Aug 30
Good luck to Jack, who never shirked a tackle or stopped running but from I saw was never good enough for L1, and MK Dons looks a good move for him.
Payne, 28, will spend the 2023/24 season at Stadium MK, where they have started really well under Graham Alexander.
Please click for moreI promised myself I wouldn’t watch yesterday’s match, and therefore took up the offer of late afternoon drinks in the sun instead, which was far better for the soul.
A clean sheet was the minimum ask yesterday and we got that and a goal to take the 3 points at Stadium MK.
Please click for moreCharlton Athletic lowering expectations since 1905.
Classic Charlton that. Bottom of the table team show up at The Valley, hadn’t won for an age against an in-form Charlton and we fluff our lines.
Please click for moreIt seems strange that L1 finished their season before everyone else, not that I’m complaining, but it is odd that every other league including the National are still playing.
Wycombe got a huge 2nd goal late into the game at home to MK Dons tonight to give them every advantage of making the Wembley final, which is not until the 21st.
Please click for moreLet’s start first of all with that MK Dons were pretty good. They have a clear style, they move the ball confidently and patiently and have built a close knit team that are well coached and drilled.
To beat them we had to be confident, brave, smart and decisive and we were none of those things.
Please click for moreNext up Part II of my look at our League One rivals and those sides that the bookies think will be challenging for a play-off spot.
Please click for moreA win. Much needed, and if not a vaccination, a real shot in the arm.
We have seen many faces of Charlton sides in recent weeks, some had never reared their head before from a Lee Bowyer side, which had us all asking ourselves unpleasant questions.
But last night the boys in red and fetching black shorts, looked much more familiar. There was a bite, a focus and determination to win the game after we got the excellent start.
Only Charlton could play two games with watching fans during a global pandemic with most sports stadia staying empty and play absolute shite in both of them.
And as for creating an atmosphere. 2,000 fans spread out in three vast stands, in the cold, sat miles from each other and wearing a mask, with nothing to cheer and get excited about is not conducive to the craziness of a 94th minute winner at Wembley.
I’d be interested in the view of any Addicks that went tonight of what they thought of the experience.
We’ll push on with this even though we are two games in. For Part II we are moving south to Lincolnshire as I continue my preview of our League One competitors.
Lincoln City comfortably survived their first season in tier 3 for over 20 years and will approach this season confident of further improvement under Michael Appleton.
What a weird time to be a Charlton fan as Ms Meire would say.
On our knees, no money, no owner, not allowed to sign anybody, then just before bedtime a ‘Done Deal’ alert.
MK Dons’ 25-year midfielder Alex Gilbey joins for 3-years for an undisclosed fee. Three years. Fee. Huh.
F5, F5, F5, F5..
For about 90 seconds Addicks’ celebrated a little breathing space after Josh Megennis headed in his third in four matches to put us 2-0 up at Stadium MK. However, nope, they had to keep us all on tenterhooks, and for me that was pressing the refresh button what appeared every couple of minutes, but it was probably more likely every few seconds on Twitter whilst on a flight from Austin, Texas to New York.
Bradford City appointed Simon Grayson as their new manager today. The Bantams have not won a league game since New Years Day. Milton Keynes Dons appointed ex-U16 England manager Dan Micciche a couple weeks back and he has overseen three defeats. MK have won just once since Novemeber.
Oh yes ladies and gentlemen, we have seen this episode before….
Frustration..
Listening on the radio at 1-0 I was thinking if we don’t get this second then they are bound to get a chance. After Josh Magennis headed us into an early lead we dominated for the rest of the first period. In the 2nd half Mark Marshall should have secured the points when he failed from a one-on-one.
Then, sure enough after Reeves was fouled the referee, who got more unhinged as the game went on, played on and Agard scored with a header at the far post. It almost got worse when Aneke, described by Karl Robinson as the best player in the league, also fluffed a one-on-one chance.
Part I, Lancastrians and Yorkshire folk here, Part II and the Manc’s here.
Onto Middle England then, which is a little sparse when it comes to League One clubs. Just Walsall the only proper Midlands side.
Last season was a whole lot of disappointment for Walsall’s supporters after the incredible campaign the year previous when they finished 3rd, but ultimately missed out on promotion in the play-offs. The man credited with that inspirational season was Jon Whitney, but last season he and his players were a million miles away from a repeat in what was a turgid if not relegation threatened season.
Running out of things to write to be honest. Whilst the tribute to fellow Addick PC Keith Palmer made one feel proud to be a Charlton fan the tripe dished up afterwards by Robinson and his players was nothing short of embarrassing.
Despite all the words, heartfelt undoubtably, from Robinson’s mouth before the game, once again despite the significance of the evening he was singularly unable to get the players up for what was a huge 3 points. Fortunately Port Vale are making hard work of their games in hand and Millwall did us a favour at Shrewsbury.
There has been very little to praise the club over the past three years but the tribute they announced today to PC Keith Palmer deserves applauding.
The club will donate 50 per cent of all of next Tuesday’s ticket sales to the fund for PC Palmer’s family, while Charlton players will donate the entirety of their appearance fees. There will also be a one-minute silence before the game, whilst the Charlton players will wear black armbands, as well as a special shirt which will be emblazoned with hero Keith’s Police warrant number, ‘P204752’, in tribute.
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Karl Robinson’s impassioned post transfer video appearance was odd. He should have probably counted to 100 before he started but evidently our Karl can’t resist a camera and a microphone.
So which player was he on about and what club was getting the full force of his anger?
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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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A pathetic and pitiful performance lacking in anything that we have held dear from Charlton sides over the years. There was no passion, desire, urgency or organisation in what was a must win game. We had one shot on goal whilst around us clubs and their British managers show fight and determination, we occupy a world of apathy after having any hope and emotion sucked out of us by an owner and his puppets.
Jose Riga’s team selection and substitutions were baffling edging on the bazaar. I have come to the conclusion that he is just another Roland Duchatelet fraud. Apparently he said that Yaya Sanogo cannot play two games a week. Does our wonderful scouting network have a database of footballers that are only half fit? Anyway problem solved as Sanoga can now put his feet up for 3 games after his idiotic attack on Kay.
I’m not condoning it but if Simon Makienok showed an ounce of Sanogo’s fight then our judgment of him wouldn’t be anywhere near as harsh. The tallest footballer ever to wear the club’s shirt, who cannot win a header. Someone, somewhere in Belgium is laughing at us.
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Improvement? Quicker out of the blocks? Didn’t lose 3-0? More possession? 3 shots on target? Ademola Lookman? Or according to the Interim Head Coach “We had the game in our command.”
Positives?
Let us not get into the rarefied air of Karel Fraeye’s tactical mind. Let us look at the facts.
Tonight’s game was against a team that will be a relegation rival, that’s if we can stay in touch. MK Dons had lost 7 of their last 9 games, and 5 of their last 6 at home. They hadn’t scored in 5 hours of football up until Dean Bowditch scored his first goal since the opening day of the season. And Churchy missed an absolute sitter the give the result a more realistic scoreline.
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The final part of my look at our Championship rivals. Part I is here and Part II is here.
In this section I will look at the teams the bookies have bundled together in the middle of the table, and those who the bookies have flagged as likely relegation fodder.
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Sarasota, Florida
