The Valley | Chicago Addick

Nov 24

Robinson has brought the team back but not our club

Happy anniversary to Karl Robinson. After the disappointing draw at home to MK Dons he talked about how far we have come as a team since last time we played Franchise in April. I would rather look at how far we have come in the past year.

In fact just over a year ago I was at, what turned out to be Russell Slade’s last game, Swindon. It was truly demoralizing, and the road down and down under Duchatelet appeared to have no turning points or crossroads. The incompetence of Meire and the vindictiveness of Duchatelet apparently knew no bounds.

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Jul 28

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Golden oldies

Great to read about a planned Curbs v Gritty match to celebrate 25 years back at The Valley and to importantly raise funds for the Charlton Athletic Community Trust.

The two sides captained by Steve and Alan and managed by Addicks’ legend Keith Peacock and Addicks’ fan Dave Berry will take place at The Valley on Sunday, September 17th, the day after Gills away. (more)

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Apr 24

6 Comments

Reclaim The Valley

The Valley, Floyd Road, London SE7. Our spiritual home. A home that I first made my own in 1975, and this year for the first season in 42 years, a home that will not have been to, nor to a final home game that I have nearly always made it back for since leaving the UK in 2003.

However this Sunday CARD have plans to get as many of us there as possible, even if you don’t want to part with your money and enter the ground.
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Feb 21

10 Comments

Charlton Athletic 0 Oxford United 1

A new low, but with plenty of deep water below us to consume us.

The photos doing the rounds tonight of an empty Valley are utterly depressing. Thank you Roland for your legacy. We have been truly blessed.

Sadly I think we are nowhere near the bottom as now Karl Robinson struggles to control an ever more spiralling out of control football club. His post match interview blamed everyone and everybody and he talked of players he didn’t have. This after what he said was a good transfer window. Three points and no wins in the five games since and this with an almost entirely fully fit squad, although our displinary record is horrible. More fouling Robinson said when he joined if you remember.

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Jan 22

7 Comments

Old boiler

When the mad professor and his useless lackey finally jack it in and leave us to pick up the pieces, there won’t be a book written about their days of yore, or a movie, or a television series. No, there will be a west end show, a proper comedy romp. Oh how we will laugh….

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Dec 5

6 Comments

Happy Back to The Valley Day

Makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

Sep 7

2 Comments

Jimmy Seed Stand

I was pleased to see today that a particular bug bear of mine is going to be righted and that is the replacement of the Jimmy Seed Stand sign. Credit to the club for listening and for the Museum for championing the idea and Target 20k for bringing it to the attention of the ‘Senior Management Team.’ It always bemused me that Roland was spending money on panting steps and changing the horizontal of the nets, yet ignored the disarray of the worn out sign with one of our most famous ever club figures’ name on it.
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May 7

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Charlton Athletic 0 Burnley 3

A 3-0 defeat. Probably could have got evens on that before the game. Congratulations to the Clarets on their title.

Anyway enough about the game. What an awesome day for Charlton fans as chaos reigned at The Valley. Despite sniffer dogs, over zealous searches, 100’s of additional security, aggressive stewarding, a net behind the length of the Covered End and more police, with some bazaar crowd control tactics, than SE7 has seen for many a long year, it was a landmark day for Addicks as we thrust our plight into the forefront of the national media and the conscious of fellow football fans everywhere.
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Dec 30

Family guy

As expected my body forced me awake early this morning, but it was nice to be back in my own Bermuda bed after a great Christmas at home with our families.

However the imperturbable other half will tell you, my disposition driving anti-clockwise around the M25 from Heathrow to pick my son up on the day we arrived was not particularly festive. Anyway a better journey under the now toll-less Dartford Tunnel to an old mate’s house in St Albans to be met with chili and lot’s of red wine did the trick, and despite a hangover the drive to Oxfordshire on Christmas Eve via Henley had me ready for Santa.

I was on the nice list, which was a pleasant surprise, as was my daughter, which was less of a surprise, and my other half’s family were in great spirits and we had a wonderful couple of days with them before we left early on Boxing Day to drive into London to my brother’s. My parents were already in situ as was my sister in law’s family and we had another very lovely day, rare days of us all being together that should be cherished.
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Dec 17

6 Comments

Empty seats sabotage’s Target 20,000

Attracting more supporters to come and watch the team here at The Valley – and ensuring we are doing everything we can to make their matchday experience enjoyable – is crucial to us. – Katrien Meire’s Target 20,000 plan.

Last night’s attendance of 12,294 which included over 4,000 no show season ticket holders was the lowest Valley crowd since March 1998. In the region of just 8,000 Addicks were actually inside the ground to watch a depressing performance from Karel Fraeye’s men. This was borne out by a very low jackpot ticket payout of £245, which is a good guide to how many home fans were actually in the ground.
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Dec 3

Target 20,000

Katrien Meire announced her plans for the Target 20,000 initiative today.

Leaving aside the fact that the club needs to address the flight of longstanding fans away from match days mostly because of the dross on show, it at least meets one of the commitments made at the recent fan’s meeting.

Fans want committed players and a manager to trust in, but the club has to run parallel strategies to encourage new, lapsed and young fans to The Valley, especially in the strong headwinds of West Ham’s Olympic Stadium ticketing policy and Palace’s current success.
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Nov 29

6 Comments

Charlton Athletic 0 Ipswich Town 3

A third 0-3 home defeat in four games and any thoughts of a renaissance after two wins were squashed by an apathetic performance in front of a worryingly sparse and disinterested crowd.

This club is only going one way at the moment and it is runaway train with Ms Meire at the steering wheel and M Duchatelet in the control box. Whether the 2% Protest made any impact on the two of them I very much doubt it, but the fact that ‘Stand up for the 2%‘ posters were held aloft by at least half of the home fans, sitting amongst a sea of empty red seats was a very respectful but poignant image, one that got the message out to a broader audience and showed up Meire’s arrogance for what it is.

Congratulations to all of those that helped and supported it. It was a good start and I will write more on that in the coming days now that I am back in Bermuda and once I can shake off the hangover of another pitiful display.
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Nov 11

7 Comments

Tuesday’s fan meeting thoughts

I was one of hundreds of Addicks getting angrier and angrier on Twitter last night following Tweets from a couple of media outlets supposedly reporting the fan’s meeting with Katrien Meire and Richard Murray at The Valley. I got myself so wound up I had to go to the pub.

Upon watching the video this evening the narrative from last night as recorded by the News Shopper and London24 certainly painted a different picture and many of the 140 character missives took out of the context what was actually said.

I sat through the whole 110 minutes of the video, and a lot of it was respectful and uneventful. However my own opinion is that this was not the discussion that I was hoping for. It is possibly a start but there was still no substance to the same old trotted out mantra we have heard many times before.
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Nov 7

5 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Sheffield Wednesday 1

It has not been easy being a Charlton fan in recent weeks, in fact it has been pretty depressing, but my slumber has been awoken by the unification of Charlton fans, those who remember Sam Bartram, those that remember Derek Hales, those that remember Clive Mendonca, those that now cheer on Johan Berg Gudmundsson. All Charlton fans coming together to claim the football club that we love back.

I was today at my daughter’s first ever swimming meet. I was nervous for her, but those nerves turned to an upside down stomach when on my phone I watched footage on Twitter of around a 1,000 fans gathered in the West Stand car park demonstrating against the leadership of our club before the game.

This had a poignant effect on me as I watched video clips, saw photos and read on the ground comments from those Addicks amongst them. This was a very significant moment for Addicks as all ages came together, men and women, and protested peacefully, pointedly and loudly.

And this is only the beginning.
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Oct 20

2 Comments

Vote of Confidence

As Addicks fans make their way to The Valley tonight, CEO Katrien Meire has given Guy Luzon a vote of confidence. “Guy has our full support, for sure. He has been unlucky with injuries. I spoke to Guy over the weekend and told him not to worry – that he is not under any pressure.” (more)
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Sep 22

2 Comments

No clowning around

When the two fateful names were pulled out of the hat, we were told that it wouldn’t be a distraction. That was four games and one point ago. Whether the players have been affected, some of whom probably were never going to play in the game anyway and many of whom, I would expect, had no previous knowledge of what the game means, who knows. Our form since the international break is a cause for concern but nothing that a rip-roaring derby win cannot put right!

It was always going to be a distraction for Charlton fans, beside themselves when the draw was made, but now terrified of what the game beholds. Palace have bought big and mostly well this summer looking to push on, knowing that a new humungous TV deal kicks in August, and just like so many before them starting to feel at home in their new lifestyle.
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Aug 9

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Charlton Athletic 2 Queens Park Rangers 0

What a wonderful day out to end a very enjoyable week. Back in Bermuda tonight with my head full of memories and Charlton songs!

QPR may not end up being a good yardstick to judge our opening performance as my mate Dave said in his post-match thoughts, although you can only beat what is in front of you, but although we conceded a lot of possession and corners to the west Londoners in the first half, it was a little surprising to see their capitulation after we went 2-0 up. The rather cocky QPR fans who somewhat startlingly sauntered past the Royal Oak singing their anti-Chelsea songs may need to lower their pretensions.

I think most of us shuddered a little when those first 6 fixtures came out, but early season is as good as time as any to play the relegated teams, and Austin-less it is hard to see anything other than a season of mediocrity or worse for Ramsey’s team.
But as Luzon repeats it wasn’t about our opposition, for Addicks it was finding out about those players in red shirts, their aptitudes and their attitudes.
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Aug 7

5 Comments

One more sleep

Here it is then, another Charlton Athletic season of blood, sweat and tears. Remember a baby is made and born quicker than a football season and it is important not to get too high with the highs, and too low with the lows. What rubbish eh? Whoever spouts this kind of stuff is clearly not a football fan!

The Championship season, tucked away behind a cloud on Sky Sports, unless you are Leeds United, has another look of throwing up all kinds of possibilities this season. Upon doing a little research to write my previews of each team (click here on part’s I, II and III) it only highlighted the myriad of differing ambitions that clubs have and how they plan to attack them.

It is almost impossible to strive for midtable security in The Championship, and I think Charlton need to be wary of that ideal. The Charlton approach should be to keep away from any danger and attempt to improve on last season but if horror upon horrors there is the slightest chance of a play-off opportunity, then Roland Duchatelet and the club needs to embrace it.
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Jun 17

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Tough start

QPR (h), Derby (a), Forest (a), Hull (h), Wolves (a). 2015/16 Full fixture list here.

That is a tough looking start on paper, although there is a lot to be said for playing the relegated sides early as they adjust to the culture shock of The Championship.

I will be home for the opening game and it is our first Valley start to the season since we returned to The Championship. There is a chance that Sky might pick our game for that weekend although Leeds, Preston and Hull may get the nod. The opening game instantly reminds of our victory over then Harry Redknapp’s side the season before last. That ‘Johnnie Jackson QPR’ game was one of the best moments seen at The Valley in the last couple of seasons.
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May 28

2 Comments

Vista view

The club announced today the renaming of the still infantile Keith Peacock Suite to the The Vista.

“The new lounge will be a modern and sophisticated environment being located on the third floor of the West Stand covering two floors and offering outstanding views of London. This lounge will allow you to experience much more than just 90 minutes of action on the pitch.”
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Dec 5

Happy 5th December

Tuesday April 2nd, 1991. A night etched in my memory.

My brother and I stood with a few hundred others on a warm evening in the street outside the Woolwich Town Hall. A few bobbies kept us company.

Inside there was another meeting to vote on Charlton’s planning application to return to The Valley. The chairman of the council’s planning committee had been ousted by the Valley Party the year before. A hundred or so people were present in the committee room. Some Addicks, some residents, some club officials. Another 500 were crammed into the public hall, the rest of us stood quietly outside waiting for the odd snippet of information.

At precisely 8.47pm, the cheering told us everything we needed to know. Charlton Athletic were returning home.

Nov 27

4 Comments

Weekend warrior

I am making the most of having Thanksgiving Friday off work and fly back to Gatwick overnight for the weekend, literally until Sunday when I will fly back.

Despite the disorientating nature of it, I love these quick weekenders back at home. I cram in as much as possible, travel light and the body doesn’t get time to adjust, at least that is what I tell myself anyway.
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Oct 25

4 Comments

Friday night football

There were said to be close to 4,000 Addick’s at Craven Cottage last night which will encourage Katrien Meire with her machinations of Friday night football at The Valley.

When I was younger I used to love Friday night games under the lights at The Valley. As a kid it was an excuse to stay up late, and get a basket of chicken and chips in the old Valley Club beforehand.

Then as a young man Friday night games were set up nicely for a few beers after work with mates before going into the ground. The atmosphere always seemed better, as did the results, although I am sure that is just a romantic notion playing tricks with my memory.
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Aug 22

My Valley homecoming

My first visit to The Valley on Tuesday night since the redecoration and I was impressed in the old girl, who scrubbed up very nicely. It wasn’t long ago that the club badge behind the Covered End was falling off the wall and Duchâtelet and Meire, who I think should take a lot of credit, have done a lot to make it look a far better stadium.

There is the pitch, the new seats and the paint jobs of course, but it is the little things that impresses me and the large placards of Charlton players and of memories past are simple but effective.
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Aug 17

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Gone fishing

I’m flying back to Gatwick tonight with my son, who has been with us for two weeks.

We had our final swim a little bit earlier and I’m feeling nicely sleepy for the flight. My son, as tired as he is, will watch movies from the minute we take off until the moment we land.

I am only back for two nights and have a bit of running around to do. I will base myself at my parents down on the South Downs, but will be in the City Monday night to meet up with some mates for drinks and then Tuesday we will be at The Valley.
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Aug 13

Charlton Athletic 4 Colchester United 0

Charlton and formality are two words rarely seen together in the same sentence, yet last night a decent turn out at The Valley witnessed just that.

Credit to Big Bob for putting out a team capable of winning the tie, then giving a galvanizing half-time pep talk and finally throwing on further match-winners later in the game, even though the game was won, to keep up the interest. As Bob said the fans “had a good night.”
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Jun 24

3 Comments

Morrison re-signs

As was hoped Addicks were given a big boost this afternoon by the confirmation that Michael Morrison has signed a new 2-year contract. The centre-half has been a consistent performer on the pitch and a strong presence off it since he signed from Sheffield Wednesday 3 years ago.

I’m really glad the club got this deal over the line and now Diego Poyet is the last remaining puzzle to be resolved.
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Jun 18

5 Comments

Brentford away to start

We knew that we would be away, and we also knew it would be one of the promoted teams because it always is, so no suprise then that we travel across London to Brentford on the opening day of next season, August 9th.

Mind you a couple of days later we have Colchester United at home in the 1st Round of the Capital One Cup, so really giving The Valley pitch only a couple of extra days to settle, and then within a week after that the pitch has to host another two home league games. Hardly what club staff were hoping for when they asked for The Valley to spared early on.
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Jun 4

6 Comments

Paddy Powell made redundant

Every Saturday evening whilst the old man was making the egg and chips after we had got in from The Valley I would be ignoring Doctor Who on the box and be out in the back garden recreating one of Paddy’s run and crosses, jinking this way and that and doing that trademark drop of the shoulder before finding the lurking Derek Hales or Mike Flanagan with a teaser of a ball into my Mum’s runner beans.

Because we always kicked towards the Covered End in the 2nd half, Paddy would saunter over to the vast open East Terrace before the re-start and chat to the kids down the front, sign an autograph, or get the result of the 3.45pm at Kempton Park. Always with a smile as wide as the touchline.

I wrote this article before his testimonial last summer and I was honoured that Colin’s daughter not only took time to read it, but also to comment.
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Apr 28

Nervous twitch

How’s everyones state of mind? My symptoms today have been of a snappy, over tired, anxious middle-aged bloke with a very annoying contact lense giving the impression that I’ve got a nervous twitch.

Whoever said football was exciting was telling lies. Honestly how many of you are excited about tomorrow night?

There are so many permutations that Addicks will be sat with radios, mobiles and calculators but Jose and the boys have to play the game to win, and I really hope that we get off to a quick start, which has been missing for some while. Equally though we have to be prepared to play the long game, the supporters too, and be patient and mentally strong. It goes without saying that if we’d played with these characteristics all season we wouldn’t even be having this conversation!
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Apr 25

Investment in the pitch and players

Good news week at The Valley with news of plans for the installation of a new playing surface and new contracts to two more academy graduates Morgan Fox and Dillon Phillips.

The replacement of the very sorry looking Valley pitch will begin on May 19th and the work will take 7 weeks. I expect another pre-season mostly away from home, rumoured not surprisingly to include a trip to Belgium.

The new pitch will include undersoil heating and 3G to the pitch perimeter and technical areas.
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Feb 20

Powell in contract talks

Those of you that followed today’s press conference would like me have had an overwhelming postive yet anticlimatic feeling by the end of it. The actual conference itself only lasted a little more than 15 minutes and this was followed by journalists questions that weren’t captured by the Official Site, but some of which were relayed on Twitter by journos in the room.

Duchatelet again spoke about the history of the club and the importance and attraction of the youth set-up as well as making the supporter experience at The Valley better. The Belgian is a big believer in Financial Fair Play and Richard Murray again said that finally the club is on a sound financial footing.

RD said there were no plans to leave The Valley and that the pitch would be replaced at the end of the season. Category One status for the academy is also under consideration.
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Jan 11

3 Comments

Postponed…. again

Welcome to the pleasure dome Ms Meire. Monday should be an interesting day at the office.

I’ll be the first to have a go at the previous regime and their lack of investment, but the statement currently sat on the Official Site beggars belief. Blaming the ground staff and confirming that tickets will still be valid for the rearranged game is pitiful. Oh, and Barnsley fans, don’t call us, sort it out between yourselves.
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Jan 4

5 Comments

What a pitch!

Whaaaat? Today’s game is off? No cracking open chilled bottles of Leffe? No moules and fries at half-time?

Interesting and probably coincidental that the club actually publish something on the state of The Valley pitch after the takeover news. Nonetheless it is well overdue as the pitch has become a source of ridicule and embarrassment and bluntly things are only going to get worse throughout the winter.
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Dec 5

8 Comments

Going back to The Valley

I wrote this a year ago and I thought I would share again. To many of us The Valley will always be Charlton Athletic….

At The Heights my Dad parks the car, and doubly makes sure it’s locked. He holds my hand, the one with the red and white scarf tied around the wrist and we walk towards the steep Lansdowne Road. I’m talking excitedly, Dad nodding or disagreeing with my team selection as I lay it out to him with some tactics I have been thinking about during school this week.

Lansdowne Road meets Charlton Lane and with it comes other supporters, some strolling, some walking hurriedly, all making their descent to the amphitheatre at the bottom of the hill.
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Aug 30

1 Comment

Just another game

Safely ensconced at my parents in East Sussex with a delicious glass of red wine from my Dad’s Australian Shiraz collection, don’t tell him, watching the Super Cup on the box. Although I’m looking forward to going to The Valley tomorrow it is with a level of very low expectation passed onto me by family, friends and forums during these early weeks of the new season.

I spoke frequently on last night’s flight to a mate who is an Arsenal fan, a proud one who owns 4 season tickets but lives in Bermuda. Honesty I left him this morning at the baggage carousel thanking my lucky stars I was a Charlton fan so depressed he was. You have to laugh.
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Jul 26

5 Comments

Roast ’em Paddy!

Colin David Powell has always been in my life, since the very first time I first walked down those steep steps of the East Terrace that made Chichen Itza look like a sandcastle.

Paddy Powell is a proper Charlton legend. Although there was that one time in 1978 that he deserted me as a 12-year old and went to play in America for the New England Tea Men.

He and Flash Flanagan almost got us relegated that season, while they were whopping it up in Boston we couldn’t score a goal for toffee and only just escaped relegation to Division 3. I soon forgave them though, especially Colin, and in later life I realised that Paddy went for the money and I do not begrudge him that at all and of course he kept coming back.
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Feb 8

Blue noses

I’ve just about got over last Saturday and a Palace mate described the game as I heard and read many Charlton fans. Holloway tactically out-did Powell but only late in the game after he got everything right in the 1st half but stood and watched like everyone else us miss chance after chance that eventually cost us.

Birmingham come to The Valley tomorrow and it is hard to remember that they finished 9th in the Premier League as recent as 2010 but they are now one of many clubs in the Championship struggling to comes to terms with harsh financial realities despite another parachute cheque recently being cashed.

Birmingham’s story of ownership and long-overdue accounts like the Portsmouth takeover is a consistent news item on the sports pages and they sold future England ‘keeper Jack Butland to Stoke on transfer deadline day for £4m but he was immediately loaned back. The Blues turned down £6m from Southampton in the summer but the club were desparate for the money and it was all paid up front.
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Dec 7

We’re the red & white army

There was a lot of lamenting about Addicks’ fans behaviour at The Den last weekend. Many used to the happy clappy sit down crowd were taken aback by the whirlwind of noise and jingoism witnessed from the away end. As I have said I have spent many a moment at Millwall unsure if I was going to make it home in one piece, my Dad getting attacked whilst holding my hand leaving the ground when I was was 10 was just the beginning of it.

I grew up like many with Millwall neighbours, school friends and mates. We were of the same stock, but different. At my school you were either a follower of one of the big clubs or you went with your Dad to watch Millwall or Charlton. Palace were nobodies around my way.
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May 1

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Sponsors Dinner

Tonight two of my mates will take my place at the Shirt Sponsors Dinner at The Valley. Unfortunately I couldn’t get ‘management approval’ to return home a few days earlier this week and instead will fly Friday night instead.

A couple of years back I felt inclined to support the club in some small financial way as I was no longer a season ticket holder so I made the decision to enter into a bit of shirt sponsorship. I went for Semedo last season and for this Champion year I sponsored Danny Hollands.
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Mar 19

Under the floodlights

We have been down around 1,500 to 2,000 home fans for midweek games this season. I was one of 13,300 Addicks at the Colchester game and there were similar home numbers for Sheffield Wednesday, although that was on the box with the Bury game proving the least attractive with less than 13,000 Charlton.

However on Saturdays the Preston, Carlisle, Oldham and Notts County crowds were far better despite a similar number of visitors.

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Feb 24

4 Comments

He runs down the wing for me

Will he, won’t he? Chrissy Powell talked about not rushing Jackson back midweek and I don’t think he’ll be risked tomorrow against one of the division’s known cloggers.

Question is who will play on the left side and what is Hogan Ephraim up to these days? Anyone have his number?

We miss the skipper don’t we? His leadership, his desire to win, his goals. It was no coincidence that last year’s collapse coincided with a Jackson injury but anyway, we’ve moved on. 15 games left, deep breath. Buckle up.
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Dec 5

2 Comments

Happy anniversery

19 years ago today. Seems like yesterday. 3.07pm, Saturday December 5th, 1992. Darren Pitcher lays the ball off to Colin Walsh, who swings his precious left foot and sends the ball from the edge of the box into the corner of the net in front of a delirious Covered End. More memories.

Jun 11

1 Comment

Voice of the Valley

Click on images to make larger.

The very first edition of the Voice of the Valley from February 1988. The whole edition can be read here. Somewhere in the abyss of my parents loft lives a whole collection of VOTV’s except for a couple that I have in a box under my desk at work that made the journey to Chicago and then Bermuda with hundreds of significant (to me) programmes that I rescued from my ex-wife.

That editorial written by Rick Everitt is enough to give you goosebumps and it’s why on my sadly infrequent visits that despite some of the dross that has been served up in recent years my hearts still beats a little faster when The Valley comes into view on Charlton Lane.

With thanks to Charlton Life.

Feb 21

10 Comments

Mascot memories from Saturday

Saturday’s mascot experience was fantastic, and a real credit to the club. We’ve glossed over the middle 90 minutes in our family but to be fair kids don’t dwell on results, and my son is still buzzing from the day. Hopefully most of those that came on Saturday for the first time or the first time in a while will remember the atmosphere and the experience as a whole and not the result. I know that I pick my games and therefore have to take the rough with the smooth.

Anyway our day started at 12 noon when we met the mascot co-ordinator Sue and we were given our excellent goodie bag. We waited for the other match mascots in a little waiting room by the players entrance and greeted each player as they showed up for ‘work.’ First we were taken to the Director’s Lounge, which had just been overhauled and redecorated by the new owners, with the whole intention to move on from our past achievements and allow the club to embark on a new era, a theme that we heard a lot as we toured the west stand.

Overlooking the car park the Director’s Lounge was unfussy and simple, a bit like like the trophy cabinet, although I will never tire of staring at the sparkly Play-Off and Championship trophies.

Next we were up in the Director’s Box complete with panoramic views of an empty Valley before the gates opened. Then down onto pitchside for some irresistible photo opportunities. The dugouts sadly showed signs of how tight the purse strings were previously. Half the seats were a faded and torn red leather, the other half replaced by the plastic seats one finds in the stands. A chirpy and huge Bob Bolder greeted us, Colin Walsh shook my hand and I’m in two minds whether to wash it this week and then there was Colin Powell patrolling the right wing, like he used to, who at any minute I expected to scream “keep off my grass.”

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Feb 20

PR disaster

Charlton Athletic 1 Exeter City 3
I”ll leave our mascot experience for another post because it puts the club in such a positive light I don’t want this one to ruin it!

Equally the people behind the idea, funding and hard graft that encouraged almost 25,000 people into The Valley yesterday once again made me extremely proud to be a Charlton fan and everything I have witnessed and heard about the new owners so far has impressed me greatly.

Shame about the players then.

It was a truly disappointing performance bearing in mind the effort everyone else with some affection for the club had made but those of us long enough in the tooth know how we all too often are let down.

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Feb 17

9 Comments

Mascot

I head back again to London tonight and get to spend the day with my son tomorrow on his 11th birthday. However I think both of us are more excited about his birthday treat on Saturday.

I booked him in as one of the match mascot’s for Saturday’s game at home to Exeter at the beginning of the season and told him just a week or two ago. With the added exhilaration of there being a 20,000+ crowd at The Valley to run out of the tunnel to it will hopefully give him many memories to cherish forever.

I was talking to my brother the other day and exactly 30 season’s ago he was the match mascot (there was only one in those days) for a pre-Christmas match at home to Carlisle United. It was our promotion season but needless to say the crowd was a long way off 20,000. we think it was more like 5,000.

Anyway Charlton won 2-1, and my brother picked two favourite players, apparently so he was told, this had never been done before. Those players were a young Paul Walsh and the slightly more experienced Colin Powell who scored on the day to keep us top of the Division 3 table. The other Charlton goal was an own goal after Carlisle took the lead.

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Feb 11

What has changed?

Next Saturday I will get to see for myself Chris Powell’s new look team, but in the mean time I’m left to listen to the radio and witnesses and observe the results.

So, forgetting the minor thing of results, what else has changed? Powell has signed BWP of course and added left back Bessone (have we ever had an Argentinian play a first team game before?). Fry’s loan has been extended until the middle of March and Akpo Sodje was moved onto Hibs.

Also significantly Alan McCormack has been preferred to Racon, although the Frenchmen impressed when he came on for him at Yeovil. It’ll be interesting to see if the boss reverts back to McCormack tomorrow. Powell has clearly tightened up a previously porous defence (12 goals conceded in 4 games) and by all accounts got our full-backs working higher up the pitch. Francis in particular has come in for some praise. Chris also appears to have gained favour with referees and linesmen, as for the first time in an age we have been on the receiving end of some very good ~~officialdom~~ fortune.

But, and Powell has been honest on this, we haven’t been playing anywhere near an expansive game and our performances are patchy, especially in the first half. The reason then for all of this? The same players mostly, but a different motivator and definitely a more patient crowd.

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Nov 1

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And you were saying?

Charlton Athletic 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0
So my first visit to The Valley this season and I really don’t know what all the fuss was about!!

The team was gelled, rarely did they resort to the hoof, in the first half we passed the ball like Brazil, Lee Martin’s late touchline manoeuvre was straight out of the Samba textbook, in the 2nd half we defended like George Graham’s Arsenal, Benson ran his socks off, Anyinsah was his perfect foil, the pairing of Semedo and Racon worked together better than sausage and mash, the two old boys at the back must have been playing in a time machine, Matt Fry will be in West Ham’s first team by Christmas, Simon Francis for England, Waggy is the best youth product since Billy Bonds, Robbie Elliot never even owned a pink shirt, Emma from BBC Radio London has lied to me all along and if Parky is not the next England manager I will eat one of the many pints of beer that I consumed during the day.

Other Addicks at The Valley: Drinking During the Game; Addickted to Football; Charlton Casual; Mike’s Meanderings; Stickleback.
CA fact: On Academy Day Waggy was our 4,999th goalscorer.

Sep 28

Robert Lee

I got some feedback from Rob Lee’s family (only us Addicks call him Robert) following his day at The Valley on Saturday to commemorate the 25-year anniversery of the ‘last game.’

Rob took his Mum and Dad and two sons Oliver and Elliot, who are both on West Ham’s books to the game. According to Rob he thoroughly enjoyed the day and the reception he got, the only downer was the result, which I think anyone connected with Charlton viewed as a defeat and not a draw.
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Sep 21

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25 years ago today

Rarely do you attend a game and have no real interest in the outcome of it but that was how I felt as my Dad drove us to our regular parking spot at The Heights 25 years ago today.

Rick Everitt wrote in his magnificent book ‘Battle for The Valley’ that the atmosphere that day was poisonous and the whole afternoon was a shambles of discontent, and they’re exactly what my memories of the day are. The anger and absolute helplessness had built inside me from a fortnight before when we were handed that extraordinary piece of paper entitled ‘Message to our Supporters.’

Many would argue that 21st September, 1985 was the day that Charlton fans united and that jointly going through the pain of leaving The Valley was the springboard to a new and brighter chapter in the club’s history. It was, but at that moment 25 years ago there wasn’t the slightest glimmer of what the future held.
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