Sep 8
Chuks Aneke signed for Shrewsbury Town today, making him the last of the players released by the Addicks in the summer to get themselves sorted.
There’s a really good interview, if you ignore the comments about Michael Appleton, with Chuks on the Shrewsbury website if you have five minutes.
Please click for moreFrustratingly annoying since 1905.
94th minute and somehow Shipley doesn’t put them in front. 96th minute Small slots home and cue absolute bedlam in front of the Covered End.
Please click for moreWho knew. You can actually score from a corner!!
Even though we failed to inspire any away win is a good win and supported by another clean sheet the Addicks move up to 2nd in the table.
Please click for moreDraw no. 20. Very disappointing to finish off without a win, but at least The Valley had George Dobson to serenade on his final Valley appearance.
Please click for moreI had high hopes today. We had built some momentum, more players were back to give Michael Appleton further options and I thought we’d come hurtling out of the blocks.
How wrong could I have been. The first half performance was dreadful, and it was another game of differing halves, but we had too many ineffectual players in what I thought was a very ineffective system.
Please click for moreA great win and attacking performance today and one to enjoy, but it only goes to make this whole season more of an annoyance. I look at the table and even Portsmouth are still in with a shout of a play-off place, as those above Pompey wobble. Yet there we are back in no man’s land season over.
Still, there wasn’t much wrong with today’s victory and at this point in time with 7 games left it’s about setting a tone for the summer and next season as well as giving us Addicks something to smile about.
Please click for moreAn excellent win that, backed up by a solid defensive display with the two centre-backs dominant.
After two home wins we needed to go to Shrewsbury, which still brings back bad memories of the play-off defeat, and grind out a result against what is always a physical side. And so we did.
Please click for moreThe final Valley game of the season and a victory in front of a crowd of 11,207. I wonder how many of those will buy a season ticket for next season?
It was typical of an end of season game, the first half was pretty turgid but the second was better and after Craig MacGillivray made a double save just after the start we were the dominant side with the Shrews rarely gambling men forward into dangerous offensive areas.
Please click for moreThe first defeat under Jacko to an injury time goal that should have never have stood.
It was one of those days. The weather sucked, it was a terrible game, and 1,000 Addicks had to cross hell and high water to get their due to train cancellations. We did not play well, but did not deserve to lose, but lose we did, and now we have to see how Jacko responds.
Please click for morePart III then of my annual spot analysis of our competition.
We’ve done the bookies promotion favourites and play-off contenders now for the mid-tablers, where a surprise challenger might spring from, or alternatively one or more of them will have play-off dream’s crushed and instead get embroiled in a relegation battle.
Please click for moreThat followed this season’s script didn’t it?
Plenty of huff and puff, the occasional bum off the seat moment, more hands over the eyes moments, saw plenty of the ball, but were sloppy and showed no real goal threat, and then there was another defensive lapse costing a goal.
Gunter has 99 international caps. One of life’s mysteries.
Something’s not right is it?
There’s no need to put pressure on ourselves, there are 31 games left and we sit nicely placed in the table, but out of the sunshine before the international break, a big dark cloud has settled over us. Will it pass as a rain shower or are big claps of thunder and and flashes of lightning coming?
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.
Allez, allez, allez.
A consummate performance yesterday in Salop, the scene of not so fond memories at the end of last season. Since then for Shrewsbury’s part they’ve had their squad and management team ripped apart and have had two managers since. Meanwhile we look much better prepared for promotion 7 months on, and the shoe was on the other foot yesterday as we controlled the game, as they did then.
In May Karlan Grant was at Crawley and Lyle Taylor was a figment of Lee Bowyer’s imagination, but yesterday up front together they caused havoc amongst Shrewsbury’s back line, which was one of the Shrews’ assets last season. Grant could have scored four, but his pace was a constant menace. And it was a sign of his confidence that he stepped up for the penalty and struck it with such aplomb.
The chairmen of AFC Wimbledon, Shrewsbury Town and Swindon Town have all been busy today.
Dons’ chairman Erik Samuelson removed Neil Ardley from his role at Wimbledon after a hugely successful six years, the Shrews’ very own Roland (Wycherley) moved on John Askey after just five months in the role after he was given the difficult job of rebuilding the side that Paul Hurst built. Hurst was just sacked himself by Ipswich and one would thought he’d be favourite to head back to Shropshire.
Askey’s old team Macclesfield, who are marooned to the bottom of League Two, may offer a route back into management for Askey. Macclesfield have broken the mould of recent promoted National League teams, who have mostly flourished at the higher level, showing what a magnificent job Askey did at the Moss Rose.
3 points on the slate, and another injury time winner, but this time in our favour. A paltry, but supportive Valley crowd didn’t have much to cheer for the first hour. The first half was exceptionally dull according to reports. I haven’t a clue as I was a taxiing on a plane and then oblivious at 30,000 feet until I could sign on for wifi at our Colombian hotel, and then celebrated with a cold beer.
Six subs this week, no Jed Steer. Phillips was steady by all accounts and the front two both scored. Loving Lyle, but I would love to see Grant crack it. Great to see him get the winner.
Part One of my 2018/19 League One preview, which went from Accrington Stanley to Coventry City is here and Part Two that began at Doncaster and ended at Portsmouth is here.
Predictably the lowest ever Wembley League One play off final crowd of just 26,000 today saw Rotherham put pay to Shrewsbury’s hopes of a return to tier two for the first time in 30 years. Rather unpredictably it was ex-Addick Richard Wood who scored both goals to tame the Shrews and send them back to whence they came.
Sad that we have to wallow in their defeat, but what the heck. It was a good game however and Rotherham’s superior muscle and fitness to Shrewsbury’s was further evidence of what a lightweight squad Karl Robinson had put together.
We just weren’t good enough were we?..
Charlton ended the season how they started it back in August. Short on options, quality and goals. Lee Bowyer and Johnnie Jackson brought back togetherness, spirit and pride, but they had no way to address the continuous issues that Roland Duchatelet has besieged every single manager or head coach that has taken the team since the old bastard walked into our lives.
Shrewsbury over-powered us, roughed us up and played to a style that they have perfected under one manager for almost two seasons. We can bemoan that their goalscorer should have been sent off, and we were refused a blatant penalty, but the best team won over two games.
Came up short..
A fantastic strike from Jon Nolan was the difference last night as Shrewsbury took their chance, and in what has been the hallmark of our season, we didn’t. The tie is only at half time, but we need to produce something a bit special now on Sunday for our season to go to the final game.
Kicking the wrong way we started like a house on fire using pace and width to get at them and created havoc in their box on a couple of early occasions. Sadly we couldn’t sustain that as we were outmuscled in the middle third, and when we did have possession everything became hurried after we would dwell on the ball too long. Kashi and JFC were unable to influence and we struggled to get any pattern of play going.
We’ve all done it..
Be on a flight during a Charlton game, just before legally allowable you turn your phone on and watch the signal slowly appear and then with heart in mouth check for the score. I’ve done it a lot and rarely have I punched the air in delight. I did last night.
Well, well, well. How totally unexpected was that. Or wasn’t it. This is Charlton we are talking about after all. One minute they kick you in the nuts, the next lift your hopes higher than a mountain.
When I first planned this trip back home I also fully anticipated driving up to Shrewsbury tomorrow. At that time Lee Bowyer had breathed life back into all of us, I hadn’t been to the New Meadow (or Gay Meadow come to think of it) and, well, what else was I to do on a Tuesday? I looked at hotels to stay in, and I would have driven to Gatwick Wednesday.
Anyway, fortunately I guess, I now have to be in the office on Wednesday so need to fly back tomorrow and instead, and not for the first time recently, I will be on a plane for the whole duration of the game.
At least we didn’t let ourselves down in front of a big crowd..
I’m struggling in bed with the flu, and not just the ‘man’ type, but managed to listen to us get soundly beaten by a team so much better than us in every way on Saturday. Other than the first five minutes Shrewsbury dominated us. It was hardly the promotion encounter I had hoped for, hoping in vein, that we might step up and show some promotion credentials ourselves.
Another crazed week at work with no respite, which at least had taken my mind of checking constantly for news of a Charlton takeover. Suddenly though we are at Friday evening with a crucial game tomorrow.
Shrewsbury have had a wonderful season, which is analyzed very well here by the CAS Trust. Paul Hurst has done superb job, and is an outstanding young manager. Last season after arriving in October the first thing he did was shore up the defence and they continue to be very frugal, especially on the road. As the Trust article says he has also dipped into the lower league and loan market very expertly.
Define a season..
A fantastic result today up at Bradford, one of those that can define a season. Konsa and Sarr, playing at left back instead of Dasilva, gave us a very solid base, and it sounded as if everyone put a proper shift in for the shirt in woeful weather conditions.
When JFC scored I don’t think I have celebrated a goal listening to the radio commentary like that for some time. It was a great time to score, but then Ben Amos produced a Bobby Bolder type performance to keep Bradford out allowing us to take the 3 points back down south.
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.
February. The month when all those teams above us would shudder at the thought of us storming past them. 7 games later, cup finals Andrew Crofts called them, we won just 3 points from 21 available and lost 3 games in the past week to Oxford, Bury and Shrewsbury.
I’ve been avoiding pinning the blame on Robinson because I find it hard to expect any manager to succeed under the framework that Duchatelet and Meire have put in place, another pitiful transfer window for example. But, honestly how bad can Robinson be? What possessed him to play Jackson at left back, with Botaka protecting him. How bad is Dasilva and why is he even here? Byrne at right back. Why?
With the season effectively over unless we can do what we haven’t managed to do all season and that is put a run of wins together (only twice have we won back to back games) and keep a clean sheet, which we have only done twice since Christmas, then if nothing else it would be pleasing if Karl Robinson and team can at least give us something to smile about tonight.
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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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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Shrewsbury Town 4 Charlton Athletic 3
Another new chapter in cup embarrassments was inserted into the burgeoning book called ‘Charlton Athletic – the Cup Dream 1948 and Onwards’ last night. I mean how many more ways can they humiliate us? Ok, don’t answer that.
I’ll tell you what though, the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round starts this weekend, why don’t we enter that and get beat by Chiddlington Rovers of the Kleenex 4 ply toilet paper league and be done with it?
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Sarasota, Florida
