Southampton 2 Charlton 1

Despite having no interest in the Paint Pot, I ended up watching this one on Sky. The performance was woeful, particularly in the first half, and we didn't deserve to score, although it was pleasing that we did. I suspect that the answer to our striker issue, which will have to be resolved in January, if not before, will require Shelvey to be sold. I can't see us raising sufficient funds through the disposal of Dickson and hopefully McLeod, to make it happen any other way.

The team is low on confidence, and on a poor run. I don't see that changing for the visit of Franchise FC, and fully expect to be sitting fourth come the final whistle on Saturday. I only hope the crowd get behind the team, and don't get on their collective backs, but patience is running low, and Parkinson, unfortunately, seems unable to motivate a team in difficulties, which was always my main concern about him earlier in the season. Expectation was rampant off the back of a fine start to the season, but that start, for many, now appears to be the blip, rather than what is happening now. Fingers crossed that they are wrong.

I am now off to Venice for five days to recharge the batteries, so will miss the game on Saturday. With three major players missing for them, who knows, maybe we could get something from that game, but on the evidence of the last month, I just don't see it happening. As ever, I will be delighted to be proved wrong.

Northwich Victoria 1 Charlton 0

I am not going to lay into the team for this one, but only because, as I have posted previously, I cared little for the FA Cup this year. Judging by the performance today, neither did the players. After such an inadequate, and disinterested display, I would find it difficult to believe that any of the players, or the manager will be really down about this, so everything is ok then - yes?

Well no actually. Our relegation, (because that is what it is) form continues, and Northwich could easily have won this 4-0, and would have done, had it not been for the heroics of Dailly, and especially Randolph. Having said that, the latter can be faulted for the Northwich winner, where he really should have been the first player to get to the hopeful ball over the top, that turned out to be the catalyst for the winning goal.

"You're just a small town in Welling" was the chant, and do you know what? I fancy Welling could have done better than Charlton did today. In a weeks time, this will be chip paper, and I will be in Venice. Let's see if Parkinson can earn his money in the clash against Franchise FC, but on both todays, and other recent showings, I have my doubts that he will.

Carlisle 3 Charlton 1

Am I the only one a little bemused that Steve Bruce even had image rights, never mind that apparently Birmingham City held them? No doubt Parkinson will have mulled over such detail before putting pen to paper on his one year extension on Friday. The timing of this new deal, and Reading's apparent interest will not be coincidental, so at least some cash will come our way if the Berkshire club do indeed follow up with an offer to him. I somehow doubt they will though, given todays performance. Indeed, how many times do we need Millwall to do the business on our behalf, this time against Colchester, when we are seemingly incapable of doing it for ourselves?

Ikeme, and Omozusi, now join Mooney and Holden in the loanee ranks. Although Parkinson dislikes the use of loan players, he really has no choice this year. I have been struck by the fact that most clubs, even in the third division, have bigger squads than Charlton, so it looks as if we will find out which of the two "P's" is the better judge of a loaner, Unlike the latter two, both Ikeme, and Omozusi were named in the starting lineup this afternoon, in the third game on the spin, where Parkinson has opted to start with a 4-4-2.

I wonder what Randolph has done to be overlooked for Ikeme?, and I can only put it down to the fact that we have the FA Cup to deal with, so an injury to Randolph in a league game will leave us with only the very young Ja Ja to stand between the sticks. I care about the FA Cup this season, only marginally more than the paint pot trophy. A bit of revenue, but that's about it as far as I am concerned.

In a first half full of grey and dull, the last five minutes came as a bit of a surprise. We really do have a problem with our front line. What is it about Charlton and strikers? Not content with drawing blanks at the right end, Burton fashions a chance at the other by giving away a penalty. Although Ikeme saved the spot kick, the ageing Harte followed up to put the Cumbrians 1-0 up. Not finished yet, Burton then won a penalty of his own, courtesy of a foul on him by Kavanagh. Duly despatched, this time without the need of a rebound, and the teams went in for their cup of tea at 1-1. Parkinson was already enjoying his, having been sent to the stands after the award of the Carlisle penalty.

In the same way that Burton made amends for giving away a penalty, by creating one as well, Kavanagh not to be outdone, thumped in a 25 yarder to restore Carlisle's lead in the 62nd minute, oh and did exactly the same thing 20 minutes later, from a similar distance. Before that, on 70 minutes Parkinson threw the dice for the first and last time with a triple substitution, Mooney, Shelvey, and Basey, coming on for Semedo, McLeod, and Omozusi. It made no impact whatsoever. Much of this defeat has to be down to the thinness of the squad, but a lot of it has to sit on the shoulders of the man with a new extension on his contract. The team were lacklustre today, and Carlisle made them pay the price for it.

Gillingham 1 Charlton 1

And so, just to prove that Plan B really does exist, Parkinson had Charlton set out in a 4-4-2 formation for the second week running. As I wrote previously, that is ok, if you have the quality of personnel to achieve a positive result from it, but yesterday confirmed for me that Charlton does not have the personnel to play that particular formation consistently well. Both sides cancelled each other out, and the draw was a fair result.

We did, however, fail to take the chance to go top, and are now very much in the sights of both Franchise FC, and more especially my second team, Colchester. It seems an eternity ago, that I was cheering on Colchester on a Friday night, as they slid inexorably towards the Conference, but here they are, thirty years later, breathing down our neck. Times change, and for Charlton, so does the formation occasionally. It may be time to bring Shelvey back in, rest Burton, and give Mooney a try from the off, either with, or without McLeod.

Charlton 2 Huddersfield 1

Well, we wanted a Plan B, and we got it. A week late admittedly, but very pleasing to see it nevertheless. Parkinson got this one just about spot on, so well done to him, and the players involved. I am not entirely convinced that we have the quality of personnel up front, to go 4-4-2 on a consistent basis, but this attempt was overdue, and reaped a deserved, if at times, fortunate reward. The most telling moment for me, was the substitution of Semedo for Spring. You could just see the trust and belief flow back into the team, knowing that our favourite Portugeezer was protecting the back four. Youga continued his immense form of late, and was my man of the match, by quite some distance.

So, what else? I am happy to put on record here and now, that I have no problem with a Sullivan led bid for the club. I had business dealings with the Golds', David, and his brother Ralph, many years ago, and always found them very straightforward to do business with, albeit it that most of the business was done through David's two daughters, Jacqui and Vanessa. If David Gold is involved, then I don't believe that Charlton would have better owners to follow in the mighty footsteps of Richard Murray. Just don't bring Karren Brady with you please.

P.S. - I should add at this time, I have always held a torch for Vanessa :-)

Charlton 0 Oldham 0

It never ceases to amaze me, just how different peoples opinion of the same game can be. Whilst one particular radio commentator felt it necessary to describe Saturday's game as probably the most boring and dull it had ever been his misfortune to witness, I just felt frustrated by the time wasting of Oldham, the profligacy in front of goal by McLeod, and the lack of guile shown by both the players and Parkinson, which has left us with two points dropped, rather than one gained.

The unfortunate pattern against top half teams that we now seem to be establishing, is a salutory reminder that we are good, but we are not special, and that perhaps my pre season prediction of mid table anonymity, may not be that wide of the mark after all. Even to a casual observer such as I, it was blindingly obvious that Oldham would come looking for a 0-0 scoreline, so why did we start with a 4-5-1 formation? When, somewhat belatedly, Parkinson did switch to a 4-4-2, the chances came thick and fast. The logic about keeping faith with the players that have started the season so well, is beginning to look a little thin now, as those same players have now managed a meagre 7 out of a possible 18 points in the last six games.

I shall watch with interest, to see what Parkinson does for the game against Huddersfield, as that will be a very similar game to the Oldham one. Unfortunately, all my concerns about his lack of strategic nous, and his ability to motivate a team when results are not as rosy as before, seem to be well founded, on the basis of the Oldham game. I hope to be convinced otherwise.

Leeds 0 Charlton 0

CAFC Player is rubbish! I attempted to take advantage of the fourteen day free trial, and quite frankly won't be bothering again. I have a feeling we may well be hearing the old line that demand was so great, the service couldn't cope. Not a good enough reason really is it? So, instead, I tuned in to Radio London, and listened to what sounded like a game we could have won. The fact that we didn't, shouldn't detract from a great recovery after the horror show of Colchester earlier in the week, so hats off to Parkinson and the boys for a solid performance.

When I heard that Kandol was on the bench, I thought, typical, he is going to come on at some stage, and score against us. He didn't, and with the result at Bristol Rovers going our way, we now have a two point cushion, although Colchester also now have us in their sights, a point further back, but with a superior goal difference. With Leeds away at Bristol Rovers next week, there is every possibility that we could be back at the top after next weeks match,

With only six points taken out of the last fifteen, the team are not performing well enough to my mind, to be considered as automatic promotion candidates, but a play off place does look a real possibility, and I would have taken that as a very good season for us, before it began. After yesterday's result, I wonder if we are starting to see a pattern emerging, in that although we do not beat the clubs around us, we tend not to lose either, Colchester excepted.

Colchester 3 Charlton 0

Last night was just a bad day at the office, but one that I have little confidence will get any better on Saturday. We are now playing teams in the top half of the league, and both the team and Parkinson need to show that they can be a force in this division. At the start of the month, I mentioned in a posting that I was unconvinced about Parkinson, and I was asked in return, what would convince me that he could do a job in the third division. After last nights result, I think it is worth posting my reply to that question.

How he conducts himself when the team starts to lose, or at a lower level, when they go behind during a match. Given the abject misery of last season, it wouldn't take too many losses on the spin, for fans to turn against him. The true test for me, is how he reacts in the above scenarios. Whether he is able to motivate a losing team, and what tactics he deploys to achieve a turnaround, will indicate to me, whether he is a good manager at this level, or not. Although not of his creation, he did not manage that last season, although I am happy to concede that we were playing better football towards the end of the last campaign. His conduct thus far has gone a long way to repairing damaged faith, but I still have lingering doubts, as to whether he possesses the wherewithal to dig the team out of a hole. In fairness to him, he hasn't had that opportunity yet, although he did manage to almost single handedly create that situation during the Wycombe game by switching to 4-4-2 for no apparent reason. That caused the team to take on pressure that wasn't present until that point. There was no further input from the bench to alleviate that pressure, and thus I still have my doubts.

Charlton 2 Exeter 1

That really wasn't very convincing was it? I suppose it could be put down to a mediocre day at the office, but I do hope that form isn't deserting the team collectively, just as our real test is about to begin. Charlton have only played one side in the top half of the table, and even Scunthorpe only just make it into the top half at 11th. Exeter should not have posed the danger to the team that they did, but you can be sure that Colchester and Leeds will be far more problematic. Charlton will need a step up in performance from yesterday's efforts if they are to emerge with anything from either of those games.

Spring for Semedo was the only change, so protecting the back four was never likely to be as efficient without the Portugeezer. That Spring did so, with some aplomb, is a credit to him, as his natural game is far more attacking than defensive under normal circumstances. It also cannot be easy coming into a settled side, so if Semedo is not back for the next couple of games, then Spring proved that we have the coverage to cope with his loss. Elsewhere in the team though, there were some definite "off" days going on. Llera was not as imperious in the pass as he can be, and Burton seemed to run out of legs in the second half, just as Exeter were changing their tactics, and making life difficult.

Parkinson obviously decided to let the players that have done so well so far, dig themselves out of the situation, as all three of his substitutions seemed to me to be more reactive, rather than proactive. McLeod for Burton made perfect sense, as the first touch, and hold up play of the former seemed to desert him in the second half. Racon and Sam, both had quieter games than of late, and the Frenchman eventually gave way to Wagstaff, switching Sam to the left, and allowing Bailey to go inside to his more natural central midfield role.

Exeter are a better side than most would give them credit for, so I don't want to sound negative about our own performance, and as the old cliche goes, sometimes you just have to grind out a result, and that is what we did. I had heard tell of Athena, the Grecian Goddess before the game, but instead of her charms, as seen here (including some language usually reserved for Victoria Beckham);

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUVbrZvmB2g

we were subjected to a fat bloke cavorting in front of the Jimmy Seed, while our stewards collectively decided to run into each other. For comedy value it was up there with the banan skin. Fortunately Charlton did not slip on it.

Norwich 2 Charlton 2

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the month of September, ending with the game at Leeds on October 3rd was likely to be a very good indicator of what sort of season Charlton were likely to have. In the same way that I did not expect the purple patch to continue, I was also hoping that we would not see our promising start collapse like a pack of cards. The fact that it hasn't gone Pete Tong is pleasing, but it also shows that we are likely to be a top six, rather than a top two side. At the start of the season I would have taken this, as I believed we were likely to be mid table at best. A win, a draw, and a loss in our next three, will go some way to confirming for me, that we are a good team in the third division, but not a great one.

It was also very pleasing to see Elliott sign a contract extension, and as a reminder, below is the most up to date version of the players contract status. (I've given up on Google Docs)

2010
Basey
Burton
Clark
Dailly
Dickson
McKenzie
Randolph
Sam
Sinclair
Sodje
Solly
Spring
Stavrinou
Wagstaff

2011
Bailey
Fleetwood
Llera
McLeod
Moutaouakil
Racon
Richardson
Semedo
Youga

2012
Elliott
Shelvey

Scholars
Davisson
Mambo
Tuna

Loan - January 2010
Holden

Charlton 1 Southampton 1

So sure was I that this would be a draw, I even managed to predict the correct scoreline in the pub sweep in the Rose of Denmark before the game. All the portents were there, Sam wins player of the month, Parkinson wins manager of the month, a returning Pardew, the divisions draw specialists. Yep, couldn't be anything other than a draw really could it?

I don't remember Pardew ever setting up a Charlton side to be as physical as the Saints were yesterday though? We were outmuscled occasionally, but never cowed. Everybody worked hard, and as the highlights last night showed, our second disallowed goal was not offside. I have been quite impressed with the standard of refereeing at this level, but yesterdays officials collectively had a shocker.

How we managed to pick up three bookings in the second half, when Southampton had not picked up a single one in the first half was beyond me. Their right back Harding, had obviously been told to "do a job" on both Sam and Shelvey if they ever strayed into his territory, and he went about his task with both vim and venom. He should not have been allowed to stay on the pitch, never mind escape a booking. Add to that, the same player hauling Sam down for a clear penalty that wasn't given, and Lallana escaping scot free after the handbags incident in the second half, which he started, and you have three incidents, which were but the tip of the iceberg, of poorly handled refereeing decisions.

On balance, a draw was a fair result, and unfortunately other teams will now have seen that the best way to try and stop Charlton, is to rough the team up a bit. The good news for Charlton fans, is that the team can handle it.

Charlton 2 Brentford 0

The day started well with news of a contract extension for Shelvey. I like the way both player and club are helping each other here, as the extension just increases the ability of the Charlton board to hold out for premium price, and Shelvey no doubt gets an increase in salary for his pains, as well as the ability to insert get out clauses into the agreement to help smooth the way for the inevitable exit strategy. Indeed, the new contract is in itself, part of that strategy.

As for the game, it was probably for Charlton, the strongest test of the season so far, and they came through it with some aplomb. This wasn't as easy a victory as you might think, as Brentford also had clear cut chances, that with a bit more composure would have stretched our resolve to make it six out of six. The fact that they didn't take them, is down to wasteful finishing as much as anything

There is little doubt that we will be one of the best passing sides in this division, and the lead up to the second goal was little short of sublime. I lost count of the number of passes involved, but I reckon it must have been a dozen plus, before Burton put Sam through, to wriggle his way past the last line of defence, and slot coolly past the Brentford keeper. The first goal was very much one from the training ground, and you could see it coming. Llera firing huge, and deadly accurate cross field passes to Sam was already a signature move, before Sam got the better of a poor defensive back header from one such ball, to cut back for Burton to push it home against one of his many former clubs. I only wish our mercurial winger could last ninety minutes, but hey, I am happy for a fully firing Sam to give us seventy any time.

This game was the first test in a month, ending up at Leeds on October 3rd, that will go a long way to telling us what sort of season we may have. Southampton, Norwich, and Colchester all have to be faced, as well as the Elland Road outfit, but on the evidence of the season to date, Charlton deserve to be feared, far more than Charlton should be fearing any opponents.

A Very Good Days Work

Hats off to Messrs Parkinson and Murray for what did not happen yesterday. I still can't quite believe that we have manged to hold onto Shelvey, Bailey, Racon, and Sam, all of whom have attracted interest from elsewhere over the past few months. Whether the tide can be held back again come the January transfer window is another question, but one that can be left for another day.

It does show the ongoing commitment by the board to give the team the best possible opportunity to fight its way back into the Championship. It has to be considered a last throw of the dice though, as failure to achieve promotion this year, will see a fire sale at the end of the season. Unless the takeover happens, there is no Plan B for next season.

Whilst I remain unconvinced about the merits of Parkinson, one thing I do appreciate, is his straightforward, direct communication style. He said he wanted a striker, a left sided midfielder, and a central defender, and that is exactly what we got. The return of Sam Sodje will be almost universally welcomed by the fans, and represents a superb signing for the third division. Bigger risks, but for entirely different reasons, are McKenzie and Holden. The former has spent large parts of the last three seasons injured, but will be a potent force at this level, if he can just stay fit. The latter is an unknown quantity, a la Fleetwood, and Dickson. Time will tell if Parkinson's eye for a non-league gem is better than Pardew's.

With Moo2 and Fleetwood farmed out on loan, I am perhaps a little surprised that Chris Dickson is still with us, but not half as surprised as I am with the club's retention of our midfield four intact. Surprised, and delighted.

I Go Away For Two Weeks.......

.....and Charlton perform like men possessed in my absence. There are a couple of sobering reasons for this, but first and foremost, congratulations must go to the team, and Parkinson as well, for forging a club record start to the season.

One note of caution though, is that we have not lost any of the midfield four of Racon, Bailey, Shelvey, and Sam. Famous last words of course, as the transfer window has still not closed, but if it does, with our midfield intact, then hats off to the directors, who besides holding board meetings deep into the night, in a bid to stop the proposed takeover seem longer than a long thing on a long day, have I suspect, held firm in the stance of not bowing to any pressure to release any of our remaining prized assets. We know approaches have been made for at least Shelvey, and Bailey, but other unreported enquiries will almost certainly have happened.

The second note of caution, is that all five of our opponents to date have been in the bottom half of the table, with two of them in the bottom four, and one just outside it. A truer test of our credentials is now upon us, with Brentford, and Southampton next up at The Valley, with the next three road trips being Norwich, Colchester, and Leeds. Once that lot has been completed, I suspect we will have a truer view of how our season is likely to pan out.

In the meantime, I shall enjoy my Sunday paper, and anything else reporting on the latest exploits of our lads visit to Merseyside, or wherever Tranmere is, and try and get used to the British summer again.

Carling Darling?

Charlton maintained their fine tradition of "we don't do Cups" again last night, going out to fourth division Hereford after extra time. The positives to be taken from the game are that some of the youngsters got a run out, with Solly, Wagstaff, and Stavrinou acquitting themselves adequately. Gray also got some game time, which will hopefully assist in keeping him in the shop window, although a penalty miss, will not have endeared him to any potential new employer.

Meanwhile, in the land of the stripey Nigels, Agent Ambrose was showing him how a penalty should be taken, and indeed, how to score from open play as well. What we would do for a free scoring goal machine like Dazza eh? - I'll get me coat.

Charlton Athletic 3 Wycombe Wanderers 2

This should have been so much easier than it turned out to be. Cruising at 2-0 up, the first glaring "error" happened when Llera went off, courtesy of charm merchant Harrold, to have a nasty cut stitched up. It seemed to me that the obvious move would be to drop Semedo, into the centre of defence, but I am not entirely convinced that he went there. Even if you give Parkinson the benefit of the doubt over that one, where on earth was Youga when the Chairboys first goal went in? The same question has to be asked of the same player, when Elliot, Richardson, and Bailey were busy clearing shots off our goal line in the second half. We certainly weren't playing with four at the back, that's for sure. The other defensive failing was that the back line were playing too high. The same problem that allowed them to score their first, was also evident when Wycombe scored their second, albeit that the pass that put Zebroski through was a peach.

The first Wycombe goal tarnished an otherwise blemish free first half, which could easily have seen us go in three or four goals to the good. When Llera scored to put us 3-1 up, the normal order of things seemed to be restored, but then what happened in the last ten minutes of the second half? Let's not kid ourselves here, we could easily have ended up with a draw, which would have been a travesty, particularly after the first 40 minutes of the first half. The reality was that we panicked, with all the old self doubt of last season showing through once more, but for me, the second worst thing about those closing minutes, was that Wycombe were physically fitter and stronger than we were. There can be no excuses for that.

But for me, the worst error was down to Parkinson. Why bring two strikers on for a striker and a winger, who in the case of Sam, was also by some distance, our most effective player? The outcome of that little foible was that we ended up with an unbalanced midfield. Given our position of dominance at the time, I guess he felt it would be safe enough, but the reality was somewhat different, as it encouraged a fitter Wycombe side to press on. If Sam had a problem, why not bring Basey on for Sam, and switch Bailey over to the right side? While Sam was on the pitch, their midfield and defence were constantly pinned back by his antics. With him removed, Charlton were in danger of being overrun. Three points, yes, but a number of concerns as well. I really don't want to be reminded of last season, but towards the end of this game, that is exactly where my mind was being drawn back to.

Once More Unto The Breach Dear Friends

Well, almost time once more, for the Saturday ritual to begin. It will be good to see old friends in the Rose of Denmark again, and I do get a buzz from seeing The Valley turf in pristine condition, ready for another season of toil. Eldest son will, as ever be in attendance, no glory boy tags attached to him, no sir. Was it really a year ago that we "humbled" the mighty Swans 2-0?

So, it is on with the Woolwich shirt again, take a deep breath, and hope that the Addicks don't squeeze my enjoyment out of the season too quickly. Good luck to the boys, and all of us. Enjoy the game today. Why do I get the feeling it will be a draw!

Transfer Activity

After what seems like an eternity, well ok, I exaggerate, we have some transfer activity. Dailly and Randolph commit themselves to the cause - woo hoo. The grass, if indeed there ever was any, was obviously not greener for Randolph, and I believe Dailly will be a hugely influential signing, not just on the players generally, but in particular young Mambo No.5, who I believe will see some action this year, if not in the league, then hopefully in the cups.

With Gray, McLeod, Fleetwood, and Dickson, all firm possibles to leave, the true damage is yet to transpire, namely the loss of Shelvey, Bailey, and Racon. I still believe that the first two will go, but the new owners debate seems to have receded slightly. Whether it returns remains to be seen, but can we please stop all the whingeing about a lack of information. If the Board were able to say something, it would have been said, and it could really only be one of two things, 1) We have new owners, and here they are, or 2) We thought we were close, but it was not to be. The only reason the Board will have been quiet about this, is because of confidentiality provisions with any third party they were dealing with. Look on it as a case of no news, is good news. Nothing has been said yet, which tells me that discussions are still alive.

Top Heavy

Interesting appointment of a new assistant manager, with Tim Breacker joining the club. A journeyman pro in his playing days, Parkinson obviously feels that he has more to offer in that role than Kinsella, who has, at least, been awarded with a new contract as first team coach. If the club feels that the management structure on the playing side needs beefing up, then fine, but at a time when money is non-existent, is it really necessary? More importantly, why does the club need a Chief Executive, a Deputy Chief Executive, and a Managing Director?

The Famous Five or the Secret Seven?

The call for "four or five more players" by Parkinson sounds about right. You see, the number he feels he needs is about to be dictated by those that will leave. This is information that he is party to, and we are not. So, who goes?

I have been increasingly concerned that neither Randolph or Fortune have put pen to paper on new deals that have been on the table for some time now. We hear that Fortune is being courted by Sheffield United, and I am sure Randolph too, must have some interest from elsewhere. The only offer Charlton could make either of them, is a promise of further money, should a purchase of the club go through. This of course assumes that the bidding parties sanctioned such a statement, which is possible, but, I personally feel unlikely. The reality is more likely to be a lot more prosaic. They have offers from the club, and want to see if they can do better elsewhere, and in the case of Fortune, it sounds like he, at least, might have.

Bailey being associated with Middlesboro for me is credible, and I have always believed he would be one of the players to go. Whilst he is under contract, Middlesboro would easily be able to meet the inflated figure Charlton might ask for. Shelvey to Ipswich is risible, but again, any fee likely to be asked for by the club will be chicken feed to an established Premiership club, which is where I still expect him to end up. Both of these players I expect to be actively on offer from the club, and with its sanction.

So, that is four. The fifth is likely to be Gray, which would be good for both the club, and the player, with Barnsley the oft quoted destination. So there you have the Famous Five, but with no takeover for the club now likely in the immediate future (famous last words - Ed), I am not convinced the damage ends there, as I would expect both Racon and Sam to be offloaded, in order to keep the sinking finances afloat a while longer. Bit part players like Eastwood, Dickson, and McLeod would also all be available for the right price, which let's face it would not be high. Can I throw another candidate into the mix as well? - Youga. His non appearance at the last two games is explained by an injury. Call me a cynical old Hector if you will, but let's face it, as supporters we have a lot to be cynical about these days.

Elsewhere, I am told that we were truly appalling in both the Forest Green game, and the second half of the Crawley game, so business as normal there then. With no money at his disposal, Parkinson has more than just his work cut out, a situation made all the more ironic when Norwich have just lashed out £450k for Grant Holt, who genuinely can do it at this level.

Whoever the potential buyers of the club are, now need to make a decision. Are you in this, or not? The fact that this deal is still alive at all, suggests that there is a level of good will between the parties, so could I ask that you decide one way or the other please? If they walk away, the ramifications will be enormous, and my Famous Five, or Secret Seven, could quite easily become a Dirty Dozen.

To The Directors Of Charlton Athletic Football Club

One or more of you is stalling on the detail of the proposed takeover. Whilst I am sure the objections have "£" signs in front of them, I am in no position to advise you what to do, given the amount of money you have individually, and collectively poured into the black hole that is Charlton Athletic in 2009.

Can I ask you to consider one thing though. If the takeover does not go through, can you honestly stand up and say that it was not in the best interests of the club? Will you continue to say that as the For Sale signs are hung out at the Valley?, and yes I do mean the ground.

I trust you all to do the right thing, but if nothing is announced by the middle of next week, I really do fear the worst for our club. Thank you for listening.

Where To Start?

Strangely a lot has happened, and yet nothing has really happened. I expect all that to change very very soon though. The main event really needs to arrive in the shape of a takeover, or an injection of sizeable new funding. I still maintain though, that Reg will have oiled the wheels, but is not the front man.

So what has occurred?

Richardson looks a useful signing, but can I share a worry with you? Does the following quote sound familiar? "He's exactly the type of character we're looking for" Bloody hell, the "C" word again! McCarthy allegedly had it, so did Hudson, and yet both these "C" word possessors have shuffled of this Charlton coil. Still, he cannot look any more inept than Llera did last night can he?

It is also proof, if ever it was needed, that Moo2 has indeed had his day. Disliked by both management and players, allegedly, there really is nowhere else for him to go but out. If you can't even arrive at Welling as part of one of two teams, your chips really are down!

Welling, and indeed pre-season friendlies for me are important. This time last year, I pontificated on the team bonding qualities of a successful run in to the season, and do you know what?, we had a good pre-season last year. Trust me, I know what I am talking about. We really benefitted from it didn't we? A gentle trot out, but from what I have read, it was just like watching ....... errr ....... Charlton. Deeply uninspiring.

New Kit. Can I just add my voice to the dissenters over the way it was "revealed". I suspect the reason for this, was the timing of our signing up of our former manager "krbs". I have to say, that this sponsorship pleases me. Not the monetary value, which is poor, let's not deny it, but it is a proper local sponsorship. For me, it represents the first time this has happened, since the Woolwich proudly adorned our heaving breasts (steady - Ed), which incidentally is the last time I bought a shirt for myself. The vagaries of buying the latest shirt is a fad (ho ho) that I have only fallen into because the Roon likes having the latest Charlton gear (damn).

The latest player contract position is attached, and do you know what?; judging by the transfer activity, it looks like Parkinson is still going to be our manager.....maybe. Oh, and Zheng and Wright? Both as predicted have gone. Now for Andy Gray, hopefully.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dg3rmnvf_0jk7xnffw&hl=en

The End Is Near

Richard Murray and Derek Chappell have received extensive legal advice on attending this weeks Fans Forum, Q&A session on the 9th July 2009 and have been instructed by our legal advisors that it would not be appropriate for them to attend a public meeting at the current time. The event will be re-arranged as soon as the two Chairmen get clearance to talk freely with supporters on a range of issues.

The above was sent to all those due to attend the Q&A session, and I got it about 5:45. Now this is going to be news when it comes out. Whatever the takeover, or injection of new monies ends up looking like, and who is fronting it, and indeed behind it must be due for announcement very soon.

Oh and the latest contracts position is here, not that I am really interested in it today.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dg3rmnvf_0jk7xnffw&hl=en

Domino Dancing

Well that was all very smooth, and easy to work out. As soon as Johnson left Cardiff, it was fairly clear to see that Hudson, who had been linked with them consistently, was going to take that trip down the M4. A big hand to the board here, as £1.075m, rising potentially by £250k if they get promoted, is a damn fine piece of business, for a workmanlike centre back, who had joined on a free the year previously.

Free is relative of course, as I am sure he would have been on a five digit salary, never mind the signing on fee. The board may deserve some opprobrium of late, but credit where credit's due, this was good business. I only hope the payment terms are such, that there is some portion of the cash being paid now, in order that Parkinson can recruit. Another centre back is still required, even assuming that Fortune signs a new deal, although I do expect to see Semedo used there next season as well.

So, who is next? The rumour mill suggests it may well be Shelvey, and in a sense I hope it is. Why? Well, if Shelvey does go for big money, it means that Racon, Bailey, and Sam will only need to be sold, if they start playing Billy Big Bollocks, a la Scotty Parker, (or Spotty Farter, as my daughter calls him to this day).

There is, however, at least one very thorny issue to be resolved, namely Andy Gray. Here is a man contracted until 2011, and who is almost certainly the highest earner on the club's books presently. I would be amazed if any transfer fee for him is achievable, given the salary level likely to be asked for in negotiation. It may well be that we cannot even give him away, and if that turns out to be true, any short term financial good achieved by selling Shelvey, will be largely undone by Gray staying with us next season.

Follow the link to see the latest updated contract status.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dg3rmnvf_0jk7xnffw&hl=en

Take A Deep Breath

This coming week will give a little more information than we have seen of late. For me, there are still some questions around outgoing players. I expect those players already released to be joined by others. Chris Dickson's contract also expires next week, and yet I have heard no mention of him, in terms of a new contract, or that he is to be released. Wagstaff is potentially another, although my information on his contract also ending next week may not be correct. Zheng Zhi will go. I have never really believed that a financial package could be put together to tempt him to stay, and I expect him to leave.

I believe we will also see at least one incoming player as well, namely Llera, the out of contract MK Dons centre back. An almost certain replacement for the probably Cardiff bound Hudson. Stavrinou has now been confirmed on a one year deal, and the table is updated accordingly. I am assuming that we will also be told that Clark has also signed his oft promised deal in the next day or seven. As for sales, well no surprise that Shelvey continues to make the news. If the speculated sale and loan back deal with Chelsea is real, then this almost certainly represents the best Charlton could achieve with the youngster.

For the latest contract status update, see the table at the following link. I do expect to be releasing this again shortly with some serious movement, albeit most of it in an outward direction.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg3rmnvf_0jk7xnffw&hl=en

Getting Closer

We are now within a week of hearing news from The Valley. A few leaks here and there regarding specific players, as the agents start to turn the wheel with a little more vigour, was all that I was expecting to hear from the club, aside from the unfortunate spin around how "good" the season ticket renewals are. That Shelvey, Hudson, Racon, Bailey and Sam are all being cited for transfer,was entirely predictable, and with Gray added to that mix as the opening of the transfer window approaches, to me, indicates that progress is being made behind the scenes.

With regard to all the talk around Varney buying the club; this has always been fanciful in my view. My understanding is that he has been assisting the current board with presentations to various parties. All aimed at raising money, of course, but more powerpoint monkey than potential white knight stuff. This is not to demean his role, as it is crucial that the club, as "damaged" as it is, is put forward in the best light in order to attract investment. If there is new investment to be had, I am sure Varney will have played a key role in achieving it.

Sign Of The Times

(Sigh)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/predictor/default.stm

Still - at least we are in the play offs :-)

Movement

At last some news!

The season ticket take up is poor. I know the club are bigging it up, and really, what choice do they have?, but the reality is that we have lost over 40% of the fan base, having lost nearly 20% the year before, albeit that number was offset by new season ticket holders. Although some more will sign up, it does look as though Target 10,000 may have to be resurrected

As for players going, the only one where the information I had was incorrect was "Toks" Yussuff. Had I known his contract was up this month, I would almost certainly have had him leaving, but as I believed he had a deal until next June, I figured he would be staying, as it is unlikely his salary would have been troubling the accountants in SE7.

A new contract for Fortune had already been reported, so comes as no surprise, and I suspect a testimonial may sway him into staying. A new contract for Zheng Zhi is possibly more of a surprise. Zheng is a good Championship player, but too lightweight for the Prem. If there is a sponsorship to help pay his wages, then great, but I still don't see him staying, and would expect him to transfer to a Championship club.

Matt Holland wanting to stay is perhaps no surprise, as his family are settled, and his wife has an equestrian business, which has been built up over the years, but is he really what Charlton need in third division football? We are currently still blessed with a large number of midfielders, and wlthough used as emergency cover at the back, a specialist in that area of the field would surely be preferrable for the same money? Randolph staying depends on whether he has the aptitude to knuckle down and try and oust Elliott, but I suspect ego may get in the way, so I would not be surprised if he did leave for the promise of number one choice goalie at another club.

The revised contractual status can be found here. More updates as they happen.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg3rmnvf_0jk7xnffw&hl=en

Calm Down Dear

I am a little surprised that people are worried about the lack of activity on the player movement front. Those players that will be out of contract at the end of this month, are still our players, and the only reason we would see any movement now, is if the "buying" club is worried that another club might beat them to the punch so to speak. The other factor to consider is that now we are third division, we will probably have to sign players as late as possible, in order to keep the wage bill as light as possible, for as long as possible.

In terms of player movement, nobody has come in, which is entirely to be expected, but some encouraging noises nonetheless. Clarke, Llera, and Butterfield are all credible rumours, and given that the first two are central defenders, tells me that Hudson may well be on his way, with Cardiff City the rumoured destination. As of today, the club has not confirmed any outward movement, but the Ambrose, Arter, and Thomas stories all seem real enough. Below is my ongoing list of player contractual status, with my prediction as to whether they stay or go. I have added Thomas to the list, as his omission was a decision based on the fact that he did not even appear as a first team squad member on the match day programme. Even if he had been, I would have been confident that he would have been released.

Follow the link to see my updated prediction table

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dg3rmnvf_0jk7xnffw

A Wright Laugh

You really should see the article in the Currant Bun, about our magnificently talented young midfield maestro Josh. Apparently worth £700,000, which made me laugh out loud. Our young hero has said that he has a clause in his contract, which states that any new deal must at least pay him what he is being paid now, £1,200 per week according to Wapping's finest. If he doesn't get it, there is a clause in his contract that allows him to leave on a free transfer.

Erm - now I don't wish to urinate in anyone's custard here, but all the information available states that his contract expires at the end of next month. You have to admire the workrate of his agent though, in finding superstar in the making Josh, a new home befitting of his burgeoning talent.

For those of you in need of a smile, read the "story" here. You will need to scroll halfway down to see it. Not exactly the most prominent story, but then again, Josh is a modest young man, with much to be modest about.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2455937/More-of-todays-football-stories.html

Shhhh!

The lull before the storm perhaps? With players contracts ending in June, I wasn't expecting a mad rush for the door, either in or out, but the day gets ever nearer, certainly for those exiting. So where will our departed go? The rumour mill has been steady in the background, with little of any concrete nature forthcoming.

Rumours about Sam going to Newcastle seem unlikely to be true, although as previously predicted, I do expect him to go, but to a Championship side, rather than a Premier one. Hudson and Bailey will also go to Championship sides, the former more definitely than the latter, who may well stay, unless the money offered is too good to turn down. Shelvey to be sold is a given in most quarters. Just a question of who will buy. Half the Prem seem to be in the frame. The transfer fee will help the board with its one year plan to get out of the third division. What I want to know is, what happens if we don't get out in one season?

No noises yet about the likely destination of those out of contract players, although I would like to see Fortune stay. Most will go, or in one or two cases reject reduced contracts. I have updated the status of the contracts position, as it now seems likely that Burton signed an 18 month deal, which means that it is highly likely he will be around next season. I have also removed the loan rangers, as they have now gone. Those in red, I believe, will no longer be with us come the start of next season. Bet I get loads wrong :-)

June 2009 - Arter, Ambrose, Dickson, Fortune, Holland, Todorov, Wagstaff, Weaver, Wright, Zhi, Randolph

June 2010 - Basey, Burton, Elliot, Sam, Sinclair, Solly, Spring, Yussuff

June 2011 - Bailey, Christensen, Fleetwood, Gray, Hudson, Moutaouakil, Racon, Semedo, Shelvey, Youga, McLeod

Unknown - Clark, Stavrinou, Tuna

PS - Parkinson? I hear the arguments for continuity and stability, but I still want him to go!

Sad News

For those of us who drink in the Rose of Denmark Dave was always the man who when not busy behind the bar, acted as doorkeeper when we returned from the latest abject Charlton capitulation. Dave, sadly, has died. I don't as yet know what the arrangements are for his funeral, but friends and fellow Rose of Denmark drinkers are endeavouring to find out.

Fun In The Sun

Well it was, wasn't it? Great banter in the Rose of Denmark beforehand with the Norwich boys and girls. Good fun, and as it turned out, we will see them again next year, or at least I hope so, but more of that later. The game had an end of season feel to it, which given what was at stake for Norwich struck me as a bit strange. In fairness, their chances of survival were very poor, and much like us, the general feeling was that they knew they were going to be relegated in November last year. For me it was November 1st, when I genuinely believed we were likely to go down after the abject performance against Barnsley.

Even after a 4-2 victory, I still felt a tad irked. Once again, as for most of the season, we had let in two soft goals, one from a woeful piece of defending that left a Norwich player unmarked in the six yard box, and the second from a free kick awarded for a panic tackle on the edge of our area. Nevertheless I enjoyed the game, but I didn't wait around to see if the players did a lap of honour.

So now the summer, and the great clear out, both of players and staff will begin in earnest. I have kept the table showing when the players contracts expire updated, and if correct, the following first team squad players will be out of contract in a months time.

Ambrose, Burton, Dickson, Fortune, Holland, Randolph, Todorov, Wagstaff, Wright, Weaver, Zhi

Of these, the only one I am expecting to be offered a new deal is Fortune. It is also possible that Wright and / or Wagstaff may be offered new terms. I am not convinced that either Holland or Randolph will be. In addition to these, the candidates to be invited to seek employment elsewhere will probably be Gray, Moutaouakil, Fleetwood, and McLeod. Sadly, we will also lose players, albeit for a transfer fee, and so a probable goodbye to at least three of Shelvey, Racon, Hudson, Bailey, and Sam.

It could be worse, we could be Norwich. As has been widely reported, they have managed to attract 18,000 season ticket holders for next season, which sounds like great news for them, but unfortunately part of the deal was that if Norwich got relegated, then they would receive 20% of their money back. According to a Norwich fan in the Rose of Denmark yesterday, the club is already asking the fans to waive their right to the refund. It has been reported that if Norwich were to pay the 20% refund back, it would tip them into administration. There is also considerable doubt as to whether Southampton are going to be able to avoid full blown liquidation.

As for talk of Peter Varney riding white knight like into the Valley, well it is just that for now.....talk. Silly season now begins, and I hope you all have a great summer, and that we all return invigorated for the new season.

Glad All Over

In some senses, I am glad that what happened last night happened. I was beginning to get an uneasy feeling that Parkinson and the Board would hide behind a "successful" run in, by Charlton standards anyway, as a good reason to keep Parkinson in charge next season. Everything I have read and heard, suggests that his tactical errors last night, will help dispel that argument.

For me, Parkinson has always been part of the problem, not the solution. The Board should be looking for a successor now, with a view to making the change as soon as this sorry excuse of a season is finished.

Blackpoo

.......or so the scoreboard told us, managed to score two unlikely goals, given their performance for most of the afternoon. I had been heartened by the solidity of the Charlton performance against Birmingham, and the 0-0 result had flattered them, and it was more of the same yesterday.

If I was a cynic, I could argue that the relative upturn in our fortunes in the last five games is as much down to players putting themselves in the shop window, as any skill by Parkinson at getting a group of misfiring individuals to behave like a team. As Colin W said after we beat Palace, if the players can put in a performance like that against Palace, then what the hell were they doing at the wrong end of the table?

If we accept that 10,000 season ticket holders will pay for Charlton in the third division, other than player salaries, and that £2m is the self imposed wage cap next season, then that money can only be found one way, and because of that, it will be goodbye to Shelvey, Racon, and Bailey. I would like to think that one might stay, but any semi sensible offer is not not likely to be turned down. If we manage to get £5m for the three, then the Board will have done well.

How Long?

There has been much speculation as to who may be staying at Charlton next year, and even more as to who may be going. I have indulged in this a little myself, but then I thought, "I wonder when so and so's contract runs out". We may want to see the back of Weaver and Todorov, for example, but you know what? There is no guarantee that we will, if my investigations are accurate.

What I have done is try to establish when the first team squad contracts expire. Some of this information is on the player profiles at the Charlton website, but by no means is this always the case. I have therefore been rummaging around tinternet. Because of that, I cannot guarantee the accuracy, but please let me know if you have better information on a player, and corroborate it if you can. I will then keep the list updated. In the case of two players, Uchechi, and Thomas, I have not managed to find any contract detail, so please feel free to rise to the challenge, and let me know what you find. I have also included Clark and Stavrinou, who we are told will be offered professional contracts, but as yet, we have not been told how long they will be for.

Harry Arter
June 2009

Darren Ambrose
June 2009

Nicky Bailey
June 2011

Grant Basey
June 2010

Deon Burton
June 2009

Danny Butterfield
May 2009

Martin Christensen
June 2011

Jack Clark
Unknown

Chris Dickson
June 2009

Robert Elliot
June 2010

Stuart Fleetwood
June 2011

Jonathan Fortune
June 2011

Andy Gray
June 2011

Matt Holland
June 2009

Mark Hudson
June 2011

Tresor Kandol
May 2009

Izale McLeod
June 2011

Yassin Moutaouakil
June 2011

Therry Racon
June 2011

Darren Randolph
June 2009

Lloyd Sam
June 2010

Jose Semedo
June 2011

Jonjo Shelvey
June 2011

Dean Sinclair
June 2010

Chris Solly
June 2010

Matt Spring
June 2010

Alex Stavrinou
Unknown

Aswad Thomas
Unknown

Svetoslav Todorov
June 2009

Tamer Tuna
Unknown

Danny Uchechi
Unknown

Scott Wagstaff
June 2009

Darren Ward
May 2009

Nicky Weaver
June 2009

Josh Wright
June 2009

Kelly Youga
June 2011

Rashid Yussuff
June 2010

Zheng Zhi
June 2009

Money For Nothing?

By my reckoning, we had a shade under 15,000 season ticket holders last year, but regardless of that, what of next season? The proposed season ticket prices in themselves will not be attractive enough to stop another mass exodus, especially when seen in the light of the current economic climate, but how big will that exodus be?

I am fairly convinced it will be more dramatic than the 20% that didn't renew last year. Some of that fall out last time was masked by 700 new applicants, which let's face it, will not happen this time round, but I believe that we will probably have less than the 12,000 mark, which is what a 20% failure to renew would mean. I have been surprised at just how many of my friends have declared their intent not to renew, and continue to do so, even after the prices have been announced.

I wonder if the Board will use the next couple of weeks to gauge reaction before making a few tweaks to what is already on the table? An early bird offer would be an obvious mechanism to utilise. As for me, I have already nailed my colours to the mast on this one. I shall be renewing both my season tickets, and to be honest the £100 combined saving had nothing to do with it. I will miss more games than the £100 saving, so on pure economics, I should be buying on the gate.

I am doing this because the club needs me, more than I need the club right now. I probably won't buy until the last minute however, as I don't believe we have heard the full story on pricing yet. I wonder how many others feel the same? Not good for Charlton's cashflow, and I suspect that alone will prompt a revision to the pricing structure that has been put forward.

What would have incentivised me had I needed it? A new management team please.

Crossbars and Cross Dressing

What an eclectic bunch we Charlton bloggers are? Even before the posts hit tinternet, I had already lined up Whyteleafe v Godalming Town as a little light relief this afternoon. I first started following the Leafe when big fat Peter Garland turned out for them back in 2003, even seeing him score against AFC Wimbledon in a friendly that year.

On a different note, take a look at The Currant Bun. I freely admit that I have always found the whole Jade Goody thing distasteful, and I had no idea that our very own Josh Wright was closely linked to Jack Tweed. What is of more interest is the assertion that Wright has fallen out with Parkinson. Still, if I was pictured in the national press wearing knickers and a bra, I don't think my boss would be too chuffed either.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2346093.ece

Embers

And so it was Preston on Saturday. The quality, with the notable exception of Zheng Zhi, was poor from both teams, and the result was entirely fair. Even the physically ludicrous contest of Matt "Captain Cleanshorts" Holland against Jon "The Beast" Parkin failed to produce anything close to anxiety for me, as I watched Charlton's season continue to die like embers in the fire.

As Mark Kinsella has been reported as saying, we may as well enjoy Zheng Zhi while we still have him. He is one of the last remaining reminders of our Premiership past, and his quality was certainly a cut above anybody else on the pitch last Saturday. A bright spark in a near dead fire. I can't even take consolation in another talent that could potentially ignite a fire for Charlton in the third division, Jonjo Shelvey. He too, will be gone come season end, albeit for, hopefully, a sensible transfer fee.

And So The End Is Near

Anybody reading this, has been around the block with Charlton, and knows that we don't do "end of season". Thus, it will come as no surprise to learn that the most points we have gained in the last ten games in recent history, was 13 out of a possible 30, and that was in our promotion season in 1999/2000. We have also managed to eke out a miserable 4/30 in 2002/03, so as we now find ourselves 13 points from safety, it is fairly safe to conclude that we will indeed be doing Carlisle away next season. Not that any of us doubted it, of course.

That Chris Iwelumo should rediscover his shooting boots was also entirely predictable.

Bovvered?

No, to be honest. The team couldn't be bothered in the second half on Saturday, and neither could we in the crowd if the truth be told. There was an air of impending inevitability pervading all parts of the ground, and I for one just want this sorry season put out of its misery as soon as possible. It has been over as a meaningful contest for some weeks, and I have been insulted by those in the shirt so many times now, that my return to The Valley is much like a punch drunk boxer who gets off the canvas for more punishment.

I only hope that in the close season, Parkinson can be disposed off cheaply, and that the players we want to keep, can be tempted to stay. I genuinely don't see us holding on to Bailey, Racon, Sam, or Shelvey, but sincerely hope that we can.

That's All Folks

Three of the words uttered by the Northampton Town tannoy man, as a rain lashed Sixfields succumbed to the elements, some 45 minutes before Charlton effectively did the same with their Championship status. We will be seeing one of the two teams I saw on show last night, and that team will be Northampton Town. I have believed we would be relegated for some weeks now, and yes I know that teams do go on runs, but this is Charlton.

Many fans have talked about not renewing their season tickets next year, and certainly the casual walk up is not going to have any difficulty getting in, but I for one will be renewing both my season tickets. The club needs the fans once more for purely financial reasons, and even in these recessionary times, the club is going to need my money more than I do.

Preparation?

The result of the Swansea game was one that I predicted, but sadly, just as our form shows signs of taking a turn for the better, those around us are turning their own fortunes around to more spectacular effect. Unfortunately, I cannot make home games in midweek, as I work in Northampton, so in preparation for next season, I shall be paying a visit to Sixfields tonight to see the local derby between the MK Dons, and Northampton Town.

After all, the likelihood is that we will either be playing the MK Dons in the Championship, or Northampton Town in League 1. There you go, glass half empty, or glass half full, all in one sentence

MHROTD

...........to Jonjo Shelvey, and thank you for doing the honourable thing by signing a two and a half year deal. Not that I am expecting him to see it out. Indeed, I believe he will go in the summer, and make that a definite if we are relegated. I would expect a clause in his contract to that effect, and who can blame him.

What he has done, however, is ensure that when he does go, Charlton stand a sporting chance of obtaining a decent transfer fee for him. I suspect Jonjo Shelvey will be sold to help us a) survive, and / or b) get us back into the Championship. Even if we do stay up, there is no guarantee that he will stay, as the lure of filthy Prem money will prove too much to resist for a club with no parachute payment to fall back on, and dwindling saleable assets on the playing side.

Too Little, & Probably Too Late

Credit where credit is due, as Parky and the boys have managed to pick up four points out of six, and kept two clean sheets. It would be ironic, that having discovered some mid-table form, that our early season proclivities prove to be a bridge too far from a recovery perspective. Other results on Saturday, didn't help us either, and we really need to keep Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Norwich, Plymouth Argyle, and Barnsley in close proximity. I am not convinced that Watford, Blackpool, and Doncaster Rovers are safe either.

On to Swansea then, and whereas we needed three points against Barnsley, I would happily settle for one against Swansea. How long ago, does that sunny opening day of the season, and a 2-0 victory seem now? Our away form is still the worst in the division, but we now rank 21st for our last eight games, and that keeps the hope alive.

Keep It Simple

One of the benefits of sitting six rows behind the home dugout, is that you get to hear every pearl of footballing genius as it is being uttered. So what jewels did Parkinson impart yesterday? Well, to be honest, not very much. If he shouted "Soaresy" once, he shouted it a hundred times during the game. He wasn't being angrily critical of the Stoke loanee, but he did see, in his own mind, at least, the conduit through which, he believed most change would be wrung from a poor Plymouth defence.

He may well have been right, as the 2-0 scoreline does not flatter us at all. It could easily have been four or five. Indeed, it would have been, but for Larrieu in the Plymouth goal. Similarly, the Pilgrims could very easily have got two goals of their own as well. The second opportunity would have been particularly painful had it been converted by Fallon, after one of the most horrendous back passes, courtesy of Kandol, that it has ever been my misfortune to witnerss.

But, let's not detract from a good team performance, and that is the key to yesterdays success, as this was the nearest I have seen to a team performance for some months now. If "Soaresy" is as influential as Parkinson certainly believed yesterday, then I hope his wish to extend the loan for a second month comes off for him.

The other pearl of wisdom to be uttered from the dugout several times yesterday, was for me, far more relevant, and that was "Keep it simple". He refrained from adding the word "stupid" on the end, but this was a "KISS" that was very appropriate for St. Valentines day, and the team deserve the plaudits for doing just that.

Business As Normal

The games against Burnley and Bristol City shared much in common, not just with each other, but many other games this season as well. Take lead, surrender lead, leak a second goal, and game over. Whilst nobody at the club can admit to giving up, of course, I believe there is a danger that the false optimism will be allowed to cloud the future of the team this season, which as I have stated before, now has to be to bed in the core of the team that will be representing Charlton next season.

Many times over the years, we have heard phrases like "doing a Charlton", and "Charlton are the model that we should be following". Well now, it is our turn to look for a model to follow, and the most relevant one to my mind is that of Leicester City. If you look at their relegation last term, the fans principally blamed one thing. They were convinced that Mandaric was to blame for the team’s relegation, and that belief was coupled with the question of who could step in and finiancially save Leicester City if he went? The third issue was the merry go round of managers instigated by Mandaric, that saw nine managers at the Crisp Bowl in the first eighteen months of his ownership.

So all Mandaric really then? I don't think Charlton fans would heap that much blame at the current boards door. Our demise has been the result of a combination of failures that can be principally laid at the doors of, yes the board, but also Alan Curbishley, Iain Dowie, and the main culprit, Alan Pardew. But this is all irrelevant now. What is salient, is how do Charlton recover from this? Well, with Leicester City clear at the top of the third division, what are they now doing right, that others, Leeds United included, have not emulated?

They now see their relegation as a blessing in disguise as it's allowed them to rebuild and bring together a proper team with a togetherness which hasn't been there for a long time. They are spookily like Charlton in that the feeling is, their demise started five or so years earlier, and that they were on a downward spiral, with no confidence at all, and had gone from manager to manager, since O'Neill left. One of the plus sides to relegation appears to be that they got rid of Holloway, and installed a management team that could instil a winning mentality. Then there are the players. Leicester got rid of most of the dead wood in the summer after relegation, and those that under-performed last season such as Howard and Fryatt have turned their own fortunes around dramatically. Leicester now have an extremely settled side, and one that looks as though it could compete in the Championship next year. It is also, please note, a very youthful team. And Milan Mandaric? - he's still there!

Assuming Charlton go down, we have a stark choice. We can either be like Leeds, or Leicester. I know which I would choose.

Kandol In The Wind

In the cold light of day, relegation still seems the most likely outcome to this season. After playing around with the BBC Championship predictor, the very earliest we could get out of the bottom three would be mid February, and that would need us to win our next five games on the trot, and for other results to go our way. I really can't see that, or anything near it, happening.

We have probably seen the last of Andy Gray in a Charlton shirt, which probably won't upset too many people, and as I wrote in a previous post, I believe that picking him was a habit that Charlton had to break. So, with Dickson getting close to a start, and Fleetwood recalled from Brighton, did we really need another striker? I am puzzled by the signing of Tresor Kandol, but pleased to see him nevertheless.

28-year-old striker, Kandol signed a new deal at Leeds in 2007, which will keep him with the Elland Road club until summer 2011, and last season he was part of the deadly duo, along with Jermaine Beckford, which terrorised third division defences all season. So why then, has he been on loan with Millwall for a large part of this season? He is still scoring goals at that level, having netted 8 in 16 games for the Spanners, and yet he has been loaned straight back out to us. Has he fallen out with the manager or something? No doubt somebody can tell me.

A Splendid Affair

Despite my better judgement, I stayed rooted to the commentary for this game, where the reality was, that two below average sides, needed one lucky break, and guess what? For once, Charlton got the break, and did it without receiving a punishing reply. Watching the goal, and the players celebrations at the end, did the heart and soul a power of good, and it is a shame that the night was only marred by the fact that ultimately it made no difference to our parlous position at the base of the league due to other results.

Judging by the way the players and subs celebrated at the end, I would like to think that this could spur the team on in their bid to return to winning ways, and who knows, it might, but let's not kid ourselves here. If it does, it will be with the sort of blood and guts application we showed last night, rather than any great degree of skill. But bloody hell, we would all take that wouldn't we? For now, I shall enjoy a rare glimpse of sunshine, as will my kids, who for once will relish school today, living as we do, in the heartland of the spotty Nigels

To Hull And Back

Fortunately not us, but Sheffield United, in the 5th round of the FA Cup. We are on our way to our own private version of Hull thank you very much. I won't be around on Tuesday, as I am working away, but quite frankly I don't really want the poison, and vitriol, that will go with this particular squalid encounter. If Hudson and Soares don't play, then for me it will say it all with regard to commitment.

Still, they are in good company aren't they?

Ever Decreasing Circles

"We need to make the players know in no uncertain terms that we are not going to accept that. I'll be trying to change this team round so I can get some stronger mentalities in.”

Phil Parkinson in the aftermath of the abject failure of the team to put in anything resembling a performance at Sheffield Wednesday.

I think it is now safe to assume that we will be relegated at the end of this season. It is difficult to know what else Parkinson can say to explain the inadequacies of the playing staff, but inadequate they certainly seem to be. Another merry go round of players leaving the club, with Weaver, Gray, Zhi, Shelvey, and Ambrose as obvious candidates to be exiting, but what will we replace them with? If we see any more one month loanees, then we will be perpetuating the cycle of failure, that has plagued us thus far. So, what to do?

My own view is that we should be looking at consistently playing the likely personnel that will still be with us in division three. For me, that means Elliot or Randolph in goal, which is already happening, with Weaver being sold, or released. Looking at the back line, the only one likely to be retained is Basey, although I still think Moutaouakil and Youga can do a job at the third level. Fortune, and Hudson will both go, so that is an area that needs addressing, probably in the summer.

Midfield will probably revolve around Spring, Bailey, Racon, Semedo, Sinclair, and hopefully Sam. I really hope Shelvey won't be sold, but believe it is inevitable. Zhi will also be sold, or released, as will Ambrose, and Holland will also be released. No obvious left side in that midfield, and that will need to be addressed, but those are the six to predominantly use.

Up front is interesting, as a strike force of Fleetwood, McLeod, and Dickson, actually sounds like it could do a job at the third level. Burton should be released; he isn't the future, indeed, he isn't even the present. Gray will be sold, and Todorov will be released.

Really?

Do you think Wikipedia could be the new way to start loan move and transfer gossip? as I reckon Wiki almost beat Sky Sports to the news

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Soares

Yet again, the move is only for a month, and just as with Graeme Murty, I don't agree with it. When are we going to learn that this short term speculate to accumulate thinking is very rarely ever productive. The lack of loanees in the team that won at Norwich should really tell us something shouldn't it?

Speaking of which, the decision to let McLeod go on loan to the Spanners for the rest of the season is a good one. He can rejoin us if we slip into tier three, and he has shown himself capable of scoring goals at that level. With Eastwood also out on loan, and Dickson looking to go as well, Pardew's record in the speculation game is a big fat zero so far. With Gray also being linked with a move, even Pardew's apparent star performers aren't er.... performing. The inclusion of Gray in the team, is a habit the club really should break, but please don't bring in a striker for a month, it will almost certainly end up in tears....ours.

As for the Norwich game, well done to the lads, but it will only mean something if it gives the team confidence to beat Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. A return to our more usual performance there, and the FA Cup becomes an even more unnecessary distraction.

Positive Thinking?

I really do not enjoy posting negatively the whole time, but the club are really making it impossible to do otherwise at present. So what has happened this past week?

The Results

No, not the ones on the pitch, but the annual report from the club. The only shock for me is the size of the wage bill for the playing squad. Even if we were pushing for promotion right now, this represents an unsustainable percentage of the clubs total turnover. Next year, that bill will need to be about a third of the size it is now, just to allow us to survive.

Can anybody question the directors commitment though, when you see how much per week they are having to plough into the club just to keep it above water. For those that think we will go into administration though, I don't believe it will happen. Look where the debt is, and the vast majority sits with the directors of the club. To go into administration would wipe out them rather than avoid the taxman, or some other governmental body.

Murty

So yet another unfit loan player, looking to play his way back to match fitness at our expense. He is not with us long enough to make a significant impact, and then at the end of the month, he goes back to the Royals, fit and ready to help them with their promotion push. Two years ago, Murty would have been a decent loan player for us, but not now, and not for a month.

Spring

One for Division 3, and the first sign for me that the club are now looking towards a campaign in the third tier next year. He should be able to do a reasonable job there, as that is where the majority of his career has been conducted to date. An obvious replacement for Matt Holland who will be released during the summer.

The Game

For the record, the first goal was a defensive mix up between Murty and Hudson. Not altogether surprising, given that they only met for the first time a few days before. The second was a horrendous header by Holland in midfield that took out two Charlton players allowing Forest in for an easy second. Before the game, there was a minutes applause for those connected to Charlton who have died in the past year. By the end, fans were streaming for the exits long before the final whistle had blown. It was not a fitting game to remember the dead, and a club record that nobody wanted came with it.

Perversely, Charlton will now probably win at Norwich in the FA Cup

Inspired?

Ishmel Demontagnac is only at Charlton on a trial of course, but take a look at this;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article5151344.ece

Yep - we really are scouring the depths. The link here of course is Mark Kinsella, who would have seen him break into the Walsall first team during his time at the Bescot Stadium, and maybe believes he can tame the youngster. If we are genuinely looking at signing him, then I sincerely hope so.

As for Graeme Murty in from Reading for a month, and potentially Hameur Bouazza out to Birmingham for the rest of the season, so much for continuity. If this current group of players is that uninspiring to Parkinson, you have to wonder how much influence, if any, he had over Pardew's decisions to recruit them in the first place.

It's Official

Phew! - we made it. Now without question, the worst performing team in Charlton's history, after seventeen games without a win. Having had the high of Wembley, I can now say I have seen the other side of the coin. Now can we all stop messing about, and go back to playing football please?

As regular readers may remember, I didn't go to this one. I really could not care less for the FA Cup at present, and yes, I know it brings in revenue, (not much given the sub 13,000 crowd figure reported), and yes, I know that a win may have had some positive impact on team morale, (difficult to see that, given the result), and ooh, we get to do it all again, and no, I won't be going to that one either.

Meanwhile Nottingham Forest, inspired by having a new manager on board, were tonking the blue side of Manchester. The very bounce that the Board must have hoped Parkinson would enjoy, was being lapped up at the Mancs stadium this afternoon. I bet Billy Davies side can't wait to get to The Valley next weekend, and yes, I will be at that one. It is beyond important.

Mafia Of The Mediocre

So Marmite Man Darren Ambrose returns from Ipswich, having failed to set the world alight there. Nothing if not consistent in his inconsistency is young Darren.

So Phil Parkinson has been confirmed as manager, having failed to achieve, well anything really. Nothing if not consistent in his mediocrity is young Phil.

I now fairly and squarely blame the Board. This has to be some of the most incompetent, and dangerous decision making since the darkest days of Charlton's existence, and let's face it, the poor decision making since Curbishley left has quite frankly been staggering. I wish they could have gone when they wanted too, safe in their contribution to Charlton's history, but they could not. I feel desperately sad for them, and for all of us.

Now, we have the anonymous Chappell , a Jeremy Beadle lookalike, and his assistant who chews gum to mimic his new(ish) lord and master, in the same way he used to stick his hands deep into his pockets to mimic Reg. Oh, and we have Phil Parkinson. Charlton is now run by a mafia of the mediocre, and this latest appointment is very much in the same dysfunctional grain.

Enough?

Having had the good fortune to be part of the best period in Charlton's history, it is of course totally appropriate that I should now bear witness to statistically the worst performing Charlton team since the club was founded. Like most, I suspect, I shall miss the irrelevance of the FA Cup game against Norwich, and shall return once more for the game against Nottingham Forest

No money, no leadership, and if we lose the game against Forest, quite frankly no hope.

2-2 To The Londoners

This actually felt quite good. A 2-2 draw that saw Charlton come from behind twice, displayed all the fighting qualities that will be needed if we are to stand any chance of getting out of the mire we are in. Nicky Bailey chose a good time to rediscover some form, with two well taken headers, but perhaps more worryingly, Hudson seems to be having a dip in form at a time when we can least afford it. The second goal has to go down to a defensive error by him that allowed Blackstock to get free and score. This is the third error by him recently that has led to a goal for the opposition.

More importantly for me, is that I now believe that Parkinson is definitely not the right man for the job. Although we look better than under Pardew, the lack of both consistency and motivation is still there. We were dire in the first half, but a teacup laden half time break, saw the players return to the pitch early, and for fifteen minutes after the equaliser look like the only team likely to win it, until Hudson's defensive error let QPR off the hook.

As for the sending off, yes it showed passion, but quite frankly it was stupid. Having a go at the fourth official about two penalty decisions to go against us in quick succession maybe frustrating, and show "heart", but it also shows desperation as well. But at least he cared. Had he been sent off for QPR's third goal, then fine, but the attempt was rightfully ruled out for an over zealous attempt to claim Jon Fortune's shirt off his back, when he would otherwise have easily been first to clear the ball

So the transfer window opens in five days time, but will Parkinson be the one calling the shots on who comes and who goes? Harsh as it may seem given the fight shown today, but I don't believe he should be. Weaver, and Zhi to go, will release much needed funds for a centre back, and most importantly a creative midfielder, although sadly I think they will both be loans.

P.S. Am I the only one who thinks that the detail behind the injury to Zeng Zhi is a story that should be, shall we say, more candidly explained? Preferably with a little bit more transparency than the attendance figures would be nice.

It's Captain Clean Shorts Fault

A post or three ago, I mentioned that one of my Coventry City supporting friends borrowed my season ticket, and went to see the latest home outing of the abject horror show that is the current season. His verdict on our plight was interesting, as he couldn't place a finger on an obvious weakness in the team, as they were all bloody awful. His overriding impression was that we were panicking, and this manifested itself by trying to play the ball around at 400mph.

By his own admission, Coventry are a "fragile" team, and yet our high octane, zero result style of play at present, meant that they didn't even have to press us. All they did was wait until one ambitious rocket pass went wrong, which was inevitable, collect the resulting free ball and hoof it forward to let the runners torment our beleagured defence. So why, in his opinion, should Matt Holland get singled out for opprobrium? The reason is that, according to my friend, he is the senior pro, and should have put his foot firmly on the ball, tell everyone to calm down, slow down, and make the simple pass.

Common sense stuff really, but we have continued to play pinball football against similarly weak teams to ourselves, and the result is our parlous league position now. The frustrating thing for me is that I could see this happening, even before the essential three games, for me anyway, against Southampton, Blackpool, and Coventry were played.

The result is that we have now gone fourteen games without a win, and if we can keep it up for another two, we will apparently equal our worst ever run of games without a win in our history, which I am told currently stands at sixteen, from some time back in the Fifties.

Merry Christmas, and (hopefully) a happier New Year to you all.

Pantomime Season

How else should I rationalise the rumour that the Spanners current manager Kenny Jackett will be coming to Charlton in January? or indeed that Lennie Lawrence may also put in an appearance from his current berth at Bristol Rovers? Fortunately the Currant Bun also cites that perennial favourite Billy Davies as another wise man potentially to travel to SE7. Pantomime season may start in earnest in January, but nothing beats a little pre-season marketing eh?

And so to Norwich, buoyed (falsely I believe) by cheerier thoughts off the back of the performance against Derby. This was another team in our neck of the league table that really had to be beaten to get any sort of credibility behind statements about escaping the clutches of the bottom three. The fact that we didn't beat them had nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with poor defending, it doesn't really matter whether it was in the 4th or 94th minute, the result is another leaked goal, and another two points dropped.

We cannot afford to draw against teams like Southampton and Derby, and hope to survive. The same is true of Norwich. Nothing less than three points today will be good enough.

Crumbs!

You know a friend, or even a passing acquaintance, who is a genuine football fan will never take the piss, even in jest, when your team is in trouble. Most of the time, the subject of football will never be discussed between you, when previously it would always be the opening gambit of conversation. There is an innate understanding that "There but for the grace of.....etc" exists between genuine fans, who know that the dividing line between success or failure is often the narrowest of tightropes.

So it was, on the last day of last season when I bought two Cov supporting friends to The Valley to see their inept team ripped to shreds by south London's finest. Discussing football afterwards in the Rose of Denmark was inevitable, given the occasion, but I genuinely felt sorry for them, and was able to pinpoint fairly easily the source of their teams shortcomings that day, namely that the central midfield pairing, with a combined age of near 70 was the weakness that most urgently needed to be addressed.

Last night I gave my season ticket to one of them. If the club want to take it away for my misdemeanour, then quite frankly it would be a mercy killing right now. Hopefully I will be able to catch up with him this weekend, because I will be interested to know what he thinks our problems are from a more objective point of view. He would have had every opportunity to boo the team off last night in safety, but do you know what? - he won't have done. One, because he is a mate, and two, he knows what we are going through right now. Cov survived by one point last season, and that looks positively comfortable compared to where we are right now.

There Are Three Teams Poorer Than Us

Norwich, Southampton, and Watford are the three, and it has nothing to do with their performance on the pitch. All three are in financial crisis, and if Charlton can stave off a visit to administration themselves, the deduction of ten points from these three should see us safe. I am finding it increasingly difficult to see how we are going to avoid the drop any other way.

Has it really come to this! With half the season still to play, I hope not, but with limited cards to hand, the current personnel don't appear to be the answer.

Who Are You?

Two poor teams, put on a very entertaining show yesterday afternoon. I am sure sterner opposition could have seen off either of them, but it felt like a small step to recovery, the first signs that we do have the wherewithal to extricate ourselves from the mess we have got ourselves into. Had it not been for a man of the match performance by Saints keeper Kelvin Davis, Charlton could easily have been three up at the break.

Whilst near half of the starters yesterday were not even Charlton players, I think that this sad indictment of where we are as a club, has a credible contra view, which is that at least three of the loan rangers have not been tainted with the misery that has been served up to us, season to date. Bailey showed yesterday that confidence and form go hand in hand, as his contribution to the game was not good. I don't know if Racon was carrying an injury, but I would be tempted to team him up with Semedo, and let Bailey try and regain his form out of the limelight.

I didn't think that I would ever be glad to hail Fortune as a step in the right direction, but I was happy to see him restored to the side, as our mid table obscurity form at the start of the season, owed much to Fortune and Hudson being at the centre of the back line. McEveley was my pick of the new boys, looking more solid than Youga or Basey defensively, and carrying a real threat going forward. Gillespie also put in a good shift as well.

So, one game out of the essential three down, and a point in the bag. As I have said previously, we need a minimum of six points from Southampton, Blackpool, and Coventry, so on that basis, we need to win the next two games, a feat we have not managed since Noah was a lad. We are still three points behind the fourth from bottom team Norwich, and we have to claw that back pronto, if our bid to escape relegation is to have any credibility at all.

The Acid Test Games

As I wrote on 10th November, the acid test of Southampton, Blackpool, and Coventry is now upon us. At the time of writing, I saw it as Pardew's make or break point. A failure to take a minimum of six points from these three games would probably seal his fate. As it turned out, we didn't have to wait that long, but now the question is, what can Parkinson do in those same three games?, all of which, should realistically, be winnable.

We are now adrift in the bottom three, requiring a minimum of two favourable results to stand any chance of making it out of the dreaded relegation zone. Many times during this depressing run of ours, I have heard people say that "there are easily three teams poorer than us", and until the end of October that was true. Statistically we were the 11th best team in August, 19th in September, 20th in October, but hey guess what? Charlton Athletic are now the worst team in the division for November to date.

If we are still in the relegation zone after the acid test games, the next one up is the visit of Derby, and we will be exactly halfway through the season, so please, no more talk of "it's early days" and "plenty of time". We don't have time, and a change in our fortunes must begin now.

Don't forget, we still have the dreaded end of season slump to come yet!

In Session

Over 300 fans gathered behind the West Stand tonight demanding that Alan Pardew be sacked, after the 5-2 defeat, inflicted by Sheffield United. According to a reliable source, there is an emergency board meeting in progress, and Keith Peacock has been invited to join it. His role will be to put forward the perspective of the playing staff. The board have a tough decision to make, but I am expecting Phil Parkinson to be caretaker manager for the Tuesday night game at QPR.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

According To The Script

Newly returned from Rome, and the somewhat unsatisfactory status quo at Charlton is at least on a predictable course. The loss to Birmingham was easily predicted, although I am heartened by the fight that appears to have been shown by the team. I am not expecting too much against Sheffield United or QPR either, but then the real acid test of Southampton, Blackpool, and Coventry, will, for me, determine Pardew's fate.

So what else? The arrival of Martyn Waghorn is a "so what" for me, but at least he has more realistic pretensions to be a Prem striker than Dickson, Mcleod, or Fleetwood. The potential signing of Powell, and / or Harte will hopefully remain unrequited, but where is the genuinely exciting signing? Somebody, we believe could make a difference, if only for a short while. Where, the touch of unexpected genius, and class?

The dustmen of Rome have it, or at least they did on the morning I saw one of their number emptying the recycling bin outside my hotel. Genius? Difference? Well, it is not every day that I see a vision of loveliness, looking strikingly like Anita Eckberg in her heyday, in a high viz jacket, removing the cardboard. Now that is class!

Marmite Toasted

And so Marmite Man has left the building, temporarily at least. Every team has a player who provokes polar opinion from fans, and we have been graced with a few in our recent past, Rommedahl, Jensen, Kishishev, and latterly, the now departed Ambrose. On balance, I liked him, but his favoured position "in the hole", was too restrictive for a team, where utilitarian has always, more or less, remained in fashion.

So who do we bring in? I can't say I have been hugely enthused at news of either Powell or Harte, but both are indicative of the economic reality that is Charlton Athletic in 2008. It is all very well removing wages from the books to provide headroom for a player, or players, who can take the team on, but two players who can't even secure a club? I know we are looking to improve from a pretty low base, but are we really not able to do better than Harte and Powell?

I shall watch from afar, for the promised signing before the Birmingham game, as the current Mrs DD and I shall be in Rome for the next five days. I am particularly looking forward to the Capuchin Crypt beneath the Capuchin Church of the Immaculate Conception. I am working on the reasonable premise that a crypt largely made up of bones has to be a more cheery place than The Valley currently.

Good luck on Saturday, and big respect to the travelling faithful. Come on you reds!

Quiet Desperation

Well, we took a point that could have been three. Two points lost in the blink of a prematurely celebrating eye. I think most of us would have taken a point before the game began, and it does take us out of the bottom three, but once again, it feels like underachievement. On to Birmingham, a game where I suspect expectations of a favourable Charlton outcome will be minimal.

As has been reported elsewhere, Pardew will almost certainly not be with us come Christmas, unless there is a marked upturn in Charlton fortunes, and I am interested in what criteria the board will be using to define "upturn". League position whilst important, is too nebulous, unless we are in the bottom three, so I assume that points will indeed make prizes. For me, the logical decision point would be mid December, as by that stage, we will have played exactly half the season, once the Derby County game has been played. The telling games between now and then, are the three games immediately preceding the Derby game, against Southampton, Blackpool, and Coventry. All of these should be winnable, and a decent haul of points from them would probably save Pardew's job until the summer at least.

Over the past ten seasons, the range of points for the team finishing third bottom, has ranged from 42 - 52. Indeed, Leicester's relegation last season, saw them go down with the highest points total in that ten year period. So, using that as the worst case scenario, means that we should really be sitting at a minimum 26 points at the halfway stage. We currently have 16 points, so three wins and a draw in our next seven games is required. I am assuming here, that the board are accepting survival as a positive result.

Pardew has been oft quoted, regarding his dislike of using loan players, and yet, it would appear that we are about to juggle the books, and bring more of them in. Much will depend on Ambrose going out on loan, as I suspect he still retains a Premier League salary level, but does anybody else on a high salary need to go out? As to who comes in, I think this highlights the poor position we are in, as essentially we are looking for a spine to the team, comprising a central defender, central midfielder, and a striker. Quietly desperate times indeed.

Seventeen Minutes

That was horrible, truly, truly, horrible.

At half time, I actually thought about leaving. I never would of course, but I thought about it. Who are the team playing for right now? It isn't for us, that's for sure, but more damningly, it isn't for Pardew either. The Valley is an increasingly depressing place to be right now, and there are no easy answers as to how to put that right, beyond winning games, and at present, we are nowhere near good enough to do that. I deliberately left this posting until this morning to try and put some perspective back into the situation, but quite frankly I can't. The players should be good enough, and at present Pardew is not good enough.

I believe he is a good manager, but crucially, whenever he has shown that in the past, he has always had money to spend. There is none at Charlton, and even sacking him, is going to mean members of the Board putting their hands in their pockets yet again. How long can they keep doing that? Who would we be able to afford to replace him?

I sit directly behind the home dugout, and whatever I hear, Pardew hears. There was a fairly steady stream of invective being flung at him yesterday, albeit by a vocal few, but the momentum continues to build. The Covered End will be more voluble next time out, and the thirty or so who chanted for his head in the West Stand car park after the game, will be considerably more.

As somebody shouted out, when any pretence of aiming for promotion was finally obliterated, seventeen minutes into this game, "Taxi for Pardew"

Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box

When the team news came through, it looked as though, on paper at least, we were about to see a 5-3-2 formation. Pardew had promised change, beyond mere tinkering, and in that regard we got it. First outing of the season for Izale Mcleod, and a first start for Josh Wright, gave us all something to think about, and no doubt had Owen Coyle wondering what was about to be unleashed on his Burnley high fliers.

In a tepid, and confused first half performance, he needn't have worried. The 5-3-2, was actually more 4-4-2, with the unnatural presence of Crainie as acting left back, and Basey, playing more in left midfield. It was, as one friend described it, on hearing the team news, a "Hail Mary" team selection, and I understood his point. Pardew was probably damned if he didn't do something startling, and the team had lost, so why not put out a team that was, shall we say, left field. Had we lost, he would still have been damned, but at least he had tried something different to try and end our malaise.

Teams in this division have long since realised, that Charlton can be hustled out of a game very easily, just by close attention, and not allowing the player to settle on the ball. It was very effective for Burnley in the first half yesterday, with numerous Charlton players caught in possession, and consequently losing the ball in dangerous places. And then came half time, and as he trooped off, one forgetful individual behind me shouted at Pardew, "Oi - Curbs, sort it 'aht". The introduction of Todorov and Sam, for Primus, and the ineffective Mcleod, was his response. The change was to have a startling effect on the game, as Sam tormented Burnley's left hand side, and Todorov started to link play through him in the middle. A very different performance indeed.

This for me is the problem I am having with the manager at present. You get a second half performance like that, and there have been other glimpses during the season of what the team can do, but all of the good stuff seems to be forgotten when next they play. Consistency comes down to many things, but that is what Pardew seems incapable of inducing into the team right now. Ipswich on Tuesday will be a very different proposition, and I really can't see us coming away with anything, even though we did beat them at The Valley. If that does turn out to be a zero point game for us, then yes, we have a relegation game at The Valley next Saturday, and no, we simply cannot afford to lose that one, and maybe Pardew can't either.

Oh, and as for the title to this piece? One of the more amusing incidents of the day, was being introduced to a new dance. Called "Let's All Do The Pardew" You stand there with your arms folded, and tilt to the left, and then to the right in time to, and tune of "Let's All Do The Conga". Under other circumstances, it could be an affectionate song, but it certainly wasn't born to be that.

Patience

I didn't post after the Cardiff game on the basis that we all have a bad day at the office sometimes. Unduly charitable I thought, when Charlton promptly put in the same style of performance against Bristol City, albeit without the dismissals. The form, and current league position of the team does have an impact on the due diligence being conducted by Zabeel. It has too, as there is a fundamental question to be answered, namely, are we buying, or heaven forbid, bringing in loan players in January to push Charlton over the line to promotion, or are we looking at players to stave off relegation? Our current form says that we will be in a relegation dogfight unless results turn in our favour, and soon. Zabeel are looking to buy a Championship club with pretensions to the top flight, not one that is sliding inexorably towards Division 1.

We are now a third of the way through the season, so I don't buy the "it's early days" argument. We are 20th for a reason, and it isn't all down to bad luck. I believe that the current position, amongst other reasons may well stop the sale, and my experience of takeovers tells me that we should probably have heard by now as Charlton is not a complex business.

In the meantime, patience is the key, in terms of both the takeover, and indeed, the playing side. I am happy to be patient about the former, and delighted if I am proven wrong about a withdrawal, and for me, time is running out for the latter.

P.S. - Ballcocks - within five minutes of posting the above, Zabeel have announced that they will not be buying Charlton Athletic.

Dubai, Dubai, Wipe The Tear Baby Dear From Your Eye

So the Sun claims to have an exclusive, that our prospective buyers are eyeing up Everton instead of South London's finest!

If it is true, I can't say I am surprised. Everton would always be a far more interesting proposition than either Wet Spam, Portsmouth, or dare I say it, Charlton. I still struggle to see why they would want to buy us, when there are plenty of Prem targets available. Having lost out on Liverpool, Everton would indeed be an appropriate target; a club that has threatened to knock on the door of the big four, without ever having the funds to take that next step.

I have been heavily involved in the takeover, or sale of four companies in recent times, and I don't mean to sound negative, but due diligence is a period fraught with danger. Three of the takeovers I have been involved with, involved my company buying another, and during the due diligence phase in all three deals, we were approached by other companies similar to our takeover target, offering themselves for sale. In one case, we almost did switch horses in mid stream, but decided against it after much serious thought. I only hope Zabeel do the same.

Zabeel's On The Bus

I remember a feeling of deep unease when Charlton were first promoted to the Premier League after THAT game at Wembley. I voiced my disquiet to other Charlton supporting friends and was regarded by them as mad. So why was I concerned? Well, I felt I was losing my football club, that's why! The impersonal nature, and superficial money fuelled values of England's top flight left me with a bitter taste, as I watched them make my beloved club become more distant to me.

And yet, when we were promoted again, I didn't have the same feelings or concerns, why? Perhaps I had become used to dining at football's top table. Maybe, I knew that for Charlton to thrive rather than just survive, we had to be at the trough with the rest of the chosen few. And it is probably for the same reasons, that on balance, I would welcome Zabeel Investments as the new owners of South London's finest.

So while Waggsy has been removed to Saprrows Lane, and the money men occupy his office for due diligence purposes, I wonder what this turn of events is going to do for Alan Pardew? The unreal expectation about Charlton returning to the Prem, which was starting to damp down, as more and more fans realised that we were going to be an adequate Champ side for the forseeable future, is about to go into orbit once more. The January transfer window is about to get a little bit more interesting, but I do wonder whether it will be Pardew doing the spending, despite the statutory vote of confidence from the prospective new owners.

Meanwhile, over here in Nigel land, Simon Jordan must be orange with envy.

Here We Og Again

A game of two own goals (at least), and some welcome relief of pressure for Alan Pardew and the team, as a poor Ipswich side were beaten 2-1 by "Sarf Lunnuns" finest. This was not a good game to watch, both sides having indifferent form at best so far this season, but what stuck out for me, was the way Charlton raised the pressure and tempo in the second half, and genuinely fought for their win. All too often previously, a goal against, has seen us drop our heads, and a second goal for the opposition has resulted, but not yesterday.

We rode our luck, and the result could so easily have been different, but yesterday was not about aesthetically pleasing football, it was about a desperate need to pick up three points, so credit where credit is due. The team fought, and Alan Pardew used his subs to good effect, and guess what?, there was also some major league humility, and plain honesty in his utterances to the press afterwards as well. I hope you slept well last night Alan, you deserved it. When you wake up this morning though, can you give some thought to the full backs please?

I am genuinely wondering whether the loan deal that brought Martin Crainie to SE7, came with the contractual obligation, that we have to play him, unless he is injured? Why else would he be appearing on the team sheet without fail, week in, week out? He is at best, adequate at this level, but he is an old style right back, who regards crossing the halfway line as a trip abroad, complete with the whispered warning at the back of his mnd, that "there be dragons over there". The Ipswich Town left back must have wondered what had hit him when Semedo appeared, complete with his incomplete understanding of the English language. If Moots is genuinely so out of favour, and in fairness, Pardew has been consistent in his actions in this regard, then Semedo has to start the next game.

Which brings me to Kelly Youga. I personally thought he had another day at the office to forget, caught in posession too often, and giving the ball away in dangerous situations. I talked to others after the game, however, who thought that he had played well. I would prefer to see Grant Basey given another shot, but maybe young Kelly is turning into "Marmite Man", a position held with some aplomb by Darren Ambrose for longer than I care to remember, which neatly brings me to the performance of those we have not seen for some time, Dazza, Todorov, and Zeng Zhi.

All three displayed signs of ring rust, which is no great surprise, although Dazza did put in a good shift, culminating in his pin point cross, which Bouazza helpfully played on to the hapless Volz for the own goal. Zeng got caught in possession, but another couple of matches should put that right, his incentive being to keep himself in the shop window for the January sales. Much of what Todorov does, has a subtlety of purpose beyond that normally seen in the Championship. He may not be regarded as fantastically purposeful in the bustling action man style beloved of Champ forwards, but his link up play has quality written all over it. I look forward to seeing a lot more of him over the coming months, as he can genuinely make a play, or provide a pass to unlock a team with ten men behind the ball. That is a priceless commodity at this level.

So, a pleasing day all round, and it is a shame that there is now an international break, as it will be another two weeks before the bigger question can be answered, namely, can we show signs of consistency, and win two on the spin? Not much to ask for is it?

Gone Shopping

I have long held the belief that the club use the News Shopper as an unofficial communications tool. You know, a means to an end, when official channels of communication are perhaps not really a sensible option. That is why I find the "Fans criticism is fair" piece in the latest edition interesting. Whilst I do not believe for one second that Pardew, or indeed many other people at Charlton read the blogs and the fan sites, (although I am told that at least one director does), I also believe that someone within the club has been looking, and reporting back to the powers that be, that all is not well in the kingdom of Denmark (Rose Of), and other assorted hostelries.

"And the frustration with Pardew's managerial reign among the Charlton faithful came to the boil on several fan websites after Tuesday's 1-0 derby defeat at Selhurst Park"

I for one am pleased that the piece was engineered by the club, as it is for once, a sensible acknowledgement that there is unrest amongst the natives. What is said, is actually less relevant than the overall tone of it, which is at least conciliatory, rather than pumped full of cliche. Still pushing for the play offs was an inevitable statement, but note that we are now talking play offs rather than automatic promotion! Still, that is at least a step in a more believable direction - reality wasn't built in a day

"Unfortunately as much as I can talk today, it really does mean nothing" - Alan Pardew

That's right, it doesn't mean anything right now, but that is largely because you debased the currency in the first place Alan. Now get the boys out there, and play for your lives, and as for us supporters, we need to do the same.

Communication

After an unsurprising 1-0 reverse against our South London cousins last night, we sit in 17th place, and still we appear more concerned with those above us, than those below us. For a team being rebuilt, we are pretty much where I expect us to be right now, and statistically, both our home and away records this season, show that we are in exactly the right position, and yet I still hear noises about promotion? This is a team in transition, essentially a young team, and yet the whole unrealistic expectation malarkey around promotion is actually being perpetrated by Pardew himself.

This is a side capable of promotion he reckons - wrong. Sorry to all the optimists out there, but it is just plain wrong. I only hope it is a team capable of staying in this division quite frankly, and therein lies Pardew's most glaring weaknesses to date. Tactically, he has shown himself to be suspect, and motivational abilities are also sadly not in evidence. For me though, the most frustrating thing is the utter drivel that gets spouted before and after matches by our manager.

You know what? If he 'fessed up that the team was young, fighting hard, a bit lacking, but not wanting for effort, and that promotion was unrealistic this season, I would have a lot more respect for him, and his team than I do right now. Let's get a bit of bunker mentality going shall we?, but include the fans in the bunker, and do you know what? - the sum of the parts will indeed be greater than the whole.

My concern is that while the platitudes and cliches keep coming, the fans resolve against Pardew will harden with every defeat, and that is an ever decreasing circle we cannot afford to get into right now.

Third Time Unlucky

Having had more than our fair share of luck at both Doncaster and Nottingham Forest, this game proved a step too far for not so Super Alan Pardew's men, as they went down 2-1 to a poor Sheffield Wednesday team. There has been much (rightful) derision at Pardew's theorising about the joys of a defence that can all speak the same language, so on that basis, can he explain to us why the vast majority of that defence, and for that matter, the midfield as well, who as far as I am aware, speak English, weren't in fact speaking the same language as each other at all, for five mad minutes yesterday afternoon?

Let's get real here. For the most part, footballers are not the sharpest knives in the cutlery drawer, and the average vocabulary, swear words aside, that are used during a game, probably struggles to get past a dozen. Would that really be an insurmountable feat for Semedo or Mouatakil to manage? I would suggest that concentration is probably more important than linguistic ability, as Charlton dominated this game completely, aside from the first five minutes of the second half, and disastrously, as it turned out, the last five minutes of the first

Although a vocal minority at present, there is definitely a ground swell building against Pardew amongst Charlton fans, and unless he can get his team playing consistently, it will get much louder, very quickly. A trip to Selhurst Park on Tuesday, needs no further hype than its announcement for Charlton fans, and I would suggest that a win is actually more relevant to Pardew's chances of job survival, rather than furthering any thought that he might be using the job as a stepping stone, which quite frankly I find laughable at present,

Kinsella & Parkinson

Another clean sheet - very gratifying, if a tad lucky, just as we had been against Doncaster a few days earlier. Ninth place is ok, but to put it into perspective, this time last season we were second, with the best home record in the division, and somewhat bizarrely our away record was better than this term to date as well. Much to do therefore, but is Alan Pardew about to have the harmony at Sparrows lane disrupted?

Having spent four years in Colchester, I regard them as my second team. Indeed, many a Friday night in the late seventies, and early eighties, saw me on the terraces of Layer Road, watching a team, soon to be doomed to life in the Conference, going through its unconvincing paces. Thirty years later, and Geraint Williams has left the club by mutual consent. Struggling in League One, the U's Chairman is upbeat about the quality of candidates coming forward. Much of this will be agents touting their wares, of course, but I wonder if the names of either, or both, of Parkinson and Kinsella are potentially in the frame? I would be extremely surprised if they were not.

For me, I would be more concerned if Kinsella went, as I see him as a Charlton manager in waiting, and am I the only one who is a little puzzled as to what Parkinson actually does? If all was sweetness and light between Pardew and the Board, I might be less concerned, but with our results to date, planted square at the balance point, I am still not convinced that he would survive if we were to lose say, the next three on the spin. Personal opinion, of course, but I would rather have Kinsella in the wing, ready to back shyly into the limelight, than Parkinson.

Playing Away From Home

A dirty, scrappy, resolute, and ultimately lucky 1-0 win. We were almost certainly owed one, and hopefully this will be the start of building a better away record, as our performances on the road in 2008 have been nothing short of woeful. Hats off to the fans who hit the road week in, week out, as they have had precious little to cheer them on their travels.

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Can we keep the momentum going at Nottingham Forest? Well, on the basis, that we have played, and beaten, three teams this season already, who we did not play last season, the portents are good, but hey this is Charlton Athletic we are talking about. Nevertheless, I shall stick my neck out and go for 1-2 to the mighty Addicks.

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If only games stopped at half time. If they did, we would be top of the league right now!

Business As Usual

And so the league leaders met a mid table team. Not a difficult result to call for the neutral, and so it proved. Wolves were simply better all over the park, and even after Nicky Bailey's wonder goal, I don't think anybody believed that it would stay at 1-0 for too long. In reality, the surprise was that Charlton even held out until half time, as aside from the first fifteen minutes, there was really only one team that was ever going to win this contest.

Charlton had chances, but had we got anything out of this, it would have been flattering to deceive, as Wolves were simply too strong, and had we sneaked a draw or a win, we would all have spent a few delusional days believing that we were going to get promoted. Sixteenth in the table is a little lower than I would expect come the end of the season, but only by a couple of places.

Performances were generally of the barely adequate variety, although Kelly Youga had a day at the office that I suspect he will want to forget. Nicky Bailey was probably the only player who can justifiably feel that he put in a good shift, and I haven't met anybody yet that can categorically state that yes, or indeed no, it was, or wasn't a penalty. Yet again I was left baffled at a couple of Alan Pardew's tactical decisions. Remove a right sided midfielder, and what do you replace him with? Yep, a left sided defender. OK, I know that he went to left midfield, but only at the expense of moving Bouazza, another natural left footer, to the right sided berth. Why? If Ambrose was fit enough to make the bench, surely that would have been the more logical choice of sub for Lloyd Sam?

It was also obvious that Pardew felt that the keeper was suspect to the odd long range shot. Why else would Boazza and Bailey keep hitting speculative efforts from somewhere near the halfway line. Even Nicky Weaver was party to this flawed thinking, raining Wimbledon style power kicks into the opposition penalty area without so much as a bounce. Keep this level of performance up, and the conspiracy theorists that believe Pardew has ten games to show that his team has what it takes will be in full voice once more.

Still, at least Chris Iwelumo didn't get to score against us!

A Case For The Defence

Anybody who can put the words "Denis Wise" and " "Executive Director" in the same sentence really deserves an award of some description. Not entirely sure whether it should be for comedy, or misrepresentation though. With King Kev disposed off, perhaps wee Denis will take his place at the FA disciplinary hearing for Joey Barton? A man of Denis's moral fortitude should be just the ticket really, and lest we forget, he does have some "previous" experience, due to a training ground bust up of his own with Callum Davenport over a game of cards whilst at Leicester City. Oh, and isn't there a London taxi driver out there, who might also have an opinion? What are we to make of a man who Ken Bates once described as being like a son to him? The questions just keep coming don't they?

And yet, it would appear that Mike Ashley has sided with the wee man against the Geordies favourite son. I suspect that there is a whole lot more to this story, which will start to emerge over the next two days, culminating in a News of the World exclusive this coming Sunday. All of which, as pantomime deviancy goes, makes Charlton look like a model of sense in a mad world.

Now the possibly contentious bit. I actually agree with the hierarchy of a first team coach, and a football director. There, I've said it. I just don't believe that English football has garnered enough experience to make it work properly yet. In Europe, the concept is a whole lot more familiar, and has operated successfully for a number of years, and with the ever increasing pressure in the Prem these days, I do not believe that one man can perform the roles of coach, scout, PR, HR, commercial, media monkey, chief bottle washer etc etc in there entirety. They are in danger of becoming a jack of all trades, and crucially, a master of none.

Now I don't know if Curbs and Kev were told that their respective clubs were their oysters in terms of control, but both are in danger of being seen as dinosaurs in a game that is rapidly changing, and regardless of whether you agree with it or not, it will continue to change at an ever increasing pace, until the whole damn thing explodes in a failed TV contract, or a few very rich men getting bored with their toys.

The main failure for me in the football director role, is not the role itself, although it does need to be refined and more clearly understood, by owners, clubs, and fans, not to mention the manager! For me, the biggest failing is in the quality of the individuals who are being given the positions in the first place. I am not entirely blaming them, as an owner employed them in the first place, but in the same way that the cream of managers rises to the top, so, I believe, it will be with the abilities of those who would be football directors.

Until then, we have Denis Wise.

Mid Table Obscurity

For a few euphoric moments after the Reading game, I hoped for better this season, my feeling of well being, no doubt aided by Menorcan sunshine and Rioja. Just as well I can rely on the lads to put everything back into perspective eh?

Like others, I struggle to see how any sort of prolonged push is going to be achievable, without the addition of at least one more defender with some nous about him. Linvoy is both an ageing, and at best, short lived false dawn. Difficult to see how this situation can be changed, when we are both cash strapped and unglamorous, even to a loan signing of any proven quality.

Still, we are mid table, and that is pretty much where we should be, given the inconsistency of performance, coupled yet again with some baffling tactics from Alan Pardew. No doubt, some snippet will leak out about someone carrying, or picking up an injury from the match, but the choice of substitutions must still rate as poor. A break now until the arrival of Wolves, and we all know who is going to score during that game!!

You Just Can´t Leave It Alone

I am currently writing this from sunny (very sunny) Menorca, but every time I grab a look at the currant bun, something gets my goat. This time it is lifelong Spanner Kelvin McKenzie, and his utterances about Pards. Nothing is going to convince me that at least one member of the Charlton board did not know that this little bit of whimsy was going to go out in the style that it did.

A message to Mr. Murray and Mr Pardew - if you are really that pissed off with each other, and want to score points, then fine, but please do not have your squalid little argument through the sodding media - thank you!!

PS - I bet Harry Redknapp manages to turn JT into the next Maradonna!

Enough Now!

Given Alan Pardew's thinly disguised irritation with Charlton's necessary transfer dealings of the outbound variety, it can come as no surprise that Richard Murray has sought to balance things out a bit by pointing out some financial facts, well £15m of them to be exact. Understandable though this reaction is, it does fuel the speculation around the relationship between board and manager. I don't think it does either of them, or Charlton, any favours by conducting this dialogue through the media. Best to do it round the table lads, or at least be silent in public about it.

On a related point, I see that Younis Kaboul has joined Portsmouth from Tottenham today, so any chance of Martin Crainie now 'Arry, - pretty please? PS - thanks for recommending Amady Faye to Tony Pulis as well.

Super Alan Pardew?

This was a workmanlike performance, with little guile, and a slightly flattering scoreline, but who cares? We won our first game of the season, and I have little doubt that we will play a lot better, and lose at various points during the season, so let's just enjoy a solid start eh? The centre of midfield was the principal area of weakness today, and I am not entirely convinced that Nicky Bailey from Southend is the answer. Racon played very well today, but he, like Shelvey seemed to fade as the game went on, and neither ever really controlled the situation.

I was glad to see Bouazza though, as he should now give us a left hand side that carries real threat, when both Youga and Basey are available. If we do manage to secure Martin Crainie, then the right hand side starts to look quite tasty as well. Oh, and when was the last time we scored from a corner?, or a corner like set piece come to that?

All in all an acceptable day, despite the roads trying their best to stop me getting to The Valley at all, but am I the only one to think that Alan Pardew's after match interview carried a certain degree of controlled anger? He came across as someone under pressure to deliver, but who feels that he hasn't been given the tools for the job yet. He struck me as being irritated that he still has players to sign, although his "and another one, and another one" comment, if taken literally, would see four players arriving at the club in short order. Despite reports of a good meeting with the board last week, I am fast coming round to the belief that Pardew has limited time to impress. The Covered End may have chanted "Super Alan Pardew", but I am not convinced that those in authority at the club believe that.

Oh, and the DD family will be dining out at a Spanish restaurant today. Senor Martinez side will do ok in this division, but someone should buy him a coat!

Once More Unto The Breach

Well, almost time once more, for the Saturday ritual to begin. It will be good to see old friends in the Rose of Denmark again, and I do get a buzz from seeing The Valley turf in pristine condition, ready for another season of toil. Eldest son will be in attendance, who despite the last two seasons, has a startlingly good record of watching Charlton avoid defeat at home. I am hoping that the Roon will continue his fine home game watching record against the mighty Swans.

Too late now for new signings to have much bearing on Saturday, (famous last words). It would be unrealistic to expect anyone signed today or tomorrow to have anything more than a cameo role from the bench. To do otherwise, would be too dangerous, in terms of overall team understanding, so the starting eleven is probably fairly easy to predict.

I occasionally wonder whether the players or management understand how a good or bad result makes, or messes up the rest of the weekend for us fans. Win this one, and I will seek press coverage of the game, and read it avidly. In a mood of largesse, I will take the DD family out for lunch. Spanish tapas, or Italian being most likely. Lose, and I will probably have to cut the grass.

Good luck to Alan Pardew, the squad, and all of us - Come on you Addicks!!

Now What?

The club is to be congratulated on realising the best price possible for Madjid Bougherra, but as has been reported elsewhere, we are still in the hole financially, and one more, (I suspect Zheng Zhi), will also need to be sold before the transfer window closes.

In a previous post, I wondered whether the relationship between Alan Pardew and the board, was at best strained, and his radio interview seems to suggest to me, that all is indeed not well in the kingdom of Charlton. It will be interesting to see what the action of the board is likely to be, if say, after ten games we are struggling, or our manager remains unhappy at the lack of a transfer pot before the season started. Much will depend on what sort of contract Pardew has, as Charlton are in no position to pay off one manager, and potentially bring another one in. If that were to happen, I suspect the only financially realistic choice would be Parkinson, or possibly even Kinsella. It is of course possible that if Pardew is seriously hacked off, then he may leave for another club, which would at least be financially beneficial to Charlton.

The official site is quoting Pardew as looking for two backs, and a midfielder. Hopefully Crainie will be one of the backs, but with four weeks to go until the window closes, fingers crossed for the others. One loan, and a purchase maybe?

Revolving Doors

"I expect to lose a couple more players, not because I want to, but because I have to. Hopefully, I'll be able to bring in a couple to replace them, but whether I can bring players in of the same level remains to be seen". - Alan Pardew 28th July 2008.

I found the above comment a tad depressing, although I can't pretend to be surprised at the sentiment expressed. The clubs finances dictated that we would have to sell, but not being able to bring in players of the same level, shows that ambition is definitely running behind prudence at The Valley these days. As mentioned in a previous post, I suspect that our additional defender, and midfielder requirement, will have to be secured by the use of loans.

Given the lack of incoming activity, I do wonder what Alan Pardew's relationship with the Board is like though, as he appears to have got very little thus far, by way of a transfer kitty. It may, of course, be that he has to sell, to release funding, but given that Marcus Bent has gone, and Magic is almost definitely on the way as well, I would have expected that if a signing was imminent, then as soon as the Bent deal was announced, it would have triggered an incoming player for whom we had splashed out a transfer fee. This hasn't happened, and given Pardews statement up top of this post, I am not convinced that the situation will change with Magic gone. As for the other player of two to leave, I have to hope that it is Amady Faye.

Ex Works

Grays Athletic beat a second string Charlton side 3-1 yesterday, and apart from our very own ex, Jamie Stuart scoring against us, who else should be on show, but the so far invisible man Amady Faye. I have little doubt that there are many behind the scenes, representing the club, and Amady, who are desperately trying to move him on, but it probably isn't a surprise to learn that there doesn't appear to be a host of suitors beating a path to his agents door. For now then, Amady Faye remains stubbornly ours. Elsewhere, another ex, namely Charlie Macdonald, scored for his new Brentford team, against our promotion rivals, Watford

Season Tickets

According to the official website, Charlton had 17,784 season ticket holders last season, and apparently 84% of that number have renewed, or does that 84% include the 700 new applicants I wonder? Assuming the number does include the newbies, then we have sold 14,939 for the coming term. which is at the top end of where I expected the number to land,

I suspect that Charlton have actually lost almost exactly 20% of the season ticket base that we had last season as I previously predicted. This has been mitigated by the arrival of 700 new applicants to offset the damage, so with just a few days to go until the August 1st deadline, the board should by now be exhaling their collectively held breath. As good a result as could be expected seems to have been achieved, but let's not kid ourselves, the missing money will be a worry, and limits the club further.

And speaking of missing things - my two season tickets haven't arrived yet. Sort it out Waggsy!!

It's A Mystery

To mislay one match against a national team is careless, but to do it twice? Interesting article on the Dover match on the official website, which 'fesses up to the mighty Addicks not actually having played the Gibraltar national team at all. What is it with Charlton and national teams? I mean, it is not as if we are talking about mixing up teams with similar sounding names is it? For Gibraltar, read Lincoln, and I don't even mean the mighty Imps. I can't even think of a team that sounds like "Iran", so that one had to go didn't it?

The same article informs us that we have a French triallist playing in midfield, which is good, and Jon Fortune playing in defence, which is bad, as it suggests he may not be going to Preston after all. Maybe, we can't get that defender Pards is allegedly after, and as such can't release Fortune. No Magic, of course, so the rumour mill must still believe that he is on his way to sunnier climes any day soon. Shame about Timar as well, as we really do need a headline capture or two. As each day passes, the chances of that happening, must be looking more remote. Maybe, we are caught up in a domino effect, where the money from Magic is needed to make a tile or two of our own tumble. Here's hoping!!

UPDATE

As Anonymous has pointed out in his comment, Magic did play last night at Dover, despite what the official site was saying earlier in the day. Is the transfer off?, or are we watching the last throw of the negotiating dice, that on behalf of Charlton, or Magic himself, tells his Spanish suitor to put up, or shut up? I hope it's the former.

The Case For The Defence

Well, if we do manage to get Timar and Crainie to come in, with Bougherra and Fortune going out, then for me, the balance of the defence will be better. I have always felt that Pards doesn't rate Moo2 as his number er.... two choice for right back, hence the appearance of Halford last season, so I do like the sound of a backline that reads Crainie, Hudson, Timar, and Youga.

Oh, and Amady Faye can play central defence can't he?

I'll get me coat.

One Gone

Phew! I was getting worried that Marcus little volte face, would see us stuck with him, and his salary, for the foreseeable. I still have a sneaking suspicion that the Cardiff deal would have been better for the club, as simple commercial sense tells me that Birmingham would naturally take advantage of being the only game in town, when Cardiff quite rightly walked away. Yes, yes, it could be worth up to £1m, but I would be pleasantly surprised if Charlton ever see anything close to it.

Still, small matter, he has gone, hopefully releasing some financial breathing space, which Pardew can turn into the defender and midfielder he is after. That assumes of course, that the Board give him the full benefit of whatever funding has been released, and that it is not already committed to plugging a hole somewhere else in the clubs foundering finances, or indeed that he hasn't been told that there is no additional money to strengthen the squad - period. If so, then free transfers and loans, are all we are likely to see. Amady Faye anyone?

For Those Of A Commercial Bent

If I was Karren Brady, I think I would be offering Charlton about £750k right now. So what if Cardiff were offering £1m, we only want to offer £750k. After all, we appear to be the only game in town right now. You want to buy a defender and a central midfielder, and I am sure the removal of young Marcus will help you there. Well Mr. Murray, do we have a deal?

Ebbs & Flows

Well that was fun, wasn't it? Nothing half hearted about a 6-0 scoreline, which more than made up for the drubbing received by the same opponents at the same stage last year, who ran out
5-1 winners on that occasion. All that and Marcus Bent going to Cardiff, what more could I ask for? Well quite a lot actually. Where is Amady Faye? has anyone seen him? If, as has been reported elsewhere, he is somewhere in the Potteries, then great, and I shall keep everything crossed for a successful outcome!

Chris Iwelumo to Crystal Palace? Well the local press here in Nigel land, don't even rate it as worth a mention, which given that Clinton Morrison is now out of contract, and has refused thus far to sign a new one, does leave our stripey cousins somewhat short of attacking options, which Colin is trying to rectify, so big Chris to SE25 may have some legs. Morrison has just turned down an offer from Coventry City, on the basis of wanting to stay in London, and with 16 goals last season, that should have made him interesting to us, if we weren't already tripping over strikers at Sparrows Lane, albeit that we may well be reduced by two in the next week or so.

I see elsewhere that Alan Pardew feels we are short of defensive cover, which I agree with, and that shortfall, will look like a bigger issue, if Magic does indeed book himself on a flight to Spain. but my bigger concern is with the midfield, where I still feel we need to make our highest profile addition to the squad. With Bent at long last off the books, hopefully the funds will be available to make just such an acquisition.

This Is The Future

So, two friendly games down, (even though the Charlton website seems to have conveniently ignored Bromley), and what do we know? I have never gone with the theory that friendlies are unimportant. For me, the confidence factor that a good pre-season can bring should not be under estimated, so it was good to see that a solid performance was put in against Welling, even though the previous night's performance against Bromley was apparently less convincing. Good reports for some of the squad, Fleetwood in particular, are always pleasing, but a consistent thread about both performances revolving around the word "lightweight" are of slight concern, but hey-ho early days.

Where are they now?

Magic not being present was I think inevitable, given that the last thing any club would want to do, would be to put a potential £2.3m at risk, so fair do's, but what of Todorov, Gray, and Iwelumo? Toddy recovering from injury still, will get a run out soon hopefully, but I wasn't aware that the other two were also injured. I still have a feeling that Iwelumo is possibly being protected pending a sale. Bent will hopefully go to Cardiff, but what of Amady Faye? Could it be that despite the best efforts of the club, he may end up with us for the start of the season, and if he does, will Alan Pardew play him? If the club do manage to sell him for anything, then fair play, but I suspect the best we will get is another season long loan.

The Future

It's here. I don't know whether to be excited or worried, probably both. The financial restraints at the club, are becoming ever more apparent, and nowhere more so than on the pitch. Whilst our U18 side of last term was no doubt special, I don't believe it was special enough to see so many youngsters coming through simultaneously. Maybe I had too many years of Curbishley caution, but our reliance on so many of these youngsters in the coming season, would be a concern for me, particularly if the fragility in confidence shown by the side last term, rears its head again.

Ebbsfleet on Saturday, sees another step up, and hopefully the result this year, will be somewhat better than the 5-1 drubbing of last season!

Booze & Boogie

Most of my friends hate the meaningless transfer chitter chatter that goes on in the English meejah during the close season, but not me, I must confess that I quite enjoy it. Two more stories doing the rounds on Sky Sports at present, concern the ongoing "will he won't he" departure of Madjid Bougherra, and a new one on the blocks, is the possible signing of Hameur Bouazza from Fulham.

Predominantly a left winger, Bouazza transferred from Watford on a four year deal, for an initial £3m, but to use the footballing parlance, Roy Hodgson "doesn't fancy him". I quite like the sound of this one, as it may oil the wheels for the departure of Jerome Thomas, or possibly Darren Ambrose. For me, I would prefer it to be the former, as Charlton's equivalent of Marmite Man, Ambrose, I feel still has a part to play for us next season.

The Portrait of Dorian Smith

The tale of a youth whose features and stature, and fitness level, year after year, retain the same appearance of a young(ish) Andy Reid, while the shame of his inability to impress Alan Pardew after four months at Sparrows Lane, becomes mirrored on the features of his team photo.

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Yeah alright maybe not.

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The normally reliable Sky Sports, paints him as the target for a number of Div 1 and 2 clubs, a premise no doubt fuelled by his agent. I know, I know, before you say it, I appreciate that it is a game of speculate to accumulate, but I just hope that this is not another "old boy" who will return to The Valley in the fullness of time, play a blinder, and score the winning goal against us.

This Is No Way To Run A Railway

Until two days ago, I had never used the DLR, and after my one experience, I doubt I ever will again. If it is supposed to be a shining example of integrated transport policy, then the 2012 Olympics are going to have big issues.

My journey didn't start well, when the ticket office at Morden underground station told me I needed to go to Crossharbour for the Excel. Now, as those of you that use the DLR frequently will no doubt know, Crossharbour is not the station for Excel, it is Custom House, which I eventually worked out, when I got to Crossharbour. I will spare you the gory details, but to me, the DLR resembled a kiddies Brio railway, put together by a child in a strop, rather than the transport lifeblood of an area being regenerated.

I was also unimpressed at how slowly the area around the DLR appears to be developing. Given how long the DLR has been in operation, I was expecting, perhaps unreasonably, a lot more. I know many Charlton fans use the Jubilee and DLR to get to home games, and frequently complain about its vagaries. After my experience on Wednesday, all I can say is you have my sympathy.

Remember to put the cat out!

And so the club has thanked the 12,000 of us, who have renewed our season tickets thus far. I can't remember what our season ticket base was last season, but I suspect it was in the order of 17,000 - 18,000. Anybody notice anything?

Now I know that season tickets can still be bought, but the reality is that we will probably be looking at a 20%+ drop in our season ticket numbers for next season, which could equate to as much as £2m in revenue, when the "matchday experience" is taken into consideration. Bad news of course, as it adds further financial damage to the club, when it can least afford it.

Come on you lot! How is JT supposed to buy those blingy things for the wheels of his 4x4, if you lot don't stump up the readies?

And So Goodbye

I am informed that the transfer taking Paddy McCarthy to Crystal Palace, has also now been announced by Palace. A friend of mine of the stripey persuasion, has just received a text message from Palace confirming the deal.

I wonder if Colin chatted with Alan Pardew about Hudson, and McCarthy's name, and the possibility of a deal came up then?

Buddy - Can you spare a dime?

I thought this story had long since gone, and it may just be a slow news day down in in the Garden of England, that has caused the Kent Messenger to rehash this, but it would appear that Charlton have been denying speculation that they have been involved (again?) in takeover talks with American billionaire Philip Anschutz.

Given that he owns both David Beckham’s football academy and the nearby O2 Arena in Greenwich, interest in us wouldn't require too much of a leap in the imagination, but I have a feeling that this "interest" is largely a media created phenomenon. It has though, resulted in the statutory dismissal by Steve Waggott who is reported as stating that “there is absolutely no truth in this story,” and. “I really don’t know where these stories come from. Neither do I Steve, neither do I, but I for one would welcome a substantial investment in the club, albeit I would share the nervousness of many, that whoever became the new owner, would retain the ethos and values that make up the core of Charlton Athletic.

Unfortunately, I don't see a takeover happening, in the style of a Manchester United, Aston Villa, or heaven forbid, Liverpool, as our location, support base, and current status just don't lend themselves as strong enough reasons to plough money into a club that is unlikely to make a sufficient return on that investment. I can understand the logic behind investing in a single club city, such as Norwich, for example, but down here, in our part of the world, there are just too many other distractions for peoples entertainment and footballing pound.

Charlton Athletic 1 Dundee United 2

Huzzah - we have a new sponsor, who may not go into receivership before the contract is up.

Given that the deal is only for one year, then hopefully the above statement will not be too much of a commercial challenge for them. This one year deal in part, reflects how difficult it must be to obtain a new sponsor for those outside the Prem, but it mainly reflects the fact that JD are launching a new brand, and have chosen ourselves, and Dundee United to proudly fly the Carbrini flag. This suggests to me, a marriage of convenience, which may not have much in the way of longevity about it, leaving us lot with the prospect of having to buy new kit in a years time. Interestingly, the Dundee United deal signed just over a month ago, is for two years

I wonder if Burnley's one year deal with JD, signed last year, has been renewed?.

Believable

Unfortunately, the rumours surrounding a potential bid from Fulham, and possibly Newcastle, for Zeng Zhi, are a lot more credible than some doing the rounds. For me, Zeng is probably our last saleable asset to the Prem, as opposed to selling at our own Champ level, or lower. The appeal of China's captain, is not restricted, of course, to his ability to play the beautiful game, but the commercial impact his arrival at a Prem club would have, should be significant.

Having said that, I am unclear as to what pure commercial advantage, Charlton have gained from having Zeng Zhi in our midst? At a simplistic level, are there thousands of Chinese people running around in Llanera tops? Even when we were in the Prem, I didn't get the feeling that Zeng was generating significant additional revenue for the club, although I may well be wrong in that, and I am sure his image rights may well have played a part there. The commercial opportunities will also have reduced since our demotion.

I appreciate that his contribution to Charlton beyond filthy lucre, and playing for us, is demonstrable in other ways, but I do wonder if Fulham or Newcastle, if one of them ends up being his destination, might be a little brighter at exploiting the undoubted commercial opportunities he brings.

I Genuinely Don't Get It

Take another non-league striker into the "fourth best supported league in the world"? (pat pending). Now, gentle reader, there are many out there that know more than I, when it comes to this game we call football, but I must admit I am not entirely sure I understand this level of speculate to accumulate thinking on behalf of "Chullun".

It would of course be perfectly reasonable to point out at this juncture, that young Mr Dixon was one of the few vaguely exciting things to come out of last season, albeit briefly, and who is to say that MacFleetwood won't be another, but I am not sure that yet another unproven striker is going to help us here. We also have Izale, remember, who apart from winning penalties (very useful), has done little else to set the world alight.

Should we be spending our guineas on somebody who might come good, or saving them for somebody who is more likely to cut the proverbial mustard at this level? Let's not kid ourselves here, if we don't get promoted to the Prem next season, we will be a middle of the road Champ club, if we are lucky, for some time to come. Look at Southampton, Coventry, and ultimately Leicester, and it could well get a whole lot worse.

Given that Charlton is not likely to appeal to an overseas billionaire in the immediate future, I just feel a distinct lack of enthusiasm for this prospective signing. As I said up top of this posting, I know nothing, and will be the first to eat my words if indeed he does sign, and proves to be the next Sir Clive

Really?

Sorry guys - I don't really buy the backlog front.

http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=32455&newstype=t

My lack of political sensitivity is almost certainly the reason why I will never make it to the ultimate reaches of big biz or politics. I also appreciate you have limited choices but to make such statements, but forgive me please, if it causes me to raise an eyebrow more theatrically than Roger Moore playing Bond

Wee Hooligan

I was fortunate enough not to witness the debacle that was Blackpool away last season. I did, however, watch the fixture at The Valley. Blackpool were poor that day, and it is because of that, I remember thinking that Wee Hooligan was their best player, and would like to see him in the Charlton red or seagrass, or whatever other away colour we end up playing in next season.

Not the answer to the midfield creativity I feel we need, but more than adequate to compensate for a departing Thomas, who surely must be destined for a lower end, doomed to relegation Prem outfit?

Dull?

No - I am not talking about England v U.S.A. - you can make your own mind up on that one. Oh!, you already have, good, let's move on then.

What I am referring to gentle reader, was the half time "entertainment" that is the BBC's goal of the season. Did anyone else notice, that in amongst the Ronaldo show, were no less than three goals by Middlesborough players?

Yes, that's right, three goals by probably one of the dullest teams in the Greatest League In The World (pat pending). Rochemback, Tuncay, and our very own dear departed Lukewarm, all got in on the action. Naturally I voted for Lukewarm, but I have to say it was one of those "'ave it" and "pick that one out" goals, that make the Prem a little suspect when it comes to consistent quality. If there is any purist footballing justice, Ronaldo's cheeky little back flick will probably get it.

Methinks he doth protest too much

Am I the only one to feel a little cynical at Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United's reaction to the overtures of Real Madrid to young Ronaldo? Would this be the same Sir Alex, and Manchester United, who Jaap Stam claims in his book "tapped" him up using similar tactics?

This sort of activity seems to exist throughout football, and so I await the clandestine knock on the door from some furtive figure, wishing to lure my son away from his title winning Old Coulsdon Colts team. If said person has a Scottish accent, I may just have to refuse him entry as a matter of principle, but then again I think I would be more likely to get on the phone to The Valley.........

Backing Shyly Into The Limelight

I am not an Addickt, honest......I just have a bit of a cold today.


And so, another Charlton blog is born! It is not my intention to post every day, but hopefully two or three times a week, assuming there is something to say of course. And so, welcome Mark Hudson from our cousins in SE25.

Living deep in the heart of Palace territory as I do, I confess here and now, that I don't have the same antipathy towards the Nigels that most Charlton fans have. Ron Noades however, is a completely different kettle of fish!

A few days ago, before the Hudson transfer happened, I was shooting the breeze with a Palace supporting friend of mine, whose views on Mark Hudson were at one with most of what I have read about him since, namely that he is a solid journeyman pro, whose best season was the one just finished. Prone to the odd gaffe, he is generally sound, and as Palace's captain, sounds like he has the type of leadership qualities that Alan Pardew believes will be required for a tilt at promotion next season.

I hope he is a signing to strengthen the squad, rather than as a replacement for Magic, but I guess time will tell on that one. I also wonder what his signing will do to the future Charlton career of Monteiro? With Gibbs, Sankofa, and Powell gone, and with Bent (hopefully) on his way, my biggest wish is that we get a replacement creative midfielder. Such a player may exist within the club already, but I have seen no evidence since the sale of Reid, to suggest that this is the case.