League One | Chicago Addick

Dec 27

MK Dons 0 Charlton Athletic 1

Not what Karl Robinson would describe as vintage or even a potentially good harvest but a win is a win and Robinson’s first as Addicks’ manager.

We didn’t impress but defended resolutely enough and Ademola Lookman grabbed a fine winner from a superb Andrew Crofts pass in the first half to give us the Boxing Day points.

Needed as much as those 3 points were they won’t mean an awful lot unless we can build on them at Southend on Saturday. The Shrimpers lie 6th and to my mind if we can’t beat them then we have no real claim to be play-off contenders ourselves.
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Dec 21

4 Comments

Millwall 3 Same old Charlton Athletic 1

Instead of taxing my mind and creating a new blog post to attempt to explain another capitulation by a Charlton team against our most local of rivals. I decided instead to copy and paste this report from a game we played at the Den on March 13th, 2010. Same old Charlton….
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Dec 17

4 Comments

Charlton Athletic 0 Peterborough United 2

Bit of a shocker today by all accounts as we were comfortably beaten by Peterborough at The Valley in front of more sparse stands. Robinson pretty much involved everyone available to him, and despite losing Lee Novak who has joined the injured ranks, he played a very attacking formation with Lookman, Botaka, Magennis and Ajose all starting.

This all seemed to leave an already pedestrian midfield even more isolated and I feel for Morgan Fox, who obviously is not playing well but I don’t agree with booing your own players.
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Dec 10

2 Comments

Bradford City 0 Charlton Athletic 0

A second goalless draw for Karl Robinson today but it was a point that a battling performance deserved and was well received by travelling Addicks’ at the final whistle.

We created a number of chances in the first half but Bradford, unbeaten at home, finished strongly and it took every inch of effort to keep a clean sheet, especially after Patrick Bauer got sent off for a 2nd yellow. Dillon Phillips in particular coming in for high praise.
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Nov 27

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Sheffield United 1

A thoroughly undeserved point on Saturday after Patrick Bauer equalized in taxi time against most people’s promotion favourites Sheffield United.

Despite United’s dominance and a superb display from young Dylan Phillips, the Blades only had a single goal to show for it, a well worked free kick move. As we all know one goal is never often enough and sure enough from a lovely Adam Chicksen free kick, the big German bundled in late.

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Nov 23

3 Comments

Bristol Rovers 1 Charlton Athletic 5

Kevin Nugent played a very much in the background assistant manager role under Russell Slade. I don’t think I ever saw him interviewed or step out from behind his bosses shadow. He let his influence play out on the training field. Undoubtedly he was upset and shocked, as much as you can be working for Charlton these days, when his boss was sacked last week. However he has carried out the role of caretaker manager in a distinguished and venerable way.

If Meire is true to form she will pack Nugent off this week, you know, every decision better than the last. But if he is to go he should leave with his head held high and Addicks will remember him fondly.
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Nov 20

8 Comments

Charlton Athletic 2 Port Vale 0

The 426th man to take charge of a Charlton team under Roland Duchatelet actually did better than most of the previous caretaker managers and won 3 points today beating Port Vale 2-0 at another morgue like Valley. It was very much Russell Slade’s team, and it was interesting listening to Kevin Nugent on video after. For sure Slade had a positive influence on the back room, making it even more impetuous of Duchatelet to kick him to the kerb so suddenly.
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Nov 13

5 Comments

Swindon Town 3 Charlton Athletic 0

An enjoyble weekend at home for the football, only ruined by the football! I’m only glad that I didn’t waste time watching it on the telly. Oh….  

A 200-mile round trip across a very rainy London, the fact that it stopped raining when we reached the magic roundabout was the only highlight of another dismal day of being a Charlton fan. A couple of players out on international duty and our most creative and direct player injured showed up all of Russell Slade’s tactical weaknesses and how glaringly sparse and unbalanced our squad is, with 9 defenders in the 18 man squad!

How bad we were yesterday left me a little shell shocked to be honest. The first half was dreadful, but Swindon at least showed some splashes of intent and had a couple of players that could play the ball well on the ground. Meanwhile all we could do is move the ball sideways and backwards around the back four and eventually hoof it up front to no one in particular. Nicky Ajose attempted to make a fist of a couple of wayward high balls, but as an attacking force we showed no invention and less ambition.

In fact throughout the whole game we had just one shot on target. Novak and Ajose scored 39 goals between them last season yet Slade looks unable to get them playing together or individually to their strengths. I only found out once we got home that Slade had them set up in a diamond formation. I think those of us there were oblivious to that, although it might explain why Novak and Ajose kept being found out wide. Or then again it may not.
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Oct 29

5 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Chesterfield 0

On another day when the divison’s top sides showed promotion qualities, Charlton finally awoke from a slumber to win late against the division’s bottom side. It was a welcome win, and much needed, but can’t conceal another dismal negative performance from Slade’s side.

As one of my commenters told me the CARD flag day was a little flat along with the rest of the atmosphere, but hardly surprising when the real crowd, we are reliably informed, was less than 7,000. Some of the pictures of rows and blocks of empty seats is the legacy that Duchatelet and Meire are building for our great club. Truly shameful.
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Oct 22

1 Comment

Gillingham 1 Charlton Athletic 1

Nicky Ajose’s late penalty hides more cracks than a nudist convention after Charlton salvaged a point at Gillingham today. A pretty appalling 1st half performance at least improved amongst a bizarre refereeing display with the intoduction of Ajose after the break but when Ricky Holmes missed a penalty it looked as if we would slump to an embarrassing defeat. Yet a second opportunity from the spot after another handball decision gave Ajose a second chance to equalize and he did confidently and ran to Slade pointing at his chest.

The couple of thousand of Addicks at Priestfield made their feelings pretty clear towards Russell Slade at the break and two points from six leaves us sandwiched between Millwall and Gillingham in 17th fast approaching a third of the way through the season. That’s one win in twelve.

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Oct 19

Port Vale 1 Charlton Athletic 1

Do you ever feel like you can’t do anything right? Roland blames us, Meire and Keohane hate us and now Slade wades in having a go at a train full of Charlton fans prepared to invest time and money and travel halfway up the country to support their team on a Tuesday night.
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Oct 16

4 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Coventry City 0

For me trying to follow the game remotely, the game and therefore the result was a little secondary on Saturday. Greater forces of importance were at play yesterday afternoon in a wonderful coming together of two sets of supporters. Coventry fans take a bow and I really hope you rid yourselves of the imposters that have somehow got themselves to be leaders of your famous club’s future.

As for us, the result, a much needed 3 points, showed again that there is no correlation between full scale protests and the team’s performance on the pitch, in fact to the contrary if anything, it has been a spark provided by fans to give the team a platform to actually show us what they can do.

The first half, a cracker of a goal by Ricky Holmes aside, was pretty uneventful on the pitch accept for the arrival of 3,000 pink pigs thrown on by Addicks and Sky Blues’ fans just after kick off to remind our respective owners that pigs are more likely to fly than they give two snorts about the future of our historic football clubs.
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Oct 1

7 Comments

Charlton Athletic 0 Rochdale 1

“We know we made mistakes managerially. Everything is now in place with Russell to give us stability.” – Katrien Meire before the game getting her size 10 stilettos stuck in her big fat gob again.

If I remember rightly she said a similar thing about Chris Powell, Bob Peeters and Guy Luzon before she fired them.

1 point from three home games against AFC Wimbledon, Oldham and Rochdale. One point. Add that to the two points away at Fleetwood and Oxford, clubs that were in the National League just a few years ago. Now, we have no given right to beat anybody, but what we do have is a right to change. This club is rotten to the core, and if those that are intent on destroying it won’t do the honourable thing, then we need to enforce it.

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Sep 28

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Oldham Athletic 1

Well that sounded utterly painful and depressing and not forgetting, rubbish.

Again we were ahead, although unlike last week against AFC Wimbledon, this time undeserved. But we were ahead thanks to a well worked goal scored by Josh Magennis, yet leading only appears to be a signal for Russell Slade to sit deep and lock up shop.

One up front, a pedestrian midfield and Lookman on the bench. Hardly a shot at goal for 95 minutes and lucky to escape with a point against a team second from bottom and who had not scored in 6 of their previous 9 league games.

All this played out in front of thousands upon thousands of empty seats with the real crowd estimated at under 7,000.
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Sep 25

2 Comments

Oxford United 1 Charlton Athletic 1

I know little of Saturday’s game apart from what I have read from eye-witnesses and I don’t think it was much cop. A sell out away end didn’t seem impressed and I note that the anti Roland songs are getting louder and more prolonged.

Just 2 wins from 9 games, and those against two teams below us in the table. It’s early, although I always take note of that 10-game barometer, but as Barnsley will attest this league is most definitely a marathon and not a sprint.
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Sep 21

Scunthorpe United 0 Charlton Athletic 0

Sounded a decent game and I would happily have taken a clean sheet against a side that has been banging in the goals. The Iron had scored 9 in the preceding two home league games.

Slade set us up not to lose and waited until extraordinarily late to add some extra attacking force, which probably cost us all 3 points but with Bauer back alongside a much better Pearce we sounded much tighter at the back and all four defenders came out of the game with credit.

What a shame that Jacko couldn’t win it at the end with a trademark free-kick which cannoned off the woodwork.
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Sep 10

1 Comment

Fleetwood Town 2 Charlton Athletic 2

No disrespect to the Cod Army, a spirited and friendly club, but today is a sledge hammer of a reminder of where Duchatelet, Meire and a succession of poor decisions have taken us.

And judging commentary and subsequent viewpoints of those there we were the second best team today. The start was a mess, encouraging pressure on our defence and we were 0-1 down within a couple of minutes. Our midfield still sounds as if it lacks creativity and pace with debutant Ulvestad pretty anonymous. Plenty of time to judge the Norwegian though.

Our passing sounded sideways and backwards, Fleetwood’s sounded probing and threatening. However a peach of a cross from Holmes, who we were told after has hardly trained, found Josh Magennis who headed home his first Addicks’ goal. From what I have heard the Irishman has been one of most impressive performers this season thus far.
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Aug 27

3 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Bolton Wanderers 1

I followed on Twitter and it had me thinking how many thousands of Addicks now tune in remotely instead of going to games at The Valley. Just 10,000 official Addicks at the game, one of the season’s more attractive fixtures, with those in the ground putting the number more in the region of 8,000.

The first half we created the better opportunities, although Solly did have to clear off his line, this when playing in midfield after Johnnie Jackson went off with a slight injury. Why Bauer came on forcing a major reshuffle when either Lookman or Botaka appeared more obvious only Russell Slade will know why he preferred to make a negative move.

Bolton scored early in the 2nd half and it sounded as if we struggled after that against a very physical Phil Parkinson’s Bolton. However we kept plugging away and grabbed a share of the spoils, and ended Wanderers 100% start to the season, when Ademola Lookman fired home in the 7 minutes of added time.
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Aug 20

5 Comments

Walsall 1 Charlton Athletic 2

Today was back in the old days what Addicks’ fans would call a ‘nice little away win.’ A tough place to go is Walsall, and our win today was the first one from a visiting team there since March.

Great to see Nicky Ajose get on the target. Both goals bundled in, the second more than the first, but he was there right place, right time and how well did Magennis do for that second one. The Irishman looks an astute signing.

Slade went unchanged again and once more managed Holmes time on the pitch. Ricky has been the stand out performer so far, but I’m worried we will over rely on him.
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Aug 16

7 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Shrewsbury Town 0

Thanks again to my ever reliable Mother who buzzed my phone in quick succession with goal flashes as I tucked into a big plate of ribs and chips in Rio.

Was nice to hear of us scoring a few goals, and Ricky Holmes already looks a popular and worthy addition. Of course Ricky has a long way to go to reach Jacko legend status.
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Aug 13

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Northampton Town 1

I took my protest to Rio and tuned out of the happenings at The Valley and instead tuned into scantily clad women slapping a ball over a net on sand in the name of Olympic sport.

However my always relied upon Mother was updating me during the game and my brother gave me a full blown text report after, but it was fair to say you would all have rather been in my seat at the Copacabana Beach Volleyball Arena. You would also have been surrounded by more people!

Anyway these are my observations. The Canadian girl’s bikini bottom was a shade of red and white. Oh hang on, wrong blog post! Apologies.
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Aug 6

1 Comment

Bury 2 Charlton Athletic 0

Over a 1,000 Addicks made the long trip to Bury today. The first game of a new season prompting dreams, hopes and a small ray of sunlight peaking out from behind a big black cloud that still engulfs our historic football club.

Charlton fans sung the place out and backed the team to the hilt, but in return were treated to a dreadful performance in Russell Slade’s first competitive game. Added to that, at the final whistle to muted boos and sympathic applause, as the players walked over to those that had made the long and expensive journey, Roger Johnson to hundreds of witnesses screamed at fans: “don’t f*cking come if you don’t like it.” Honestly this club, our club, is rotten to the core.
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Aug 5

League One preview – part III

Part I is here and Part II is here.

Rochdale under Keith Hill have made the transition to League One look fairly comfortable. Two top ten finishes are not to be sniffed at as Dale keep company with much bigger and financially stronger clubs. Hill also remains at Spotland and unlike 95% of the countries managers, you have to think that the manager does control quite a lot of his own destiny.

Just a couple of additions aligned with a bit of a clear out, should mean that Dale at least stand still but with the lowest home attendance in the division last season, Hill must continue to get his players to punch above their weight. Led by young skipper Jamie Allen, it is not a squad of household names although Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, ex of Peterborough and Wolves, is there, but it is a young but clearly a non-intimidated group of players. Hill and is his team should expect a mid table finish again. Promotion 12/1. Relegation 9/2.
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Aug 2

3 Comments

League One preview – part II

Part I here.

Rivals, non rivals, I guess it depends where you live, but Gillingham under the growing reputation of manager Justin Edinburgh were one of the surprise packages last season, only a poor slide at the end seeing them miss out on a play-off place. Edinburgh will be looking to improve on a 9th placed finish and he has added well to his squad, although Lee Martin will miss the start of the season due to a bad injury picked up in a friendly.

Scott Wagstaff also joined from Bristol City and Paul Konchesky from Leicester, but who played 36 games on loan at QPR last season. Ex-Addick Josh Wright the captain at Priestfield. Has there ever been a time when the Gills has had no ex-Charlton players? They did lose centre-back Joe Egan to Brentford but importantly have kept the sought after Bradley Dack, at least until now.

Keeping Dack will be essential and Edinburgh may need to add to his squad before the deadline, but I expect Gills to be challenging for the play-offs again. Promotion 10/1. Relegation 7/1.
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Aug 1

League One preview – part I

Well here we are again, back in the 3rd Division of English football. Some old friends remain like Sheffield United, who face their 6th consecutive season after being relegated in 2010/11 and for the 6th time start the season as the bookies’ favourite. Oldham Athletic also remain and with a tenure of 10 years are the division’s longest serving member. Millwall are back there as well, as are Gillingham, but strangely only 9 teams remain from our promotion season. They are Sheffield United, Oldham, Chesterfield, Colchester, MK Dons, Notts County, Rochdale, Walsall and Saturday’s opponents Bury.

We will welcome back to The Valley Phil Parkinson, now manager of Bolton and perhaps will look longingly at Chris Wilder and Keith Hill who were both interviewed for the Charlton manager’s job in the summer before it was given to Russell Slade. Amongst ex-players we will be reacquainted with are Jerome Thomas (Port Vale), Franck Moussa (Walsall), Paul Konchesky, Scott Wagstaff (both Gillingham), Marvin Sordell, Kyel Reid (both Coventry) and Eggert Jonsson (Fleetwood). Excited yet?

So, old friends, old foes, new teams, new grounds and I will cast my captivated eyes over them one by one. Not in any real detail like Kyle, but just enough to get your juices flowing with anticipation. No?
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Jun 22

5 Comments

Bury away

Wallop. What was that? The realization crashing down that we are back in League One.

Bury away, Northampton home, Shrewsbury home, Walsall away. Our first four games. Full list here.

‘Highlights’ include Parky back with Bolton on August 27th, our first ever game against AFC Wimbledon on September 17th, Millwall away on October 8th, Gillingham away October 22nd and Sheffield United home on November 26th.
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May 30

7 Comments

League One set for next season

What an absolutely heart warming story AFC Wimbledon’s rise from the ashes is. The real Dons will be a honour to join in League One next season.

With Millwall’s defeat on Sunday to Barnsley the make up of next season’s League One is now complete and with the Dons and Lions with us, it does give the league a much more geographical north/south spread. The furthest the Addicks will travel is to Fleetwood, one of two teams we have never played before. AFC Wimbledon being the other.
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May 16

6 Comments

Contract talks

As clubs start to issue their ‘not retained list’ the Addicks have very few players actually out of contract this summer.

Only young Serbian keeper Marko Dmitrovic, World Cup ‘star’ Reza Ghoochnannejhad, Joe Pigott and Zak Ansah are recognizable names that have their contracts ending. From the U21 squad stopper 20-year old Dillon Phillips, who played 37 games for National League champions Cheltenham before injury curtailed his season and Ayo Obileye, who had a spell on loan at Dagenham & Redbridge are two noticeable exits.

Both Callum Harriott and Alou Diarra have their contracts ending but have a one-year extension offer built into their deals. I would suspect that Harriott will feel it’s time to move on after being at The Valley since the age of 9, and Diarra’s salary is now out of range.
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May 6

2 Comments

Good riddance

The last miserly game of a torrid and destructive football season. Not one Addick will shed a tear when the curtain falls tomorrow afternoon. Burnley fans will be in celebratory mood whilst Charlton fans mischievous and angry.

CARD have been a little bit low key this week allowing the buzz around what may happen on Saturday fill the space and pose questions. I know however there is a lot planned for the watching Sky TV cameras making life once again uncomfortable for Ms Meire, the self-titled Senior Management Team (sic) and that oaf of an owner Roland Duchatelet, up a little bit earlier than normal from his coffin to get his weekly football fix via a dodgy internet feed.
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Apr 28

Smiles all round as QPR get relegated

That photograph has left a little bit of a sour taste. It’s a still of Kermorgant passing the ball into Fuller for what would have been our 3rd goal but was ruled offside. A little bit sour but not as sourpuss as Tony Mowbray who was way up near the front of the ugly queue.

QPR and Reading played out a pathetic goal-less draw to join us next season. Relegation is normally met with tears and anger but all I saw today was smiles and apathy. Reading under Adkins with a lot more stability will bounce back I am sure, but QPRhahaha are back to where they belong, well almost, that might take another season.
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Dec 20

Brentford ‘Pay What You Can’ offer

Brentford are asking supporters to pay whatever they want to watch them play Stevenage on Saturday. There is a minimum entry fee of £1 for all ages in any seat in the home areas.

The Bees under Uwe Rosler have been on a sparkling run of form that has seen them move into a League One automatic promotion place after beating Sheffield United, Swindon, MK Dons and Notts County in recent weeks and now in these tough financial times at a very expensive time of year, the West Londoners should be congratulated on proposing this clever marketing idea.
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May 26

3 Comments

Heatwave

The weather has been ultra kind to us since we arrived on Wednesday. The beautiful Secret Garden was swathed in sunshine yesterday for my mate’s wedding. A week ago we would have had our coats and wellies on.

The wedding was superb, my speech went down a storm, even if I say so myself, and it was brilliant to see so many of my old mates and my family altogether in one place.
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May 26

Who will be the 3rd wheel?

6 weeks after the mighty reds were promoted up at Carlisle, one of our season-long rivals will join us this afternoon.

We put a dent in both Huddersfield and United’s promotion push during the course of the past season but both would be deserving of a leg up to the next tier this afternoon after spending the whole season alongside Sheffield Wednesday chasing us around the promotion track.
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May 6

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Hartlepool United 2

Just champion!

What a momentous day at The Valley it was yesterday, and how we milked it! The whole day will live long in the memory and in my mind it was a far more enjoyable day than the Ipswich game in 2000, even discarding the result.

That day though we began an exciting journey under Curbs, and yesterday a bigger crowd joined together to witness another exciting pilgrimage under a beloved leader.

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May 4

3 Comments

United or Wednesday?

Do we have a view?

The race between the two Sheffield massives has occupied the media for the whole season. Who would finish 1st and and who would finish 2nd? Well the story didn’t quite end that way as some little upstarts from darn sarf have done a runner with the trophy. However credit where credit’s due as both Wednesday and United have given it a bloody good go, particularly in the latter stages of the season as they chased us down the home straight.

One of the two clubs could finish the season tomorrow night with over 90 points and not get promoted, which says a lot about our poise and unyielding ability these last 9 months.
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Apr 29

Preston North End 2 Charlton Athletic 2

Don’t know why I was so disappointed. It was pretty obvious that Graham Alexander was going to have his Roy Race moment but hey it was a decent point on the road for our reserves.

It didn’t matter of course but I think Powell surprised a lot of us with his team selection but it was a chance for players such as Evina and Sullivan to have their patience rewarded and allowed Powell to watch some of his squad players again before he makes some post season decisions.
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Apr 25

10 Comments

How sexy does that ‘C’ look?

I’ll never get bored of looking at that. 97 points, that’s pretty awesome isn’t it? The last team to finish the season with more than 97 were Luton, who got 98 in 2004/5. Wigan hit 100 points in 2002/3. As the Gaffer says…. 44 games gone, 2 to play.

I was wondering about medals the other day, and a poster on Charlton Life answered all of my questions. Back in the day I thought that a player had to make a certain number of appearances, a third if I remember, to claim a league winners medal, but that was pre-big squads. In the 1980/81 season I think we used just 17 players.
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Apr 22

1 Comment

Charlton Athletic 2 Wycombe Wanderers 1

Whilst last Saturday night I celebrated pretty much on my lonesome (although my passive-other-half did say she was pleased for me), this weekend I partied like it was 1998 along with my brother and fellow Addicks including the groom long into the night in an Irish bar off Las Ramblas in Barcelona and I tell you what, we out sung the very disappointed Barca fans as well!

We had Estrella on draft and Jeff Stelling for company as we sat under the television awaiting updates from The Valley and when it was all over and MK Dons had also done the business, we hugged it out and drank for a very long time.
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Apr 21

6 Comments

Champions

Or as they say in Barcelona. Championes, championes ole, ole, ole, ole!

Apr 16

2 Comments

The Reds are going up

48 hours on and the party is still going on in my head. I have watched every available video clip, read every report and smiled over every photograph. How kind it was of our friends at Carlisle to host another one of our promotion parties!

I have stared at that ‘P’ next to our highlighted name in the table and watched the pitch invasion from every camera phone of a Charlton fan who took time to post it on the internet and I have proudly worn the only pair of Charlton cuff links I own to work today (thanks Chris).
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Apr 14

3 Comments

Carlisle United 0 Charlton Athletic 1

I am not embarrassed to say that I had tears on my cheeks this afternoon when the final whistle had finally blown at Colchester and our promotion to the Championship had sunken in. This football club can put you through the ringer but these golden moments are to be treasured.

When I watched on Sky Sports News Charlton fans spilling onto the pitch at the final whistle I was so chuffed for those that took the gamble to travel the length of the country to give the players the encouragement. Brunton Park has further still become a massive part of the club’s history. Incredible isn’t it?

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Apr 12

3 Comments

If you know your history….

I was at Carlisle in 1986 (photo), a little too young in 1981 but I remember that day just as vividly. Heaven knows I wish I was going Saturday. The Addick corners of t’internet are in a cold sweat, the anxiety and apprehension is palpable and I am doing my utmost to ignore it.
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Apr 9

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Walsall 0

6 Easter points…. as tasty as a large handful of Cadbury’s Mini Eggs.

Listening in on the radio was again a nerve-racking experience. Whilst our two hosts talked about what they did the weekend, the crowd ooh and aared, and a young Walsall player from Argentina got all the plaudits the game never came to life however like my Mini Eggs, you can serve Charlton wins as you like.
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Apr 8

Oldham Athletic 0 Charlton Athletic 1

Nerves of steel. No not me I was once again pressing the refresh button on my phone like a demented one, but those wearing the red shirts yesterday. Finally men we can be proud to support.

We may have won nothing yet but I think Powell will look back at yesterday as an afternoon when all is said and done and point to a performance that summed up everything about this group of strangers he put together last summer. Powell may well be learning the coaching game but his man management abilities match him with almost anyone with decades more experience in the game. Those players will run through walls for him, it is all there for us to see.
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Mar 31

Charlton Athletic 2 Leyton Orient 0

Today, Miami International Airport, the Car Rental Center (sic). 11.45am local time. An anxious looking man spotted acting irrationally walking around vast car park pretending to find a child car seat whilst pressing the refresh button on his Blackberry every 5 seconds.

Having fun yet?

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Mar 29

Get well soon Richard

I’d like to add my best wishes to Richard Murray on a speedy recovery after suffering a mini stroke. Charlton and The Valley without Richard Murray’s influence and investment these past two decades would be a very different place and not a better one for sure. Please click for more

Mar 24

1 Comment

Huddersfield Town 1 Charlton Athletic 0

Did anyone else spot that all of the officials were from the north of England including referee Carl Boyeson who lives just a short journey along the M62 in the east of Yorkshire! Is that really allowed to happen?

Yes Darel Russell was an idiot for retaliating and getting sent off for the 2nd time in 5 appearances, but it was clear Anthony Kay was a bigger culprit and should have walked at the same time.

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Mar 21

Charlton Athletic 3 Yeovil Town 0

It was all about the result last night, the performance was secondary, as to be fair they pretty will all be now until the fat lady starts singing, but to score 3 and to get a clean sheet was a lovely bonus.

As the Sheffield clubs continue to eat themselves, and I listened to a podcast this morning to both Danny Wilson and Dave Jones talk about their rivals and the pressure that that entails. We were not given as much as a mention.
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Mar 17

4 Comments

Scunthorpe United 1 Charlton Athletic 1

The wrist slashers were out in force tonight across SE7 and t’internet. You have to laugh. If your glass if always that half empty then please don’t come out with me to get pissed.

Stopping the rot (two defeats in 12 games) was the most important thing today and that we did. I listened in and it didn’t sound a great performance and often Scunny were in the ascendency but I was chuffed to see BWP score what sounded like a fine finish from a Waggy cross and I will take a point all day long.

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Mar 10

Charlton Athletic 2 Notts County 4

Jesus H Christ. We’re not even into the last 10 games yet! Get me the Samaritans and quick. If that wasn’t a massive kick up the backside then I don’t know what is. Focus, focus, bloody focus Charlton. There’s still a long way to go.

Thankfully there is no midweek game and a trip up north is probably what we need. And perhaps Powell should reverse his team talks and give the 2nd half one before the game!
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Mar 7

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 0 Colchester United 2

It had to happen sometime, even to me who hadn’t even seen us let a goal in during the 5 live games I’ve been witness to this season. This recent 3 week run of Saturday/midweek games was always going to be difficult to stay unbeaten.

I told my son on the way up that this had all the makings of a classic Charlton hiccup. We haven’t often impressed under The Valley lights this season and I have a long memory. This is Charlton after all and I vaguely remember Colchester beating us at home the last time we won promotion from this division.

We wobbled a bit then 30-odd years ago but this team is better than that and there wasn’t as much room for slippage then. Lying in bed last night I couldn’t help think (and I hadn’t been drinking) that this might not have been a bad game to lose. With the chasing pack taking it in turn to fall at a hurdle, a defeat to an inconsequential rival (no disrespect) is a timely reminder to us all that there is still a job to be done.
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Mar 6

1 Comment

Vintage

A rare treat for me tonight with back to back Charlton games. I’ll drive up this afternoon from my parents and hope to grab a pint in the Rose of Denmark pre-match.

After the euphoric scenes in Bournemouth on Saturday we return home for two games in four days with Essex boys Colchester United up first.
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Mar 4

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AFC Bournemouth 0 Charlton Athletic 1

Back from a great weekend in Bournemouth where the match, if not the end result and pre and post game, has been consigned to memory.

It was a pretty dismal affair if I’m honest with Bournemouth edging it but a goalless draw probably the right result. This Charlton team however does not know when it is over.

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Mar 2

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Bournemouth calling

This time tomorrow I hope to be supping a pint of decent beer in Bournemouth with Dave and a few others, well about 2,000 others in fact. My son will be on the J2o’s.

I fly back to Gatwick on the BA flight tonight landing at around 6am and will do a drive-by to pick my son up en route to the south coast. Anticipating a long day, and a few pints, I have a hotel booked and we will stay in Bournemouth Saturday night and then cruise around a bit on Sunday before heading back to his later in the day.
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Feb 28

Chesterfield 0 Charlton Athletic 4

A performance of champions tonight. The Spireites had won their last two games at home (Wednesday and Bournemouth), defensively they have been very sound at the B2Net and of course they are scrapping. To run out 4-0 winners was, well, a performance to warm the soul.

I think we all deep down hoped that BWP would run a little wild tonight, and he did. Although (I haven’t seen the goals) his first and third might be appealed to the dubious goals committee, but whatever, we have our Bradley back….. and with a little luck he might have had 9 goals these last few days!!
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Feb 25

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Charlton Athletic 2 Stevenage 0

Ye of little faith. A massive result for the Addicks today against Stevenage who were well and truly put back in their box.

Not just 3 points but it sounded a very positive display, notably so in the 2nd half and all in front of an excellent crowd of 26,546. The biggest 3rd tier attendance at The Valley since World War II. It was also the biggest ever league crowd to watch Stevenage in their history!
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Feb 22

Charlton Athletic 1 Rochdale 1

Even standing on the sidelines here I could see that there were so many players out of position last night, the game was already flawed before it even started. I have to think that Solly pulled out sick so close to kick off that Andy Hughes was sat at home with a cuppa in front of The Brits.

Mind you earlier in the day on Twitter Cedric Evina hinted that he might feature, so maybe it was known for some time that Solly was a doubt.

Powell talks of balance but with right footed Green on the left, left footed Wiggins on the right and the central midfielder Pritchard in right midfield the side was as balanced as a one legged tightrope walker.
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Feb 21

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Free pass

A bit of a free pass this week as the Sheffield clubs don’t meet until Sunday lunchtime, MK Dons do play tonight but there are a huge 6 points up for grabs these next four days.

The games come thick and fast now, no time to dwell on past performances that have caused a little anxiety amongst Addicks, but also include wins against three of our rivals.

We were due a poor run, no one can play for 9 months and beat everyone in sight convincingly. If this is our bad run, then I’ll bite your hand off.
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Feb 18

Tranmere Rovers 1 Charlton Athletic 1

Hey, a point at Tranmere is not a bad point, we aren’t going to win every game and as February moves into it’s second half we are still unbeaten in 2012. That incredibly is the fifth successive 1-1 draw against Tranny and ignoring the 4-0 thrashing we gave them a few years back we haven’t won there since 1975, although there has been a lot of draws.

I had a bad feeling about today so personally I’m happy to take a point and psychologically it’s always more desirable to have a better 2nd half than 1st half and judging by the radio we were oodles better after the break and created a number of chances.
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Feb 15

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Charlton Athletic 2 MK Dons 1

After listening to the first half commentary I had to shoot off at half-time for a Valentines evening (consisting mostly of chocolate) with my two girls and had forgotten to take my phone to work, so I was oblivious to the goings on 2nd half. Obviously I was chuffed to bits that we won but I knew the score was always going to be more likely 2-1 than 4-0.

As I always do I deferred to Dave’s Drinking During the Game match report, and he was bitterly disappointed that we didn’t come out 2nd half and put on a show and I agree there are still many ‘half-convereted’ at home games who need to be persuaded to come back regularly and part with dough they could better use on other leisure activities.
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Feb 15

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Lee Clarke sacked by Huddersfield

Have to say I am very surprised by the news that Huddersfield have sacked Lee Clarke this morning after their defeat to Sheffield United last night. Just goes to prove what an unforgiving business managing a football club is.

Huddersfield have been beaten just 3 times in 55 games and Clarke was said to have a good relationship with the club’s owner. I suppose Neil Warnock and Simon Grayson are available but it still seems an odd decision with Town 4 points from 2nd place.
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Feb 13

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Saturday, Tuesday

Minus 10 temperatures overnight in Derbyshire on Saturday so it was no surprise that our game at Chesterfield was postponed. Just a shame the official who inspected the pitch on Friday had Michael Fish as his weather advisor. Thousands of Addicks keeping Little Chefs in business then as the majority had already set off by the time the game was finally called off.

Elsewhere Sheffield Wednesday came a cropper at Exeter with Gary Megson not best pleased. Their cross town rivals United beat Wycombe 3-0 and in the only other game Bournemouth missed out on climbing into the play-offs after being held to a goalless draw at Hartlepool.

The rearranged Chesterfield game has been slated for February 28th. This means we play Tuesday, Saturday for the next four weeks, so six games before this short month ends. Talk about the business end of the season.
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