Celebrations

I enjoyed Charlie Connelly's book 'Attention All Shipping'. An amusing distraction last weekend as I sat on the roof terrace of the Hilton in Budapest. I had quite fancied the trip down to Exeter, but a surprise weekend away to celebrate my birthday this coming Saturday, a milestone that this year just happens to end in a "0" put paid to that. I didn't mind; after all both Charlie's book and Budapest were always likely to be more interesting than watching Parkinson's latest inept attempt to put out a motivated team with a strategy capable of breaking down a lower calibre side.

If we assume for a second that we are in the third division again next season, then we really do have much to be concerned about. A team shorn of most of its talent, would indeed give Parkinson cause to bemoan the fact that he had put together a squad out of nothing. Am I the only one that finds it a tad irritating that this mantra has been oft cited by him this year? He has probably the most talented midfield in the division, and a reasonable defence, most of whom saw action with us in the second division, as did all bar one of the aforementioned midfield. Next season in the third may well be somewhat different, even with the inevitable selling of Shelvey.

I wonder if the team will give me a birthday present on Saturday? Probably not, but then again, as I tip my hat at the pavilion to acknowledge my half century, I am not sure what I want anyway. Lose, and Millwall move closer to being in the playoffs, win and we move closer to not having to play them again, at least for this season if not the forseeable future. Oh, and when was the last time Charlton saw two teams celebrate promotion on the Valley turf?