And they came two by two

They walked in two by two on Thursday and Friday as young Woking ‘keeper Ross Worner was joined by the well regarded Matt Fry on loan from West Ham and then today as day entered evening the club shop was forced to stay open late to iron press a couple more names on the back of shirts.

The first one was South African Mapidima Lesetja Smart, fortunately for those that want his name on their shirt, he is known as Bally, hopefully for his football skills and then another loan player in the form of ex-Man Utd midfielder cum striker and £2m Ipswich signing Lee Martin was also announced.

Worner will wear the number 25 shirt and the total fee is supposed to be around £100,000, which will include I am sure plenty of triggers. He will clearly sit on the bench as Elliot’s number two, but he may get a surprise call up for Shrewsbury on Tuesday.

Matt Fry was with us last season, but no one saw him, at least no fans. He was awarded a new contract with West Ham in the summer, but is still considered a long way from the first team. For us he will provide a youthful replacement for Dailly and Doherty and will also begin on the bench. The number 19 is on a new-fangled youth loan, which means the Hammers are allowed to play him in reserve matches and keep a closer eye on his development.

Bally Smart has been signed on a non-contract basis and still sounds raw, but the gamble is minimal. The quick wide midfielder has only started 22 games as a professional and I don’t expect the number 22 to feature tomorrow.

And lastly potentially the most exciting signing all summer is 23-year old Lee Martin. At Man U he was mostly used for Cup games but some big ones at that. He spent half a season at United’s feeder club Royal Antwerp and won their player of the year award. Martin was converted to a more forward lying striker by Ole Gunnar Solskjær at United but then played at a myriad of clubs on loan before being signed by Ipswich manager Roy Keane for £2m a year ago.

From what I’ve hurriedly read it clearly didn’t work out for him at Portman Road and he was put on the transfer list by Keane, this despite being given a 4-year contract 9 months earlier. This may well say more about Keane than Martin.

Martin is on a season long loan, which I like, and is clearly Parky’s “surprise.” He’s been given the number 10 shirt. However he doesn’t look to be the prolific goalscorer we crave, but could start behind Pawel Abbott tomorrow.

These four signings certainly give the squad a healthier look and we have back-up in all positions except up front. Hopefully Parky hasn’t finished his work in the transfer market yet.

The new season is upon us and I am quietly excited. Expectations have lowered, but Parky has signed his own players that each want to be at the club and when I look at our competition, we still look a force in this division.

Even though I live overseas and from previous history I won’t see more than five games this season, I once again feel like I belong and Charlton Athletic has rediscovered some of it’s uniqueness, that something extraordinary that ties us to the club. Come on you reds.