Charlton | Chicago Addick

May 4

Charlton Athletic 0 AFC Bournemouth 3

The great thing about being a Charlton Athletic fan is that expectations are always low. A 3,440 mile overnight flight with little sleep, quick shower, a hire car and a race from Gatwick to pick up my son and then my mate before getting to The Valley, all to watch us be two down by half past twelve!

It was always going to be a strange day. Another team and their fans celebrating on your own ground is hard to find enjoyable, even if it was a team as deserving as they are, but I at least hoped we might give it a go.
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May 1

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Back home for the curtain call

I’m flying back to Gatwick overnight and all being well I’ll grab a quick pint in the Oak before we take our seats for the early kick off against promoted Bournemouth before the curtain draws on the season.

After the midweek games somewhat ruined Sky TV’s excitement their cameras will be at Blackburn v Ipswich and Derby v Reading as the Tractor Boys and Rams attempt to hold on to their top 6 places. Personally more excitement might have been found at Brentford and Wolves as they have to win and score goals to force themselves into play-off contention.
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Apr 30

Kent Champions

Not really Men of Kent of Kentish Men but Charlton proved they were the Kentish Champions tonight beating on their own manor a very experienced Gillingham team, which is not really in line with the spirit of the competition. Penfold look-a-like Paul Scally will not like that one little bit.

Charlton retained the Kent Senior Cup they won last season and have now won it three times in the five years since we returned to the competition.
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Apr 28

5 Comments

Millwall relegated

The trapdoor finally opened for Millwall tonight as Rotherham beat Reading 2-1 to end the Lions 5-year stay in The Championship. Wigan, FA Cup winners two seasons ago are also relegated to League One.

Relegation for Millwall didn’t happen suddenly, the Lions have been treading water for a long while. This despite John Berylson backing Steve Lomas and Ian Holloway with the two biggest wagerolls in the club’s history. What Millwall fans want to hear now is that the American is going to stick with it.
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Apr 27

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Congratulations Cherries

Great tweet sent out tonight by Charlton after Bournemouth won 3-0 at home to Bolton to all but guarantee their promotion to the Premier League before they visit The Valley on Saturday.

CAFC press officer Iain Liddle leaves the club after Saturday, and he’ll be feeling pretty pleased with himself after that gem of a tweet tonight. Iain and his team, past and present, have done a terrific job, in often very trying circumstances, in building Charlton’s social media presence to the standing it has today.
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Apr 26

3 Comments

Ronnie, Ronnie Moore

There’s a lot to like Hartlepool United for. First of all their manager is Ronnie Moore.

Moore was a Rotherham legend in the 80’s, signed by Lennie Lawrence when we didn’t have a bean, with the fan’s contributing the bulk of the money. Somewhere in my parents loft is a certificate proclaiming that my £1 donation helped buy him.

Moore sacked by Tranmere Rovers last season due to illegal betting – he won £3.93 on an accumulator – took over at dead and buried Hartlepool United in December. Pool were 10 points adrift of safety in March with the Conference staring them in the face for the first time in their 94-year history.
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Apr 25

Birmingham City 1 Charlton Athletic 0

A late yet deserved goal from City was enough to beat Charlton at St Andrews this afternoon in what sounded a bit of a snooze-fest. Guy Luzon called it the worst performance since he took over, which is a shame because the 1,000+ Addicks deserved better.

The away end also included Johnnie Jackson and Ben Hamer, which for those that had to opportunity to meet them at least made up for such a dismal display, that and Michael Morrison spending time at the end of the game to finally say goodbye to Addicks, most of whom won’t ever understand how the club managed to lose him, and apparently for no fee.
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Apr 23

7 Comments

More Cherries

Bournemouth are very excited about the prospect of having another 1,400 fans at The Valley on Saturday week. Yesterday Charlton announced that they will offer the Cherries 1,400 seats in the Upper West, blocks P, Q, R and a piece of N at the end nearest the Jimmy Seed Stand.

I think this is a sensible decision by Katrien Meire, although it will inconvenience some season ticket holders who will be forced to move. I would expect that those season ticket holders that must only number around the 100 mark will be miffed but I am glad to hear that they are getting personal phone calls from the club and they will be treated to a bacon butty for their bother. Bournemouth are also paying any associated additional costs, including I assume the bacon and ketchup.
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Apr 22

The end of the season is nigh

The end is looking nigh for Millwall after defeat at Blackburn last night. The deadly duo of Gestede and Rhodes banging another nail in the Lions’ coffin, only emphasizing how disappointing Rovers have been this season and I will be amazed if Gary Bowyer can keep his strike pair for another year in The Championship.

Millwall host play-off chasing Derby on Saturday and have to win. Rotherham have Norwich visiting and then their game in hand is at home to Reading next Tuesday. Next week is when the Millers should find out about their ineligible player. It is hard to see the Football League making such a crucial decision by docking Rotherham points, especially when they fined Blackpool £30,000, half of which was suspended, for a similar incident earlier this season.
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Apr 19

Joe Gomez

Our 18-year old defensive prodigy lost out to Leeds United’s Lewis Cook in the Football League Championship Apprentice of the Year award tonight. Midfielder Cook missed the game yesterday due to injury but has played twice the games than Gomez has this season. Cook is also a year older. The other nomination for the award was Millwall’s Fred Onyedinma.

Catford-born Gomez, who was playing for Charlton’s U18’s when he was just 13 has been a revelation since breaking in the first team under Bob Peeters early in the season. The best way to describe Gomez is that he plays as if this is his tenth season and not his first and has that ability to simply glide across the pitch. Joe compares very favourably in my mind to Richard Rufus and Paul Elliott and I just hope Charlton fans get to enjoy this great kid for another season or two. Please click for more

Apr 18

Charlton Athletic 2 Leeds United 1

First win in 5 or unbeaten in 4. Depends how you look at our closing of this very strange season. I’m just glad that those at The Valley were sent home happy after a 5th goal in Charlton colours for Tony Watt, Watt, Watt and another penalty from Yoni Buyens.

It sounded another game of two halves as Guy Luzon tinkered with his squad resting Jordan Cousins, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Roger Johnson. Luzon’s team selection was also a chance for Alou Diarra to shine in central midfield and for Chris Eagles to play for a new contract out wide. Diarra lasted 11 minutes, Eagles 45. The Frenchman leaving the fray with a knee injury. Please click for more

Apr 14

Bolton Wanderers 1 Charlton Athletic 1

First of all absolute respect to those 234 Addicks at Bolton tonight. Possibly the most unattractive away game for many a season. I have been monitoring this for a while, and the Football League need to look a bit more carefully at the lay out of the fixtures next season. We have travelled this season to Wolves, Leeds and Blackpool midweek despite a profligacy of southern games.

Another 1-1 draw then, who said a top 12 finish would be easy eh? The game appeared to follow a similar pattern to the game at Hillsborough on Saturday and Bolton dominated the 2nd half, and after Luzon substituted both Igor and Watt, it eradicated the ‘out ball’ and encouraged more pressure with Bolton equalising 11 minutes from time.
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Apr 11

Sheffield Wednesday 1 Charlton Athletic 1

Anything to do with Sheffield Wednesday is of course always massive. Before the game the Addicks were the only Championship team whose season’s fate was already decided. It was mathematically impossible for the Addicks to go either up or down, whereas Wednesday were in desperate need of more points to stave off relegation!

No, I didn’t buy it either but cheap ticketing meant over 23,000 came through the Hillsborough turnstiles including a healthy Charlton contingent to witness a decent-ish game on a poor pitch between two sides with one eye on their summer holidays.
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Apr 8

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Fulham 1

Looks as if the international break has signalled the end of our season. Rather pedestrian last night at The Valley by all accounts and now we’re left with a run of four games against fellow teams without anything to play for before Bournemouth’s party bus comes to SE7 on the final day of the season.

Fulham put up a little bit of a fight, and so they should, and it has been one of this season’s mysteries that they have struggled so badly with the playing squad they have including a World Cup quarter finalist, past and probable future England players (Cauley Woodrow) and a £11m striker. Mis-management only bettered by that at Wigan.

As an aside I read that Wigan have received £32m in parachute payments since they dropped into the Championship and are due another £16m over the next two years. Incredible, but hope for all of us that worry Palace will be light years ahead of us by the summer.
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Apr 7

1 Comment

Oh, Alou

Good news. Alou Diarra has put pen to paper on an extended deal of at least a further season, maybe two. The Frenchman has impressed since he arrived in February. Proper shame his new contract wasn’t on the back of the winning goal at The Den. However, move on we must.

Diarra was the last of the four players signed under Luzon’s watch. Lepoint has a contract for a month of Sunday’s but I maybe right that Roger Johnson and Chris Eagles have more to prove.
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Apr 3

2 Comments

Millwall 2 Charlton Athletic 1

For the entirety of the today’s game I was fortunate enough to be out on a boat off Amelia Island in Florida the captain navigating his craft through the islands of the inland waterway moving frequently across the Georgia and Florida stateline.

For almost the entirety of the game I had absolutely no signal on my phone. Disconcerting and liberating in equal measures.

My Livescore app found an ounce of satellite just as Diarra had given us a lead. The signal disappeared as quick as it had came until the game was in injury time. Typically my football club had capitulated for the umpteenth time to that lot. I banged out a text to my brother: “Every f—— time.” The reply was less polite.
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Mar 31

5 Comments

Thoughts on Friday and looking to the summer

“We can’t be letting five/ten players go, we need consistency and I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on the ins and outs over the summer, that’s for sure.”

I have been impressed with what I have seen and heard from Stephen Henderson since he arrived in SE7 last summer. He has been very impressive in goal and speaks well, and clearly is enjoying his time at the club, despite his absence through injury.

If it wasn’t for the shoulder injury the Irishman would have by now played for the Addicks more than any other club in his career, which has spanned 8 years and 10 different teams, 11 if you include Aston Villa where he started in their youth team.

So it is no surprise that Henderson is so bullish, finally finding a club that has immersed him and where he has found some affinity. Interesting then that he was quoted as saying the above at the top of this post.
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Mar 25

8 Comments

Katrien’s charm offensive

An international break to relax before our thoughts turn to Millwall on Good Friday. Addicks’ fans have only been allocated the top tier, which was quickly sold out, but the game will be beamed back to The Valley. I will be in the far more scenic and hospitable setting of Florida Easter weekend and will have to rely on mobile updates.

During this break Guy Luzon has returned to Belgium (not for good, hopefully) whilst Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Tal Ben Haim and Simon Church, who face each other, are away on international duty.

Back at home Katrien Meire is making the most of the upturn in fortunes by getting out in front of the press. I can’t blame her, I am always looking for my boss when I’ve had a good result.
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Mar 21

4 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Reading 2

A dreadful first half but a fantastic 2nd half if the commentary was anything to go by, Peter Finch ably assisted in the studio by an articulate Neil Etheridge.

After a disappointing defeat to Blackburn a week ago, that was quite a turnaround with 6 points gathered in the 6 days hence. A trademark Buyens penalty, a less than trademark open play goal from Yoni and then a third from that rip-roaring-goalscoring Welsh wizard. I am taking odds of Churchy appearing in the qualifying rounds of European competition with Standard Liege next season!
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Mar 20

Seeya Lawrie

Lawrie Wilson has joined Millwall’s relegation rivals’ Rotherham on loan until the end of the season and sadly I expect that will be the last we see of the former academy player, re-signed by Chris Powell almost 3 years ago.

Wilson is out of contract at the end of the season and has been a peripheral figure for the Addicks this season, although he has featured in 27 games, but mostly in bit parts. Early in the season 17-year old Joe Gomez was preferred at right back to Wilson, when Solly was rested and Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson has made the right side of midfield his own.
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Mar 18

1 Comment

Blackpool 0 Charlton Athletic 3

The games that we always seem to flop.

I didn’t think we’d beat Blackburn, but I didn’t think we would beat Blackpool either. Last night was really last chance for saloon for Blackpool and they started brightly, and then I had to go and meet some people and was only able to check in on the score at half and full time. I raised my glass to myself each time.
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Mar 17

Pitch imperfect

Have you seen Blackpool’s pitch? How dare they, you’d never see that at The Vall…. Oh.

Of course whilst the Spivs didn’t have a pot to pee in, the cuddly and charming Karl Oyston’s Blackpool have just posted a pre-tax profit of £9.45m for the financial year ending May 2014, this includes £11m paid to club’s owner and Karl’s father Owen, and another £23.7m moved to other Oyston companies used apparently for items such as ground improvements and maintenance. The pitch obviously not qualifying as ground maintenance.

As others have said, for every Roland Duchâtelet there is a Karl Oyston. I also don’t expect that Roly’s old man was sentenced to 6 years in prison for rape.
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Mar 14

Charlton Athletic 1 Blackburn Rovers 3

A poor defensive display today with almost a pre-season friendly atmosphere told to me by those that were there. Disappointing after recent weeks but this team had to lose again at some point especially if the defensive errors re-appear on the scene.

I’d rather not Gomez play every game but Ben Haim did not improve the defensive solidarity shown in recent weeks and it sounded as is Roger Johnson had a ‘mare.
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Mar 10

6 Comments

Holloway sacked

Sadly our friends from Bermondsey finally pulled the plug this morning on Ian ‘Ollie’ Holloway after six defeats in seven games has left them 8 points adrift of safety.

Only on Saturday Millwall owner John Berylson said “The decision I have made, in the best interests of Millwall and not for any other reason, is that we must stick with and support our manager more than ever at this time. I don’t believe that a change of manager would lead to different results.” Three days later Holloway who sounded and looked a spent force has gone, and will be replaced by first team coach Neil Harris.
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Mar 8

2 Comments

Cardiff City 1 Charlton Athletic 2

Recently Guy Luzon said that he likes to win beautifully, but yesterday was quite beastly by all accounts, yet another 3 points was added to our growing total. That’s now 5 wins from 6 games since the Norwich debacle that most definitely wasn’t beautiful.

It wasn’t much of a game by the sounds of it, kind of an end of season match in the first week of March, but once Cardiff got their noses in front, I didn’t hold out much hope for what was to follow.
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Mar 6

1 Comment

Luzon – from Manuel to Mourinho?

I watched Guy Luzon’s press conference yesterday and noticed how he had morphed from a rabbit caught in the headlines to an assured and relaxed football head coach.

It is amazing what a couple of wins can do, good ones at that, and three in front of your own public, a public that were screaming “you don’t know what you’re doing” just a few weeks back.

The bitterness of Luzon’s arrival may still be lingering but the man himself, clearly at the first interview a combination of uneasy and unprepared, can afford to smile and he does, quite often.

Interesting also how his accent and command of the English language has gone from Manuel to Mourinho, at least in our perception anyway.
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Mar 3

6 Comments

Charlton Athletic 2 Nottingham Forest 1

A very impressive result tonight against a team that had won five of their last six and with a very makeshift team, and all of our first choice defenders out.

Wilson, Gomez, Diarra and Fox began at the back, but Luzon sensibly changed it at half-time replacing Wilson who was struggling against Antonio’s pace and trickery. Gomez coped much better at right back and also got forward much more and Bikey, dropped and suddenly in the past fortnight third choice centre-half, also did a good job of steadying the ship.

Frederic Bulot has come back from the African Nations a different player. He scored a Gudmundsson-esque free-kick in the 7th minute after we started well, and then completely against the run of play, the man on loan from Standard Liege fired in from close range to put us ahead again after danger man Antonio had equalized.
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Mar 2

5 Comments

Tony Watt #MadeForCharlton

I have Tweeted this hash tag a few times, and it’s a meme based on the club’s ‘Made in Charlton’ slogan. Watt arrived at The Valley with more baggage than a Bermudian after a trip to a Florida mall and a lot of us at the time, including Bob Peeters were underwhelmed.

I saw him on his debut at home to Brighton, a wholly depressing day, which was Bob Peeters last as Charlton manager. The one and only positive afterwards was Tony Watt. I liked that in a totally dispiriting 2nd half, he was trying to gee the team on and also I remember his first touch which took him away from two defenders in the box and created a half chance. It was something to cling onto.
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Feb 28

4 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Huddersfield Town 0

“It was beyond what any supporters would do to the opposition manager. But I am not surprised with how they were. It was very touching and emotional for me but I am quite embarrassed as well. They have moved on and we have moved on, but it was a great moment for me in my long career and it’s something that I won’t forget.”

If football was played out to a script then today’s game would be it. Academy award winning even.

Chris Powell received a fantastic welcome before kick off and then again at 3 minutes past 3. After that the packed Valley lapped up a superb performance cheering the team to the rafters and at £1.66 a goal I hope some of those thousands that took advantage of ‘football for a fiver’ return to see Luzon’s team again.
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Feb 27

6 Comments

Homecoming

There are certain people that will forever be associated with Charlton Athletic – Jimmy Seed, Sam Bartram, Keith Peacock, Derek Hales, Alan Curbishley for example. Chris Powell can be added to that list, whatever and wherever his career now takes him.

Chris played for the club on three separate occasions, wore the colours of England whilst a Charlton player, and then managed the club, dragging it out of a seemingly endless downward spiral and being one of only four men in 110 years of history to win a league title. Above all of that Chris Powell is a genuine, warm and upstanding individual.

I have mentioned this before, but with no apologies will mention it again. 14 years ago my ex, my son and I spent a 2-week holiday in Italy in the company of Chris and his wife and oldest daughter. I bumped into him literally on the 2nd night at the hotel buffet, and we got talking, the wives got on and we then spent pretty much the rest of our holidays together. He had not long made his England debut and the experience was both surreal and very, very enjoyable and I won’t ever forget it.
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Feb 24

2 Comments

Derby County 2 Charlton Athletic 0

I managed to listen to the first 20 minutes and we were being taken to the cleaners. It obviously got better, or less worse, depending on your opinion, but Derby had already hung up their 3 points by then. There were a couple of Charlton chances, but Derby didn’t have to move out of neutral in the 2nd half. After the tremendous first game in August these two teams have gone in opposite directions.

The good thing was that in the very congested middle to bottom places, the results went well for us. We slipped two more places from Friday night, but we remain 8 points clear of Millwall in the 3rd from bottom place.
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Feb 23

Alou, Alou

Indeed the experienced Alou Diarra has been signed until the end of the season and may well play tomorrow at Derby. The 33-year defensive midfielder will hopefully last a bit longer in Charlton colours than Francis Coquelin and Miloš Veljković, who for very different reasons had their stays curtailed too soon.

Diarra brings bags full of experience making his debut for French lower league club CS Louhans-Cuiseaux in 1999. He was then snapped up by Bayern Munich as a 19-year and played in their reserves before Gérard Houllier took him to Liverpool, where he never played a 1st team game. Instead being loaned to French Ligue 1 clubs for the 3 years of his contract eventually moving to Lens on a permanent in 2005.
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Feb 21

5 Comments

Friday night’s are alright

Katrien is right, Friday night football is a fantastic idea. How nice it was to wake this morning without a care in the world and 3 points in the back pocket of our pyjamas.

The Addicks sat 12th overnight after winning at Wigan, today Reading and Leeds both moved back above us after they both had very good wins on the road. Reading at Ipswich and Leeds at Middlesbrough to remind us how hard games are to call in The Championship.
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Feb 20

5 Comments

Wigan Athletic 0 Charlton Athletic 3

Blimey. No really, blimey.

No two ways about it, that was a terrific result tonight in what was undoubtedly a six pointer up at the DW, and whatever the 533 Addicks envisioned on their journey’s up, I am sure it wasn’t what they then witnessed. My total respect to them.

I’m thrilled actually, well of course I’m thrilled, but supporting Charlton recently has been thoroughly depressing and I lay in bed last night thinking about this post I wrote, and I thought enough is enough. No more negativity. It is really wearing me down. Support the team, and the manager.
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Feb 19

5 Comments

Thoughts post CAST meeting

I heard a lot of good things about last night. The fan’s meeting was expertly arranged by CAST and it sounded constructive and, importantly, respectful, with the overriding agreement from those present that we need much more engagement from the owner.

My hope was that a plan of intention was scoped out by the end, but that was probably asking for too much, and I support the view that we need to be ready for the long game by being organized, smart, rational and lucid. We also need to separate results from fan actions and back Luzon and the team.

I won’t dwell on the meeting because I wasn’t there, but these people were – Dave, Kyle, Blackheath and Ted. Video’s of the opening speeches are on VOTV, including Rick Everitt’s impassioned address to the 400 or so that were at the Woolwich Grand Theatre, a very impressive number that tells it’s own story.
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Feb 19

The Eagles has landed

A number 9. At last. The shirt that has been left on a hanger in the dressing room all season finally has an owner. Today Chris Eagles has signed as a free agent until the end of the season.

Eagles was heavily linked with the Addicks in the summer before he signed a short term deal for Blackpool. At the time it was believed that he was expecting to earn the £30k a week he was on at Bolton. I’m not sure how true that is, and he won’t be earning anywhere near that in SE7.

The more likely story was that he was in some kind of dispute with Bolton and breaking his contract early would have resulted in forfeiting an element of his contractual wages.
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Feb 18

12 Comments

Don’t appreciate being called a liar

An uncomfortable night at The Valley Tuesday for Katrien Meire, but probably more so for Johnnie Jackson, Steve Avory and Tony Watt, who must have wondered why an earth he got a last minute invite to a heated VIP Q&A and was asked a question about Scottish sexual monsters!

With Guy Luzon ~~bailing~~ deciding to watch Wigan play Reading last minute instead, it seems Katrien pulled rank on a mixture of football staff to take a large part of the heat away from her. It may have worked, it may not have done, it just comes across as another PR gaff.
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Feb 17

6 Comments

Why Wednesday in Woolwich is so important

Charlton Athletic has stood for community and togetherness ever since I stood for the first time on the huge East Terrace 40 years ago. The crowds were sparsely populated in those days, but we stood together.

We were together in 1984 when we were minutes from never seeing us play again. We were on The Valley pitch bemused and angry, but together in 1985. At St Andrews in 1987 those brave enough stood proud together to witness a captain marvel performance from one Peter Shirtliff.

In the dark days, months and years following our move to Selhurst Park, Addicks never lost their identity, no one was able to sell us down the river and we were together, when others would have given up the ghost, on returning to our spiritual home.
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Feb 16

5 Comments

Jackson’s vital role

I still have serious reservations about the ability of Guy Luzon, but credit where credit is due. On Saturday he had the foresight to play four defenders, four midfielders and two strikers, all in their right position. He also dropped ‘network’ keeper Dmitrović and returned Stephen Henderson to the side, who again proved why he is the club’s #1 and the Irishman was the foundation for the long awaited victory.

Luzon is right to distance himself from the performances and results leading up to his appointment but he has now had over a month with the players and it is apparent to me that something happened between the Norwich game on Tuesday and Saturday and I am unsure whether this was entirely Luzon’s doing.
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Feb 14

3 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Brentford 0

A first win since November 8th, and a long awaited burst of pride. Charlton fans deserve their smiles on their faces tonight.

Not for the first time in recent years Addicks’ fans backed the shirt and not the regime today and they got their rewards with not only the biggest win of the season, but also a performance from the players befitting of wearing the famous shirt.

Credit to Luzon, he had them fired up, organized and put round pegs in round holes. I said before the game that he picked the best team possible, even with the inclusion of Bulot, who by all accounts had a very good game on the left side of midfield.
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Feb 12

7 Comments

Luzon the will to live

I have no idea if Guy Luzon is a good coach/manager or not, and I have already made my mind up that I don’t want to find out. Harsh on the Israeli I know, but when one gives up professional pride and nails their colours to a mast of a man, so clearly bonkers, then what are you to expect.

Equally there is no evidence in the month since he was been appointed that he has any man-management skills, an ounce of tactical invention or an actual game plan. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on his ludicrous rabbit in the headlights press conferences because he is not speaking in his first language.

Unfortunately in the dressing room only Tal Ben Haim speaks in the same tongue and the centre back hates him.
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Feb 11

14 Comments

Charlton Athletic 2 Norwich City 3

It’s frankly depressing putting these words down on ‘paper.’

I have only the post match views of online Addicks to gauge what happened at The Valley last night. The atmosphere around the fanbase is a mix of anger and sheer hopelessness at the quite staggering negative momentum that we are in, although extraordinary there are still people out there that think it’s all going to be alright.

With what wisdom they make this judgement I do not have a clue.
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Feb 7

2 Comments

Addicks fan’s public meeting to be held on Feb 18th

From the CAST website:

This meeting is intended to be an opportunity to bring together as many as possible of the various organisational, internet and publication elements of the Charlton family, as well as individual supporters, and to secure the widest possible mandate for any approach we jointly decide to adopt. We will also seek input via the CAS Trust website from those who cannot attend the meeting. Based on conclusions from the meeting, we plan to agree a unified and appropriate supporters’ response at the earliest opportunity.

The meeting will be held at The Woolwich Grand Theatre, 38 Wellington St, SE18 6PE on Wednesday 18th February at 7.30pm. The building is the old ABC cinema (which later became Flamingo’s night club). It is next to the Town Hall.
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Feb 7

2 Comments

Middlesbrough 3 Charlton Athletic 1

Another day, another defeat. Our 14th game without a win. Middlesbrough proved as anticipated too good, but less anticipated was that for a period anyway, we weren’t quite a bad as many thought.

In fact in the latter stages of the 1st half around when JBG stole an excellent equaliser we sounded as if we played with good purpose and intent, driven forward by skipper Johnnie Jackson, on for the unfortunately injured Milos Veljkovic.

At the break, like many I was pleasantly surprised. By the time I’d put my half time cup of tea in the washing up bowl, normal service had been resumed.
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Feb 6

3 Comments

Ultimate respect

My ultimate respect to the 200 or so Addicks that are travelling to Middlesbrough tomorrow. I hope they at least leave the ground at 5 o’clock knowing that the team put as much effort in as they did. Hopefully Johnnie Jackson is back in the line up to show some much needed leadership.

One player who won’t play is Roger Johnson, who like nearly all of our recent signings is a long way of match fitness. The Birmingham Mail said this about his arrival, but I hope Luzon can help him rediscover his form and desire, and it may well give Bikey and Ben Haim a kick up the backside, or may not.
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Feb 4

3 Comments

Duchâtelet to increase network

It really is no wonder Charlton were not within a sniff of buying a player on transfer deadline day, our industrious leader was doing something else. Not only did he replace the manager at Standard, he also entered into negotiations to buy Ligue 1 club RC Lens.

France has long been on Roland Duchâtelet list, and after a dalliance with Tours, he may well have turned his attention to Lens. Just like with Tours, it was a potential transfer target that turned the conversation onto something bigger. Duchâtelet was attempting to buy Lens’ young midfielder Wylan Cyprien for Standard, just like Andy Delort and Charlton, Standard didn’t reach agreement on Cyprien, but it now appears the Belgian may have ended up with a bigger fish.
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Feb 4

9 Comments

Trust calls for fan’s public meeting

Following the rapidly worsening relationship and the continuing lack of any fan engagement by owner Roland Duchatelet and CEO Katrien Meire, the Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust (CAST) have this evening issued the following statement:

“Further to the Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust (CAST) statement of 14th January 2015, the CAST wrote to the club’s CEO Katrien Meire to follow up our offer to discuss the growing anxiety of supporters about the direction of the club, and how they might be better involved.

We have received a disappointing response. Whilst Ms Meire has suggested that we meet with a colleague to discuss what the club needs to do to maintain and grow the fanbase, she declined any dialogue on the vital matter of where the club is heading.

Her explanation – that she had nothing more to tell supporters regarding the direction of the club – reminds us of her words in the London Evening Standard, when she insisted that fans would just “need to accept” the owner’s way. We respectfully but strongly disagree with her. We continue to hear daily from supporters of a growing discontent at the inconsistency between the club’s words and actions, and a frustration with a lack of true engagement.
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Feb 2

10 Comments

Drum roll…. Roger Johnson!

No new deadline beating signings down at The Valley, oh no, not even a washed up old network jolly that no one else wants.

Who knows what Roly promised Guy Luzon, except for a job at a future date at Újpest, but Luzon said on Saturday that he was anticipating on bringing in two more players, yet we know he has as much clout as Harvey the mascot.

The club stated in September that they would add to the squad if we were still in the play-off race in January. In fact, because of the paper thin quality of the squad, and poor management decisions, we are now in a relegation battle. Meire and Duchatelet have had at least since New Year’s Day to work on additions and what have we got.
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Feb 2

3 Comments

Beyond parody

If only the makers of Spitting Image were still about, they would have an absolute field day with Roland Duchatelet and his crazy network of ~~puppets~~ characters…. actually I think I was right first time….

Is this really for real? Someone please wake me from this very strange dream I am having.

Standard, who won yesterday in an eventful game at bottom place Lierse, have already fired Guy Luzon and Duchatelet appointed his number two Ivan Vukomanovic in November.
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Jan 31

6 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Rotherham United 1

The apathy, you can feel it running pretty deep amongst Addicks at the moment. The 2nd lowest Valley league crowd this season (despite a healthy Rotherham following) had to endure a much needed 3 points snatched away from them in injury time as Guy Luzon substituted a forward and put another defender on to entice pressure.

Sat in my car with my phone in my hand, the probability of that happening was about as obvious as night following day.

I am willing to give Roland Duchâtelet until Monday night then I might have a right old paddy.
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Jan 30

5 Comments

And another one gone

Joe Pigott has had his loan extended with Southend United until the end of the season.

The Shrimpers manager Phil Brown said: “It takes that element of doubt away. When you see the quality he has in training, it takes that risk away.”
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Jan 30

2 Comments

Give us a goal

I am Coral Gables today. Just a short run from Miami airport, where I got in late last night from Lake Tahoe. I fly back to Bermuda later after I catch up on some work and have a walk around the charming streets of Coral Gables and get some lunch.

As expected George Țucudean said farewell today to Charlton and has moved on a 18-month loan to Steau Bucharest to “win trophies,” which to be fair he has more likelihood in doing bearing in mind Steau have won the league 25 times and the cup 21 times.
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Jan 29

3 Comments

Lepoint signs

The Addicks added to their midfield ranks today by signing Belgian Christophe Lepoint on an undisclosed deal until 2017.

30-year old Lepoint was at Belgium Jupiler League KAA Gent, and has played 17 games so far this season, without a goal. He is said to be a more defensive midfielder, with more ardour than ability. Some would say like his new head coach.
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Jan 27

3 Comments

Where’s the spine?

Rotherham hit four goals tonight, one for every week that we have failed to find the net in the league. If Saturday wasn’t a big game before, it is now.

Guy Luzon would have had another week to get his ideas and positivity across to the players, although yet he has no additional players to work with.

Milos Veljkovic impressed at Wolves with a confident performance but the young Serb just adds to the ranks of holding midfielders. For so long we have lacked that midfield creativity and the club have only until Monday to address that.
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Jan 24

7 Comments

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Charlton Athletic 0

Most unexpected.

I was more interested in the performance, attitude and reaction today than the result, and from what I have read those attributes were all there, so credit to Guy Luzon and the players.

This is a windy road, and I expect plenty more divots in it as we navigate in the darkness around Duchâtelet’s network gimmick.
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Jan 22

4 Comments

New head coach bounce

“He’s met the players, he’s had some chats and they are well aware of how he wants to play as well, so we tried that in the first-half.” – Damian Matthew

So Guy Luzon has his work permit, and the Israeli officially becomes the Addicks 24th manager in it’s colourful history.

At the end of the day he will get my support, because wanting the team to be successful is the only way I know. Life and in particular being a Charlton fan is complicated and draining enough without wishing ill of something that has been part of me for 40 years.

When football fans set off for games it is not to support the owner, or the CEO, it is to support a collection of footballers wearing a shirt, representing a club in a community that they have an emotional connection with, and that will be no different on Saturday.
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Jan 20

8 Comments

One in, but how many out?

No news on Guy Luzon’s work permit, but there was a new player at Sparrows Lane today.

Milos Veljkovic signed on loan until the end of the season from Tottenham.

A 19-year old defensive midfielder, who can also play at centre-half, Veljkovic was on loan at Middlesbrough and although he only made 4 appearances Boro manager, Aitor Karanka, who can spot a young talent, was very complimentary.
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Jan 19

10 Comments

Bob speaks

Here in his native tongue.

You can spin it through Google Translator, but if you allow me to paraphrase it for you, Peeters says he was “idolised” by fans, and he thought he had a good relationship with Katrien Meire, but they ended up in conflict. The supporters could see we needed better players, but the owner thought he was exaggerating.
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Jan 17

10 Comments

Watford 5 Charlton Athletic 0

What a shambles.

Very few times in my years as a Charlton Athletic fan can I ever predict a result or a performance, because we have always been so unpredictable, save the days of games against Manchester United, or the FA Cup.

However today’s defeat was a dead cert, but despite this 2,024 Addicks spent hard earned money to travel and watch the team they love, and gave the players total backing for the entire game. And this was their reward.
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Jan 16

20 Comments

Farcical

“Charlton are disappointed to announce that Guy Luzon will not be able to take charge of the team at Watford on Saturday due to issues with his UK work permit.” (more)

You couldn’t make it up could you.
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Jan 15

10 Comments

Penny for a Guy

He may well not turn out to be the next Alex Ferguson, but perhaps we have a budding Ronald Koeman on our hands, or Marc Wilmots, or a young Avram Grant. Hey, a young José Riga would satisfy me.

Known by Standard fans and most of the Belgium sports media as a clown, who brought some strange touch-line antics and the long ball to the Belgium’s Jupiler League that had along with the Belgium FA developed some excellent academies and talented young players in less than a decade, we will find out soon enough whether keeping Guy Luzon on the payroll was one of Roland Duchâtelet’s more insightful decisions or one of that of a madman.

The name Guy Luzon first came into our sightline when he was sacked by Standard Liege in October, and I wrote then with an element of surprise that Luzon would remain in the network.
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Jan 14

29 Comments

Press conference awkwardness

Anyone see the press conference this afternoon? It was an embarrassment to the club.

No Roland of course, allergic to talking to supporters, but Katrien was there complete with shovel in her hand. They rolled Richard Murray out to put our minds at rest and then there was Guy Luzon, who I had trouble understanding.
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