Cup half full

The Charlton youth team beat Watford tonight to progress to the last 16 of this season’s FA Youth Cup.

If that doesn’t get us warmed up for Saturday’s FA Cup night then not much will. Our academy continues to be a source of pride.

Saturday’s FA Cup game at home to the World Club Champions deserves some attention, and is great that it is likely a sell-out. The club said the other day that it will be the highest-attended FA Cup game at The Valley for 50 years. That’s a great statistic.

I was at that game versus Portsmouth in 1976 with my Dad. Bob Curtis’ early penalty – Curtis was a beautiful penalty taker by the way – was equalized late.

7,000 Charlton fans made the journey down to Fratton Park on the following Tuesday night for the replay. Who says we never had good away support. Unfortunately I wasn’t one of them, but we won that 3-0 Powell, Flanagan and George Hope all scoring in front of 31,722 people.

That was when the FA Cup meant something, but it will mean something for Addicks fans on Saturday too.

It has been a long time since we’ve had a plum draw like this. Tottenham away in 2011 probably, but at home it will be back in 2001, when it was again Spurs before The Valley was expanded to its current capacity.

Saturday night soccer has appealed to Addicks. A day at home doing family stuff, few beers, bit of dinner and kick-off under The Valley lights at 8pm. It will be some atmosphere.

We’ve had some great clashes with Chelsea over the years, sadly you have to be of a certain age to remember them. My favourite memory has to be the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ game in 1988. That was some afternoon, and a long, if happy journey home.

Chelsea have a squad of about one hundred players so there will be no telling who they will play, but of course it will be Liam Rosenoir’s first game in charge. I enjoyed the Jones interview, where he was asked a lot about Rosenoir, who he coached at Brighton.

I’d imagine Jones will put out his strongest team, without jeopardizing any possible injury issues.

It does sound as if Leaburn and Burke will be fit. Crucially, word is that the week after we’ll see the return of Godden and Ramsey with Edwards also back in training.

Enjoy the game, make The Valley loud. I’ll be watching on the box.