All to play for

Port Vale winning at Walsall last night thanks to a Chris Eagles stunner (photo) not only means that Port Vale have it all to play for on Saturday, but so do the Addicks. Oh yes!

Victory for Charlton and a draw between Walsall and MK Dons who meet will mean that Karl Robinson’s team will hit the heady heights of a 12th place finish, which by my calculations is half way! Only problem with this is that we would forego finishing top of the bottom half, which Karlo set as our ambitious target. Lamentably bottom of the top half has nowhere near as much kudos.

At the real bottom of the table the final relegation place is between Bury, Gillingham and Vale. Bury and Vale both have ultra tough tasks with the Shakers away at play-off chasing Southend and Bury at Fleetwood, who need to win to have a chance of snatching 2nd place from Bolton. The Gills have it in their own hands away at nothing-to-play-for Northampton Town.

Painfully for us, Sheffield United under Chris Wilder, who was Meire’s first summer choice (or was that Robinson, who knows?) have walked the league and sit 14 points clear and a win over relegated Chesterfield on Sunday will give the Blades 100 points, one less than us 5 years ago. Phil Parkinson’s Bolton realistically need a point at home to Peterborough to join them.

Bolton have had as much turmoil as us, with changes in ownership and a transfer embargo to contend with. In fact their issues are nothing like Charlton’s with our proclaimed top 6 budget and a billionaire owner. Bolton released 20+ players after relegation and only signed free transfers to replace them, and like us, Bolton were forced to sell their best young striker in the January transfer window but somehow Parky’s side have challenged all season and are on the verge of an instant Championship return. Good luck Parky, one of football’s nice guys. 

Inextricably both Millwall and Southend have lost their two last matches, almost allowing Rochdale to steal pole position for the last play-off place. 

Rochdale can still make it but it is no longer in their hands, but it is in the Lions who need to win at Bristol Rovers to grab a top 6 place that most of us assumed, at least I did, they would comfortably make. Whether or not it is my total meh revolving around Charlton or not, but I wouldn’t mind one iota if Millwall went up. What do you think?