1,025 votes for Cousins enough

There had been a fair bit of ill feeling towards hosting a Player of the Year award this season, for obvious reasons, but it is important to remember that this is a fan-organized event outside of the club’s grubby hands. In fact Katrien Meire attempted to have the evening taken in house but that was rebuffed by the joint organizers Jean Heulin and Ian Wallis, who work tirelessly to put the event on.

This has always been a fan’s ‘do’ and began in 1971 and has continued through other relegation’s and the period away from The Valley.

I had a mate there who reported that is was a nice evening but not surprising it was very low on atmosphere and laughs. Jose Riga gave what sounded like a farewell speech tinged with emotion and players continued to talk of rifts with the senior management team and a relegation brought about by bad planning and too many changes.

Meire was there joined at her side by security, with other heavies in close attendance. Incredibly bags were checked on entry too. She was left alone, mostly because she was isolated from most of those fans there. I’d like to have thought that I would have approached her to talk to her if I were there, but in hindsight I am sure she would encouraged being confronted so she could play the victim card again.

If I had to pick one, I’d probably have voted for Alou Diarra, but a total vote of 2,500 tells it’s own story of total detachment and discontent. 41% of those votes went to Jordan Cousins, a deserving winner if only because he clearly has Charlton in his heart and is hurting like the rest of us. Congratulations to him, in what will I suspect be his last season in Charlton colours. Likewise Young Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman.

Made in Charlton. Destroyed in Belgium.