two goal lead that would soon start to drain their enthusiasm and confidence of getting anything out of the game.

At 3-0 all of the emotion drained out of me. I was no longer worried about not winning the game. The third goal didn’t make that much difference and suddenly I accepted that we would win, and was very, very relaxed about it.

3-1 and nothing much changed. Back to the plan for the start of the second half. Keep it tight for five or ten minutes and stop them from believing that they have a chance.

3-2 and “Shit, we’re never going to keep them out until the end!”

3-3. The anger started to surface. We needed something out of this game and we had thrown away a very confortable lead. I wasn’t angry with Parkinson or the players, but I could just sense the anger building up in me. I should mention at this point that Mrs Kings Hill and Kings Hill Junior had gone to stay with Mrs Kings Hill’s mother for the weekend and due to the amount of work I had to get done I’d worked right through the night and was pumped full of caffeine. I was feeling very angry.

I was confident that we would go on to lost the game. In those circumstances the team that has come back from 3-0 down has all the impetus. Strangely we let a 2-0 lead slip at Norwich last season and managed to keep them from winning 3-2 twice in the last few minutes with goal line clearances. At this point, however, I would have taken a draw because anything less would have been a total disaster, under the circumstances.

Our forth goal, coming as late as it did, was clearly a winning goal. I was pleased for Benson to have scored it (his fifth) and it will potentially have a massive effect on our season. The emotion was less like euphoria and a little more like relief. After having the game in the bag at 3-0 anything less than a win was a terrible outcome.

So this leaves us rather like where we were before we played Brighton. We still look like a side that will do well to make top two but should really fancy itself to make the top six. The relegation threats seem to be on the back burned again for another week. I was never that worried about relegation, but then I wasn’t until January in 2008/09, but the fear that another season in this division and the financial implications it brings is never far away.

Those that are half full will be looking at the three points to second and the one point to sixth, and the half empty will be looking at the six points to forth from bottom.

At least it’s not exciting.

Up the Addicks!

Comments and Spam - Not Charlton related

2010-10-19T10:31:00.000+01:00

Anyone that has ever written a blog will understand how gratifying it is to receive comments. Sadly I normally only receive comments when I have written a controversial, or negative post. This suggests that people do not like what I have written, and often that is the case, but I suspect that the controversial and negative posts are the ones that are written after an event that makes us all emotional. With that in mind I suspect that those writing the comments are doing so as they feel emotional enough to 'have their say. Certainly I add more comments to other football blogs when I feel like that.

However I have recently been the beneficiary of a significant increase in comments from various helpful retailers offering to sell me all sorts of products and services. I have no idea how so many of these helpful souls deduced that I (or my readers) would benefit from a penis enlargement and then some Viagra to maximise the benefit of such an enlargement, and time the effectiveness of the Viagra on a new watch that looks just like a real Rolex, but I decided not to share those comments.

For the record I did not do so in an attempt to keep all the Viagra and the Rolex watches (well you'd not know the difference unless you had eyes) to myself, while siting in the waiting room for my 'minor' to 'major' surgery. No, I just decided that Kings Hill Addick was not in a position to endorse these products at this time. *

The solution to this influx of helpful retail contacts is to 'moderate' all comments and 'mark as spam' those that are not Charlton related (like this post in fact) but they became just too numerous. This did beg the question, "Just how many penis engagements can one need?" but I'm getting side tracked. This had now become a nuisance, so I've decided to follow my peers and add a word verification that should reduce the numbers of 'offers' comments I have to reject.

I am conscious, however, that this increases the effort for people to leave comments, and despite it being a huge boost to my blogging ego when I receive them I have decided to risk it by taking this route. I would ask that if you were going to leave a comment, please do go to the little extra effort as your comments are important to me and are greatly appreciated.

Up The Addicks!

* If you would like a penis enlargement, some Viagra or a watch that looks just like a Rolex, please leave a comment below. I will not help you with supplying your need, but it will provide a good laugh to all those that visit after you did.

Charlton 0 v 4 Brighton

2010-10-17T09:58:00.001+01:00

What was that all about?

I'm not going to write too much because I don't have anything good to say and as my mum always used to say......

My Dad was away and I text him after about fifteen minutes and suggested that Brighton had a lot of confidence but limited talent. I still believe that, but they beat us 4-0 and despite the fact that the score line could be described as flattering Brighton, it was an easy win for them in the end.

My thoughts in bullet points:

- Benson had an average game compared to what I've seen so far.

- Abbott was shocking from start to when he went off. He looks overweight and cumbersome when he runs. I had very high hopes for him at the end of the season, but I'm now wondering if he was just having a good season last year at Oldham.

- Our players played like a group that had met in the changing room. The suggestion that the team needs to gel is looking like wishful thinking now. We are just not a team in any sense of the word when comparing us to Brighton.

- Kish was the best player on the pitch by a mile (in my opinion) and we released him three years ago (when he was three years closer to his peak) because we thought he wasn't good enough for us any more.

- Anyinsah looked like the best forward we have at the club but came on when the game was lost.

- We chose the worst performance for what could well be the highest crowd we will have for years if not decades - especially if we continue the decline we seem determined to.

- Parkinson could have no excuses if he were relieved of his duties this week, and the pressure of that will almost certainly make it harder to turn things around

- We lost 4-0 at home in the third division. Chicago Addick pointed out on his blog that the last time we lost 4-0 at home it was to Man Utd, who are actually rather good.

- It was rather cold at The Valley yesterday and my Dad was in Tenerife where it was "High 20s". I wish I'd been with him drinking a cold Dorada.

I have been supportive of Parkinson for a long time now. I've believed, or should I say trusted, Richard Murray's insistence that this is the man to lead us to success. However, we are getting dangerously close now to the conclusion that appointing Curbishley was the exception to the norm and that the appointments of Dowie, Reed and Pardew are better indications of his ability to select the right man for the job.

It's almost an admission that if we are forced to sack Parky, Murray should be held accountable for our fall from grace, and that places pressure on him too. The relegation from the Premier League after Curbishley left was, to a small degree, acceptable as we were never a totally established top flight side. However, never in our history have we been a bottom half of the third division side, and that looks like what we are right now.

Let's also remember that, despite his involvement in getting us there, we have never had a better platform from which to grow this club than we had in the first few years of this millennium, so our fall from grace is even more incompetent.

If we are going to turn around our fortunes like Norwich did last season we are going to have to follow their lead and replace the manager. Otherwise we are going to have to get lucky, raise the performances above what we have been seen in the first fifteen games (including cup fixtures), and scrape through the playoffs.

I don't want to be too dramatic after a big defeat, and Brighton were top before the game, but I don't want to watch another season of decline with all the financial implications that come with it.

I think Parkinson has been given plenty of time to prove himself, but take out the first six games of last season and his performance is not good enough to get us where we need to be. To get us where the club can actually survive financially.

So, no pressure then?

Up the Addicks!

Charlton 1 - 0 MK Dons

2010-09-29T10:12:00.000+01:00

This season isn't going to be a precession, it never was. We have brought in some good players for this level, but having lost the players with the greater natural ability like Butron, Sam, Shelvey and Bailey we were always going to have more games where we would have to ground out results rather than brush teams aside.

Last season we beat MK Dons 5-1 at The Valley in a game that came after a run of one win in six. However, the result gives the impression that it was an easy victory. In the end we could have scored ten, but they did score first, and at 1-0 (or was it 1-1) we cleared the ball off the line (with a hand - it should have been a penalty) then preceded to go straight up the other end and score ourselves.

Thus that game could well have gone the other way, which could have had a huge effect on our season. Including that MK Dons game we won seven and drew four before we lost to Orient at The Valley in January. Maybe I'm giving it too much importance, but that game could well have been a turning point.

I believe that last night's game could also be a turning point. We have now won three of out five home games 1-0 with a 1-1 and a 2-2 draw. There are only four teams that have conceded fewer goals than us this season. We are looking difficult to score against (Dagenham and Redbridge were given a very dubious penalty) which means that we don't need to be scoring for fun to win games.

I know it's a little childish to make excuses, but I believe that we have deserved three of our four wins this season, Notts County being the only game that we got more than we deserved. I also think that with a proper Referee we would have won at Tranmere and at home to Dagenham and Redbridge, and the penalty at Exeter was a little debatable. Thus, even if we'd lost the Notts County game we probably deserve to have two points more than we have now. You could also make the point that Notts County didn't have any unfair decisions go against them, sure they had a few chances, but we just defended them well, including the penalty that was saved. It wasn't even missed, it was saved. There is no law that you have to dominate a game and give the opposition no chances to win games, you just have to keep them out and grab a goal.

This all makes for very positive reading. Sure we haven't played very attractive football much this season, but none of the teams in this division play like we got used to seeing during the Premier League years. We have managed to get through the first nine games, and with a little more consistent referring we would be on the same number of points as Brighton, and the team is starting to look like they know each other.

The game last night was hardly a classic, but from my perspective we didn't look like conceding, and we had a few half chances before Benson scored the goal that broke his duck. In fact I was very impressed with him last night. His running off the ball was both industrious and intelligent, and he does hold the ball up well. It would seem that he has more to offer than he showed at Dagenham and Redbridge, according to their Manager, who suggested that we needed to change the way we play to benefit him.

Following on from the goal against Notts County and his performance against Dagenham and Redbridge Anyinsah has shown that he will be a very good acquisition, and I have already discussed my appreciation of what Abbot has to offer. I think we have an embarrassment of riches up front for this level. Sure there is no Darren Bent or Clive Mendonca in there, but for the teams we are going to be playing this season we have at least three strikers that are capable of doing a really good job, and I think there is more to Sodje than being a battering ram, although he is very good at coming on to do just that.

With Fortune coming through a full 90 minutes, and looking like he still has some pace we have options at the back. If you assume that Dailly and Fortune can cope with pacey forwards that leaves us several options based on what is required. My own personal view is that unlike last season Llera is now probably going to have to settle for being 4th choice, but I am more than happy for him to play when the need arises. Despite his lack of pace I think he is very capable. He was clearly significantly at fault at Colchester last season, but that is the only game that I would say he has had a stinker. For those (and I guess I'm talking about on Charlton Life) that blamed him for the Dagenham and Redbridge result I would point out that he scored a goal, wasn't responsible for giving away the penalty (irrespective as to your view of the Ref's decision), and it wasn't his man that scored the second equaliser. He does get done for pace, but that doesn't always lead to a goal.

Midfield is probably the one area where we have some doubts. Mainly over the reliability of Racon. He can be a very good player, but he can also go missing in games. Semedo is a shoe-in for me, so it comes down to McCormack (who I think is probably cover for Semedo) Racon, Jackson and Martin with two up front. The options on the wing encourage me - even if I might start with different players that Parkinson chooses. Last night Wagstaff was hardly in the game, yet he has been really good this season. I think we have to accept (as do the players) that if we are going to have the strength in depth that I think we both need and have, some of the players are going to have to be rested when they (and us fans) believe they should play.

One last note - We have Lee Martin on a season's long loan which is, in effect, the same situation as the players that signed a one year contract (Reid, Jackson, Dailly) and he has shown as much commitment as any other player so far. In fact his attitude with regard to effort is exemplary. I'm sure that has something to do with the players and especially the Manager at Man Utd.

So, overall a good win, a performance that suggests that we are going in the right direction, a clean sheet and a goal for our expensive signing.

A good night's work.

Up the addicks!

25 years ago

2010-09-21T14:41:00.000+01:00

Strangely the most shocking moment was two weeks before when the flyer was handed out at the game with Palace. It was ironic that their fans found out at the same time as ours that they would be ground sharing. Maybe it wasn't ironic, maybe it planned that way.

It didn't give the fans of either club much time to arrange any kind of protest, despite the fact that there was a 'sit in' on the East Terrace which was, by this time, declared unsafe.

I have many memories of The Valley, and for me there are two Valleys. The one that we played at until this day 25 years ago, and the one we came back to.

In all honesty there wasn't much to be proud about with The Valley during the five years I had been going when we moved away. It was a terrible stadium by modern standards (as were most of them in those days) but it had not provided me many memories of successes or wonderful victories either. The modern day Valley has seen us chalk up victories against the then current Premier League Champions, the then current European Champions, as well as most of the top flight teams - Man Utd being the only exception.

Twenty-five years ago I hadn't, and I've hardly now, gone to games with friends, I went with my Dad, and at that time a lot of the things I did I did with my parents. I knew it was something important as my Dad seemed genuinely concerned about it all, but at this time The Valley was a tired stadium.

My memories of that day are that we, by some quirk of fate, sat in the same spot as we did some seven years later when we came back, and we got on the pitch at the end. The result, despite being a 2-0 win, seemed of little importance.

I had never been on the pitch before, and we, like most others, dug up a small section of turf to replant in our garden in Basildon in Essex. I suspect that The Valley turf now covers the largest area of any football club, even though it might well have died off in our garden and I certainly don't know exactly where it is today (my Mum still lives there).

None of the things we did that day (parked in the normal spot, walked up the usual roads etc.) had anywhere near the same significance as they did when we returned in 1992. Ironically, despite talking about those things for literally years we have now abandoned all those traditions and replaced them with new ones. We park in a different spot and approach the ground from the opposite side as we used to.

A few years ago my Mum gave me the framed photo' of the last game at The Valley that my Dad had bought and hung in our front room for many years. I used to look at it on the way to the kitchen and wish "If only we could just get back there again one day". When I offered it on to my Dad (who doesn't live with my Mum now) he said that I could have it. I hung it on the wall outside my office so that I could see it 'on my way to work' every day (I work from home). Today it looked different, but I'm convinced that I can still see us in the North Stand.

When I look at that scene I realise just how much we have to be grateful for today. Let's never make the same mistakes again.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Notts County at home

2010-09-09T19:27:00.000+01:00

After two, frankly, terrible results in the League, all be it a win inbetween in the JPT, we entertain a Notts County side that have also won two, lost two and drawn one. The bad news for us (as far as form goes) is that their two losses were at the start of the season, and they are unbeaten in the last three games while we haven't won since the back to back victories at the start of the season.

Naturally, this all points to a home win, which would be nice.

This season has not started anywhere as well as last season, but it is hoped that we will be more consistent over the season that cast where we had good and bad spells. Sadly, however, I can't get the though out of my head that we are already eight points behind where we were this time cast season. The season is hardly decided in the first five games, but eight points does sound like a lot to me.

Anyway, we are where we are and we have am opportunity to pick up a win on Saturday that will lift all our spirits and get us back on track towards what can hardly be thought of a as success when promotion might be the only way to avoid administration and potentially the end of the club.

In case it wasn't obvious I'm not feeling terribly optimistic today. I think the shortness of the summer and the general crappyness of the weather in August is beginning to take it's toll on me as the days seem to be getting very short (in terms of daylight) and I feel as though I'm still waiting for the proper summer weather to arrive following on from our teasing couple of weeks in June.

Anyway I have decided to investigate an alternative method of charting our progress this season. I'm going to compare points won this season with the corresponding fixtures from last season. As we are only five games in, and as I haven't yet decided what to do about the teams that were not in the division last season I'm going to produce my first comparison 'table' after we play Notts County. Sadly with two of our first six games being against teams that we didn't play last season it is going to be a little disjointed, but of the other four games we've already dropped two points courtesy of the defeats at Huddersfield and Exeter where we drew last season. However beating Bournemouth at home when we only drew at home to Gillingham might make up for it.

My biggest worry about our side right now is the potential absence of Dailly. I know he is going to be out for a few weeks, but without any suggestions of foul play, Youga was going to be out for about ten days last October and short of a miracle will manage to be injured for a full twelve months.

With Fortune not expected to be ready for first team activity for a month or so we are going to look very short of pace at the back and with Llera's tendency to make outrageous mistakes from time to time it means that we are increasing the ores sure on the front men to score at least one goal to avoid defeat.

The pressure of needing to be promoted this season (having sunk in following the two wicks since the EGM)

Up the Adddicks!

Next... Exeter away

2010-09-03T11:24:00.001+01:00

I've been a little quiet for a few games. It's strange really, I'm enjoying the football more than usual, the squad looks in good shape and I really fancy our chances of being involved in the promotion shake up, but I'm just struggling for inspiration when it comes to writing about it.

I am coming to the end of the summer holidays. I have been looking after my six year old son for most of the last eight weeks, and with just one week to go I am gearing up for the start of the return of the 'school run'. I complain to my working wife that I have to do so much for our son, but secretly I love it! He is a little quiet in the car in the mornings (we get up late and he eats breakfast in the car) but by the time we get to 3:20 in the afternoon he is much more excitable. To be fair getting any information out of him about the school day is like pulling teeth, but he does come running out of the class shouting "Daddy!" and I get a big cuddle.

I only mention this, well I have no reason for doing so do actually, but despite having to do the school run I still have much more time to get work done compared with him being home for nine weeks. In all fairness it isn't nine weeks as he spends a coupled of weeks (one of which is this week) with his Nanny in Peterborough (his Mummy's Mummy), and one day a week, when he's home, with my Dad and his other Nanny.

This week has been a little testing. Despite denying it vehemently to Mrs KHA, I was, indeed, missing him within twelve hours of leaving him in Peterborough (and I slept for at least six of those). For any of you that are interested we are going to collect him this evening. I don't really need to go, Mrs KHA finishes at 4pm today and will be going straight from work, but if I go I will get to see him five or six hours earlier - why wouldn't I want to do that?

Other than for the absence of my best friend, I have had the opportunity to do a full weeks work at the office (the spare bedroom) this week. There have been a number of things that I've been leaving over the last few weeks as a six year old can reduce one's concentration, and despite my job being a little easy, it still requires that I think a little but about some of the things I do.

Anyway I thought I'd take a bit of time out of my last full day (except I'm leaving at 4pm to drive to Peterborough) to say a few words about our game at Exeter.

I didn't go to Huddersfield, and despite being openly willing to take a draw, I was a little disappointed with the result. I was especially worried about some of the stats from the game. No shots on target until injury time, by which time we were three nil down. I would like to think that this is just an anomaly against a very strong side, but I am concerned that when we play against teams that don't defend in large numbers we are going to be penned back and struggle to create much.

Anyway, since then we have signed Paul Benson, Joe Anyinsah, and Jon Fortune (all be it only until Christmas and he is likely to go out on loan for a month).

The Dagenham and Redbridge game gave us a chance to have a look at Benson and from what I saw I think he might be the answer. Either way I'm going to trust Parky and assume that he knows what he is doing. There has been little to suggest that he doesn't and a lot to suggest that he does.

In fact, unless I'm mistaken, Benson looked a little uncomfortable playing (and trying to score) against the team that he had left, just the day before. My Dad remarked that "He doesn't want to score against his old team." I'm not suggesting any foul play, but there were at least two of his chances where I would have expected him to smash the ball into the back of the net, but he seemed to choose to try and 'pass' it into the net.

We are still gelling in a new squad, even before we signed three more players on Monday, so it is understandable that we would have a few blips in the first ten games, but I'm still confident that we have what we need. The real test, however, is where we are after those ten games. Striking distance of the top two and we are in for a good season, mid table and we might have to accept the target is the playoffs, so tomorrow's game is very important. We need to keep the leading teams very close until the side is settled enough to go on a long run of successful results.

The revelation that those running the Club have given up on trying to make it sustainable in the third division puts me back where I was twelve months ago, where no victory can be celebrated, yet every defeat has to be considered a disaster. I am not being greedy, I am not demanding too much and I have not got too high expectations. The truth is that the Club's very existence depends on a very successful season. So, no pressure for Parkinson and the players then?

In truth a draw tomorrow will not be a disaster. Exeter had some very credible results at home last season including beating Leeds and Huddersfield (on the last day of the season). They haven't lost at home since February, and we drew there in April.

I wouldn't say I'd take a draw at this moment in time, but if that's what we get I will be able to live with it, as long as we go on to beat Notts County next weekend.

Up the Addicks!

Baton (2010) Ltd

2010-08-23T18:56:00.003+01:00

I didn't receive the letter that was sent out about this morning's meeting, despite being a shareholder. I think the main reason for this is that I have never changed my address from my Mum's house as my wife makes me move so often it hardly seemed worth it.

I had, however, scanned my Dad's copy, and was not completely sure exactly what it meant, but as I intended to go today I was sure I'd find out in due course.

In terms that I would have understood this is basically what has happened:

Charlton Athletic Plc - which is the company that we fans own shares in, has sold Charlton Athletic Football Company (which owns the players) and Charlton Athletic Holdings (which owns The Valley and the training ground) to Richard Murray's new company Baton 2010 Ltd for £1 each.

Thus if you bought shares in Charlton at any time in the past you now own a share of a company that has no assets and no income. This is actually irrelevant now as the company will be dissolved. Thus you will no longer have any shares as there is no longer any company.

For those of you, like me, that bought £100 worth of shares that means that you will never see that £100 again, and you no longer have any tangible asset (valid share certificate and/or a part ownership of the club). In actual fact the £100 was gone a long time ago. The club is no longer trading on the AIM (Alternative Investment Market) but you wouldn't have been able to sell those 200 shares as no one would buy them, so they were worthless anyway. There were 200 shares for £100 as the club did a right issue a few years back and the shareholding changed from 100 shares with a nominal value of £1 each to 200 with a nominal value of 50p each.

So, in essence, I paid £100 to be able to call myself a shareholder of the club for a few years (I can't remember when I bought them, sorry). The other benefit, of course, was that I was giving the club some money to spend and as all they do with the money is invest it the club (and team) that I love that is ok too.

There would be a different view if I had invested £10,000, but I honestly believe that anyone who invests money in a football club has to be willing to lose it all. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it is true.

So, ultimately, both the companies, one that is the real club and the one that owns The Valley and the training ground, are owned by Baton 2010 Ltd, which is owned by Richard Murray.

There were a few heated questions about the removal of the fans shareholders, and they were answered with the following - I'm paraphrasing:

The Valley is worth £4m (this is the land value with no planning permission and with a ban on residential development by the Council) the training ground's value (not mentioned today) was estimated to be, from memory, at £2m. Thus with total assets of £6m and with loans of £7m to Lombard Finance, £1m to HSBC and £22m to the directors (all of these loans had preference to the assets before the ordinary shareholders) there was a total negative value of the club of £24m. Thus, and this was stated by Richard Murray, the club was owned by the banks and he and the board just ran it for them.

So basically the shares were worthless in any case, and there was no way the club could continue as it was otherwise we would have ended up in Administration, with the ten point penalty as a reward.

When the fan/shareholder questioned this Richard stood up (the meeting was not being chaired by him as he was the purchasing party) and explained in no uncertain terms that the club needed £5m to avoid administration this season and he was willing to put that in out of his own pocket, and if anyone else in the room would rather do so they were more than welcome, but if we were to keep our shares now then we would lose them in Administration. Again I'm paraphrasing.

Other points to note are that the £15m of bonds (loans with an option to be converted into shares) were effectively being wiped out. There is a legal procedure that they went through, but in essence these debts are now gone, and they have not cost the club a penny. Thus I think a big thank you is owed to those that 'invested' £15m and have now waived any right to ever seeing that money again.

The £7m that was invested last year to see us through last season will still be a debt, but no interest will be payable until we reach the Championship, and none of the debt will be repaid until/unless we reach the Premier League, and then it will be repaid over three years.

Thus the club now has total debts of £15m, half of which do not need to be repaid unless we make it the the Premier League. In essence this means that the Premier League and the Directors have funded £29m of the total development costs of The Valley. Bearing in mind just how much money we lost on players that Pardew brought to the club that have now gone this is an impressive achievement.

The biggest disappointment of the day for me was the realisation that this change is not going to give us long term security in this division. We need, and I mean need, to win promotion this season. The current set up has trading losses of c. £4m this year (the other c. £1m is for working capital and one off payments).

In real terms the TV money and the ticket income cover the admin and the running of the stadium. The shortfall is almost exactly the costs of the playing staff. Richard was confident that in the event of failure to be promoted there would be alternative investment to keep the club going. In the event of promotion we would benefit from c. £6m more in TV money. That fact makes Charlton a viable business in the Championship, but not in League One.

There were a number of other subjects covered, but I cannot be bothered to discuss all of these at length, so I'll just use bullet points for some of them. Some of what I'm going to say is my interpretation of what Richard was saying, so if I'm wrong then I'm sorry.

There was mention of us securing permission from the Football League for the transfer of ownership. This was as Southampton were docked 10 points when their holding company went into Administration - we are about to dissolve our holding company. We are ok in the eyes of the FL.

Last summer's takeover was eventually cancelled as the buyers were unable to prove they had the funds to take the club forward -this, I believe, included being able to bankroll the club.

There were some details of the Shelvey deal. £1.7m up front (reduced to £1.5m with factoring) with a further £250k after each ten starts (an appearance from the bench is equal to half a start), up to 40 starts (£1m) and a further £250k if Shelvey plays for England. We also get 20% of anything he is sold for above what we have already been paid.

Richard was asked about any further signings, and he said that we are hoping to sign a defender, a striker and a player that can play upfront or on the wing (a player than can do both rather than one or the other). He said that he is hopeful that we will have these three signed up by the end of the week.

The Academy was brought up, and Richard said that we intend to keep it, but without boring you too much, the top Premier League clubs want to have different gradings for Academies, which would probably mean that they would have a perceived better set up than us. Time will tell. Sir Maurice Hatter, on the subject of the Academy, offered to stump up £100k if it could be matched by the others in the room. I think his money is safe for now, but I believe that this was a genuine offer.

There was a question about what the club can do to remove the 'Incest' (Adams Family) song at The Valley. it would seem that the club feel they can't do any more than they are currently doing, which is asking nicely for the fans to not sing it. I don't like it. I don't think it is what Charlton are about. I have to confess to swearing at games and half a dozen times a season I call a player (never one of ours) or the referee a word that begins with 'C' and finishes with 'unt'. I always feel embarrassed after doing so as I know it's not nice for women and children (and there is one of the former and a few of the latter in ear shot of me). However I think unpleasant songs are premeditated and there is no need or place for them. I would guess they won't be stamped out, but the club are trying.

There was mention of Parkinson, and Richard Murray said that he couldn't have more respect for him.

Last thing, Richard agreed to hold a meeting like this one for former shareholders every year. This was a nice touch, just the sort of thing I have come to expect from him. One other thing, he made the point that as a Plc he was restricted as to what he was allowed to say (even though you'd have struggled to believe it) but he said that once the new company is set up he has to answer to no one and he will be much more open. I'd get along to the next meeting he is at if I were you, as I'm sure it will be fantastic value for money!

Up the Addicks!

Next... Oldham at home

2010-08-20T21:09:00.000+01:00

The season has started well, and tomorrow we have a home game with the only other side in the division that has six points. Thus a win and we are guaranteed to be at least two points clear at the top. MK Dons being the only other side with a 100% record, and they have only played one game.

Southampton, having postponed the game with MK Dons last weekend as the owner of their club died, are now six points behind us. I will watch, with interest, how their season progresses. I have believed that Pardew's ability to tinker with his side, and especially his squad, would be their downfall this season. It is likely that he will not be able to bring in any more players from now on, and as I believe that his only solution to a struggling team is to sign more players that could be the end of him, and them.

For the same reason, although with much smaller numbers, as Portsmouth, I hate to see sides have success by defaulting on their commitments only to then go on a spending spree. I hope Southampton fail to be promoted this season, the owners lose interest, and they struggle with a wage bill that is not sustainable in this division. Frankly I'd be more than happy for them to be relegated and go into liquidation, but that's a story for another day.

Back on to our fortunes. I have a feeling of confidence this season that I just cannot shake. I believe that we are significantly stronger this sea on that last. Sure we have lost some talented players, but we have replaced them with adequate replacements, and we have filled the obvious holes that we had in the first eleven cast season. Like for like Kyle Reid is, in my view, a better option on the left than Bailey was, and I'd already come to the conclusion that Bailey wasn't suited to play in the middle in anything other an a 4-5-1 formation.

Clearly we have insufficient players to expect to go through the whole season as injuries and suspensions will force us to call on squad players, but Parkinson is targeting two more players, and with some of those we already have being used on a variety of positions I'm confident that we have enough to get us close enough, and there is always the emergency loan system, should we have any major problems.

Oldham's highest scorer last season lines up against them tomorrow and, as I've already said, I suspect that he is going to score fifteen goals plus for us this season. I am one of those people that don't believe in suspicions, but for no other reason than I think he's a good striker I think he'll score tomorrow. He has already got two this season, and none in the league. I think he is due a Valley goal, and if we can keep ten players on e pitch for the full 90 minutes I think he'll have plenty of chains to get one.

I am confident that we will score a fair number of goals this season, but as we are still gelling in a lot of new players I will be mopper than happy with a 1-0 win. Having said that I expect us to win by two, maybe a 3-1.

As we haven't signed any new players, up to 4:30 on Friday, I'm guessing we will not have anyone new for tomorrow, but with Semedo and Dailly suspended it already forces two changes from what most would call our first eleven. I would be surprised if we don't start with ten of the eleven that started last Friday, and it is a toss up between Llera and Fry. The revelation that we had to pay West Ham more if Fry played for us last season casts doubt on his relative position in the pecking order, but I think Spaniard will get the call.

I'm really looking forward to it.

Up the Addicks!

Orient 1 - 3 Charlton

2010-08-16T16:53:00.002+01:00

As this game was on Friday night, it was on live television and it is now Monday afternoon I think we can assume that if you are reading this you have already had your fill of the game - but as you are here I might has well say a few words.

It's strange how as a race we are all much better at complaining than we are at praising. I have read (don't ask me why) a few books on being a good communicator, business associate, and friend and they all go to great length to tell you to look for positives when interacting with fellow members of the human race.

The reason that the authors tell you this is that you will always be remembered as a 'nice', 'polite', 'friendly' chap if you take the time to say something complementary. By making one feel comfortable (being nice to them) you single yourself out as being unusual, as most people like to bitch and whinge about everything.

The really strange thing about this approach (being nice and positive to people) is that their judgement goes out of the window. This is how blokes that you wouldn't believe any girl would sleep with often end up shagging for England. I'm not talking about being witty and 'smooth' in a pub or night club, I'm talking about being, what many would call excessively, nice and polite.

Anyway, as my income is based on how I relate to my clients and other business associates I have learned to make that special effort. To be honest I don't find it all that hard. I have a great life, I have a nice house, a wonderful family, and I do a job that I both enjoy and leaves me enough time to share my Son's childhood with him.

However, I am as good as the next man (if not significantly better) at bitching, whining and complaining. As already mentioned I tend to avoid that tendency when it comes to business, and as Mrs Kings Hill will not take any shit from me, ever, that only leaves me two outlets. Former colleagues are always happy to join me in a bitching session about our industry. I work in Financial Services, and it has not exactly been the best place in the world to be the last couple of years. The other outlet I have is this blog. I know this blog is relatively new, but it has given me a forum to vent my anger and disappointment since I started in January 2008.

I have joined in on Charlton Life in recent weeks as it is a very informative place to seek (often without asking) the opinions on subjects that I am interested - clearly football and Charlton specifically. However, I fear that my sharp tongue has already started to alienate people, and most of the members are currently finding inspiration (in my view) difficult as things are going rather well in the Charlton Athletic world right now.

So back to Orient away. Well I thought that the first yellow card was probably warranted, all be it not strictly necessary. I'm not sure I would have called for a card had it been the other way around, but on the replay it was clearly a sneaky attempt to control the ball in the hope that it wouldn't be seen. The second yellow was, in my view, very harsh. I watched the game at my Dad's house, so as I was driving home I was not drinking, and despite the remarks from the commentators, I was sure that it was a stretch too far and not worthy of a second yellow.

For the record I do not believe that any referring decision should be made taking into account other factors. If you deserve a red card in the first minute, then you should get one. All this rubbish about not wanting to spoil a game, and it was only one minute in, is bullshit. If the referee is not going to send anyone off for the first ten minutes then let's make a that a rule and the players can go out there and deliberately try to put their opponent out of the game, then when the eleventh minute starts they can all play nicely. Yeah, right!

So the fact that Dailly had been given a yellow card already (one that I can't really disagree with, despite the fact that I do) shouldn't have any bearing on the decision for the second. I mention this as I am not saying it didn't deserve to cause the player to be sent off (although in isolation clearly it didn't) but I believe the second yellow was wrong. I'm guessing the decision was made easier by the fact that the Orient player did a 'Bailey' and looked like he was inches from death.

On the Commentators, I now have a new reason to hate being in the third division. you get third division commentators. They got comments wrong, and they babbled like idiots. I would go as far as to say that it would have been better if they'd just showed the game with the crowd noise and sent the fools home.

Anyway, even after the red card I was confident that we'd give a good account of ourselves. I was gearing up to produce all the usual excuses and positive comments about what we "Could take from the game".

The truth is that with Doherty and Llera at the back they were never going to be able to break us down with high balls into the box. Clearly they didn't know that, and they continued to make it easy for us. On Doherty, it looked like he missed the ball for their goal. My only conclusion was that he must have taken his eye off the ball for a moment and misjudged the lunge. Other than that I have been very impressed with him, and his partnership with our player of the year for last season.

The second goal was a great finish by Wagstaff followed by a couple of wonderful touches by Martin and the goal scorer himself. The third goal was late and on the break but something amazing happened.

For nearly thirty years I have watched successive Charlton players (mostly strikers to be honest) miss chances and fail to be exceptionally predator-like in front of goal, but when Wagstaff lost the defender and the camera zoomed out and I saw Solly running down the middle I knew it was going to be a goal. I didn't wonder if the cross would be too heavy (or too short for that matter), and I just knew that this young right back (who has played as many games at left back) was going to put it away.

In fact, so sure was I that I announced "This is going in" long before Wagstaff crossed. I wouldn't have been more sure had it been Ronaldo crossing for Rooney. I have no idea where that confidence came from, but I have this feeling that we are in for a really, really good season. I just can't wait for the next game. Top vs Second is exciting, but I am just brimming with excitement at the thought of watching us again, against anyone.

One last comment, I was intrigued by the look on Christian Dailly's face as he watched the game from the sidelines. There was what I thought was a mixture of intrigue (in the result I would imagine) and a fatherly concern for the players/team. The more of this man I see the more like him. Also he is the same age as McLeish who did that stupid dance when they scored. I can't for the life of me imagine from their demonstration of professionalism which one of these 36 year old players has racked up in excess of 200 Premier League appearances, 67 full international caps, a Scottish League and Cup Double, another two Scottish Cup winners medals, a Scottish League Cup winners medal, runners up medals in the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup and a Charlton Supporters players of the year award.

I want curly hair too. For those of you that know my appearance you'll be thinking that I'd take any hear going, but this week I'm insisting on curly.

Up the Addicks!

Shrewsbury 4 - 3 Charlton

2010-08-11T00:02:00.002+01:00

I didn't bother to post a preview or a match report of the Bournemouth game as I had a hectic end to last week, and after the game I found that there were already half a dozen reports by the time I came to write one, and I had little to say that wasn't already said.

The only thing to comment on was the sending off, and more importantly the failure in the appeal to have the red card over turned. Due to a failure on my part to set the recorder properly I have not seen the challenge on tv. I thought the red card looked harsh at the time, but I was not surprised at the result. The Bournemouth player (who has subsequently admitted that it was not a bad challenge) acted like he literally had both his feet cut off, so the referee was probably always going to give a red card. Missing Semedo will be a real loss, and the fact that he already has this red card against him will no doubt have a knock on effect later in the season, but it has happened now so we will have to get on with it.

So, on to tonight's game. I have been rather quick to criticise the club, manager and players in the past, and I have to admit that losing to lower league opposition, and losing after being 3-0 in front is hardly great PR, but I honestly couldn't be happier.

I know you are probably just assuming that I have been drinking, and/or am a little mad, but the days of believing that we could go a long way in any proper cup competition (i.e. not the JPT) are long gone. I was devastated when we lost at Middlesbrough when we ran Operation Riverside, The flight home (a first for me - flying to a Charlton game) was truly depressing, but every other cup defeat has been predictable and hardly very costly in our pursuit of silver wear or a Wembley appearance. I know that the FA Cup Final was in Cardiff the year we lost to Middlesbrough, but you get the sentiment.

Tonight we were as good as forced to play a reserve side. It is early in the season, Semedo was suspended (see above) and we have to play Orient on Friday night. We have a very shallow squad this season, and this is both practical (based on our financial situation) and sensible based on allocating budget on the first sixteen and then the rest.

I am disappointed that we will have weaker reserves this season, but on the basis that some of our first team will play close to 40 league games this season we just can't justify having expensive players in the squad if they are going to make less than ten starts.

So we've justified having weaker (and in many cases youth players) outside of the first eleven, and we've justified having many of that first eleven rested tonight due to the fact that the season is in it's infancy and we have another game in a few days.

The side, tonight, included a new 'Keeper, an unfit right back, a youth centre half, a youth right back playing at left back, last seasons reserve right winger (still young and inexperienced), a youth central midfielder and two strikers that were making only their second appearances for the club - neither had completed 90 minutes of competitive football for us.

That last paragraph explains why we were likely to be out of the draw for the next round on it's own. Towards the end Reid, Doherty and Sodje were given a run out, which will help with fitness, but was too late to have any meaningful impact on the game, particularly in the case of the latter two.

So overall no surprise that we played reserves, no surprise that our reserves are going to be much weaker than the first team this season and, therefore, no surprise that we lost the game.

The manner of the defeat is a little worrying. Sure, defenders that are a little inexperienced, probably nervous and unfamiliar with their team mates are going to make mistakes, and from what I've read that's why we conceded four goals, but to concede a three goal lead to a lower league side is never good news. However, what I would say is that to have lost that three goal lead we needed to score three goals, which we did. Abbott got his first two goals for us, and Martin chipped in with a goal and an assist. This is very encouraging as far as I'm concerned.

I know it's only two games in and one was against a lower division side, but we now have three strikers that have as many goals as they have starts this season. It's got to be a long time since we've been able to say that. I actually doubt that we have ever had that statistic - and we were worried about strikers just a week or two ago.

As for the League Cup (what ever they are calling it this season) I just hate it. It has been a long time since any clubs have taken this competition seriously in every round they have competed in. Frankly it is unnecessary, and until the latter stages costs money to stage the games, fans don't want to watch it and the players don't want to play in it. In fact, the sooner we can get out of the competition the better as far as I'm concerned.

So would I have preferred us to have lost 1-0 on the night? Well I have to confess that was my first choice before kick off. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in the business of wanting other teams to beat us, but if you want out of the competition there is no other way than to lose. Frankly I would favour the clubs having the option of entering or not. I would vote for us not to bother. I suspect the League know this which is why we don't have the option. They must make a little money from Sky as the bigger teams tend to play a few of their first choice players in the Semi' and the Final, but for teams like Charlton it is a total waste of time and money. I doubt our share of the gate receipts tonight would have covered taking the team all that way and back.

So, normally I would have been happy with a 1-0 defeat, but we managed to score three goals, which is great for the players confidence, and actually it made me feel good too. In fact at 3-0 up the best result (assuming we didn't score more goals) was for us to let in 4 goals and exit the competition, and that's exactly what we did. Thankfully we avoided extra time and the extra fatigue that would have caused.

So, over all a good night. Now we can concentrate on Friday, and the League in general.

Up the Addicks!

Running

2010-08-04T10:14:00.000+01:00

(Not Charlton Related)

One of the worst things about getting old is that your body fails to be able to do what it once would. At 39 I suspect I am a long way from a nursing home, but the 'Good Life' of labour saving gadgets, good food and alcohol has probably not helped. Thus I made a decision to sort it all out.

In fairness it has to be said that becoming self employed and working from home has escalated the decline. I last had a 'proper' job in 2005, and since them I have worked from home and rarely need to leave the house. Don't get me wrong I'm hardly a hermit, but you'd be amazed just how much regular exercise you get traveling to and from work.

Since January 2009 I have been in charge of the school run. It only consists of a 13.5 mile journey (by car, obviously), but there and back, twice, takes a chunk out of my day, and there is a bit of walking as parking right outside the school is very difficult. This has helped, but I've still been 'growing' around the waist, and feeling increasingly older as the months go by.

Way back in February Mrs KHA started running. She joined in with an instructor who was organising a club on Kings Hill, where we both live (obviously) and work - there is a big commercial presence here. We tend to do few things together, mainly because she doesn't like me, but also as we have a six year old who, despite being happy on his own, is way to young to be left home alone.

Anyway as the weeks went by she started to lose weight. She claimed that the running reduced her desires for those bad things that we had both become accustomed to. She now drinks a lot less, and has started eating more healthy - apart from the chocolate mountain she consumes each week she doesn't actually have any other consumption vices.

As she lost weight I started to feel bigger than ever. Due to the Mii characters on the Wii console (you'll either know what that is or you won't) I have been "Fat Daddy" for a couple of years already. I have been ok with this, I'm hardly massive, and at six (he was four when we started) there is no shame in my son's eyes. As time passes he will, no doubt be ashamed of a fat Dad, but I think I'm a way off that yet.

Anyway, I decided I needed to do something. I spent much of my late 20s and early 30s doing Martial Arts. This is a good way to keep fit, and it's good fun too. It was interesting enough to keep me motivated while also being a good source of exercise. However, my body has informed me (with a shoulder problem that has now required two operations, amongst other ailments) that I am too old to be kicked, punched and thrown around every week, so I've been exercise free for over two years.

As it was clearly working for Mrs KHA I decided to try running. By coincidence my wife's running instructor was starting a new beginners class. I know you are all thinking that you can't need an instructor to run, but there is a lot more to consider than just running like when we were children.

Thankfully, there was little demand for this particular time slot, I was the only one to join, so I have my own personal trainer for £8 a session.

I've been going now for about six weeks. June 22nd was my first session. I'd be lying if I said I've loved it, but with an audio book on my iPhone and a bit of discipline (not getting carried away and going too fast - don't tell the wife) I'm now doing 5k runs (with the odd minute it two, walking, thrown in) in just under forty minutes. I suspect this is not at all impressive in the grand scheme of things, but I feel as though I am improving, I've lost a little bit of the fat around my waist and I feel fitter and younger.

Clearly this has allowed me license to go out and but a load of cool running clothes (despite they don't look quite as great on a fatty), some new trainers, socks and one of these Nike+ running watches and the thing that goes in your shoes.

I know that both New York Addick and Dave (Drinking During the Game) go running, the latter suggested once that should join him on a run, but I think he was politely agreeing that I needed to lose some weight. I doubt that I am anywhere near their achievements yet, nor will I be able to hold my own to any other readers that take running seriously, but I do intend to expand my blog ever so slightly, so I will post updates periodically just to keep me motivated.

For the record I was 14st 7lb when I started six weeks ago (I'm 5ft 11.5") and I have only lost a few pounds, but apparently muscle weighs more than fat - so Mrs KHA keeps telling. I have, however, reduced my beer and Coke (that's the drink) intake. Strangely I've found it harder to cut back on the soft drink than the Budweiser, but I keep telling myself "Small steps". I've managed to record over 50k on my Nike+ account - and for those that will understand this I've, therefore, just moved from yellow to orange. Hurrah!

Onwards and Upwards.

Up the Addicks!

Watford 1-0 Charlton

2010-08-02T11:23:00.002+01:00

Having only seen us play at Welling this pre-season before Saturday I didn't have much to go on, except that the result at Barnet was not very impressive.

Despite Watford being one of the weakest teams in the Championship right now I still thought that the difference between the two divisions should make them favourites to win the game. From that perspective I was correct. The difference between the two sides was, however nothing like I thought it might have been.

I have to confess to having little knowledge of Watford, and for all I know they might make three of four significant signings in the next week and make themselves much better than the showing on Saturday. However, there was little on show that impressed me from them as they stand.

The game seemed to be played with hints of an atmosphere of a friendly, but on the whole it looked like both sides were out to give a good account of themselves. This is, of course, not surprising as this was the last chance the players had to earn a place in the starting lineup for the first game of the season.

The game started slowly, but we seemed to be as good as them across the park, but were not looking very threatening in front of goal. As has been said elsewhere by New York Addick, Akpo Sodje is not going to be the answer playing up front on his own. Not unless the midfield can score goals. This potentially opens up the debate about 4-5-1 switching to 4-3-3, something that we didn't seem to be doing in the early part of the game.

However, eight minutes in and Doherty managed a shocking clearance in the box and despite a good save by Elliot, Danny Graham was on hand to score the only goal of the afternoon. This changed the whole game. Watford suddenly looked like the side that had struggled all last season and seemed to have no confidence. One of their last home games of the season was a defeat to Palace, and they looked like they were expecting no better a season this time around.

Maybe I'm being a little unfair, but they seemed to sit back and protect their one goal lead. This actually gave us the kind of workout that I believe we need to be up to the challenge of. William Hill have us installed as third favourites to win the division, and we are only at 3/1 for promotion. Thus I expect, certainly for the first half-dozen games, we will be facing opposition that will come out and sit back and soak up pressure while being happy to take a 0-0.

This is something we had to contend with last season, but with so many new faces it is likely to be a bit of a learning curve. Francis (who didn't play on Saturday), Abbott and McCormack all played in sides that were sent out not to lose most weeks last season, this will be a different scenario completely.

Following the goal we dominated most of the possession, and had most of the chances. I felt in the first half that despite his performance Wagstaff was being tempted inside as there was not enough up front with just Sodje. This comes back to the 4-5-1, 4-3-3 discussion. Kyel Reid, who was fantastic - especially in the second half, does not have the same tendency to cut inside, and I believe is at his best making a run down the touchline. Thus the side seemed unbalanced, despite us controlling the game as half time approached.

The second half was very different. Llera came on the Doherty, who I have to say failed to impress me at all based on that showing, and nine minutes in Abbott came on and we were a different proposition all together. There was probably not enough of Abbott and Sodje together to make any kind of judgement on them as a partnership, but I saw enough of Abbott to be impressed. He does look like Todorov, except that he can (and did) run. I suspect that he is not the master plan, and it is hoped that we will sign a real poacher, but I think Abbott will score goals for us. He is likely to be given more chances than he got for Oldham where he scored 13 goals last term, and I will be very surprised if he chips in with less than 15, assuming he stays fit for most of the season.

The game eventually petered out without us getting the goal that I thought we deserved, but at least we were creating chances, and as long as we can put a few of those away next Saturday I am confident that we will have a winning start to the season.

I see that the squad numbers have been released today, noticeable that we have not given the number 10 shirt to Sodje. I can only assume that is because we are going to sign another striker (which is no surprise) that will be expecting the number 10 shirt. Quite what the result of this will be is unknown at this time, but from what I've seen so far I'm confident that Parkinson will pull something else out of the bag.

Also of interest is that Youga is still number 3. I was a little worried that we would never see him in a Charlton shirt again, but this, despite potentially meaning nothing, suggests that he will eventually get fit again. Fingers crossed.

One last note, which I have no pleasure in, is that Solly looked very much out of his depth on Saturday. Quite what effect the late signing of Francis had on him I do not know, but the difference in his performance from Welling was massive. Maybe he is not yet ready for a prolonged run in the side at League One level? Maybe Welling are just not a real test (when compared with Watford) but I suspect that Francis (who wears the number 2 shirt next season) is going to keep Chris on the fringes for another year. Sadly, as much as it is satisfying having former youth players in the first team, they really do need to be good enough, and based on this one game, Solly doesn't look like he is yet. Mambo, however, looked very comfortable there. He is big and strong, but also looks comfortable on the ball. His allocation of the number 15 shirt suggests that he will be involved this season.

So, just one week to go. I have a funny feeling that this might not be the worst season ever. With Richard Murry at the helm and having made the financial changes that were necessary I don't feel worried for the future of the club if we don't win promotion like I did this time last year. Maybe that will release some of the pressure, it has certainly made me feel less anxious about this season and I'm really looking forward to it.

Up the Addicks!

All Change

2010-07-28T13:13:00.003+01:00

I was going to wait until the eve of the new season before I changed the look of this blog. I appreciate that there is something to be said for continuity, but when I started this blog I had little idea how long it would run for and, therefore, just picked one of the standard templates. This is another template, but I've personalised it a little bit. It may well change again, but for now this is the new look.

The reason for making the change now is that there has been a dramatic change in the ownership at Charlton, and that is significantly more reason to bring up the subject than my preference for the colour of the links on my blog.

The change I'm obviously referring to is that of Richard Murray taking control of the club. There are more than enough summaries of what this might mean elsewhere, and I'm not in the habit of repeating things others have written better than I can, but I will just endorse the decision of the current Directors that have reduced their potential net value and, of course, Richard Murry's latest financial backing of the club. I seriously doubt that he expects to make any kind of return of this latest move.

In fact, I would guess (and this is purely speculation), that he has been willing to make further cash injections of one form or another but has been unwilling to do so when others own shares and are not willing or able to match these injections. As I say this could be nothing but my own imagination, but if I part owned a company (especially one that I had an emotional attachment to) I would be reluctant to put money in when, technically, the money was owed by someone else as soon as I passed it over.

I don't think this is going to mean a change to a less frugal approach. Murray has admitted, much to his credit, on many occasions that massive mistakes have been made with some player acquisitions, and he will probably welcome a much more conservative approach. The less you spend, the less you can waste if it all goes wrong.

Despite the allegations that Pardew may have wasted more money (especially on the difference between what we paid for players and what we 'released' them for), Dowie's signings were also a failure on the whole. We might have realised much of what Dowie spent, but the players failed to provide any value for money on the field, and I think Dowie's signings were probably more responsible for our relegation from the Premier League than Pardew's half a season in charge.

Anyway that is all water under the bridge. Had we been in the Championship this season I might have found myself dreaming about a Curbishley return and another proper challenge for the Premier League. However at this moment in time I am more than happy with Parkinson to steer us out of the third division. I am quietly confident that we might just manage that this season but if not, I think Parkinson is as likely to be able to build a side capable of that in the next three of four years as anyone else that we could attract right now.

In fact, there have been some suggestions that we might be about to sign a player or two for a transfer fee. It is clear that the two strikers we have had on trial have failed to convince Parkinson, and to be fair to them, and him, the chances of signing a striker capable of scoring 15 plus goals in a season on a free, on reasonable wages are pretty slim. The only type of player that is ever available on that basis is one, like Leon McKenzie, who has a history of injury problems. We have had our fair share of players like that in recent years, so I would, personally, prefer to steer clear of them. Sam Sodje is one such example. I'm sure than on his day he can be a really useful asset, but he has a problem with his knee that would worry me with big, important games.

The summer has been much more encouraging that I could ever have hoped for. I seriously doubted we would get £1m for Nicky Bailey, I thought we would be stuck with Mou2 and McLeod's wages for another year, and I would never have imagined we could have sold a third division full back for £450k - especially just before he ruled himself out for three months with a shoulder injury - and we all know three months ends up being more than six. On that subject I can't help feeling that many of the players that are going to Southampton right now are just chasing the money. We have only just offloaded the last of those type of player that he signed for us. I wouldn't be surprised to see Southampton outside the top four approaching Christmas with Pardew drawing up lists of new recruits he needs in January. Just like Man City last season and us two seasons before, you can't buy success. anyway that is a conversation for another day.

Also on the plus side we have kept Christian Dailly, signed McCormack, Doherty, Jackson and Reid, and we have (up to now) kept hold of Racon and Semedo. We, clearly, need more strength in depth and a striker or three, but we have a week and a half before the big kick off, and if all else fails we can start the season with a 4-5-1 with Akpo upfront on his own. That formation won us the first six games of the season last year, and the transfer window is open for another five weeks.

We have also not, yet, signed any loan players. This is where I am hopeful we will be able to bring in a very good young striker for a season that can score close to 20 goals while his club don't need him for a year or two.

The defeat at Barnet was not what we were hoping for, but on the whole I think things are much better than I feared they would be with just a few days of July left.

Up the Addicks!

The excitement builds

2010-07-16T10:57:00.001+01:00

This summer's World Cup was, for me, a real disappointment. In 2006 I flew out to Germany to see us play Ecuador, and it was one of the best weekends I have had. Sure it cost me a lot of money, the ticket alone was €600, but it was well worth it.

Not only due to the distance, but with the recession I was never going this time around, but you will have some idea how much I like these summer tournaments. The build up to the USA game was great. The build up to the Algeria game was cautious, but I was sure we'd go through, we just needed the USA to slip up a little for us to win the group.

After Algeria (and to a smaller degree USA) I just couldn't find any way to restore the initial belief that we could go all the way this year. The eventual exit was neither a surprise nor a disappointment. It was, by then, totally expected. I'm not going to explain what I think went wrong, it's been done enough elsewhere, but it was the end of the summer football excitement for me. I didn't watch another game from start to finish.

Why am I telling you all this?

Well it's just background to a level of building excitement that I never thought I would have after what was, in effect, a season of failure in the third division.

It is really exciting signing players, and apart from the summer that Lennie Lawrence brought in seven new players and won promotion the following May, I don't remember any significant signings in a summer before the Premier years. Pardew went on a spending spree in 2007, and as exciting as it felt at the time, it all went horribly wrong.

Last summer we failed to off load any of the high value players, and as such merely released a few and held on to most of what we had. The board were applauded for this, quite rightly, but I suspect it had more to do with the lack of offers for our players. Either way it prevented Parkinson from moulding a first eleven, never mind a squad, and left us rather unbalanced.

This summer is different, I seem to have adjusted to the type of player we can now afford easier than others seem to have done. I was really excited when we signed Doherty. Maybe I've spent enough years watching us outside of the Premier, or maybe I'm just less ambitious, but I think he is a great signing.

My main reason for the excitement is that I think we are building a very good squad. Sure we've lost a few players, and some will be irreplaceable, but on the whole I'm confident that we will be in a good shape come 1st September.

Here's my logic - and I will be wrong but it's just a guide.

Out have gone Shelvey, Mooney, Reid, Forster, Sodje, Randolph, Richardson, Bailey, Sam and Burton. You may well be able to add Kelly Youga to that list, but if not you would have to consider the loans that replaced him late in the season.

As for replacements:
Shelvey - N/A - he hardly played after the first ten games, but we couldn't replace him for obvious reasons.

Mooney - We still need strikers, but he was hardly prolific.

Reid - I liked him, but he was in contention for the left midfield slot taken by Bailey. We also seem to be close to signing him.

Forster - I think strikers will be coming in, but this was, in my view an inspired signing.

Sodje (S) - Docherty. I think we have replaced an injury prone player with a much better prospect.

Randolph - a new keeper will be required as back up to Elliot. A disappointment to lose a youth product, and he looked good in the run in, but he was Elliot's understudy.

Richardson - Solly will probably play and we will need cover. I have been very impressed with Solly. I know he is not as good, or experienced, as Richardson, but I think his time might have come had they not both been injured at the same time last season.

Bailey - McCormack. I know this is going to make us weaker, but I personally think Bailey was a little over rated as a player due to his goals. No disrespect is intended to him, but I think the loss will be less significant that others do.

Sam - Wagstaff. Despite what potential Lloyd Sam had it so rarely showed itself that without a confidence knock I think it is time for Wagstaff to come of age (I know I've been saying that for a few years now)

Burton - Until we know which strikers are coming in it'll be difficult to judge, but I think he could be a real loss. As well as his goals (I know he scored a few pens) he held the ball up well and brought the midfield into play when we played 4-5-1. I'd go as far as to say that without him, and Shelvey, that particular formation will not work.

Youga/left back - if Youga doesn't come back then I'm more than happy with Jackson at left back. I also think Jackson will be able to fill the role left by Bailey's absence on the left, cutting inside.

So overall we have lost Richardson and Sam on the right, and are going to be relying on the youth players that should have come of age now, but other than that I think we have adequate replacements all over the pitch. It is difficult to gage just what we will offer this season until the strikers are brought in, but from what I've seen we are as strong as we were at this stage last summer in defence and midfield.

It would be a bit of a disappointment if Racon left, and a disaster if Semedo did (I'm genuinely concerned about this) but I'd have taken what we will have if you'd offered it to me two months ago.

I've not mentioned Dailly because he's signed again, something I'm clearly pleased about. I would like us to sign Fortune too, but I suspect he is only training with us as we're local and he knows us. I think he will sign for a Championship side in the end, but we can hope.

I know strikers can be expensive, and are the hardest of all to sign (good ones) but Parkinson's track record of signings is good enough for me to have faith in him to bring in what we need.

So here I am three weeks before the start of the season and I'm as excited about the upcoming season as I can remember.

Up the Addicks!

Squad building

2010-07-04T13:37:00.000+01:00

Well we've heard Parkinson claim that he hasn't been able to build his own squad during the last twenty months, but he won't be able to say that for much longer.

On the basis that we have less than eleven players contracted to the club now, and that three of those were signed by Parkinson we will certainly have his team/squad next season. I, for one, think this is a good thing. Not because I think he has used it as an excuse, as I don't, but it will add that little bit of pressure that he can't, even in the back of his own mind, blame one of Pardew's signings.

Also, while we're on the subject, I actually think that on he whole Parkinson has been better at signing players that Pardew was. Ironic as Pardew kept telling us that he was very good at signing players. There was a suggestion that Brian Clough's success was, in part, to his relationship with Peter Taylor. I wouldn't mind betting that Pardew has some help with his scouting that he claimed all the credit for, but failed to appreciate or recognise when it all started going wrong.

Anyway, we will be seeing exactly what sort of player Parkinson wants to bring in in the next few weeks, and I don't mind twilling you that I'm excited about it all. Sure I'd love to be watching the World Cup wondering if we were going to sign any players competing, like we have in the past, but a new player is a new player irrespective as to how high their profile is.

Clearly he doesn't have the money to literally choose his players and then go and get them, but with so many clubs in trouble right now there will be more free transfers than usual, and despite the fact that we are not going to be offering the highest salaries, we do have some good facilities and, at the end of day, the players, even at this level, are wealthy and would rather have good working conditions, and that includes their place of work.

Much to my surprise it would seen as though we have found a club (manager) that is willing to shell out in excess of £1m for Nicky Bailey. I won't be uncharitable to the chap, and he has given his all for the club so I wish him well, but for the record, despite not expecting to see any of it given to Parkinson, I will be jumping for joy when the paperwork is signed and we have cashed the money.

I honestly don't think that Bailey's absence will cause us to be significantly less successful next season. I'm more worried about the absence of Lloyd Sam, Deon Burton, Sam Sodje (who I think is probably not worth another contract with his injury problems,) Kyle Reid, Nicky Forster and Kelly Youga, for whom the news has gone very, very quiet.

I'm also very concerned about Semedo and Dailly, but as the former is contracted to us for another year and the latter talked like he would like to stay I'm a little more confident that they will be with next season. Fingers crossed and all that.

Basically I think that with a spine of Dailly, Semedo and a goal scorer (I know we don't have one yet) we should be a match for most of the dross that lives in this division. Sure, we failed last season, but we had a couple of poor runs and we finished two points away from second place. In fact for about ten minutes we were in second place on the last day of the season, so we hardly fell short.

I think we should be able to attract decent players in their thirties that don't want to move to a club that does it's training in a public park - especially if they are already financially independent, a bit like Christian Dailly.

Of course, it is possible that we will end up with a load of old rubbish and youth players and in a relegation fight, and even lose the battle, but I'm, at this stage, more confident than that. I predicted that we would finish second last season, behind Norwich, and had we won just one more game that's what would have happened. Even hanging on the the two goal leads we had against ten men Millwall at The Valley in December would have done it for us. Ironic really.

I was very sad to see Steve Gritt leave the club, he was the last member of the staff (players or coaches) that was there when I started going in 1981. He has become a legend. He played for us at the highest level and he was part of the management team when we moved back to The Valley, and he even played in that game. I wish him all the best in what ever he does.

Steve Waggott, not so much.

So, with the World Cup drawing to it's conclusion all eyes now turn to the release of the new Charlton home kit (well the shirt really) and on the basis that we might even have it for two seasons I might just buy one, and the squad rebuilding that Parkinson promises us had already started behind the scenes.

I am sure that we will hold off offering contracts until as late as possible, to save the wages, but once the Bailey deal is confirmed I think we will see a steady trickle of players signing. I can't wait.

Up the Addicks!

Selling Players

2010-06-04T11:09:00.000+01:00

This is quite dangerous as I'm going to stick my neck out and make some predictions. It's dangerous as in the event that I'm wrong, which happens all too often, I will end up with egg on my face. However....

There has been much talk of player sales this summer. Shelvey was sold for just for just over half what we were rumoured to have been offered for him last season, and he was clearly a genuine prospect. It doesn't mean that he'll make it of course as many prospects don't, but for the record I think he will - maybe not in a title winning Liverpool side, but I'd be amazed if he doesn't make it in the Premier League.

Anyway, what does that leave us that we can realistically sell?

I believe that last summer the club tried to sell Bailey and Shelvey to raise funds for new players and to boost the working capital to fund previous and continuing losses. We clearly had more cover in midfield than anywhere else. By the time the 'sale of the club' fell through late summer we had one centre half at the club, no left winger and Burton as the only striker that we could trust to score.

Of course, I have no way of knowing, but I suspect that the takeover was a red herring in the signing of players. I suspect that we needed to sell before we could buy and Bailey and Shelvey were the two that were deemed to be most saleable (Richard Murray confirmed this on more than one occasion) and it was widely known that we wanted to keep Shelvey.

Selling Shelvey was never going to be too difficult. There was always going to be a number of clubs that would be happy to take a punt on him. As I say I could be wrong but I suspect that the £1.7m transfer fee is going to look like a fantastic bargain, and even if not, it's not a great fee for a Premier League club.

Bailey, however, was always going to be a different story. He optimises everything that is wrong with footballers in this modern age. When I say that I do so because he is the opposite of it. The number of players I have seen over the years, and not just playing for us, that have looked like they are not giving 100% is amazing. Bailey always gives 100%. He is an instinctive player, I believe, that doesn't think much about what he does he just gets stuck in and gives it everything. For that he is popular, as most fans can relate to a player that is not hugely gifted but gives 100% as that is what we all believe we would do ourselves.

In my view Bailey's passing can be poor at times and he can be caught in possession in places that are dangerous. I'm not sure he has excelled in the centre, and he is not a natural winger. I believe that his commitment is what keeps him in the side, and won him the Captain's armband. If I'm honest I don't think he is a natural leader. He leads by example, but he doesn't 'Captain' the side like Kinsella or Simon Webster did.

Bailey's biggest failing is his skewed view of the injustices the referees show him. I have never been a fan of players lying on the floor when they are clearly not injured that badly. I also don't like players that chase the Referee to complain about something. Not only does Bailey do this but it is rarely successful. His ability to get up off the floor to chase half the length of the pitch when Orient scored what turned out to be a winning goal, when you'd have thought he was going to have to be carried off until the ball hit the net, is a good example. I know Bailey has scored a number of significant goals for us, but he has also been involved in some that went in the other end.

On the whole Nicky Bailey has been a success at Charlton, and with the exception of a few badly worded comments about leaving (which I suspect were as much to do with his agent) he has shown us a respectable level of loyalty. However, we need to remember that this is a job for him. A career, for sure, but it is how he gets paid, and the club wouldn't think twice about dropping or selling him if it suited them.

So what with happen with our 'most saleable asset' this summer?

Well Middlesborough are being mentioned again. There was talk of him going there last summer, but it didn't happen. I suspect that it's either lazy journalism or a deliberate press release by one of the parties that are involved in Nicky's future. I doubt that this Southerner really wants to move that far North. I could be wrong, but I guess he'd rather go elsewhere.

The real issue is what the financial implications are, both for the player and the club. Bailey has one year left on his contract, which means he can choose where he goes next summer, and probably earn himself an increase in wages in the process. It is widely known that free transfers (that are in demand) end up getting most of the 'saved' transfer fee added to their deal.

So there are two conditions that need to be satisfied. A transfer fee high enough for us to accept needs to be offered and a good enough wage deal to compete with what will be available next summer for a free agent needs to be made to the player. I can't see these two conditions being satisfied.

The snippets that are leaking all seem to point to the fact that our ability to attract players in the last three or four years has been the money we've been paying. Bailey was signed when we were building for a second attempt to win promotion to the Premier League, so he is probably already on high Championship money. In the two years that he has been with us there has been carnage in football finances. I seriously doubt that Bailey is good enough for the Premier League, and I also, personally, doubt that he would make a big difference to the fortunes of a club expecting to finish top six in the Championship, so where would he go?

A move to Southampton has been mentioned, and if Pardew is still there next season, with his spending history, he might get a deal worth having, but would that really be a step up for him? Would he really be offered more than he could get next summer on a free transfer? I also don't know if Southampton would even offer him as much as he's on now - good Championship wages.

Thus it is my belief that Bailey will stay.

I think that same logic applies to Semedo, although I do believe that he is a very good player, and could easily hold his own in the Championship, and could potentially play in the Premier League. With just one year left, however, I think there's a chance that he will choose to stay and prove himself for another season and then get a free move.

Richardson is the other player that is talked about, but he, also has one year left and he signed for us as a free agent so his money is probably too much for a club to match as well as paying a transfer fee.

I'm not sure we have much else that you would imagine could be sold. Sure we could give a few players away, but then we'd need to replace them and that would involve agents fees and there's no guarantee that you would get anyone better for the same money, let alone less, so what's the point?

The football world has changed. Transfer fees for all but the top players have been eroded due to the Bosman rule and the fact that almost all football clubs are needing to cut costs and raise money, not the other way around.

I also have serious doubts that we will be able to shift Mou2kill or McLeod, who's wages are crippling the budget.

What does that mean for our squad, and the club?

I think it means that we will not be able to raise much (any if I'm honest) money this summer and will struggle to reduce the budget of the playing staff and will end up with an unbalanced squad again. More worryingly is that it will probably mean that another injection of capital will be required to bankroll the club through to next summer. I have no idea where that is going to come from.

Either way it looks like we will be 'stuck' with the players that should give us a good chance of being involved in the promotion hunt again, so as long as we can keep the club solvent we should have a good season.

This is, of course, assuming that I'm right. In the event that I'm wrong about the likes of Bailey leaving then everything else I've said will also be rubbish.

Up the Addicks!

Replica Kit

2010-06-03T11:41:00.000+01:00

At 39 I'm way too old to go over to the park with friends to play football. In all honestly I didn't do all that much of it when I was young enough, but that's hardly the point.

These days (save for this last season) I only tend to wear my replica shirts at games, when watching on the tele and on holiday. I know there has been some debate about why one would want to wear their club shirt abroad, but I've always liked doing it, and probably always will.

So, when one of the three main reasons for owning a replica shirt involves having it for your summer holiday I just cannot see why the club keep bringing them out at the end of the summer. Maybe there will be a slightly earlier release date this year, but as I understand it the design will be a secret until July. I accept that most schools break up in late July but it often doesn't hit the shop until later than the 'preview' date.

Also, for the record my son broke up on 26th June last year and this year it's 2nd July so chances are he will be on holiday long before I can buy eith of us a shirt.

Last year I liked the home shirt, and under different circumstances I would have bought one. However it was a little obvious, to me if no one else, that it would only last for one season. It hit the club shop on early September, which meant that it would not be the 'current' shirt for any summer that one could own it. The other consideration was that if it was for one season only it's use was limited to nine months. I know that the girls in Sex in the City change their wardrobe that often, but for me I really demand more value for money with the clothes I buy.

The fact that we have had significantly more that one shirt every two seasons in the last decade is probably due to circumstances beyond the club's control, but not having a shirt out early this summer when we are apparently in so much trouble is just amazing.

As I didn't bother with either of Charlton shirts this season, and as it's a World Cup summer I've got both the current England shirts. If the Charlton shirt had been available by now I'd have bought it. Now I'm likely to but the home shirt when the season starts, assuming it is available by then, and the away shirt may well be passed on (for the second season running).

I just don't understand it. The sponsors haven't changed this summer and even though the manufacturer has as it was announced months ago I can't believe they haven't got a shirt chosen yet. This will be made even more obvious if our strip next season look remarkably like one of Macron's stock shirts.

Out of interest both Chelsea and Liverpool had their new kit in the shops early May and already I have seen loads of them in shopping centres and Parks.

So, come on, let's have a look at the shirt on the website, and let's get it in the shop. The sooner we can sell it the sooner we can get the money in!

For a little fun, one of the members of Charlton Life has made a few mock-ups of shirts. It is well worth a look.

http://www.charltonlife.com/forum/comments.phpDiscussionID=34627&page=1

Up the Addicks!

Palace Survive

2010-06-02T09:02:00.000+01:00

Well, what d'you know all the posturing and in the end a 'deal' is agreed. I have made no secret of being happy for Palace to disappear, because I don't like them, but you have to be concerned that a government (tax payer) owned asset has been sold off cheap to a specific group for PR reasons.

No doubt two things will happen in the future:

1> Palace with funds from CPFC2010 will go on a spending spree rather like that of Southampton last summer and this last season.

2> Selhurst Park will be patched up and used until the value of development land increases and then they will sell it and use it to fund a new football stadium.

I have made no secret of my feelings about clubs (and other businesses) that over spend and then go into Administration to protect their assets, before being 'relaunched' and wiping off most of their debt, while those that dealt with them in good faith lose their money.

My biggest gripe is the football related debts having to be honoured so that a small business can be forced into drastic measures and families lose money while footballers keep earning their thousands of pounds a week.

I know the rules are in place and have been for a while, but the ten point penalty Palace suffered has proved to be no punishment at all. The message that is being sent out is that you might as well take huge risks to see if you can better yourself because if it works then great, and if it doesn't then you can always just wipe off the debt by blackmailing those that did business with you in good faith by telling them them get a fraction (in Palace's case 1%) of what you owe them or nothing at all.

I wouldn't like to be where Portsmouth are right now, but having said that they have been in the Premier League for a few seasons and they have been to two FA Cup Finals, and they even won one of them. All this has been achieved with investment that has, it would appear, been on the never never. If you look at Portsmouth's financial and league position and attendance record for the five seasons before Redknapp went there to manage them I suspect that you would see something that would not be more impressive than any of the clubs in the current second division. Thus you could argue that Portsmouth's tenure in the Premier League and those two FA Cup finals have been funded by the debts that will not be paid back.

Ask any fan of a second division team that are looking like going nowhere if they would like to borrow a couple of hundred million pounds, have a decade in the Premier League and win the FA Cup then be in debt for a couple of seasons and they'd probably rip your hand off. Why should Portsmouth be allowed to get away with it.

I read that Portsmouth have now offered 20p in the £ but want to pay it over five years. That means that the c. £130m that they owe will be paid back at a rate of £5.2m a season for five years. Ultimately they can, therefore, use their parachute payments to cover the small percentage of what they've overspent. In fact with parachute payments of c. £48m they will even come out of the Premier League with more income (net of loan repayments) than they had before they went up in he first place.

If that's a punishment then let's all have some. We (Charlton) were looked upon as a well run club. That moniker seems to have been misplaced with our recent run, but compared to Portsmouth, and Hull for that matter, we look in great shape. There are also about another half dozen that would be in real trouble if they were relegated from the Premier League now - even with the new parachute payment plan that we didn't benefit from.

I really thought that as Palace had a dispute with a party that were not owed money by them (Bank of Scotland) they would actually have to pay the right (and a fair) price for Selhurst Park. It would seem that it only takes a few hundred school children outside their offices to make a huge financial institution back down and add to the gravy train that is English football.

For the fans of Palace I'm, reluctantly, pleased. It could be us, and for the record I would be a complete hypocrite and demand that our creditors agreed to a CVA with us. So, I guess I can rejoice on their behalf that something that is as important to them as Charlton is to me has been saved, but at some point the rules have got be changed to stop clubs from doing this. If a club had to go out of business to be used as an example them I was happy for it to be Palace. Having said that I would have been happy for it to be Southampton last summer, and for the sheer size of their unmanageable debt I'm happy for it to be Portsmouth.

Just as long as it's not us eh?

Up the Addicks!

Season Ticket renewal

2010-05-31T14:31:00.001+01:00

Well, as expected I renewed my season ticket on Friday. I don't think there was really any doubt that I would do so, despite suggestions to the contrary. I believe that I would have switched to paying on a match by match basis had the club sold my seat to someone else, but in the end the club, both sensibly and predictably, failed to sell current season ticket holders seats.

In fact, when I called the club they told me that I probably had a couple of weeks to renew before there was any risk if the seat being sold. I suspect that what they intended to do was hold off until swap week that was due to start on 19th June.

Anyway, either way we have renewed (My Dad and I) and, strangely, I am now getting excited about next season. For reasons I'll discuss later I believe that we will keep most of our current squad for next season, so I think we stand a very good chance of being in a chase for promotion.

Either way we'll be there. It's our 22nd year as season ticket holders.

Up the Addicks!

Bye bye

2010-05-22T10:40:00.002+01:00

So the first announcement of the 'summer' from the club and it involves the releasing of six players. Leon McKenzie, Matt Spring, Chris Dickson, Dean Sinclair, Jack Clark and Tony Warner will all be leaving. What this actually tells us is that we are likely to make some kind of offer to the other players that are out of contract this summer. At this stage I should point out that I am still suspicious that the club will use PR to misinform us all summer to keep up sale of tickets. I will try not to mention that too much from here on in, but last summer was a PR disaster and permanently changed my trust in those running our club.

Anyway on to the players that have been released. McKenzie is no real surprise. He has demonstrated In the past that he has the ability but he hasn't been able to reproduce the form he showed at Peterborough or Norwich between 2000 and 2006 and has failed in his continuing battles with fitness. There have been a few occasions this season when I thought he might have been useful, but I wonder if there was some kind of contractual obligations to the number of games he played. Over all he has been a failure and questions have to be raised as to why we would have signed a player that wasn't fit and hasn't been fit for over a year. Either way you can make a case for it being an acceptable gambl but, for me, the jury is still out.

Matt Spring was bought in in January 2009 and even commanded a transfer fee (the only player in the squad that Parkinson has paid a fee for). Save for scoring a winner against Palace he hasn't done anything that I have found to be memorable. To be fair to him I'm not sure his best position is defensive midfielder. There is a question as to just why we would have signed him when at the time we had Racon, Semedo, Bailey, Shelvey, ZZ, Ambrose and Matt Holland fighting for the two/three central midfield positions. He made 12 starts in the run in last season and 7 this term. That is hardly a decent return for the transfer fee and wages, but again I'm willing to give Parkinson the benefit of doubt as we did need something to lift us in January 2009, and he did play a few games in that disastrous run in. One good sign of management is being willing to admit when you've made a mistake and to take the appropriate action to fix it. Releasing him now is probably the right decision.

Chris Dickson is another player that should have never got anywhere near our club. Despite desperately wanting him to succeed he has failed miserably to make the grade. What is worse about this bloke is that he has clearly got some talent, but he is just way too arrogant to listen and learn from those that could have helped him make a proper career in professional football. Despite what I think of Alan Pardew the man does know a bit about professional football; Parkinson has managed a team to promotion to the second division; Lennie Lawrence is a legend, having won promotions to the top flight with both Charlton and Middlesbrough; Stimpson I'm not so sure about, but he is clearly an experienced manger. All of these men have, in due course, turned their back on Chris Dickson. In most cases the decisions have been justified on the back of unprofessional attitude. I just can't understand it. If I had some talent and I was given the opportunities he's had I would have worked my backside off and listened to all the advice I was given. As for us, well based on the outcome I cannot understand why we haggled with Gillingham in the summer and didn't just sell him for £50k when they made the offer. As much as I wanted him to succeed I have to say good riddance, we don't need any cocky arrogant players in our third division squad.

Dean Sinclair was quite possibly the worst signing of the summer of 2007. I know he wasn't the most expensive mistake but he hasn't been missing with injuries he was just nowhere near good enough for us. I have had my suspicions for a while as to the motivation for his signing. The fact that we paid over £100,000 for a player from Pardew's old club when he looked rubbish on trial in friendlies makes me wonder if the deal was ever done for the benefit of Charlton. He has never looked like he was going to break into our first team. He was bought when we were aiming for the Premier League and he is clearly not good enough for the third division. Scandalous. When fans are struggling to raise the money for season tickets it is disgraceful that we have a player that has cost is £125,000 plus three years of wages and was never good enough in the first place!

Jack Clark hasn't made it and I have no problem with giving the youth a chance. I assume that he has been earning a modest wage, and it is sad for him that he is not going to make it at Charlton. I do wish him all the best and I hope that he does make a decent career in professional football. Unlike previous seasons, unfortunately, if he is not good enough for us in our current situation I suspect that he will struggle, but either way he goes with our best wishes.

Tony Warner was clearly brought in as cover for our run in and it is neither surprising nor disappointing that he is being released now. I don't consider this to be a bad signing, but we probably don't need him next season. Thanks for coming.

As I mentioned already that means that we have a number of players that we would like to keep that we will consider offering new contracts to. I guess this group are just the 'we don't want them under any circumstances' players. The real test is going to be just how many players will want to stay based on what we offer them. Richard Murray thought that Jon fortune would be willing to stay last summer on third division wages based on how we had looked after him while he had been injured. I thought he was mad to believe that a player on Premier League money (and he was on proper good money) would stay on third division money. I was proved to be right. I fear that a similar situation might arise this summer, but we have to offer what we can afford and if it's not enough we have to find replacements. For completeness I should point out that Jon Fortune has made just 5 appearances this season suffering more injuries, so no great loss anyway.

My vote for player of the year, Christian Daily, would be the player that I'd most like to keep of those out of contract. I know Lloyd Sam has a lot to offer at this level (despite the fact that he cannot last 90 minutes) and there are other talents that I'd like to keep, but Daily has been a real inspiration this season. I would prefer to have Daily as Captain next season. I suspect that no one will make the kind of offer (transfer fee and wages) that will lead to Bailey leaving so this will not happen, but for me Daily was our most outstanding player this season, followed closely by Semedo, who I would offer a contract extension to right now!

Anyway the news will come in drips and drabs this summer and it has only just started. The release of players that we don't want was never going to be too upsetting, it's those that we want to keep choosing not to stay that will hurt. I'm including those that are under contract that end up moving on. I believe that any transfers out will happen later as the clubs signing (assuming they are not Premier League) will want to avoid paying wages over the summer. Let's remember that all the clubs out of (and some in) the Premier League are struggling for money. Using the same logic I suspect that we will not be bringing in many new faces (if any) until the end of the summer.

Time will tell.

Up the Addicks!

Charlton 2 - 1 Swindon

2010-05-18T09:56:00.003+01:00

After a disappointment it is often better to take a period of reflection before airing ones thoughts to prevent the risk of being a little emotional.

Today I don't feel particularly angry or disappointed I just feel a little numb. That may have something to do with the fact that I sat up until the early hours drinking after I got home thinking about what I had experienced during the evening.

I made a decision on the way home that I wouldn't get involved in the mud slinging that always seems to follow a disappointing event. It is only human to look to apportion blame as you need somewhere to vent your anger. There are a big list of candidates for that but in the end it just doesn't matter. What does matter is what happens next, and I suspect it will be weeks, if not months, before the real consequences of last night become apparent. One point to note, that had slipped my attention until late night, is that the TV money for the Championship is much bigger next season.

It is ironic that Peter Varney was a champion for a Premier League 2 for so many years (when we were in the Premiership) and Steve Waggot referred to the new deal as a Premier League 2 in 'all but name'. The article came across as though we didn't approve of it. The irony is that we only wanted it in the first place as it was in our best interests. Now it is not in our best interests we are condemning it as destroying the lower league clubs. How hypocritical?

Anyway on to last night. All the things that I wanted to see were there. The fans got behind the players for the full 120 minutes. We gave it everything. We scored the two goals we needed, and we were cruising at 2-0 with an extra man. Then it all went wrong.

I don't like to blame players for individual mistakes, but last night was as good an advert as you will see for Nicky Bailey not playing in the centre of our midfield. Nicky Bailey is, in my view, a good example of what's wrong at Charlton, and with football in this country in general.

I should point out that my love affair with Nicky Bailey was severely tainted when he announced last summer that he would stay and help us get promoted this season if he had to. I know all footballers want to play at the highest level, but he had been with us for one season, he had, presumably, been rewarded when he joined us with a pay rise and at the very least he should have pretended that he had some loyalty to us for giving him his chance.

Over the course of last season Bailey was caught in possession many times and due to where he plays those incidents were normally expensive. That didn't seem to bother me too much before he made it clear he wanted to leave. However, coming back to my bold statement about Bailey being what is wrong with Charlton and football in general. This season Bailey has, in my view, demonstrated that he is a very capable third division player. I don't think he is as good a player as Semedo, and to be honest on his day Racon would give him a run for his money but Bailey is, in my view, a good third division player, yet he is on (I'm guessing) good second division money. Even if we ignore the fact that he actually wants to leave to play for a 'bigger' club and to, presumably, earn more money, he is already being paid more than his current position justifies.

I know that view isn't held by all Charlton fans but it is difficult to make a case that he is good enough to play on the wing in a decent Championship side, and his frequent losing of the ball in the middle would make it difficult for him to establish himself in a Championship midfield.

I'm perfectly happy for others to believe that I'm wrong about this, but if we look at the evidence I think I have a case. Thus he is contributing to the fact that we are unable to cover our running costs based on our current league position. If he was earning average third division money (and if the rest of the squad were also) we might not have the financial problems we have right now. The impression I get from his interviews is that Nicky is not a member of MENSA, not that that's a problem, so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that it is his agent that keeps encouraging him to seek a move to a larger contract.

This is where I think football in general relates to our Captain. There are entirely too many players earning what they should be if their club were where it wants to be. Portsmouth have a total wage bill that can clearly not be sustained by 'just' being in the Premier League. I have a feeling that Liverpool will struggle to balance their books outside of the Champions League, and you have to say that on the basis of this season they truly don't deserve to be in it.

Just to clarify though, until Nicky Bailey made that slip up about leaving last summer I liked him a lot. I still think he is a great player (especially in this division) and have no ill feeling towards him. He has contributed a lot this season, and even though he did give the ball away for their goal last night, he was man enough to continue to go looking for the ball for the rest of the game, and he had several shots that on another day would have gone in. As for the penalty, sure he missed, but he was there to take it, and that shows a lot of courage. Let's not be bashful it was a terrible penalty. He didn't just miss, it was nowhere near, but one thing about Nicky Bailey is that you know you always get 100% from him and, in a world where many footballers don't, that is a great quality.

Overall I would rather have Nicky Bailey in our squad than not, and it would be fantastic to have him come out in the next couple of days and make a pledge to do everything he can to help us win promotion next season - even if he doesn't actually mean it and leaves a few weeks later.

We have entirely too many players at our club that are earning more than they are worth, we have Pardew to thank for that, but with so many contracts coming to an end this summer I suspect that trend will be reversed.

Anyway, as I said earlier, there can be no real complaints about last night, and the journey home was a lot better than it would have been from Wembley had we lost to Millwall.

The summer is going to be painful, there will be a lot of speculation and the likelihood is that the squad will gradually be weakened piece by piece, but either way we will all be back in August full of enthusiasm and excitement, and massively unrealistic expectations of the season ahead.

Up the Addicks!

Next... Swindon at home

2010-05-17T11:42:00.002+01:00

So it all comes down to the last home game of the season!

There have been a number of blogs about this game and the main theme, of which there seems to be 100% agreement, is that it is a pivotal point in the history of the club.

Clearly we still need to win at Wembley (assuming we get through tonight) so it's not exactly make or break, but a defeat tonight would obviously heap much more gloom on a very troubled four year period following almost unlimited growth in the decade before it.

There is something different about winning and losing, obviously. The trouble with this season is that promotion would not have seemed like the victory that it was in 1998 or 2000. When you secure something that you don't perceive to be yours it is cause for celebration. If you manage to lose something getting it back seems a lot less of an achievement.

In fact, as I see it, this season had the potential to be acceptable (promotion) or a total disaster (no promotion). Thus, tonight's game is merely the opportunity to avoid total devastation. I am talking about the season not the club as a whole, but I guess you get my point.

Anything less than a victory tonight (over two legs) and the season will have been an unmitigated disaster. We failed to make any impression on the cups, including the JPT where we should have been one of the favourites to get to Wembley, and another season in this division is likely to lead to many more in this, if not a lower, one.

I know this is probably not the place to get all negative, but I think it is important that we all know what is at stake.

Tonight is a time for heroes. There can't be a more important fixture for a football club to play at home. Sure the home leg of a Champions League Semi-Final is important, but I doubt that the result of that could be as significant as tonight could be.

Tonight is for heroes. There needs to be a lot of heroes tonight. We need them in the North Stand, the East Stand and the West Stand. If you have anything left after a day at work; if you have anything left after a long season of third division football; if you have any passion and desire for out club to succeed now is the time to let it out!

There is a feeling in modern football that the players have so much money that they are obligated to give us the performances and/or results that we demand. Tonight it is for us all to show just how much we want this, just how much it matters and just how much we care.

Sure the players need to do their bit. I would like to think that we are going to get 100% effort and commitment, and I expect we will. I hope we will get 100% concentration - this cannot always be guaranteed. I also hope we get a fair proportion of luck, as this is a massive variable in the potential outcome of any game.

However, even if the players give 100% there is the potential for our support to build on that. We need to make the Swindon players perform at less than their potential 100%. I have been to a number of games at The Valley over the years where I honestly believe that the crowd have influenced the game, both good and bad. For the record the best atmosphere I remember at The Valley was the second leg of the playoff semi-final in 1998.

Let's remember that when we file out of The Valley, even if we can find a scapegoat (assuming we don't leave happy) we will all be left to suffer the disappointment. When I was at school my parents always told me "Do your best, and then you can have no regrets". In fairness I think that was because they thought my best would be good enough. Tonight we all need to do our best to lift our team and to intimidate theirs.

If we all do our best then after the game we can have no regrets. If we all do our best then we will be able to hold our heads high as we face what ever challenges come our way. More importantly, however, I believe that if we all do our best it will be good enough.

So let's forget about the money worries, let's forget about the disappointments of recent seasons, let's get behind our team and let's win that place at Wembley. Let's really win it!

Up the Addicks!

Swindon 2 - 1 Charlton

2010-05-15T17:52:00.002+01:00

Well it could have been a lot worse. In fact it could have been a lot, lot worse.

I'm not in the habit of writing match reports, especially when I am in the second row and behind the goal.

The atmosphere seemed rather subdued. I suspect that had more to be with being on an uncovered terrace and the fact that there were lots of empty seats as most fans decided to stand at the back together. The game was nicely balanced at half time, despite Swindon having several chances that on a good day (for them) would have gone in.

I was more than happy to take a goal less draw, but was, strangely, confident of a 2-0 win. We looked second to the ball in the first half, and all of our players looked nervous on the ball, none more than Sam Sodje who looked like he was limping from about twenty minutes in. We were beaten for pace at the back so I can understand why Llera wasn't brought on, but I have to question playing an unfit player.

Anyway we managed to survive the onslaught and kept a clean sheet to half time.

After the break one of those chances that we'd been keeping out by 'hook or by crook' went it. That should have been the signal for a period of calm and 'keeping it tight'. Instead we went mad and threw everything at Swindon and conceded a second with a full half hour on the clock. Just why we would have been so reckless in attack (something I expect to see in the last ten minutes at The Valley on Monday) is beyond me, but it was suddenly 2-0.

At this point I thought it was as going to be too much. I feared another goal, and also thought that it would be more than we can overturn in the second leg. One needs to be conscious of the fact that we just don't score enough goals. I spent ages calling for a more structured line up so that we could keep the goals out and snatch wins. I'm happy with that approach, but it does mean that we are unlikely to score three goals without reply.

Anyway the worry that I had of it ending up 3-0 or even 4-0 were quashed with a brave header by Dion Burton. At that point I was convinced that there would be another goal. I had no idea which way it would go, but it was going to make a massive difference to the approach to the second leg. Anyway that goal didn't come and we find the game very evenly poised.

You would have to say that Millwall are favourites to go through having kept a clean sheet at Huddersfield, but I wouldn't like to call it at The Valley on Monday.

My fear is that we will end the 90 minutes a goal in front and then concede in extra time and fail to lift ourselves to get back into it again. It is at times like this that the sheer disappointment of the last three seasons prevents me from believing that anything good can happy to us. It is silly because with Paynter missing and with just one goal to overcome in front of a packed Valley we should really fancy ourselves, but I don't.

I would love to be proved wrong, but I'm looking forward to Monday with more trepidation than excitement, where as I was bursting with excitement before yesterday's game. Maybe it's just as well. Maybe we'll get an early goal and then take a 2-0 lead before half time and Swindon will fall apart in the face of Fortress Valley in the second half and we will win easily.

At the very least it will emotional

Up the Addicks!