Oct 17
I suspect if we hadn’t been relegated Dillon Phillips would be in goal for us today, but he honourably and respectfully made his career ambitions known and he finally got his move yesterday.
I’m unsure that Cardiff was a team and place he dreamed off when he and his family came to the conclusion that after 17 years at Charlton it was time to move on, but Cardiff have added well in the window and will be in the promotion mix I’m sure.
Friendly, kick-about, run out, cup tie.. whatever you call it, it was a nice confidence booster for Lee Bowyer and his team today.
In front again of Thomas Sandgaard plus his family, Bowyer put out a team capable of winning the game but it still included 17-year old Charlie Barker and 20-year old James Vennings.
Ben Amos started in goal with Ashley Maynard-Brewer on the bench with Dillon Phillips told he either commits to the club or doesn’t play. The Addicks lined up in a fluid 4-3-3.
Player of the Year despite our league position for me wasn’t an easy pick this year. Darren Pratley or Josh Cullen would have been worthy winners and Adam Matthews may have been an outside pick, but no one played as many games, was as consistent as Dillon Phillips, who fully deserved to win the 2019/20 Player of the Year award.
Since the middle of last season Phillips has been the proud owner of the number one jersey of the club he has been at since he was 8-years old. Let’s really hope he will be twisting and shouting tomorrow night.
Gut wrenching. 93rd minute. What a hammer blow.
If we are going to do this, then it will be the bloody hard way…. always.
Absolutely gutted tonight. One point from the last two games. Even two would have given us something to cling onto. F sake.
Strange game really to summarize. We unusually had the majority of the possession, but they had 23 shots to our 7. Phillips could be criticized for their goal, but blimey he had a brilliant game, and without him we would have not have been clinging onto a 1-0 lead into injury time. Brilliant penalty save by the way.
Andy Marshall, the last of Lee Bowyer’s coaching team has signed on the dotted line meaning that all of Bow’s team from last season remain for our first Championship campaign since 2015/16.
Shay Given originally recommended Marshall to Bowyer and undeniably improved both Dillon Phillips and Jed Steer, and can take great credit in both those men winning play-off final winner’s medals. Steer kept Croatian national keeper Lovre Kalinić out of the Villa side on his return to Villa Park in January.
May 17
Plymouth is always a tough place to go, and if ever the Pilgrims can be decent for a whole season they are sure to be promotion challengers, and the boys in retro red and black navigated some choppy waters down in the West Country today but returned home with all three points.
The Addicks struggled to contain a very attack-minded Argyle first half, not helped by a referee who was on a mission to book every Charlton player. We’d had three in the book before a returning Bielik fouled the dangerous Lameiras to give away a penalty late in the first period.
However Dillon Phillips stood strong and despite diving to his left he beat Carey’s centrally placed kick out with his foot.
Awful conditions today in Bristol produced a pretty awful game but we grab a point and now get a two-week break to recharge the batteries and nurse back some injured players.
Lee Bowyer changed it up a bit, but it looked a bit too safe for me with three at the back, which surprisingly didn’t include Naby Sarr and Pratley in front of them.
A breathless game from first whistle to last yesterday as my brother and I joined 1,100 other Addicks in a noisy away end at the Keepmoat.
Both of us were drained after an emotional few days, and feelings were mixed on the train back to Kings Cross. It was frustrating not to win all three points after taking the lead, and from how well we played and for the periods of dominance throughout the game. Yet Phillips made two late outstanding saves to keep us in it, and then a linesman’s flag struck off what everyone in the ground believed was a last minute Donny winner.
On the day we were reminded or, perhaps it was news to some, that Lee Bowyer and Johnnie Jackson’s contract expires at the end of the season, good news followed that Dillon Phillips has signed a new contract with the club.
Phillips penned a new deal that will keep him at The Valley until 2021 which hopefully will inspire others to follow in his footsteps.
The very experienced Chris Maxwell looks likely to sign on loan from Preston to compete with Dillon Phillips for the no. 1 jersey. The 28-year old Welshman has played over 350 games, and was Preston’s first choice all of last season, and this until November when he was sent off for two yellow cards. Ex-Addicks loanee Declan Rudd has grabbed his place.
Lee Bowyer, whilst often praising Phillips, clearly feels he can sign better, and I would think Bowyer has Maxwell pencilled into start. Phillips understandably will think that signals the end of his Charlton career and will run down his contract and move on in the summer.
Just to add salt to a badly gaping wound, Aston Villa have recalled goalkeeper Jed Steer back to Villa Park after he had established himself as Addicks no. 1 playing in 19 of our 25 league games.
Villa’s current no. 1 Orjan Nyland suffered an Achilles injury on Sunday, leaving Mark Bunn as the club’s only fit ‘keeper. Ironically Addicks saw Dean Smith’s signing of new Croatia goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic as a sign tha Steer would stay at The Valley. Kalinic is not not eligible for Villa’s next game, but in all possibility within a week or so Steer could end up as third choice at Villa Park.
Let’s not deny it, but Lewis Page has more reason than most of the other young starlets that Lee Bowyer is attempting to secure to a contract extension beyond the end of this season, to sign one.
The injury plagued 22-year old has only played 55 league games, the majority of those coming this year, and just as he was starting to establish himself under Bowyer’s tutelage, once again the unfortunate left back is on the sidelines. Page know he needs a run of games and to be settled and hence it’s no surprise to me that he is the first player out of those offered to commit.
The goalkeeper spot has been a summer priority and it was a surprise that so few names had been mentioned in dispatches. Dillon Phillips has appeared not have grasped the opportunity during pre-season and an experienced ‘keeper became a necessity. Ben Amos was linked with us a few days ago, and signed on a season long loan this morning from Bolton.
I personally would have liked to have seen a permanent signing but there are a whole raft of young or out of favour keepers around and a loan was always more likely. The last negotiations came down to how much we would have to contribute to Amos’ hefty salary that he negotiated for himself when he joined Wanderers from Man U on a free in 2015.
Another draw but a decent one for a supportive Valley crowd.
We didn’t appear to get to grips with whatever system Robinson employed in the 1st half and the Yorkshiremen impressed even though for once we took the lead through another goal from Jorge Teixeira, who is rapidly becoming our most lethal weapon in front of goal. Bradford deservedly equalized just before half time when Declan Rudd spilled a shot into the path of Dieng.
Rudd has been a fault a couple of times recently and I hear calls for our own Dillon Phillips to be brought back into the side for the remaining games in readiness for next season. From what I have seen of Phillips, he looks good enough but will the club be prepared to ditch the on-loan Norwich ‘keeper?
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