Deepest Darkest

Charlton 1 Sheffield United 0

2012-01-22T01:13:00.000-08:00

In 1974, the golfer Gary Player was asked how he was enjoying the luck that had just culminated in him winning his third Open Championship. His reply was, "You know what?, the harder I practice, the luckier I get". Thirty eight years later, and for the second time in successive matches, Jackson proved that simple truth with a sublime free kick, that Simonsen in the United goal could only admire from afar as it kissed his right hand post and in. I don't know if Gary Player likes football, but he would certainly approve of all the hours Jackson spends at Sparrows Lane honing his dead ball skills.

Charlton have played better than this, and I am sure Sheffield United have as well, but yesterday the spoils went to Charlton, courtesy of our captain's "luck". It was a moment of quality in a game that was cagey for the most part, and courtesy of referee Deadman, and his trigger happy cards routine, produced no less than six yellow, and two red cards. It was never the sort of game that warranted that much colour, or at least it wasn't, until the melee that broke out after Russell was sent off for what I thought was a perfectly good challenge.

If that was a poor call by the referee, the straight red shown to Beattie moments later was inevitable, and correct. His attempt to squeeze the life out of Kermorgant was spotted by the East Stand lino, who hurriedly joined Deadman on the pitch to help restore order, and to report on Beattie's attempts at diplomacy by strangulation. I wonder if United will appeal the straight red? I somehow doubt it.

With regard to the game, and I don't mean to sound overly negative about this, but I personally believe that Hamer had a bit of a nightmare yesterday. I am sure the gusting wind may have had something to do with it, as did the close attention from the opposition he was getting at corner kicks, but our number one did not acquit himself particularly well. His shot stopping was fine, but his catching and punching left a lot to be desired. By the length of his contract, he has been given the nod that Championship football is there for him, but on the strength of his showing both yesterday, and on other occasions recently, I would question his ability to step up to that. Perhaps he just needs some of Jackson's "luck"?

Elsewhere, the back four were immense, and congratulations to Solly on his new deal. Although not at his best, Wright-Phillips, by playing yesterday, has triggered the one year extension to his contract apparently, so that is good news as well, although I wonder with the arrival of Haynes, whether he will be rested, as he is not the same player he was earlier in the season. The arrival of Haynes from the bench certainly gave United a new problem, as his speed drew a foul within minutes of his arrival. A free kick from the edge of the box on the East Stand side, showed that our captain is human after all, as he sent it out for a throw in on the West Stand side. Bad "luck" eh Johnnie?

This, for me, was another of those significant games that will shape our season. It was never just another game, and the team came through with flying colours. Onwards and upwards, COME ON YOU REDS!

Two More For The Promotion Push

2012-01-13T04:52:00.000-08:00

No hanging about then? With Cort and Haynes now onboard, it is good to see that nobody is resting on their laurels in the push for promotion. I am curious though, as five front line strikers does seem a little heavy, compared to say the left side of midfield where I believe strengthening does need to take place. It can be argued that Clarke and Haynes are but replacements for Benson and Euell, but as neither of the latter two has been involved in the first team in any meaningful way in the all important league games, I wonder if we may see one of Wright-Phillips, Kermorgant, or Hayes exiting. I hope not, as I rate them all.

Our squad for the run in now looks like this.

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso
Doherty
Euell
Mambo
Pritchard
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Clarke
Cort
Evina
Harriott
Haynes
Hughes
Kermorgant
Osborne
Pope
Solly
Sullivan
Taylor
Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hamer
Hayes
Hollands
Jackson
Morrison
Stephens
Smith
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Cousins
Gough
Bover-Izquierdo
Popo
Warren

Loan

Russell (May 31st 2012)

Fulham 4 Charlton 0

2012-01-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

Normally I don't post on a match until the following morning. The rationale is that I will have a more balanced view of the game, regardless of whether we have won, drawn or lost. But, you know what? I really am not at all bothered by today, and as regular readers will know, I don't care much for cup games anyway. I do, however, enjoy the atmosphere of a cup game, and 7,000 Charlton fans got behind the team every step of the way today. We did the club proud, and although I am not best pleased at the scoreline, the truth is it seriously flattered Fulham.

Had the game ended 2-1, I think that would have been a fairer reflection, but as a test, which Powell said he wanted, he certainly got that. I haven't seen a Premier League club play since we were relegated, freom the top table, and the difference in quality was marked. The Fulham short game was quick, precise, and most importantly of all incisive. Charlton couldn't really cope with it if truth be told, and Dempsey was just too much of a handful for our back line. Their two centre backs coped with Wright-Phillips and Kermorgant with a minimum of fuss, although I have to say, if any player showed he can play above our current level it was Kermorgant. I also thought Pritchard played very well against much better opposition than he will ever have played against before.

It wasn't as if we didn't have any chances either, Wright-Phillips, Kermorgant, and Green all had good chances to redress the scoring, but were denied mainly by Stockdale. As we sang repeatedly that we didn't really care much for the FA Cup, but we were going up, it was sad that all game I don't remember ever hearing Fulham chant or sing at all. Maybe it was because they never really needed to get out of third gear in order to put this tie to bed, and in terms of building a team Powell will have learnt a lot from this. We may be quality in the third division, but we would almost certainly come straight back down if we were in The Prem right now. I am sure nobody would ever underestimate the size of the task in front of us, but this was certainly a salutory reminder.

We should all be proud of how the boys played today. It was an extremely flattering scoreline which Fulham didn't really deserve, but with our cup jaunt over, the far more important games against the two Sheffield sides await. Now those we really do care about.

Charlton 2 Brentford 0

2012-01-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

Both sides played as though jaded after a hectic Christmas schedule, which was inevitable, and the quality or lack of it on show was no real surprise. What was a surprise was hearing the drummers normally to be found in the Upper North transposed due to a power failure to the Upper West. It was all a little odd, as one whole block of the Upper North appeared to have been almost cleared, but people were still ensconced in it's other sections? A fifteen minute delay to the kick off ensued as itinerant North Standers queued to get into the unfamiliar surroundings of the Upper West.

One benefit of this delay was that even as we were kicking off, news was coming through that Carlisle were already two one up against Sheffield United. If it was all goal action in Cumbria, the opening exchanges at The Valley suggested something far more attritional was about to be served up, and this duly transpired. Powell had promised changes would be made during the holiday period, but hadn't really delivered it, other than in enforced circumstances. Today, however, we got Cort instead of Taylor, and a starting berth for Pritchard instead of Russell whose loan finishes tomorrow anyway. New boy Clarke also made the bench in place of an unhappy Hayes, judging by the tweet he put out before kick off.

The first goal was a header by Morrison from a Green cross when one on one with the Bees goalkeeper. I like the idea of using Morrison as a centre forward on occasions, and it is a tactic that Powell seems to be using with increasing regularity. It usually follows a Charlton corner, and instead of haring back when the move breaks down, it is usually Kermorgant that does the running back leaving Morrison upfront, and causing a fair deal of confusion in the opposition ranks in the process. It worked a treat midway through the first half when he received the ball completely unmarked, and headed over the advancing keeper.

Normlly at one up, I feel nervous that Charlton will sit back and invite a shed load of pressure, and a goal and a draw will result. I didn't feel that today, as Brentford offered little more than token attempts on goal. What attempts there were still caused some erratic behaviour from Hamer who appears to be a little out of sorts, punching when he should catch, advancing when he should be holding ground. There is a school of thought that thinks a new keeper should be recruited in the transfer window just opened, but I suspect it is a temporary (hopefully) loss of form, in much the same way that I think Wright-Phillips is also suffering.

The second goal came from a long kick forward that Green got on the end of whilst playing at left midfield in place of Jackson who had been replaced by Wagstaff. He gathered it well, and cut back inside evading two defenders before calmly slotting the ball into the net. As a game, it was as near to a regulation two nil as it gets, and now we can all look forward to our day trip up the Thames to Fulham on Saturday.

Leyton Orient 1 Charlton 0

2012-01-01T04:53:00.000-08:00

First, and most importantly, may I wish you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2012. Thank you for taking the time out to read my ramblings. A special mention to all the other Charlton bloggers as well. May you all continue with this labour of love, as I enjoy reading you all, as I know many hundreds of Charlton fans do as well.

Nothing of any consequence should be read into last night's result. The reality was that Hamer left the referee with no choice but to send him off, and in return the lino flagged Smith's effort to put Orient two up as offside when it was not. After the sending off it was always likely to be backs to the wall, and so it proved, although Charlton looked by far the most likely to score in the final ten minutes. It could have been irrelevant, as Orient had created enough chances to be four or five to the good by that point. Much like last year, that game has gone, and we look forward to Brentford at home tomorrow, and Fulham away on Saturday.

Even before the fireworks had climaxed to such spectacular effect in central London, Charlton had already done one bit of business that I personally believe is a masterstroke. We exchange an out of favour Benson, for the division's fourth top scorer in the shape of Clarke. I really don't understand the negativity in some quarters to this one. What's not to like? I wish Benson all the best at Swindon, as he is a player I liked. He may have been limited, but he was wholehearted, and gave his all in a poor and misfiring Charlton team last season. A warm welcome to Clarke who joins on an eighteen month deal, and let's hope the only exchanges in the tunnel he has with Powell are high fives.

I do wonder whether any other Charlton business will occur during this transfer window. As Powell has pointed out, there is really no rush, as our status in the football pyramid means that we can still do business on a loan basis from 8th February until 24th March, even if any transfer targets are not concluded by the end of January. There are however some loose ends to be tied up in-house. Both Ephraim and Russell are due to return to their parent clubs after the Brentford game tomorrow. Will Powell want, or be be able to extend or make permanent either player's deal? Will Francis get a permanent deal at Bournemouth? And what of Davisson, as he is now out of contract. Has he done enough to be given an extended deal, or has he now gone? An update to the squad list is below.

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso
Doherty
Euell
Francis
Mambo
Pritchard
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Clarke
Evina
Harriott
Hughes
Kermorgant
Osborne
Pope
Solly
Sullivan
Taylor
Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hamer
Hayes
Hollands
Jackson
Morrison
Stephens
Smith
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Cousins
Gough
Bover-Izquierdo
Popo
Warren

Loan

Cort (May 31st 2012)
Ephraim (January 3rd 2012)
Russell (January 3rd 2012)

Charlton 2 Carlisle 0

2011-12-04T01:26:00.000-08:00

The benefit of a small crowd meant that I got served at lightning speed in the Rose of Denmark. albeit that dodging tumbleweed is a sport that I am not used to, even in these third division days. If the pub was low key, then The Valley was no more lively, as two surprisingly strong teams took to the turf, Charlton with five men on show from Monday night's heroics, and Carlisle with nine of the men who had started against us in the league game, all in action in this second round FA Cup tie.

I also had the joy of a "bloke behind me", which is something I am normally spared, but got one today in the unfamiliar surroundings of B block in the lower west. I had forgotten how annoying they can be, and is it always the case that the person with the loudest voice, is usually the one that knows the least?

The fact that there was little of note in a quiet first half, didn't help the atmosphere, with only just over seven thousand in attendance. A very quiet affair indeed. The one thing that was clear, was that Powell was not going to risk a replay, the seven man bench stuffed with attacking endeavour, Wright-Phillips, Kermorgant, and Euell all made it on, Smith and Bover didn't. The man of the match for me though was there for the full ninety. Step forward Pritchard; industrious, and with attacking threat, he richly deserves the second year option on his contract being exercised on the basis of what I have seen of him this season. Yesterday will have done his longer term chances of future employ at Charlton no harm at all.

I was also impressed with Evina, covering left midfield in the absence of our captain Jackson, and an inelligible Ephraim. He showed some great touches, and I suspect that with more game time, we would see a whole lot more. After a quiet first half, the team came to life in the second, with Morrison getting a true centre back style goal from two yards out. After being thwarted once by the visiting keeper, the rebound was dispatched into the goal with minimum fuss. Euell then rolled back the years with a scrambling goal late on to seal it, and so we move on to the third round.

A nice tie against a strong Premiership or Championship side would be good, and if we can bow out at that stage to focus on the league, then yes please. For some reason though, I have it in my head that we will be drawn against Doncaster Rovers (16) away. We are the last ball number at 64, and below are some numbers to watch out for when the draw is made this afternoon.

1 Arsenal
12 Chelsea
23 Liverpool
24 Manchester City
25 Manchester United
28 Newcastle United
39 Tottenham Hotspur
45 Salisbury City or Grimsby Town
49 Chelmsford City or Macclesfield Town
51 Crawley Town
53 Fleetwood Town or Yeovil Town
54 Wrexham
59 Tamworth
61 Sutton United or Notts County
63 AFC Totton or Bristol Rovers

Charlton 2 Huddersfield 0

2011-11-29T00:09:00.000-08:00

The R.N.L.I are better off by $20 this morning, the result of a bet with a "Terrya" friend based in Montreal, and it was Huddersfield who were all at sea in need of rescuing last night. (I am sorry, I promise I will not do cheesy openings like that ever again). I won't repeat the plaudits, as you will have seen the performance, or certainly read about it, but I will say this; for me, there have been two season defining games this year.

The first was at Sheffield United, and the second was last night. Both were immense performances, and the message they have sent to the rest of the division is that Charlton are in the driving seat, and intend staying there. Not a weak link to be seen in the Charlton team last night, and I hope Powell wraps most of them up in cotton wool, and gives them this weekend off. I know it is the FA Cup, but I still don't care whether we are in it or not.

Powell is of course correct to damp down all those indulging in premature celebration, as there are after all twenty seven games to go. Had Charlton lost last night, the R.S.P.C.A would have been $20 better off, but as it turned out we were the dogs. (I am sorry, I promise I will not do cheesy endings like that ever again). I am just a bit happy today, that's all.

21 Today

2011-11-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

Darel Russell, an essentially defensive midfielder joins on loan until January 3rd. Very much a cover signing, my only concern about him is his disciplinary record. Only four games played this season, and already two yellow cards collected doesn't bode well, but it could be argued that he has had such little game time that he is being caught out due to lack of match fitness. The contra to that is that historically he doesn't have a very good record with referees either, having also managed to pick up two back to back red cards that effectively took him out for nearly a quarter of a season three years ago at Norwich.

What he does have though is experience at getting out of this division, and that combined with a tenacious fighting spirit are qualities that Charlton may well need to call on in the next month or so. Does this also mean that we will never see Alonso in the first team?

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso
Benson
Doherty
Euell
Francis
Mambo
Pritchard
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Evina
Harriott
Hughes
Kermorgant
Osborne
Pope
Solly
Sullivan
Taylor
Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hamer
Hayes
Hollands
Jackson
Morrison
Stephens
Smith
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Cousins
Gough
Bover-Izquierdo
Popo
Warren

Loan

Cort (May 31st 2012)
Ephraim (January 3rd 2012)
Russell (January 3rd 2012

20:20 Vision At Charlton

2011-11-16T03:13:00.000-08:00

With the arrival of Hogan Ephraim from QPR on loan until January, Charlton have now recruited twenty new players since the end of last season. Very much a cover signing, Ephraim is comfortable along the full length of the midfield, and with his preference to play on the left flank, this gives Powell the option of moving Jackson inside, as well as providing an impact substitution from the bench.

I have no doubt in my my own mind that Euell will be the player to give way on the bench, but will that be for Ephraim or Pritchard? Short term it may well be the latter, as first priority will be to get Ephraim match fit. This should be achieved in time for the manic Christmas fixture schedule, which I am sure he has been brought in to provide cover for.

Looking at the squad list now, the most striking thing is that Wright-Phillips is still only contracted to the end of this season. Although any mention of it by the club is low key and relaxed, I have to believe that Charlton will have spoken to him, but that our prolific striker is keeping his options open. You can't blame him I suppose, but it does suggest that he considers his value to be upper end Championship at least. If such a club came in during the January transfer window, I suspect he may well go.

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso
Benson
Doherty
Euell
Francis
Mambo
Pritchard
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Evina
Harriott
Hughes
Kermorgant
Osborne
Pope
Solly
Sullivan
Taylor
Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hamer
Hayes
Hollands
Jackson
Morrison
Stephens
Smith
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Cousins
Gough
Bover-Izquierdo
Popo
Warren

Loan

Cort (May 31st 2012)
Ephraim (January 3rd 2012)

Charlton 5 Preston 2

2011-11-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

Various reports today see Powell warning against complacency, and judging by the slightly downbeat exit from the pitch yesterday, the team were I hope, acutely aware that they were about to incur some verbals from the manager, about letting in two goals in the last five minutes of a game that Charlton had completely dominated. In some senses it is a timely reminder that the prize still remains a long way off, as for most of this one sided encounter, Charlton threatened to embarass the former second division side.

For the first fifteen minutes it had all looked so different. I believed we were likely to be in for a war of attrition against a physically strong Preston side, and the expected 4-5-1 for the visitors duly presented itself at the kickoff. I really didn't see it as being anything other than a dour affair with Preston defending en masse against the marauding Charlton attack and midfield. For the first fifteen, Preston had the edge in terms of stroking the ball around, but even at that stage there was no threat in the final third. Perhaps no surprise, given that their preferred pair up top were both injured.

When the goal came, it was a clever dink of the ball inside by Wright-Phillips that saw Green haring away from the halfway line scattering all before him. The shot when it came was fierce, and the ball was also turning in the air when Arestidou palmed it away, but only as far as the onrushing Jackson, who swept it home without breaking stride. With that, the floodgates opened, and Preston didn't get a look in until five minutes before the end.

Next up was a first goal for the club by Morrison. This one would have pleased Powell possibly more than any other, as it was a first goal of the season from either of the two centre backs, and only the second of the season for the entire back four. Never mind that it was a stab home after a Wright-Phillips shot had been repelled, he was in the right place at the right time, and made no mistake.

Speaking of mistakes, if the Preston goalkeeper had culpability in the first two goals, then he certainly had it for the third, bringing down Kermorgant for a clear penalty. That he escaped without even a yellow card was a bit of a mystery to me, but given the gifts he was presenting us with, Charlton at least would have been happy enough to see him stay on the pitch, but surely a yellow card was merited? Jackson stepped up to the spot once more, and gave him no chance, lashing the ball in to make it three up, and only twenty six minutes played. We didn't have long to wait for number four either, as Wright-Phillips arrived at the back post completely unmarked to meet a corner that should never have reached him.

It couldn't continue like this in the second half, which was a much more subdued affair from a Charlton perspective, but it did give us the goal of the match. A delightful run down the left flank, and a dinked pass over the head of the Preston right back to himself that left the Preston man grasping at thin air, saw Wiggins put in a peach of a cross that Hollands met on the dive with his head, glancing it with some power into the top right hand corner of the net. And that was that, or at least it probably should have been, except that for the last five minutes of the game, Charlton seemed to switch off, allowing Preston the consolation of two goals that they were not entitled to, based on their performance in the match up until that point.

As mentioned earlier, it will give the team something to think about, as it took the edge off what had been up until that point, a superb afternoon of footballing entertainment. Powell said that he was disappointed by it, and so was I, but as he also went on to say, if you can't enjoy a 5-2 at home when top of the league, you probably never will. Hear hear to that, and just think, only twenty nine more games to go!

Charlton 1 Tranmere 1

2011-10-09T02:14:00.000-07:00

I had a feeling that yesterday was likely to feel a bit like after the Lord Mayor's show. A stellar performance in South Yorkshire a week ago that will rightly be hailed as one of the games of the season, if, or when we win promotion, followed by a dreadful showing on Tuesday night in the Paint Pot, albeit with a much changed team. I actually feel that what happened against Brentford was just as significant as what happened at Sheffield United. At least the forced inclusion of six first teamers for a meaningless cup competition will not prove our undoing in terms of injuries or suspensions, but nobody will have been happy with the nature of the performance.

And so to yesterday. The antics of Fon-Williams time wasting took me straight back to the corresponding fixture last season, when the whole Tranmere team had obviously been instructed to waste time right from the very first whistle. It wasn't as bad as that yesterday, but how the Tranmere keeper did not end up with a yellow card is beyond me. Give Rovers manager Parry his due, he had done his homework. He came with a game plan to go tight on the marking, and hustle the midfield out of any rhythm, and hit on the break. His team stuck to it, and they deserved the draw.

Robbed of the ability to play fluent passing football, Charlton were having a bad day at the office, particularly in the first half. No one player shone, but starting Kermogant showed just how powerful he is in the air throughout a match. I don't believe he lost a single aerial encounter, but unfortunately his team mates, and Wright-Philips in particular, couldn't read where the ball was going to end up. Some focus on that next week at Sparrows lane methinks.

Green was the other starter, in place of Wagstaff, who eventually replaced him anyway two thirds in. He did not have a good game, but in fairness it would be unreasonable to single any one player out as having a bad game, as none of them really rose to the occasion yesterday. Much like Arsene Wenger I did not see who the penalty winner was, but I am told it was Wright-Philips. The real winner was Jackson though. Tranmere pulled out every trick in the book to disrupt the captain from his job, and it must have been a full three minutes of pantomime deviancy before he cooly wrong footed the keeper and slid the ball home for the equaliser.

It was probably just about what Charlton deserved for the second half performance where they at last put Rovers under some concerted pressure, and could have gone on to win it. That would have been unfair on Tranmere, in the same way that losing to a heavily deflected shot from McGurk via Solly would have been an unjust way to lose our undefeated league record. Even when not playing well, we are picking up points, and that is the best Charlton can take out of yesterday.

MK Dons 1 Charlton 1

2011-09-28T00:52:00.000-07:00

It's a funny old game isn't it? For most of the first half last Saturday, Charlton played some of the best football I have seen at The Valley for many a year. Last night at the comfortable if soulless home of the MK Dons, we were unable to replicate it, or indeed get anywhere near the same level of performance. Much of the "credit" for that has to go to Robinson and Gorman, whose five man midfield set out to frustrate and nullify the threat of Hollands and Stephens, and for the first half they were very successful at it.

The second part of the strategy was to exploit Wagstaff and Solly down our right side. Solly stuck gamely to the task of containing Lewington and Balanta amongst others. Wagstaff was not so successful at it, and was caught in possession all too frequently by the hard working MK Dons midfield. It was a shame that it was Solly who brought down Lewington for the penalty, as he deserved better for a battling and whole hearted performance.

The replacement of Wagstaff by Green mid way through the second half had an immediate effect, stiffening up an embattled right flank, but with Kermorgant replacing Hayes just after the introduction of Green, came the equaliser. The feint that Green pulled on Lewington was a joy to see. The former Wimbledon man had controlled his left (and our right) flank all match with an authoritative display, but within minutes of being on, Green mugged him completely and was scampering away towards the goal before the MK Dons number three knew what had happened. His cross was a beauty, and the onrushing Kermorgant got his head to it. Martin in The MK Dons goal will probably wince when he sees the replay of the ball hitting him, bouncing onto the post and in, but it was just reward for a far better second half display from Charlton.

On balance a draw was a fair result, and both sides could have gone on to win it in the closing stages. When the final whistle came, it was the first half of a difficult week over. I said in an earlier post that I would be happy with two draws from this week, and I see little reason to change that expectation now.

Charlton 3 Chesterfield 1

2011-09-24T23:33:00.000-07:00

It was a good day at the office yesterday, and after the initial ten minutes, when Chesterfield were in the ascendancy, the rest of the first half was dominated by a purposeful Charlton side, whose passing and movement were just too much for John Sheridan's side. The two goals that seperated the side at the break could easily have been six, such was the superiority of the hosts.

As with all things Charlton, you sort of knew it wouldn't last of course, and the second half saw both teams emerge in a very lacklustre manner. It was Chesterfield that woke up first, and nobody could argue that it was a penalty. I am sure Morrison slipped slightly, which contributed to the mistimed tackle that led to Chesterfield's consolation goal from the penalty spot.

If that was an obvious penalty, then the incident that led to Sheridan being sent to the stands was just as obviously not a penalty. Wiggins going to ground, with his back to the attacking player would have known nothing of the ball that hit his arm, but that didn't stop the Chesterfield manager going into one with any official within hearing distance. There was no intent on Wiggins part, and to have conceded a penalty would have been unjust, and a sour note for our left back, who, for me, had his best game in a Charlton shirt yesterday.

Charlton's first goal was a clever piece of improvisation by Hayes, who flicked a ball from Wright-Phillips under his standing leg, and through a crowded penalty area into the net. If that was instinctive, then goal number two looked to be straight from the training ground, Jackson burying a quickly taken free kick cleverly slid to him by Stephens. It was good to see Powell berating Wagstaff soon after for leaving one of the opposition's strikers free on the edge of the penalty area at a Chesterfield corner, so messages about not switching off when 2-0 up are obviously being conveyed to the players at Sparrows Lane.

It took the penalty for Chesterfield to wake Charlton up, and even though the team were not playing with the same fluidity as in the first half, they started to make chances again. The third goal came courtesy of new boy Kermorgant. A straight replacement for Hayes, the former Leicester man had a very useful cameo in the last ten minutes. It was his clever precision pass that split the back line allowing Wagstaff all the time he needed to flight a ball across to Wright-Phillips to put the game beyond reach.

So, as per the form book, Charlton reach the end of September (nearly) on top of the pile. Three points ahead of second placed Sheffield United, and with a game in hand. But as all Addicks know, this coming week is the real acid test. MK Dons on Tuesday is a game I will be attending, as I did last year, when the performance was little short of dreadful. Sheffield United away on Saturday will be a true top of the table clash. Am I the only one that would settle for a draw in both right now?

N-N-N-N-Nineteen

2011-09-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

Famed for a spectacularly soft penalty miss in a Leicester City versus Cardiff City play off game in 2010, most Leicester fans conveniently forget that they actually missed two penalties that night, not just the one belonging to Kermorgant. Martyn Waghorn missed the other one, but has seemingly escaped the ire of the Foxes fans. Signed for two years, his parting shot, (as indeed the penalty miss turned out to be), played its part in costing Leicester a return to the top table, but is putting it in Row Z any better really? I wish him well, and no, I don't really expect him to be taking penalties for Charlton.

Contract End - Dec 2011

(25) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(17) Euell
(19) Francis
(15) Mambo
(18) Pritchard
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(3) Evina
(32) Harriott
(2) Hughes
(36) Kermorgant
(33) Osborne
(30) Pope
(20) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(6) Taylor
(11) Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(1) Hamer
(9) Hayes
(22) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(5) Morrison
(8) Stephens
(34) Smith
(16) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(31) Cousins
(29) Gough
(21) Bover-Izquierdo
(26) Popo
(27) Warren

Loan

(28) Cort (May 2012)

Charlton 2 Exeter 0

2011-09-11T01:43:00.000-07:00

If the sign of a team headed for promotion is the ability to grind out a result when not playing well, then Charlton are in good shape for a return to the second division. This was not a good game, and Charlton did not play well, but still sit second in the table this morning, a single goal being the difference separating them from top spot. Was I the only one though that felt a little flat at the conclusion yesterday?

On Tuesday night I watched Charlton on Sky, in a spit and sawdust pub in Northampton, labouring to a draw against a well organised Sheffield Wednesday side. What was telling for me was the difference in how Powell and Megson reacted when things weren't going their way. Twenty minutes in and Megson knew his side were in trouble, unable to cope with Charlton's free flowing play, so what did he do? He changed it of course, and whilst Wednesday never looked like winning, neither did they look like they were going to be the losing side after their manager had altered the formation that had struggled in the early period of play.

Powell, however, never looked like he was able to change the side that had started so well. Euell for Hayes does not constitute tactical thinking, and so the game petered out as a contest, both sides seemingly content with the stalemate. Others have mentioned it, and I agree with the theory that Powell really doesn't seem to have a Plan B. This may in part be down to personnel, but I also believe he needs to exercise some tactical nous, and I am not convinced that he has that ability in his armoury yet.

Robinson at MK Dons is voted manager of the month for August, and he would be the first to admit that the award is as much for the wise old head, and shrewd tactician that is his number two. Powell does not have a Gorman to consult, and sorry but no, Peacock does not fall into that category. The problem that Charlton are now facing is that our newly rebuilt team is no longer an unknown to the other teams in the division. They now know who we are, and they know where we live, and unless Powell starts to mix it up a little, someone is going to find us out.

I doubt if it would have been yesterday, as Exeter lacked the cutting edge to cause Charlton too many problems. This lack of bite was compounded when Nardiello, incensed after a perfectly good goal had not been given, decided to abuse the East Stand lino to the extent that he got a straight red for his efforts. After that, it was only a question of when Charlton's patient but on occasions frustratingly ineffective probing would produce a result.

My man of the match yesterday eventually found a way through, after some clever interplay between himself and the underrated Hayes, saw Wright-Philips tuck away his fifth goal of the season. He should have been more careful about his goal "celebration" though, as he could easily have picked up a yellow for taunting the Exeter fans who had been giving him abuse all match. Stephens attoned for his miss on Tuesday night, by ensuring that his shot never left the deck to rack up the second with ten minutes to go, and that was that. Game over.

Hopefully the second string will get the chance against Preston in the Carling Darling Cup on Tuesday, and in one sense this otherwise meaningless competition is important. Players like Bover and Evina may well be the answer to Charlton's need for renewed and varied impact. The return of Green would also be welcome, if only to provide an alternative to Wagstaff, who I would also rate as an impact option. I believe the time to change things a little is upon us. I just wonder if Powell will take the opportunity.

Elliot Less

2011-08-31T05:26:00.000-07:00

The transfer window is about to close, and out goes Elliot; eventually. I wish him well at Newcastle, and regardless of the salary involved, the one thing we do know is that it will be considerably more than he was earning at Charlton. The concept of a player being a club man through and through is not a concept I pay much attention or credence to, and Elliot is a case in point.

Lauded as being "one of us", the reality is that a footballers professional career is a short one, and if you have the opportunity to double or treble your wages, the chances are you are going to take it, irrespective of how much you love jumping out of a tunnel at the end of a game. I wish him well, although I suspect his chances may be very limited.

A good friend of mine oop North used to drink with a certain Leeds United goalkeeper, a backup stopper initially for John Lukic, and then Nigel Martyn, for several years in the 90's. They became good friends, and my friend asked him if he was frustrated at not playing first team football, and didn't he want to try elsewhere? The answer was simple if somewhat unromantic to the average football fan. Why would he want to go somewhere else, when he could turn up, do the training, play in a reserve game, and sit on the bench, and all for a monthly salary in excess of what the average bloke in the street was likely to earn in a year?

I am not saying that Elliot has similar motivations in joining Newcastle, but you couldn't really blame him if he did. I don't really need to wish him good luck, as he has just had it, and in the process secured himself both a five year deal, and the rest of his life financially. As he said himself, the chance to join the Premier League from the third division was a "no brainer".

Contract End - Dec 2011

(25) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(17) Euell
(19) Francis
(15) Mambo
(18) Pritchard
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(3) Evina
(32) Harriott
(2) Hughes
(33) Osborne
(30) Pope
(20) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(6) Taylor
(11) Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(1) Hamer
(9) Hayes
(22) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(5) Morrison
(8) Stephens
(34) Smith
(16) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(31) Cousins
(29) Gough
(21) Bover-Izquierdo
(26) Popo
(27) Warren

Loan

(28) Cort (May 2012)

At Seventeen

2011-08-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

I go away on holiday, and look what happens! We have our best start in a couple of seasons, (although we haven't played anybody in the current top ten in fairness). We knock Reading's finest second string out of a largely meaningless cup competition with what is largely our own second string, so that's good, and Elliot has still not moved to Newcastle. Oh, and the point of this update to the squad, is that we have signed Leon Cort on loan from Burnley for the season.

This was a needed addition to the back four, as we were light on first choice centre backs. In fairness, we are probably only an out and out striker, or more accurately a player capable of holding the ball up with his back to goal, short of a full squad now. The feelgood factor remains, and looking at the fixture list, I could see it staying that way until we face MK Dons away on 27th September. The subject of an abject horror show last season, I shall again be present to see how Charlton fare against a side I expect to see there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

Before that though, we have probably our biggest test to date after Scunthorpe, when we face the blue side of Sheffield next week. It will be a game where we reacquaint ourselvess with our former player of the year Semedo, as well as goalkeeper Weaver. It is quite possible that we will go into that game with the red side of Sheffield atop the table. Hopefully removing them from that position will be consolation for Wednesday next Monday.

Contract End - Dec 2011

(25) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(44) Elliot
(17) Euell
(19) Francis
(15) Mambo
(18) Pritchard
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(3) Evina
(32) Harriott
(2) Hughes
(33) Osborne
(30) Pope
(20) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(6) Taylor
(11) Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(1) Hamer
(9) Hayes
(22) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(5) Morrison
(8) Stephens
(16) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(31) Cousins
(29) Gough
(21) Bover-Izquierdo
(26) Popo
(27) Warren

Loan

(??) Cort (May 2012)

Euell Be Number 16 Then

2011-08-10T05:10:00.000-07:00

Signing a one year contract, Jason Euell today becomes the 16th signing of what has already been an incredibly busy summer. Having kept him on the back burner whilst Charlton pursued a fourth striker, I have to assume that that he has been signed to fulfill that role. I can't say that I am particularly enthused by this, as Euell always operated better as a forward midfielder rather than as an out and out striker.

I also have to assume that Powell's stated requirement for a target man who could hold the ball up and play in other team mates has also been compromised by this signing, although in a forward midfield role it does give the team another option to play 4-5-1.

Contract End - Dec 2011

(25) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(44) Elliot
(17) Euell
(19) Francis
(15) Mambo
(18) Pritchard
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(3) Evina
(32) Harriott
(2) Hughes
(33) Osborne
(30) Pope
(20) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(6) Taylor
(11) Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(1) Hamer
(9) Hayes
(22) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(5) Morrison
(8) Stephens
(16) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(31) Cousins
(29) Gough
(21) Bover-Izquierdo
(26) Popo
(27) Warren

Loan

None

Charlton 3 Bournemouth 0

2011-08-07T01:14:00.000-07:00

After about fifteen minutes of yesterday's opener I was a little concerned for both our full backs, but for completely different reasons. Wiggins mercilessly booed by the large Bournemouth contingent throughout seemed subdued, and showed none of the forward overlapping play which is his trademark. This shouldn't really have been a surprise however, because if there is one team that knows what he is capable of, and will plan accordingly to subdue it, it is Bournemouth. He did settle though, and a thirty yard screamer that Flahavan had to parry away was a suitable reminder of his potent attacking threat, and a painful reminder to the Cherries faithful as to what they have lost. They know better than us that there is a lot more to come from him.

Of more concern to me was Solly. It was blatantly obvious that Flahavan had been told to hit his wing at every opportunity, and for the first fifteen it seemed a sensible thing to do, as Solly rarely managed to win first ball possession, and under pressure squandered what possession he did have on a couple of occasions. If ever a riposte was required to show that our diminutive home grown right back intends to be a threat to Hughes for the slot, then Solly certainly delivered that in the 23rd minute.

A constant theme of the afternoon was that Charlton did not allow Bournemouth to settle, and chased and harried the player on the ball at every opportunity. Solly epitomised that ethos when he robbed a Bournemouth player in possession just inside the Charlton half, and fed Wright-Phillips down the right flank. Not content with that, Solly hared forward to receive the return pass from our number ten, and then cleverly dummied the delivered ball into the path of Stephens who placed his ball precisely beyond the Cherries goalkeeper's right hand into the bottom corner of the net. It was the confidence booster he required, and with a little judicious help from Taylor on high balls, his flank was rarely threatened again.

What I liked most about the team was that they were just that; a team. For me, there was no standout performance, but what we got was a display that was both industrious, and in flashes inventive beyond anything Bournemouth could control. One such moment came with the second goal which Wagstaff lashed on the volley into the top corner of the net from twenty yards out from a Stephens pass from the left hand side of the box. Now we all know that most of the time, that sort of effort is more likely to find row Z, but like Solly, Wagstaff has a player ahead of him in the pecking order. What better way to deliver a message to the manager than a contender for goal of the month definitely, if not the season.

Elsewhere, Wright-Phillips and Hayes played with an intelligence that I have not seen from a Charlton forward line for some time now. They may not have had standout performances, but Wright-Phillips can be justifiably pleased with his days efforts, making one goal, and winning the penalty for another. His applause for his fellow strike partner Hayes when the latter was substituted was his recognition that the former Preston man is a good foil for our number ten, causing the Bournemouth rearguard problems aplenty with his movement, distribution and hold up play.

This Charlton team is very much a work in progress, and there were times when only the paucity of Bournemouth's attacking options didn't test our new look back line more seriously. The goalkeeping situation is an odd one as well. Although I didn't know that Hamer was injured, I would still have put Sullivan ahead of the wantaway Elliott. I do like the civilised way both keeper and club are maintaining the "We don't want him to go", and "I don't want to leave" routine, but the fact is that for money (lack of), or ambition (over), reasons, he does want to go, and with the signing of Hamer, the club are saying he can. I hope it gets resolved soon, but judging by his continued presence, there is no queue for his talents.

As for Bournemouth, I do feel that they will become this seasons Swindon. Over achievement in their first third division term, they have been stripped of most of their crown jewels in the close season. With the exception of the substitute Molesley, they had little to offer yesterday. I wish them well, but if I was a Bournemouth fan I would be worried about the lack of reinforcements. No consolation I know, but I don't think Charlton should be looking at Ings. A good player, certainly, but another little 'un. We need something a lot bigger as a fourth striker.

So a good start for the Addicks, but let's not get carried away, as there will be far harder tests than yesterday to overcome. On the evidence put before us yesterday though, it looks promising. Top of the table clash next week anyone?

Once More With Feeling

2011-08-05T01:14:00.000-07:00

Well, almost time once more, for the Saturday ritual to begin. It will be good to see old friends and new 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.

Fifteen new signings, most of whom will be hoping to make an impact on Saturday, and I suspect no less than eight will be in the starting lineup, with at least one other on a reduced five man bench. Had Green been available, I would have expected nine starters to have been on the pitch at 3pm on Saturday. A new beginning for the club, most certainly. A new dawn?, possibly, but let's not get carried away just yet. Whilst it is undoubtedly true that Powell has pretty much got the parts, it would be unrealistic to say that he had the finished article in terms of a team.

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. I will also convince my long suffering eldest son that compiling a league table after one game is a meaningful exercise. In a mood of largesse, I will offer to take the DD family out for lunch on Sunday. They will almost certainly refuse this random act of kindness, as they have no desire to be seen with a broadly grinning loon. Lose, and I will probably have to cut the grass. Being a balanced sort of chap, I believe it will be a draw :-)

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

Contract End - Dec 2011

(25) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(44) Elliot
(19) Francis
(15) Mambo
(18) Pritchard
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(3) Evina
(32) Harriott
(2) Hughes
(33) Osborne
(30) Pope
(20) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(6) Taylor
(11) Wagstaff

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(1) Hamer
(9) Hayes
(22) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(5) Morrison
(8) Stephens
(16) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(31) Cousins
(29) Gough
(21) Bover-Izquierdo
(26) Popo
(27) Warren

Loan

None

Two More In With One About To Go

2011-08-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

So Stabilo Boss joins us on a three year deal. For those of you who were unfortunate enough to see the game against Exeter at The Valley last season, you will no doubt understand why I call our new goalkeeper that, but for those of you who may have quite reasonably forgotten the experience of being beaten 3-1 by them, Hamer stood out like a marker pen, wearing a fluorescent green top in one half, and an equally bright pink version in the other half.

With Elliot being touted as moving to Newcastle earlier in the summer, this signing can come as no surprise. I think it is more likely to be West Ham rather than Newcastle that will be the recipients of his signature though. Apparently he was watched by West Ham at the Den Bosch game, so in the interests of maximising our return, let's hope the same scouts weren't at the Millwall game where by all accounts Elliot was at fault for one if not two of the goals conceded.

I suspect the reason for the move is purely down to the terms of the deal extension Charlton were willing to give him, as I am pretty sure other clubs were notified of his availability at the start of the close season. The fact that he is still with us tells me that there wasn't a huge queue for his services. Having said that, I suspect his departure will be within hours, or at most a couple of days given the speed that the club has moved to sign a replacement.

As for the signing of Hughes, this is one for the short term, given that he is already 33 years old, even though he has been signed for two years, which no doubt was the last big payday carrot that enticed him to us in the first place. At best he is a utility player, experienced at both left and right back positions, but also comfortable in midfield. He is naturally left footed, and I can't say that I am wildly enthused by him. My concerns about Solly remain, and I am not sure whether Hughes will be seen as the first choice right back. Time will tell.

I still believe that one new centre back is required, and one big lump up front also. Schlupp of Leicester is one name in the frame for the latter position, and how about Howard from the same club as an alternative name in the same frame?

Contract End - Dec 2011

(25) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(44) Elliot
(19) Francis
(15) Mambo
(18) Pritchard
(11) Wagstaff
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(3) Evina
(32) Harriott
(2) Hughes
(33) Osborne
(30) Pope
(20) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(6) Taylor

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(1) Hamer
(9) Hayes
(22) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(5) Morrison
(8) Stephens
(16) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(31) Cousins
(29) Gough
(21) Bover-Izquierdo
(26) Popo
(27) Warren

Loan

None

Jackson Extends

2011-07-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

For me, tieing Jackson up with a two year extension to his contract rates as the deal of the summer. Well deserved, and with the influx of new players who are expected not just to survive, but thrive in the Championship, he now joins that happy band with a contract until 2014. With Powell openly stating that a fourth striker is required, the squad is almost ready for the new season, a season in which nothing other than promotion will suffice.

I still believe we need a first choice right back as well as a striker. Francis was obviously told that he could go, and but for a failure to agree personal terms with Bournemouth he would have done. I somehow doubt that Powell has had a Damascene conversion on the road to Woking, even though reports suggest that Francis had a good game. Whilst Solly would be very good cover, his lack of height will be exploited in the third division, as it was on occasions last season. It would take more than one good game in pre-season to convince me that Francis is the answer.

Contract End - Dec 2011

(31) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso*
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(1) Elliott
(34) Francis
(15) Mambo
(25) Pritchard
(11) Wagstaff
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(24) Evina
(17) Harriott
(32) Osborne
(33) Pope
(2) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(5) Taylor

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(9) Hayes
(8) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(6) Morrison
(20) Stephens
(3) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(16) Cousins
(30) Gough
(18) Bover-Izquierdo
(29) Popo
(22) Warren

Loan

None

(* = contract length unknown)

McCormack Departs - Francis Lingers

2011-07-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

McCormack leaving Charlton by "mutual consent" sounds like money changed hands to get him out of the door, which is fair enough given that he had a year to run on his contract. I suspect that both he and Francis had a simple financial decision to make before rejecting Dagenham & Redbridge in the case of McCormack, and Bournemouth in the case of Francis.

Both joined from a relegated Southend side a year ago on two year deals, and I think it would be fair to say that both would have felt they had struck the jackpot joining Charlton, where despite the financial problems, we still had one of the biggest wage bills in the third division. A year later, and it can come as no surprise that any club likely to come calling for them, would not be in a position to offer them a similar payday.

The fact that Francis could not agree personal terms with Bournemouth, who are after all in the same division, says something about the gulf that must exist in basic pay offered if nothing else. In fairness to him though, it can also be argued that Bournemouth are likely to be next season's Swindon. Stripped of some of their best players, which Charlton had more than a passing involvement in, I suspect Bournemouth will suffer for it in the season to come. Francis meanwhile has a squad number, but unsurprisingly it is right at the bottom of the pile.

Speaking of Swindon, reports are rife that McCormack will soon be unveiled as a new signing there. I believe that the fourth division is probably where he is best suited, and if the rumour is true, then I wish him well,

Contract End - Dec 2011

(31) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso*
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(1) Elliott
(34) Francis
(4) Jackson
(15) Mambo
(25) Pritchard
(11) Wagstaff
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(24) Evina
(17) Harriott
(32) Osborne
(33) Pope
(2) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(5) Taylor

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(9) Hayes
(8) Hollands
(6) Morrison
(20) Stephens
(3) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(16) Cousins
(30) Gough
(18) Bover-Izquierdo
(29) Popo
(22) Warren

Loan

None

(* = contract length unknown)

Case For The Defence

2011-07-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Palace have Sainsburys, Charlton have Morrison. Another piece of the jigsaw slotted in today, as the Sheffield Wednesday centre back passed Jose Semedo on the M1, and signed a three year deal. I don't remember a summer of transfer activity at The Valley quite as intensive as this one, but the rebuilding work continues at breakneck speed.

With news of Francis imminent departure as well, it has been quite a week. As regular readers of this blog know, I have never been a fan of either Francis or McCormack, but if both do go, (McCormack is being linked with Dagenham & Redbridge), then I genuinely wish them well. For whatever reason, last season is one that they, and us will want to forget. So let's just do that, and move on. For now though, both remain as Charlton players, hence their continued presence in the squad list below.

Looking to the future, I have also updated the status of Harriott and Osborne to reflect the two year deals they signed earlier this week.

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso*
Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Evina
Harriott
Osborne
Pope
Solly
Sullivan
Taylor

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hayes
Hollands
Morrison
Stephens
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Cousins
Gough
Izquierdo
Popo
Warren

Loan

None

(* = contract length unknown)

Development

2011-07-05T00:08:00.000-07:00

More announcements from the club, albeit lower key than recent arrivals. The arrival of Pope has been known about for some time now, and he has now signed the two year deal widely reported. Izquierdo, the Spanish winger has also been around the building for a while, and both he and Pope become part of the fringe development squad. I am not sure what difference, if any, there is in a "development squad" this year, as opposed to any other year, when the first year pro's lurked around the edges of the first team, and occasionally one or two got in. Welcome to Charlton lads, make a name for yourselves!

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso*
Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Evina
Pope
Solly
Sullivan
Taylor

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hayes
Hollands
Stephens
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Warren
Cousins
Gough
Harriott
Izquierdo
Osbourne
Popo

Loan

None

(* = contract length unknown)

A Taylor Made Eleven

2011-07-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Difficult keeping up with all the activity! At last a centre back enters the building, with the arrival of Taylor on a free from Exeter. A solid rather than rapid defender, he definitely looks better than we currently have. We need another one though, and my gut instinct tells me that Llera may well get a new contract, but what I would really like to see is a young mobile fast 'un.

I am not sure how much longer this frenetic transfer activity can keep going, but another centre back, a right back, and a striker would be nice please :-) Greedy I know, with eleven new players through the door already!

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso*
Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Evina
Pope
Solly
Sullivan
Taylor

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hayes
Hollands
Stephens
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Warren
Cousins
Gough
Harriott
Osbourne
Popo

Loan

None

(* = contract length unknown)

Two Bites At The Cherries

2011-07-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

I don't blame Bournemouth fans at being a bit upset at this one, but the reality is that money talks, and after a few years when we didn't have any, it is a rather strange feeling to see us shouting from the rooftops, and that left back Wiggins heard it down on the south coast, and decided to answer the call.

What concerns me about Bournemouth, is that having done so well last season, I suspect they may be about to become next seasons Swindon, and plummet without a trace back to the fourth division from whence they came. Their fans don't really deserve that, even if it is Charlton that appear to be a major beneficiary of the Cherries fire sale antics.

The most pleasing thing about this signing is that Powell is now addressing the weakest area of the team. It is tinged with sadness for me though, as I suspect it means that Youga will not be seen in action at the club again. Either that, or Jackson is about to be sold. I know, I know, I need to lay off the conspiracy theories and get out more! Evina and Harriott as competition for both Wiggins and Jackson is an attractive proposition though. I have amended young Harriott's contract length, as apart from a comment from his agent about being close to a two year deal, there has been nothing from the club to confirm it happened, so I have reverted him back to first professional contract status for now..

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso*
Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Evina
Pope
Solly
Sullivan

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hayes
Hollands
Stephens
Wiggins

First Professional Contract

Warren
Cousins
Gough
Harriott
Osbourne
Popo

Loan

None

(* = contract length unknown)

The Squad Grows!

2011-06-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

Two more for the midfield then! With both Stephens and Green on board this afternoon, the weakness of our central defence gets ever more obvious. With Doherty the only senior centre back under contract, the club realistically needs at least two more, and that assumes that Mambo can step up to the plate this season.

There is also a shortage at left back, which if Youga cannot prove his fitness in pre-season will also need to be addressed. Whilst we all know that Jackson can play there, you wouldn't really want that would you? So, potentially a left back required as well. The same story applies at right back, but for different reasons, where Francis as cover for Solly may work on paper, but in reality he isn't good enough, even at this level.

So, anyone for a new defence then?

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Alonso*
Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Evina
Harriott
Pope
Solly
Sullivan

Contract End - June 2014

Green
Hayes
Hollands
Stephens

Loan

None

(* = contract length unknown)

Star Studded Midfield

2011-06-29T01:06:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of Dale Winton and Danny Baker to complement Fernando Alonso, Johnny Depp and Danny Dyer, our new look midfield is complete. I know it probably leaves Scott of the Antarctic completely frozen out, but we have to move with the times, as does Jose Maria Olazabal who may tire of football and take up a completely new career if rumours are to be believed.

It may have ruffled a few feathers but Sky's lack of knowledge of anything meaningful outside the Premiership did make me laugh out loud. Had Dale Jennings indeed chosen Charlton over Bayern Munich, that would have been news indeed, but normal order was restored soon enough, and our very own new look all star midfield will hopefully be able to provide Sean Wright Phillips and Melvin Hayes with all the ammunition they can handle. Now I know Messrs Winton and Baker haven't actually signed yet, but hey, let's not let facts get in the way of a good story :-)

Squad Status

2011-06-22T01:40:00.000-07:00

All three of these transfers had been widely rumoured before they became a reality, and that in itself was a surprise to me. Normally, nothing is said until the deal is done at Charlton, but these three had been widely touted for some time. Can't say I am wildly enthused by any of them, but at least the squad is now starting to be rebuilt. I just wonder whether it is Vetere, or Powell that is doing the rebuilding though. In the case of Alonso, my own feeling is that it is not a Powell appointment; in the same way that I didn't believe Wright-Phillips was either. I am sure there must be a good reason why clubs don't always announce how long a player has signed for. Much was made of Hayes three, and Evina's two year deals, but not a whisper as to how long Alonso has signed up for. Anyone seen anything? I shall go with two years for now, but any info gratefully received.

Elsewhere, Racon has left the building, and I view his, and Semedo moving on (if it happens) as positives. They were the best we had, but it just wasn't good enough. The arrival of Alonso I see as a direct replacement for Semedo, so just a matter of time before his departure becomes a reality then! The news that Powell is looking for six more additions sounds, at least numerically, to be in the right ballpark. As the status below shows, we currently only have nineteen pro's on the books, and in reality that number is at least four less when fringe players are removed. Still much to do then, particularly in the centre of defence!

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Alonso
Evina
Harriott
Pope
Solly
Sullivan

Contract End - June 2014

Hayes
Hollands

Loan

None

Move Along Inside!

2011-06-01T00:26:00.000-07:00

One of the more predictable bits of business was done yesterday, with the signing of goalkeeper Sullivan on a free from Millwall, where his contract had expired. Regardless of what you think of the quality of the signings to date, the Board and Powell have been true to their word when they said that they wanted to do their business early. With rumours about Hayes (Preston) and Martin (Derby) rife, what I would really like to see are some signings to change the back four, which for me was the weakest unit from the season just ended.

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Harriott
Pope
Solly
Sullivan

Contract End - June 2014

Hollands

Loan

None

Just Like Buses

2011-05-25T04:09:00.000-07:00

With thanks to Ketts for his feedback on my last post; my guess that Pritchard is on a one year deal has proved to be accurate. Hopefully he will get the opportunity to do enough next season, for the club to want to take up the option of a second year, which is also built into his contract. The other comment on my last post, from Anonymous is interesting, regarding the contractual status of Harriott. The only news on this I have seen was in the South London Press, where his agent was quoted as stating that he was due to sign a two year contract at the start of last week. I am not aware that there has been any announcement by the club to that effect though?

Another signing for the future also appears to have been made, with a two year contract being awarded to Pope, a goalkeeper from Bury Town. Again, I can see no reference to his joining on the official Charlton site, but there certainly is on the Bury Town one. I will go with the updates on both Pope and Harriott as having two year deals until any evidence to the contrary suggests otherwise.

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Harriott
Pope
Solly

Contract End - June 2014

Hollands

Loan

None

First Movement - 24th May 2011

2011-05-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

Much the same as racehorses have their official birthday on the 1st of January, it is also the norm that players contracted to the end of a season, are usually under terms until the end of June. Thus it is that player movement at this point in time is not something I really expected. A sign of the board's intent to do its business early perhaps, brings ex Bournemouth defensive midfielder Hollands to SE7 on a three year deal. Pritchard, also a midfielder, is a speculative punt from Hayes & Yeading, and I suspect is next season's equivalent of Ross Worner. I need to find out what length of contract he has been offered, but I suspect it is probably only the one season

If there is a mould that Powell is sticking with, then Hollands I suspect fits it. An ex Chelsea youngster, so well brought up, so to speak; blooded in the realities of third division football, and with the ability to play at a higher level, Hollands I suspect is the replacement for either Semedo or Racon. As you would expect at this time of year, there are a lot of rumours flying about, and although Semedo would seem to be the obvious candidate to be moving on based on this signing, and rumours about moving to Greece, I am not convinced that he will be. Remember Semedo is naturally at home at centre back, and I don't think any Charlton fan would argue that we could do with some of those.

So what of the other rumours? Elliot moving on sounds like an agent reacting to the news that our number one has been told that he will not be automatic first choice next year. Although it will be couched in terms of fighting for his place, I suspect Elliot is fully aware that in footballing parlance Powell doesn't "fancy" him as much as he believes he should do. With Worner already gone, we always knew a new keeper would be coming in, so if the recruitment is aimed at bringing in a new number one, it would be no surprise that Elliot is reacting.

Dailly not being offered a new contract, or at least not one on acceptable financial terms sounds plausible. As much as we love him, the big Scot is too slow, and I would far prefer to see him retained in a coaching role if one was sensibly available. Youga being allowed to prove his fitness in pre-season also makes a lot of sense; no commitment from either party at this stage, and it would be a fine thing if we could see our marauding left back restored to his best.

Anyinsah and Reid have both made it known that they have not been offered new deals, and I think it is a great pity that Anyinsah cannot stay injury free. A fully (and consistently) fit Anyinsah would definitely have been worth a new deal. Reid sadly has flattered to deceive once more. I wish him well, but his final pass was consistently woeful, and I don't believe he has done enough in a Charlton shirt to merit a new deal.

Having started this piece by saying that players are normally contracted until the end of June, I have removed all those from the contracted list who are due to go next month. I find it helps focus the mind on the size of the task Powell faces. Even if some stay, and to be honest, of those out of contract in a months time I would probably only keep Semedo, and at a push Llera, a big rebuilding task lies ahead. With the early signing of Hollands, the club is on the move early. More of the same please!

Contract End - Dec 2011

Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
Mambo
McCormack
Pritchard
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

Solly

Contract End - June 2014

Hollands

Loan

N/A

Charlton 0 Hartlepool 0

2011-05-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

A game of close teamwork, immaculate presentation, professional attention to eye catching detail, and co-ordinated moves from the training ground precisely executed. This wasn't just a marauding pack of about 40 Oompa Loompas and 10 Santas. This was Hartlepool fans waving their team off for the summer, and a damn fine job they did as well. I have no idea what their expectation of the season was, but I suspect it was to survive in this division, and I bet they were a lot happier than your average Charlton fan with their league position at the final whistle.

And so the season is finally over. Friendlies aside, there is no more competitive football for nearly three months now, and I for one am glad of it. This season has been a trial; a test of endurance unlike any other in recent memory. For me, as for many others, matchdays truly were a meeting of friends, a few beers, and some banter, only to be spoilt in the main by ninety minutes of football. The day had started well in the Rose of Denmark, where some twenty tweeters met; most for the first time, and I am sure it won't be the last, brought together as we were by social media, but with Charlton at the core. Oh yes, and there was a game of football to be endured somewhere in all this wasn't there?

I suspect my only abiding memory of this game in a week or so will be that we saw Fortune in a Charlton shirt for the last time. To be honest I didn't believe he was good enough to be offered a new contract, but I certainly didn't want his time with us to be cut short by what is suspected to be a ruptured Achilles tendon. I hope he recovers soon, and is able to resume his career. I just don't believe it should be with Charlton. We also waved goodbye to Eccleston, Parrett, and Nouble, all of whom return to their parent clubs for the remains of the Premier League season. Goodbye also to Bessone and Sullivan, the former signing off with a piledriver of a shot that I thought was going to take the crossbar apart, and I suspect there is a good chance we may see both as permanent players next season.

And that's that really. Time for us all to catch breath, and stop being worried as to how Charlton will play next week; they won't. Indeed, there were many occasions during this now past season when they didn't play either, but I suspect we will all be there to do it all over again in August. How many of the current squad will also be there will no doubt be the subject of intense scrutiny over the next few weeks.

Charlton 3 Rochdale 1

2011-04-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

That was as close as Charlton have come this season to a regulation, comfortable, and expected win. Oh to have played like that all season, but with the current squad, it was never going to be. With the injuries and suspensions taking their toll, there was really only one question in my mind about today's lineup; would it be the error prone Francis, or Solly at right back? As it turned out, we got the former, and the paucity of the opposition meant that his consistent frailties were never really in danger of being exposed. He (along with Doherty), played as well as most others, and should be congratulated for that.

The standout performers for me were three players who probably won't be with us next season. Eccleston, and Parrett both had passages of play that showed just how much better they are than third division level, and Stewart once again reminded everybody that he would be a more than useful addition to the squad. I am fairly certain however, that he will play elsewhere next season, whether at second division level in this country, or higher somewhere abroad.

Regardless of where the three of them end up next season, I wish them well, as I do Jenkinson. Why did people feel the need to boo him? Pantomime deviancy for daring to leave "little" Charlton for a big club? If I was his age, and an offer like that came my way, I know what I would do, and it wouldn't be stay at Charlton. A professional footballers life is unpredictable at best, and can be brutally short, so yes I wish him well in his venture, and no, I don't believe he will ever play for Arsenal in any meaningful match, but if it acts as a springboard for a career in the second tier, then good luck to him. But he could have had that at Charlton?, well possibly yes, but the jury is very much still out on that one at this stage. Arsenal as a route to it, is a lot more solid as career paths go right now.

As we know, Charlton were mathematically safe from relegation courtesy of the point picked up at Brizzle Rovers, despite the referee's attempts to determine otherwise, so today was meaningless in that regard. If players were looking to show that they were worth a place next season, then Racon did his bit to justify more than a passing thought. A well taken goal, and a generally good performance on the left side of midfield showed him as we know he can be, even though he only delivers it occasionally. It is widely rumoured that he has signed a pre-contract agreement to go elsewhere at the end of this season, but realistically he only ever produces in fits and starts, so on balance I don't believe he should be part of the Powell (r)evolution next season, but thanks for the performance today anyway.

Of those that barring an attractive bid from another club aside, will be with us next season, then both Benson, and in partcular Wright-Phillips did very well today. The latter played a clever match, setting up Racon for his goal, and almost doing the same for Eccleston. It showed a side to his game we had only fleetingly seen previously. He worked hard, and today he was provider rather than finisher. Benson too turned provider, setting up Eccleston for the third goal, and put in a performance of guts and tireless running, which at this stage is ok I guess, even when it doesn't come with guile and a strong enough all round game.

All in all, a very pleasant day, not ruined for once by ninety minutes of football. More of the same for the last game against Hartlepool please. At least leave a very long suffering support with some pleasant thoughts over the summer months. You owe us that at least!

Contract Status - Complete (ish)

2011-04-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

With thanks to Ketts at Doctor Kish, and Anon from my match report from the Huddersfield game, we can now see what Powell is faced with in the summer. Many of my fellow bloggers have given their take on what may happen with the current squad during the summer, and I will have my tuppenceworth in a week or so, but for now here it is.

Probably the biggest concern for me is the rump of players whose contracts don't expire until summer 2012. There is a real mafia of the mediocre in there, and although the manager may want to get rid, I suspect we may still have some of them around by the time we visit Welling. There have been statements from the club that fourteen players are out of contract in little over a months time, and I have deliberately not included those first year pro's from the end of last season who, quite frankly, have not set the Charlton world alight. Tuna, Stavrinou, Mambo, Davisson, and Perkins.

This would make sixteen out of contract, if they were all on one year deals, so let's wait and see......

Contract End 2011

Anyinsah
Dailly
Fortune
Jenkinson
Llera
Racon
Reid
Semedo
Stewart
Worner
Youga

Contract End 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
McCormack
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End 2013

Solly

Loan

Bessone (May 2011)
Eccleston (May 2011)
Nouble (May 2011)
Parrett (May 2011)
Sullivan (May 2011)

Charlton 0 Huddersfield 1

2011-04-16T23:53:00.000-07:00

This season, Charlton have more or less got out of a game exactly what they put in, win, lose, or draw. For the first time I felt that we didn't get that yesterday. We simply did not deserve to lose that game. This should have gone down as an entertaining 0-0 draw, by two average teams in this division. There was a better cohesion to Charlton's passing game yesterday, as well as no shortage of opportunity, but ultimately we were undone by a Gudjonsson strike.

If only the East Stand lino had made the decision not to flag Wright-Phillips offside, when both the Huddersfield goalie, and a defender were on the line, maybe our number ten would have scored. We will never know, but the chances would have to be rated as high. The other decision that looked dubious at the time was down to the ref, and I must admit that I thought it was harsh when the free kick that had thundered into Reid, and more importantly his hands was moved forward ten yards. It looked to me that the player was protecting his face, but Powell agreed with the referee that he had deliberately handled, so I will have to go with the manager, who pressumably has had the benefit of a playback of the incident.

Like many fans, I can't wait for this season to end. I Just hope that we don't finish below 14th, and beat our previous historic low, but if any team can, this one is it. On the balance of play yesterday, it would be a bit unfair, but I am now more interested in seeing what happens during the summer. To that end, please see the latest squad status below. I have Ketts to thank at Doctor Kish for the update on Jackson's contract, and we now know that Nouble and Sullivan will be with us on loan until the bitter end.

Contract End 2011

Anyinsah
Dailly
Fortune
Jenkinson
Llera
Racon
Semedo
Stewart
Youga

Contract End 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
Jackson
McCormack
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End 2013

Solly

Contract Length Unknown

Reid
Worner

Loan

Bessone (May 2011)
Eccleston (May 2011)
Nouble (May 2011)
Parrett (May 2011)
Sullivan (May 2011)

Charlton 3 Orient 1

2011-04-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

Well it had to come! The first win in twelve attempts saw Charlton emerge victorious for the first time since mid February. Not that it started promisingly mind you. A first half of honest industry but limited impact is probably the fairest way to call it. You can see that Powell is staying true to his desire for a passing game, but that only works when the players are comfortable on the ball, and there are still too many that are not. We all know this, of course, as does Powell, and in the first half of todays game it was Racon who caused the most problems with misplaced passes, that is until fifteen minutes before half time when he decided to go into hiding.

Orient weren't hugely better mind you, and it was I suspect another error by the Charlton rearguard that gifted McGleish his 200th, and the games opening goal. As the ball curved in from Charlton's right flank, (Orient have little Cox to thank for that), the former Charlton striker stole in I suspect completely unnoticed to prod home whilst the Charlton backline remained motionless. Whether it was offside or not I will wait to see, although I suspect it wasn't, but it did capture everyone flat footed. We didn't deserve to be ahead at the end of the first half, but then again we probably did not deserve to be behind on the balance of play, as patchy as it was.

What a difference a half time team talk can make. Charlton started the second half at a far higher tempo than the previous forty five, and were rewarded five minutes in, when a fine Wright-Phillips shot from a Racon cross fell kindly from the keeper's parry to Benson who prodded it home. Goal number two was straight out of comic cuts. Jones, the Orient keeper will have nightmares about that one! All through the game he had been playing keep ball, wasting time in the same way that the Tranmere keeper had in an earlier game, but boy did he come unstuck. A prone Wright-Phillips seemed to offer no threat, so the keeper threw it over him in an attempt to get Orient on the attack. The only problem was that our diminutive number 10 leapt up like a jack in the box, collected the ball, and cooly slotted it past the embarrassed keeper in a one on one situation.

If McGleish had little to celebrate despite scoring his 200th goal, Semedo looked like he had won the lottery after scoring what I think may only be his second or third goal for the club, but in the setting up of the goal, have Charlton finally sorted the midfield conundrum? The cross from a short taken corner came from Stewart making his home debut as a sub for the equally impressive Parrett. It was an impeccable ball that pretty much landed on our favourite Portugeezer's forehead without the need for too much movement from him. The other thing I like about Stewart is that he is gobby. I could hear the guttural Scots accent cajoling and ordering from the second he came onto the pitch. With no responsibility, he probably more than Parrett, released Racon to eventually shine, the Frenchman cracking off two fine shots that deserved more than they got.

And so, for the first time in six weeks I shall look forward to my Saturday evening red wine, and for tonight only a very '70's fondue. Looking forward to it actually. Tomorrow morning I shall read the football reports in my newspaper a slightly more contented man. We still have frailties, and some pretty fundamental issues, and the team has not changed into world beaters overnight, but hey we won! It doesn't take much to make us happy does it?

Paul Weaver

2011-03-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

R.I.P fellow blogger. Paul Weaver (Charlton North Downs) passed away 5th February, whilst playing tennis, his favourite sport. To Carol, Jill, family and friends my sincere condolences.

First Movement

2011-03-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we didn't have long to wait for the first move did we? I am not overly concerned with Jenkinson going. A footballers career is a short thing, and given the need for the Premiership to have an increased number of "homegrown", it is inevitable that they will now go looking for someone who may make it from the lower leagues. I doubt whether Jenkinson will make it in any meaningful manner at either Arsenal or Manchester United, if indeed it is one of those two he ends up at, but I don't believe anybody should blame him for trying.

I am extremely pleased to see Solly sign up for a further two years. The better of the two right backs for me has been persuaded to stay, and hopefully it will also consign Francis to the bench. Updated squad list below. I am still none the wiser as to the contract length of Jackson, Reid, or Worner.

Contract End 2011

Anyinsah
Dailly
Fortune
Llera
Racon
Semedo
Stavrinou
Stewart
Youga

Contract End 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
McCormack
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract End 2013

Solly

Contract Length Unknown

Jackson
Reid
Worner

Loan

Bessone (May 2011)
Eccleston (May 2011)
Nouble (April 2011)
Parrett (May 2011)
Sullivan (April 2011)

Charlton 1 Southampton 1

2011-03-23T03:04:00.000-07:00

Last night was needed, by Powell, the team, and most importantly the fans. What has been of most concern during this miserable run of performances, has been the polarisation of views amongst the fans. I expect club employees to be exuberant in their optimism, and some hearty, and indeed hardy souls in the fanbase will echo them. I expect others to have perfect 20/20 hindsight, but the vitriol and poison that has been oozing from the majority of the fanbase, whilst understandable, is as equally unrealistic and illogical as the position taken up by the most optimistic of supporters.

So where are we in reality? The truth is that the season is to all intents and purposes over. Slater's carefully crafted letter alludes to it, and I wonder if the PR / Marketing guru that came in the hand luggage of the takeover takes the credit for it, as it looks as though it has been constructed to push the buttons of Charlton fans at the very essence of their belief. Meanwhile on the pitch, something approaching the strongest side possible is starting to emerge from loan transfer activity, and players recovering from injury.

Solly over Jenkinson at right back has always been my favoured option, although I am not sure what "contract situation" the latter is in that would stop him playing. I suppose if a deal with Woolwich or Newton Heath is on the cards, then that may have something to do with it, and it is indicative of player movement already starting to take shape. Rumours are also widespread that a certain midfielder, out of contract at the end of this season, may well have signed a pre-contract agreement with another club for next season already.

In midfield, Parrett and Semedo in the middle, needs a fit Jackson on the left, and Eccleston instead of Wagstaff on the right to be probably as good as we can get right now. Up front, it will be interesting to see if Nouble's loan is extended to the end of the season to provide a genuine, and different alternative to Anyinsah who I would start with Wright Phillips, assuming of course that the ex-Carlisle man can stay fit!

Last season I produced a contract status update, which I think may be of even more interest this year, given the belief that comings and goings may well be high in the close season. There are a number of players whose contract length is unknown to me, so if you have any knowledge about those, or mistakes elsewhere please let me know.

Contract End 2011

Anyinsah
Dailly
Fortune
Llera
Racon
Semedo
Solly
Stavrinou
Stewart
Youga

Contract End 2012

Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
McCormack
Wagstaff
Wright-Phillips

Contract Length Unknown

Jackson
Reid
Worner

Loan

Bessone (May 2011)
Eccleston (May 2011)
Nouble (April 2011)
Parrett (May 2011)
Sullivan (April 2011)

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Charlton 0 Brentford 1

2011-03-13T00:27:00.000-08:00

If you thought we played badly today, think yourself lucky you weren't at MK Dons on Tuesday night. Now that was bad, really really bad. Today we were hugely better, albeit coming off a very low base. Brentford won at The Valley for the first time in 85 years, and quite frankly Charlton never looked like getting that little bit of luck that was needed. One crossbar, and one outstanding save saw to that.

As for the team, Dailly went off at half time, but whatever the problem was, it happened after about ten minutes, as I could clearly hear him telling the bench that he thought he was in trouble. Llera was impressive at getting on the end of free kicks and corners in the Brentford box, and deserved better than to crash one of his many towering headers off the bar. He was my man of the match, on a day that saw the latest big lump up front make his debut. I like the look of Nouble, and with some training ground familiarity I believe he can do a good job for us.

The reality of today's embarassment for me, lay fairly and squarely with the midfield. They did not protect the back four, and provided little in the way of service to the strikers. It had all started so promisingly with news reaching us in the Rose of Denmark that Francis had been dropped. It lifted a sombre mood, where yet again we faced the prospect of good company and a few beers being spoilt by 90 minutes of "football". I still believe Solly rather than Jenkinson is the better option at right back, but as it turned out we got to see both.

As if to make up for this heinous act of dropping his partner in crime, McCormack was still in the side, and treated us to a couple more heart stopping moments. Why did anyone believe that taking not one but two players from a relegated Southend side was somehow going to make us stronger? Ask Parkinson that one I suppose, and I guess a lack of funds had a lot to do with it, but today I heard something at The Valley, that I genuinely did not expect to hear. Someone openly and very loudly criticising the appointment of Powell, and the loss of a "good bloke" in Parkinson.

I never believed that Parkinson was the right man for the job, and I remain unconvinced that Powell is either, but am willing to see how it goes. To my mind Powell only works if he is genuinely going to be given at least a couple of years to learn his trade with us. I hear what people are saying about rebuilding the team during the summer, but before we all get too happy, let's not forget that our very own mafia of the mediocre, Francis, McCormack, and Doherty are all on contracts that don't expire until the end of the 2012 season. It doesn't stop anyone trying to buy them of course, but I just don't see a queue of managers lining up to secure their talents, do you?

So, down to 11th, and closer to relegation than promotion. As some wag shouted during the first half, "Sort it 'aht Alex, this is Dyer"

MK Dons 2 Charlton 0

2011-03-08T16:02:00.000-08:00

If it's hope that kills you, then Charlton are doing their level best to put us all out of our misery. A strangely lacklustre game, reminiscent of a training match played at three quarter intensity. "Remember lads, no hard tackling, this is just about meaningless passing with no end result. The result is not important" What else can I put tonight down to? There was an inevitability about the result from the moment it became obvious that an ultra conservative 4-5-1 had been adopted. We are not good enough to simply play for a point; fact.

The only player that looked like he cared tonight was Reid, and despite the predictable dreadful final ball, at least looked like he wanted to cause MK Dons some trouble. Meanwhile, Powell looked on, motionless from the sidelines. I am not sure if it was the act of a manager caught like a rabbit in the headlights, or the stance of a man that now realises the enormity of the task he has taken on, and is powerless to change anything meaningfully in the short term to transform the team's fortunes.

Five minutes from time, I sat in my upholstered seat, and promised myself that I would not single out Francis and McCormack. After all, the whole team had been poor, so why single them out?, despite the fact that both had put the team in danger on a number of occasions yet again, as appears to be their wont. As we entered injury time however, Francis gifted MK Dons the opportunity to deliver the coup de grace. Losing the ball yet again in a dangerous position, two MK Dons players scampered away, and an easy win was sealed as Baldock slid the ball into an empty net. A merciful killing indeed.

I will be there again on Saturday, but firmly of the belief that the play offs are beyond the capability of what we call our team. This same team that won four in a row when Powell was first appointed, has now taken one point out of a possible eighteen. Thirteen above the relegation zone, and ten away from the playoffs. Mid table obscurity is the only realistic "hope" I have for this season. Thankfully I was only twenty minutes away from a couple of pints. The people I feel sorry for are the hardcore fans who had to trek back south. Their passion and performance tonight put the team to shame, but even they must have been tempted to head for the exit when Charlton's capitulation was complete deep into injury time. We all deserve so much better than this.

Charlton 1 Tranmere 1

2011-03-05T11:30:00.000-08:00

"Oi Powell, can't you tell Francis he's shite?"

The last time an old man came down to remonstrate with the manager, we were being tonked by Brighton. Today, we never looked in any danger of that outcome, but it is alarming to see how the confidence of the back four in particular has nosedived to the extent it has. The gentleman of advancing years, having delivered his question full voice, turned and walked back to his seat. The stewards left him alone, and the manager quite wisely, did not even turn round.

I still find it alien that some fans boo the team, but it is definitely happening again, and not just at the end of the half or full time either. Yes, the players are collectively poor, but no worse than most in this division, and no Powell is not the Messiah, but hopefully sensible fans always knew that. It is interesting to see the players berated, but the sainted manager excused though, because the current slump, arrested by todays draw, is as much down to him, as it is to the players he has inherited from Parkinson.

As for the game itself, the first half was poor, poor, poor. It took a defensive mistake, of course; from Francis, inevitably, in the absence of Doherty, to put Tranmere ahead. Having said that, he is quite the conundrum is Francis. Bloody dangerous to the wellbeing of the team defending, but also quite dangerous going forward, and crossing into the box. If only he could defend, he would be er....a full back?

Hats off to Llera who seized his chance to shine, capping his performance off with a goal. Why do I always get the feeling with him though, that his defensive displays are like watching Bambi take to the ice for the first time. A slip never seems to be too far away, but credit where it is due today, as his errors were few, and fortunately non-critical. His attitude was spot on, and it has been some time since we have seen the trademark crossfield passing that seems to be his signature move. He fully deserves to keep his place for Tuesday night, especially as it is against his old employers.

As for the passing, it is quite obvious that the players have been told to pass and probe, and to keep doing it until they find a way through. The problem with that, is that it means the team as a whole has to be comfortable with the ball, and quite frankly the majority of our players are really not good enough to do that without giving it away under pressure. When done well, like Brighton, it is effective. When done at Charlton it causes rumbles of discontent from the crowd, and more than the occasional heart stopping moment when the ball ends up with an opponent in a dangerous position after a period of sterile to-ing and fro-ing, usually along the fragile back line.

Racon had one of his better games today, and was a problem for Tranmere, particularly in the second half, when Charlton remembered that it was ok to join in and play. The problems he caused though were not the ones he should have been causing, namely incisive passing through the opposition back line for a predatory forward to latch onto. Rather, he was causing most problems running at the defence with the ball at his feet. Valid, but doesn't detract from the fact we need a creative ball player in the heart of the midfield.

As for Tranmere, did they think they were playing Barcelona or something? I only ask because the slowing down of the game, and prevarication that ensued at every dead ball situation, right from the off, was quite obviously an instruction from their manager. What did he fear?, our high tempo, slick passing game? I really have no idea, but the referee should have clamped down on it immediately.

So, we have a draw after four straight losses. It isn't good enough of course, and yet again, this was a game that Charlton should have won. The crucial thing now, is to get a result on Tuesday night at MK Dons, and I shall be there to see it. Now is also the time for the loanees to be brought in. If he wants a big lump up front, then fine, but do not forget central midfield or centre back, as failing to strengthen those two areas may well be the difference between sneaking into the playoffs, or a season of mid table obscurity. Frankly, we deserve no more than the latter, but can realistically dream of the former with the right recruits.

Cashing In

2011-03-01T14:28:00.000-08:00

With a fourth defeat in a row testing the mettle of even the staunchest Sir Chris fan, allow me to point you in the direction of a little contretemps that went on in Reading today. This story comes courtesy of the Daily Mail, and provides a mere diversion from the growing pain that is watching Charlton right now.

Back in January we were all wondering if wealthy property developer Kevin Cash was behind the takeover of the club. The buyout led to the instalment of Michael Slater as shareholder-chairman of the club, whose ultimate parent company is held in the British Virgin Islands where shareholdings are never disclosed. Now more evidence emerges of Slater's links to Cash. A former employee at a property belonging to the Cash family was at an employment tribunal in Reading today, where Slater also appeared. According to the Daily Mail, Slater denies he is acting on behalf of Cash, rather he says he is acting on behalf of a management company with which the wealthy 47-year-old has close connections.

Well, that makes everything much clearer doesn't it? I believe that the club has stated that Cash is not involved with Charlton, but with the club registered in the Virgin islands, the truth is, we may never know who is involved or not. Most fans probably don't even care, especially if investment is made in the one area of the club desperately in need of it right now - the team!

For those in need of respite from the current poor team performances the full article is here:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1360985/Kevin-Cash-faces-court-battle-sacked-housekeepers-30k.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Give Me Strength

2011-03-01T03:44:00.000-08:00

So Benni McCarthy is set for a loan deal with Charlton?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1361608/Benni-McCarthy-set-Charlton-loan-deal.html?ITO=1490

I hope that as with everything else the Mail produces, this is just idle gossip, but I suspect it isn't. The need for a "large" target man is one thing, and there are sources suggesting that Powell was after such a creature, but does Piggybank spring to anyones mind here?

It could of course be part of a cunning plan, and that Sir Chris actually sees the way forward as converting him to a central defender. After all, why look for a mobile, fast centre back when McCarthy should certainly be able to cover most of the goalmouth just by standing still.

Charlton 1 Exeter 3

2011-02-19T13:01:00.000-08:00

There is a reason why we are in the third division, and unfortunately Charlton chose today to either remind; or for the newcomers, introduce, some 10,000 fans to the fact that we are really not very good. For the rest of us season ticket holders and regular walkups, it was business as normal really, and after riding some quite outrageous luck against Peterborough, and in particular Colchester, there was an inevitability in the results against Hartlepool, and Exeter. A balancing out if you will.

The result makes this seem far more one sided than it actually was. We hit the bar twice through Abbott and Doherty, and the post once. There was also one outrageous save made by the Exeter goalie Stabilo Boss, in his lime green, as opposed to shocking pink incarnation. I also have to assume that he got away with carrying the ball outside the area not once, but twice, on the basis that the East Stand lino was blinded by the light as Manfred Mann would say.

If luck had been with us, we would have won this match, but we can't really complain given some of our get out of jail antics of the last few weeks. In a nutshell, we made the same defensive errors we always make, and whereas we get away with it sometimes, today we didn't, and got punished for it. If the forwards can say they had a bad day at the office, then Doherty, and to a lesser extent Elliot, can count themselves lucky if they aren't put on a final written warning. All three goals were down to defensive error, and only Jenkinson can claim to have had anything resembling a decent game amongst the back line.

Having a tenor for a fiver, reduced season ticket prices, and a big screen, are all fine and dandy, but how many Charlton fans would gladly give all that up for a properly functioning team? I am holding out hope that the club are waiting to make loan signings in a timeframe such that they can be involved in any play off action we might be lucky enough to be in. If everyone I talk to sees the need for a central defender, and a playmaker in central midfield, then the club will absolutely know it. Let's hope that as part of the master plan to woo supporters back, the board remember to make the most important investment of all; in the team.

Charlton 3 Peterboro 2

2011-02-13T01:11:00.000-08:00

The first half of this match was like watching a match pre Sir Chris, with aimless hoofing and squandered possession being the order of the day. I was still surprised to hear the booing as the whistle went for half time though. As short lived and half hearted as the discontent was, it served as a reminder that while the love affair with the manager continues unabated, the desire to see better performance levels remains just as key to supporters.

It would be unfair to lay the blame for the abject first half performance totally at the players door though. Peterboro took the fight to Charlton in an injury disrupted first half, pressing all over the pitch, and could easily have gone in at the break two or three goals to the good, rather than just the one that actually separated the teams. It was down to a half time team talk, and the introduction of Abbott for the subdued Wagstaff that saw Charlton's fortunes transformed in the second half.

Abbott has never really won the hearts and minds of Charlton supporters, but his performance yesterday will have gone some way to changing peoples perception of him. It was an intelligent display, and really brought the best out of Eccleston in particular. For me, he was man of the match, closely followed by Semedo, who even took time out from defending the back line to clip Tomlin round the ear, out of sight of the replacement referee, but in full view of an enraged Peterboro bench.

What this game showed though, was the team's new found strength instilled by Sir Chris, and the age old weaknesses, which need to be addressed if Charlton are to challenge until the end of the season. As immense as Doherty in particular was at the heart of the defence, both he and Dailly were vulnerable to the pace of the Peterboro front line. The glaring weakness though was in the middle of the park. Whether it is McCormack or Racon, and Sir Chris currently seems to favour the former, the reality is that neither really hits the spot.

But, played four, won four is a stat that cannot be argued with, and the top of the third division gets ever tighter. With results elsewhere going the way of the top six, Huddersfield and Oldham fighting out a draw being the only exception, Charlton hold station in fifth, and those games in hand become ever more crucial.

Bessone

2011-01-31T05:36:00.000-08:00

Having worked in Leeds for some years, I contacted a couple of Leeds season ticket holder friends there to ask their opinion on Bessone, partly out of interest, but also to see if the negativity towards him that I am seeing everywhere else was reflected by people I know and trust. This was the comment I got back from one of them, which was in essence mirrored by my other friend.

"He was shocking but has not played in the 1st X1 since September when we were beaten 5-2 at Barnsley. Basically he could not defend, and was poor when attacking; just what you need for a full back! Hope you can improve him".

Hope indeed. On this one I shall bow to Powell's superior knowledge of who is and isn't a good left back. After all, if he doesn't know one when he sees one, then who does?

All Change

2011-01-30T07:39:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one thinking that Bradley Wright-Philips is something of a trophy signing? A declaration of intent by Slater and Jimenez rather than necessarily being a necessity to strengthen the team. We don't seem to have that many problems scoring goals, but letting them in is a different matter entirely. It is difficult to tell how much input Powell had on the decision to bring him to the Valley, as even if they were the first words out of his mouth when he walked through the door, the deal was signed sealed and delivered extraordinarily quickly.

Sodje to be sold, or more likely to go on loan is now in the public domain, and I suspect Abbott may not be too long after him, but what of other signings? The necessity to get players through the door by midnight tomorrow night whilst desirable is not the be all and end all, given that the loan window opens up on February 8th. Stories abound regarding a new left back, and a new target man style striker from Belgium, but very quiet on the possibility of a new centre back and midfield dynamo. Left back had to be dealt with as Fry's loan expires after next Saturday's game away to Yeovil, but do we really need yet another front man?

Dyer moving from Wet Spam to be Powell's number two doesn't fill me with a huge amount of enthusiasm, as I would have preferred somebody with a bit of experience to go alongside our new manager, but as has been said before, Curbishley and Gritt didn't have any experience either, and look where the experience of Dowie and Pardew in particular got us. I would still have preferred somebody with a track record though.

Charlton 2 Plymouth 0

2011-01-23T00:09:00.000-08:00

Remember, this wasn't just a cuddle, this was a Chris Powell cuddle. Crowd and players alike basked in the warmth generated by the return of the man with the biggest smile in football, and just as in the game against Portsmouth on our return to the Valley, Plymouth knew that their place in proceedings was to provide the perfect result to go with all the emotion and goodwill.

In the cold light of day, the best thing about yesterday was that the issues with the team remain consistent; it was just that yeterday nobody seemed to care. The crowd was physically larger than of late, and for once the c16k number looked about right, but it wasn't really the number I had been hoping for. I suspect that it was more a case of existing season ticket holders taking up their seats for the first time in who knows how long. Much work to be done then in restoring the faith, but no surprises there.

The game itself was pretty poor, with the first half in particular looking dreary in a Parkinsonesque sort of way, but for one small but crucial difference. In the week Powell has been with them, he has started to drum in the message that aimless hoofing of the ball is no way to run a railway. Much of Charlton's work in the first half consisted of passing and probing to a level not seen in a long time. There was no panicking when countless passes failed to find a way through, and in style reminded me of how Brighton played against us at the Valley.

The two goals were object lessons to any youngster, and both should feature on training videos. Wagstaff created his goal out of nothing other than harrying two defenders whose passing went awry under the pressure, and gave him the opportunity to then harry the goalkeeper which he did with aplomb sliding the ball past him, when he should always have been second favourite to reach it in the first place. Always chase down, and always follow in. How many thousands of times will you hear that being said in kids Sunday league matches? Eccleston's goal was also an object lesson in never giving up. It was his tackle that won the ball back, and it was his precise shot into the bottom right hand corner at the end of the same phase of possession that wrapped things up for us.

So, what now? As I mentioned earlier, the weaknesses within the team remain the same, and the real test for both Powell, and indeed Slater now begins. Our estimable central defensive pairing remain too slow and vulnerable to speed; even height sometimes as well. Whilst Dailly makes up for it in positional play, Doherty, Fortune, and Llera are not the answer to partner him. What is required is a young, tall, mobile partner with some speed about them, possibly a loan move from a Championship fringe player?

Both full backs fail to inspire, and although Solly and Jenkinson may be given a chance to challenge Francis, that may not be sufficient. There seems little challenge to Fry, so again a reinforcement, or possibly a replacement is needed there as well. Something will have to be done anyway, as his loan finishes on 5th February. The biggest challenge remains in central midfield though. Semedo is one dimensional, and Racon is not the answer to the need for a creative presence with some bite in the tackle. I see a loan move as the most likely route to bolstering the forces, although Bostock who has been cited in the media may not have the necessary bite to go with undoubted, if unfulfilled potential.

But all of the above can wait until tomorrow. Yesterday, we won at home by two clear goals for the first time this season. We won a game in regulation style with no real heart stopping moments other than the volley that landed on top of Elliot's net. Sitting six rows behind the home dugout also meant I got to see close up the biggest smile of the afternoon as Powell turned to celebrate the final whistle. It was a smile returned in spades by the addickted, who have been for the most part smiling since his appointment.

Really?

2011-01-14T00:37:00.000-08:00

Populist? Almost certainly. Cheap? Compared to a manager with experience; of course. The right choice? Hmmm - really not sure about that at all. Every manager has to start somewhere of course, and you can rightly point at Curbishley from our not too distant past, but remember it took him two years to come up with a team capable of challenging. Will our current owners afford Powell that luxury? I somehow doubt it.

I do wonder who his number two will be though. That is an appointment of some significance now, given Powell's lack of experience. After the initial euphoria has washed away, and the business of gaining promotion takes priority over the feel good factor, a strong number two to help guide Powell will be crucial in determining our fate this season. Below, I give you what I consider to be an excellent posting on Powell's appointment by New York Addick.

This pretty much says it all for me really. http://newyorkaddick.blogspot.com/2011/01/asylum-seekers.html

Decision Making

2011-01-13T01:22:00.000-08:00

Who is actually making the decisions about the first team squad at present? I ask because of all the loan activity that we are either involved in, or rumoured to be involved in. Eccleston joining from Liverpool, possibly to be followed by Lowry from Aston Villa, along with Abbott possibly going to Brizzle Rovers, seems to me to be quite a lot of loan activity for a club with no manager at the helm.

Maybe these changes were in train from Parkinson's tenure, but I am not convinced by that, and I don't believe Peacock is responsible either. Normally I would have expected little activity until the new man is in control, and can make his assessment and recommendations, but the new Board may understandably be feeling that time is of the essence, and I suspect that player policy currently sits square on Jimenez.shoulders.

It is potentially dangerous though, as it could make the post of manager less attractive if the squad is not capable of being changed in a way that a new manager may wish to change it. As each day passes, any new manager is going to have less opportunity to make changes in personnel, and depending on timing, may be faced with a squad largely fixed for the rest of the season. How attractive would that be to a candidate?, and could it potentially lose us someone with the quality we need?

Michael Slater - Solicitor's Disciplinary Tribunal May 2007

2011-01-06T05:27:00.000-08:00

Much interest was shown in the Grauniad article on Slater and Jimenez, including Slater's brush with the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in May 2007. It didn't really say very much other than that he was innocent on all five charges brought against him, but that "the way in which the Respondent (Michael Slater) conducted himself could well be detrimental to the good reputation of the solicitors’ profession as a whole".

Want to know more? Follow this link http://www.sra.org.uk/SDT/ and then scroll down to May 2007, and open the pdf in Slater's name. Some interesting facts in amongst the grey stuff, like for example, that Slater owned a debt recovery agency.

Parkinson Gone?

2011-01-04T05:56:00.000-08:00

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11684_6634497,00.html

If true, then either a knee jerk reaction of the worst kind, or more likely was always part of the plan. Pretty poor either way, and I don't even rate Parkinson!

Charlton 2 Swindon 4

2011-01-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

Swindon played well, and there is no doubt that the three points rightly belong to them, but they really weren't that good. I suspect they couldn't believe just how poor Charlton were this evening.

Normally after a bad day at Charlton, I leave it until the following morning before posting a match report. The reasoning goes that I will have a better sense of perspective on the game once I have had a chance to sleep on it. I don't even feel anger at the pile of rubbish that was served up tonight, just an overwhelming sense of despair at this abject capitulation.

Chanting "Parky out" is understandable but the blame lies with all of the players as well as the coaching staff. Just what formation were we meant to be playing at the start? 4-3-3?, or 4-5-1? If it was the former, then the players obviously did not know what they were meant to be doing. To call the formation fluid suggests some sort of cohesive plan, but there was no such thing in this game from a Charlton perspective. Oh and it didn't get any better when we went to 4-4-2 after the break.

Defensively we were beyond poor. Jackson was wasted at left back, and I assume he was there as punishment for Fry's performance at Colchester. I assume the same was true for Fortune replacing Doherty.
Defenders ball watching caused two of the goals, but although the weakest of the team units, they were not alone in producing this abject display. I don't believe I have ever seen such a woeful passing display from the team as a whole as I saw today. Not just one or two players either; they were all at it.

The meeting between Parkinson and Slater should be an uncomfortable one, and if not, it bloody well ought to be. In terms of improving this team, where on earth would you start after tonight's performance? Fortunately we all know they can play a lot better than this, but what a dreadful way to end the holiday.

January Sales

2011-01-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

Just how "difficult it is to play against ten men", (copyright P Parkinson), was played out again today, as Charlton let another two points go begging at Colchester. It got me thinking about what needs to happen during the transfer window, with Fortune now out of contract, and Fry out after the Swindon game.

My own feeling is that Fry will stay with us until the end of the season. West Ham are unlikely to see him as made of sufficient amounts of the right stuff to meaningfully assist them in their quest for Premier League preservation. There is also the small matter of having too many players on their books, so I expect to see him stay with us. It is just possible however that Basey may return, as his contract with Barnet also ends this month, and I believe he would be a somwhat cheaper option than Fry as well. Poor old Youga has long since gone as far as I am concerned, and I don't expect to see him in Charlton colours ever again.

Fortune is another matter, as although he is capable at this level, he doesn't have sufficient wherewithal to dislodge even Doherty from the team. In my perfect plan, I would want to see him released, and replaced. I don't believe Seip is the answer, otherwise we would have seen him on the pitch by now, and Llera is definitely not the answer. Mambo is too inexperienced, although I would be delighted to be proved wrong, so for me a central defender who is a natural first choice starter would be one to get during the transfer window.

Francis is not the answer at right back, and along with McCormack has to go down as a dubious transfer by Parkinson. Quite what Gareth Bale will do to our former Southend man next weekend is all too easily imagined, but with a contract extending until summer 2012, we are almost certainly not going to see the back of him any time soon. Whilst young Jenkinson did well in the paint pot trophy, Solly is the one to apply the real competition for the shirt, and I hope he will be back soon to provide it. If that is not going to be the case, then a new right back is required.

I have little concern with the wide positions in midfield, and I don't believe there is necessarily a need for another striker either, but what is urgently required, is what has been missing all season, namely a genuinely creative central midfielder. The type of player with the guile to unlock a team with ten men; the type of player to play the ball into Benson early, which is what he thrives on; the type of player to split a defence with an incisive pass for Anyinsah to run on to. I think you get my drift. Racon should be that player, but isn't, and Semedo is too one dimensional, and is really only useful as a holding defensive option.

So, in summary, I believe we need a creative midfielder, a first choice centre back, and possibly a first choice right back as well. I wouldn't turn down a striker, but I don't believe it should be a priority.

The End Of An Era

2010-12-31T09:07:00.000-08:00

So that's that then! I must confess to a tinge of sadness in all this; not because of what Slater and Jimenez may or may not do with the club, as time will very soon tell on that score, but with control passing from Richard Murray, the man who presided over the best of Charlton's recent history, we really have reached a watershed in the development of the club. Richard Murray, from a financial perspective at least, must be a very relieved man right now, but rest assured Richard, the phenomenal contribution you have made to the history of Charlton Athletic will never ever be forgotten.

The takeover detail is obviously lacking right now, but I dare say, more detail will come out over the next few days and weeks. As Glynne Jones, the erstwhile CAFC listmeister succinctly tweeted, we need more information on how the takeover was financed, i.e. where has the money come from?, and what debt does the new company carry as a result of the takeover? Most importantly for Charlton fans, is what are the plans for the next six months?

As you would expect from a lawyer, Slater's answers regarding the takeover have been smooth and non-contentious; he even laid to rest the ghost of any Dennis Wise involvement in the deal. It is also good to see a sensible transition in place regarding the new look Board, with Murray, Varney, and Kavanagh all involved. I wouldn't expect it to stay that way beyond the end of the season, but a potentially sensitive immediate issue handled well nevertheless.

I wish Slater and Jimenez well in their stewardship of our club. They will be only too acutely aware that Charlton fans will be watching their every move, and that their every answer to every question will be analysed to within an inch of its life. If they are even half as good for the club as Richard Murray has been, then our future is in safe hands. I trust that it will be so. I wish them, Richard, and all of you a very very happy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year for 2011. COYR!

P.S. - Many thanks to Big Dave Lockwood, Glynne Jones, and Chicago Addick who have all been very helpful as I have taken my first few hesitant steps on the dark side, err I mean in the wonderful world that is Twitter. See you there @Bruce_Monty

Charlton 0 - D'Urso 1

2010-12-27T01:21:00.000-08:00

Well it was all D’Urso’s fault then? Sorry, but my own feeling is that despite the blizzard of communication coming from the club, all with the subtext that the referee was solely to blame in all this, I think the reality was that the club indulged itself in a game of brinkmanship with the elements in a desperate attempt to get the game on, and lost in the ninetieth minute. Whether the need to play the game was to do with off pitch matters relating to the takeover is conjecture, but I suspect the need may have been a lot more prosaic, and that the club needed to generate match day revenue; as well as not wanting to add to a growing backlog of fixtures.

Oh Dear!

2010-12-17T02:18:00.000-08:00

Interesting - someone censored my blog by removing the image in this post. For those who didn't see, it was a prime example of why you should never be friends with your own kids on Facebook, and showed Paul Konchesky's mum giving it large to Liverpool fans for verbally abusing her little lad. Had it managed to adhere to any grammatical structures in the English language at all, it may have had more effect.

Charlton 3 Yeovil 2

2010-11-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

A promotion chasing team that still wins, even when it isn't playing well? Charlton certainly rode their luck today against a team in all sorts of trouble at the wrong end of the division. All I can say to Yeovil fans is that if your team continues to play like that, you have enough about you to avoid the drop. There are easily four teams worse than Yeovil in this division.

The fact that Charlton won this match, owes as much to good luck than anything else. Even before Jackson found the net with a scuffed finish from a peach of a cross from Martin, Yeovil could easily have been two up. It was obvious that they had been told to get in the faces of Charlton and test their resolve, and courtesy of an alarmingly creaky backline, it almost paid off.

I don't think I have seen the back four play as poorly collectively as they did today. Fry was probably the best of the quartet, but even he caused a collective sharp intake of breath on occasion. Doherty just seemed grateful to get something on it, and invariably leathered the ball back upfield straight to a Yeovil player, or on one occasion into his own net. I couldn't see whether Dailly elbowed the player to get sent off, but friends in the East stand were unanimous that although unintentional, he did indeed catch him with an elbow. This is bad news, as it means Dailly is now banned for the next four games, unless it is turned over on appeal, which I think is unlikely.

The worst performance though was that of Francis. Whilst I saw little to concern me in the first half, the second half was played out right in front of me, and quite frankly he was dreadful. In the space of ten minutes in the second half, he either got caught in possession, or leathered the ball to an opposing player in a dangerous position, or on one occasion decided to let the opposing player take the ball from near the bye line believing that it was going off for a goal kick. I don't know if Solly is close to returning, but Francis really does not merit his place on the basis of todays performance.

In between all this fragility at the back, Racon got the second from what was a fiercely driven cross from Fry, that our favourite Frenchman did extremely well to control. His turn was instant, and the shot into the inside of the far post was a joy to watch, the ball bending away from the keeper leaving him with no chance.

I also now know why we employ Sodje Jnr. In Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear comments that although he can't fly, he does do falling "with style". The same I believe can now be said of Sodje; more Buzz Lardarse than Lightyear admittedly, but fall with style he did, and Jackson dispensed the penalty in much the same way he did against Peterborough last week. He almost got a second as well.

Oh, and one other thing. If Breacker wants to do a repeat off the effing and blinding he decided to launch at a spectator directly behind the home dugout then fine, but expect a visit from the police next time. I have no idea what the guy said to spark the reaction that he treated us all to, but it took a panicking husband nearby to stop his wife reporting him straight away for swearing profusely in front of her children. I had never seen her before, and maybe she was persuaded to come by her other half, but whatever the reason, she did not appreciate the anglo-saxon language. I suggest he focus his "passion" towards the pitch next time.

Get Rid

2010-11-07T01:31:00.000-07:00

News today that Peter Ridsdale has launched an £11m takeover for Charlton. It's in the News of the Screws for those who want to read it, and I for one hope that they have got the story right about Richard Murray's reticence about it. Ultimately it is now his decision as to whether to accept a bid or not fortunately, whether from Ridsdale, or a cited third party that is allegedly his preffered route.

The detail in the short piece suggests to me that there may be some credibility in it, but Ridsdale would not be my choice either. I worked for the same organisation as him some years ago, and Ridsdale is fairly typical of a sizeable number of senior retailers in that he has an ego the size of a small planet, albeit in his case, without the ability of a Stuart Rose. I watched him preside over Top Man, and it was quite apparent that what little talent he had was being sucked away by his love of the limelight that Leeds United gave him, and we all know what happened there.

He was perfect for Top Man in some respects, in that the brand was in those days a triumph of fading chav style and power over focussed content and future longevity. It couldn't last of course, and far more capable hands than his were responsible for the turnaround that happened in that division of The Burton Group as it was then. His stewardship of Leeds United was alarmingly similar, and extravagant promise comes at a cost as Leeds United fans are all too well aware.

His talent was all too present at Cardiff as well, and the report that only £3m of the reported £11m takeover is in liquid cash rings all too true for me. He tells a good story, paints pretty pictures, but there is little of substance about the man. For me, and if the report is true then Murray shares my concern, is the credibility of such a bid. Ridsdale has form in football alright, but it isn't good at all.

Charlton 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0

2010-10-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

Well hasn't that performance made the whole weekend seem so much better? Today was the best performance I have seen from Charlton all season. They have played better in patches in other games, but the worrying trend of only turning up for one half was certainly not present today. Everyone played a magnificent part in a free flowing game that for once we looked like we wanted to win from the first minute to the last.

Ask a selection of Charlton fans who were there today to name their player of the match, and it is quite possible that you will get a range of names. It seems churlish to pick one man out of a solid, and yet creative game, that the blue side of Sheffield contributed to in no small measure, but for me it was Anyinsah, who was a major problem for the Wednesday rearguard throughout.

Had it not been for Weaver making no less than three top drawer saves in the first half, Charlton fans could easily have been looking nervously over their shoulders with a three or four goal lead by half time. Fry, Jackson, and Benson were all denied by our former stopper, but Wagstaff made the breakthrough, and how appropriate on the clubs academy day, that it was a lad who has been with us since the age of eight who got what turned out to be the winner.

A good day at the office, a very good day indeed

Charlton 0 Brighton 4

2010-10-17T00:21:00.000-07:00

A very strange day at the office. It would be unfair just to say we were rubbish, because we weren't for large parts of this game. We created as many chances as Brighton in the first half, but crucially did not convert any of them. Where it really was not very good at all, and where the damage for me was done, was largely down to the manager however.

A question or two to get us started if I may.

First question. If a four man midfield is not coping with Brighton's diamond formation, what do you do? Yes, that's right, you change it. Not if your Parkinson you don't. You also forget to rescind the order on Semedo to curb his aggression in the tackle for fear of another yellow card and a ban. End result, one very ineffective midfield.

Second question. Why bring all eleven players deep into the eighteen yard box to defend corners, when any second phase possession is going to fall to a waiting Brighton player sitting just outside it? Oh, and while we are about it, any chance of marking the player involved in the short corner routine? I place the blame for this on Parkinson. It was quite obvious that the players were under instruction to defend like that, almost zonal it was. Again, it rendered the defence ineffective, and invited pressure that was duly dealt out in spades by a very good Brighton team.

Third question. Does anybody think Parkinson will have taken note of how to pass a football? A lesson in control, precision, and above all simplicity from Brighton compared to the over elaborate, convoluted machinations of a sterile Charlton team. This was best summed up for me by Reid, who when surrounded by three Brighton players, span like a top, and went round in circles at least three times looking for an escape route which was never going to materialise.

Whilst I have some sympathy with the frustration that drove a seventy year old man to get himself to the dugout to remonstrate with Parkinson, the reality is that we are really not very good. Not just Parkinson, but his team as well. Yesterday's result has been coming for some time, and although I also have sympathy with the concerted chant of "Parky Out" rolling off the North and East stands, the chances of it happening I believe are very limited. His contract ends next summer, so maybe then, but until then we need to get behind the team, because on the evidence mounting up, we are far more likely to be involved in a relegation dogfight than a push for promotion.

Charlton 2 Dagenham & Redbridge 2

2010-09-26T01:21:00.000-07:00

Right, let's start with a positive shall we? If Charlton can play as they did in the first half an hour of this game, as they apparently did in the first half of the Tranmere game, then I can see where Parkinson is going, and that this group of players can indeed become a team to fight for promotion from the third division. So one sided was the first thirty minutes, that after Llera's towering header put us ahead, it seemed like only a matter of time before the floodgates opened. Dagenham were poor, very poor, and were there for the taking. Once again though our profligacy in front of goal came back to haunt us.

The game for me turned on the penalty incident. I know I am in a minority here, but for me it definitely was a penalty. You cannot shove a striker in the back while he is in the air and expect to get away with it. A very soft penalty for sure, but a penalty nevertheless. The ramifications of that action changed the match. First, Parkinson lost it, and got himself sent to the stands for the second half, but more telling for me was what he said, or indeed, did not say during the half time team talk.

The perceived wrong of the referee's decision should have given Parkinson the opportunity to fire up his troops for an all action, "injustice" fuelled second half. The fact that it did not, and that Charlton were second best throughout the second period says more to me about the manager's lack of ability to motivate, and instill discipline, even in himself, never mind his team, than anything else. The player to show that lack of discipline more than any other was the hapless Llera.

Momentarily a hero in the first half, Llera made three mistakes in the second half, any one of which could have ended in a goal. The first two came with the team pushed up, and with Llera just inside his own half. Bad decision making on both occasions resulted in an opposing player scampering away from him, fortunately to be thwarted by a combination of a scrambling Doherty and Worner. The third incident saw him being turned on the edge of his own eighteen yard line and found wanting for pace, this time Worner on his own coming to the rescue.

What of Fortune? If he is fit enough to make the bench, surely he must be fit enough to appear on the pitch? Llera needs a spell on the sidelines, and for me it needs to happen before Dailly is fit to return. Even if Fortune is not the answer yet, why not put Fry back there? I don't go with the argument that he cannot handle big strikers; after all he is a Wet Spam academy graduate, one that they believe will make it, and put faith in that judgement by giving him a new contract at the end of last season. I am sure he has dealt with big strikers before, and will again, whether in a Charlton shirt or not.

The team only began to look threatening again when Reid came off with a leg problem, the result of which saw Jackson pushed up into left midfield with Fry slotting in at left back. Leaving aside the well taken goal, the quality of crossing and dead ball delivery from Jackson was infinitely superior to that of the injured Reid, although in fairness to him, he was only on the pitch for about ten minutes. In a midfield that isn't providing the ammunition to our misfiring strikeforce, I believe Jackson should be given a chance on the left side of midfield. Perhaps then, Benson will get a quality of service to allow him to threaten defences again. Yesterday he was anonymous throughout, and most of that was down to a lack of quality ball to him.

So, where are we? Two games played against bottom four teams, and only two points gained from the six on offer. This is not promotion seeking form or capability, and just isn't good enough, it really isn't.

Charlton 1 Notts County 0

2010-09-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

That was truly dreadful. No, that's harsh, let's try again shall we? In a happy clappy style perhaps? The whole thing about a brand new team taking time to gel is an argument I have put forward myself, but the reality is that Parkinson has a collection of individuals, some of whom have more than a modicum of talent at this level, but he does not have a team, he really does not have a team. That is ultimately down to him, and nobody else.

Notts County could have easily won this game two or three nil, and had it not been for man of the match Elliott, they could at the very least have so easily mirrored both the performance and result of Exeter a week earlier. A penalty save where a trailing leg held firm in the centre of the goal as Elliott went to his left to save Hughes penalty, saw the ball balloon up and over the bar having hit said trailing leg was just reward for keeping Charlton in a game that quite frankly they deserved to lose. Swings and roundabouts I suppose, as we probably should not have lost at Exeter.

I have a question here. Why was the pitch being watered directly before kick off? Yes, yes, I know all about the ball moving faster over a damp surface, blah blah blah, but to what advantage? It certainly did not help Charlton, as player after player lost the ball in dangerous positions due to having no purchase on the pitch, and falling over like something out of a cartoon. It was Reid falling over in such a manner that led directly to the penalty. I don't blame Fry for giving it away, he was left with very little choice in the matter, but if a moist surface is that important, can we at least get the choice of stud correct?

Something unusual happened to me during todays game, a first in the twenty plus years I have been watching Charlton. I almost fell asleep. I am not saying this for effect, I almost fell asleep in the middle of a sodding game of football at The Valley. Theatre of dreams?, it almost bloody was for me! I knew it was going to be a long day, when the only notable change in the starting lineup was Fry replacing the hapless Llera, which also allowed Jackson to take up the left back slot. My concern of last week and previously, remains the same, we had no creative force in midfield.

I don't blame Semedo or McCormack for this, but they are essentially fulfilling the same function, and it was only with the introduction of Racon that finally we got a moment of passing cohesion between himself, Martin, Sodje, and Anyinsah that provided the last mentioned with the decisive goal. I am not convinced that Racon is the answer, but a timely dip into the loan market for such a midfield muse is desperately needed if funds allow.

Still, a win after two defeats keeps us flowing along in mid table anonymity, which is no bad thing, but Charlton are going to have to do a lot better than this if we are to have realistic pretensions to a top six place.

Balance

2010-09-04T23:54:00.000-07:00

Mid table anonymity, that perfect tipping point between needing three points to top the table, and being three points above the relegation places. Early days I know, but the realist in me tells me that somewhere mid table may well be where we end up this season. There was a report yesterday quoting Parkinson as saying that the game against Exeter City was likely to be a tactical battle, but long before the penalty was awarded, it was quite obvious what the tactic was from a Devonian perspective.

It is a failing at Charlton that is constantly exploited at this level, and it goes something like this. "If you let Charlton play, they will murder you. If you sit on them, and pressurise them out of their passing game, we can nick a point, or if we get lucky all three".

Not rocket science is it? Where Parkinson consistently failed last season, was that he was unable to change things sufficiently to counter this tactic, and the shape of this season will be largely dictated by whether he has learnt anything from that. Having the personnel to make such changes is of course key. Whether Racon would have been the answer, we will never know, as he spent the game removing bench splinters from his bum, but a creative force in midfield, capable of unlocking obdurate defences is very much an imperative right now. Whether we have such a creature in the squad is open to debate, but I suspect that the shape of our season will depend on the answer.

Are We Nearly There Yet?

2010-08-31T14:09:00.000-07:00

I go away for two weeks and what happens? We go out of the Carling Darling Cup - good. We draw with Oldham, and lose to Huddersfield - entirely predictable, although the paucity of the performance at Huddersfield is a worry.

We sign three players in one day, and not before time says I. Anyinsah is the only surprise in the pack, as no mention of him had surfaced, even though he appears to have spent the last two weeks training with us. Oh for someone to peer through the railings at Sparrows lane, notebook on hand, like some misguided train spotter! With 11 goals for Carlisle last season, this looks like a good signing. Not sure whther he is going to be the impact substitution for Wagstaff, or the other way round, although I suspect it may well be the latter.

The chase for Benson ends with him signing, but I must confess to being a little concerned about this one. We have acquired a journeyman unproven at this level, remind anyone of McLeod? Parkinson obviously rates him highly to have continued the pursuit for as long as he did, but with precisely zero goals to his name thus far this season, the jury will remain out for a while. One thing that has not been mentioned in all this, is that Steve Tilson, the manager at Southend when Benson was looking to join them, told him that if the Shrimpers got promoted to the third division, then he would not be offering Benson a deal. They did, and he didn't. He rated him in the fourth tier but no higher, so all to prove.

Oh, and welcome back Fortune, albeit only until the end of December, but a useful addition nevertheless. I would also be sorry, but not surprised to see Racon head off to Greece as has been reported by Sky Sports. I suspect he needs a higher grade of football to shine, than that on offer at The Valley at present. Not sure he will get it at Panionios, but at least he would be playing in the top tier, which I suspect would be a better opportunity for him to shine. His parting gift? To propel Charlton into the next round of a cup that I care even less about than the Carling Darling.

We are still short on playing staff in depth though, with 22 senior pros, 23 if you count Smart, but with Youga injured, and Racon likely to go, that still leaves us short by about two or three. For me, we need a senior goalkeeper to back up Elliot, and now, most fundamentally, a creative central midfielder, probably on a loan. Solve that one, and I would be confident of a run at the playoffs again. Without it, a season of mid table anonymity beckons.

As for the Paint Pot Trophy, I genuinely don't care, and Pardew out at Southampton? I am just staggered at how football continues to celebrate and reward failure. Fair play to the Saints though for realising it sooner rather than later. The ego has landed with a bump, a bump no doubt softened by another seven digit severance payment.

Contract End 2011

Anyinsah (Contract length not known)
Dailly
Jackson (Contract length not known)
Llera
Racon
Reid (Contract length not known)
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Worner (Contract length not known)
Youga

Contract End 2012

Abbott
Benson
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
McCormack
Wagstaff

Loan

Fortune (Dec 31st 2010)
Fry (Jan 4th 2011)
Martin (May 31st 2011)

Non Contract

Smart

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

A Sad Day

2010-08-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the best and worst of football from SE7.

The best was the sensitive and sincere reaction of the club to the tenth anniversary of Pierre Bolangi's death in a lake in Aldershot. It seemed like yesterday that the army were trying to protect one of their own in an act of moral bankruptcy, just down the road from Deepcut in case you don't know the area.

Fortunately a court saw through the lie in short order.

I wonder what most people make of Messrs Dickson, Sinclair, and Basey reporting Charlton to the PFA for the alleged non-payment of a one month salary severance payment? Whether they are entitled to it or not is not really the point is it? The timing of this story is at best poor, and quite frankly reflects badly on a profession that could teach the army a trick or two regarding moral bankruptcy.

Charlton 1 Bournemouth 0

2010-08-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

The opening game of a new season should be played on a brilliant summers day on an immaculate sward of green baize. Courtesy of Paddy Powell we had the latter, and for most of the first half the former, but the rain that had been threatening for most of the day finally arrived to add to the sweat of honest, and for the most part limited endeavour of the twenty two on the pitch. In fairness, the limited ability applied far more to Bournemouth than Charlton, who occasionally looked like they had only just met for the first time, which of course is largely true, but compared to Bournemouth they looked a far more cohesive unit, and occasionally could muster a threat that the visitors were unable to manage at any time in the match.

There were exceptions to the honest but limited toil of course, most notably Reid who tormented the Bournemouth defence to breaking point, Sodje the grateful recipient of yet another teasing run and cross that cut the opposition open allowing a straightforward tap in to a much leaner striker than last term. Martin on for the last fifteen was well worth the wait, and the arrival of the Ipswich man in place of a tiring Wagstaff produced a cameo which in flashes showed the difference in class between honest labour and artistry that we have not seen at the Valley for some time. This was best encapsulated by some of the most skillful and impudent keep ball as you are ever likely to see this season at the Valley, the architects being Reid and Martin, who having bamboozled three defenders with chips and back heels let the ball out of the trap to McCormack, who was so surprised to see it emerge that he almost lost it on the edge of the Bournemouth box.

At the other end of the scale, the sending off of Semedo seemed harsh given that both players had gone sliding in for a 50:50 ball. Yes the studs were showing from both players, but it could just as eaily have been our favourite Portugeezer that was injured. It was after this incident that to me referee Hegley panicked and lost control of the game, fortunately to the detriment of both teams in equal measure. A win and three points on the board is good, but let's not fool ourselves that this was a good performance. It was disjointed at times, industrial in others, and against a better team than Bournemouth we would probably have come unstuck. The team is what it is, a work in the making, and oh yes, we really do need a predatory striker.

Opening Doors

2010-08-07T01:22:00.000-07:00

Transfer activity should be over until at least after the Bournemouth game today possibly! Four signings in the space of forty eight hours is a lot to keep up with, but I can't see any of them making the starting eleven today, although I expect at least three of them to be on the bench. Martin is the latest to arrive, a £1.5m Ipswich purchase from Manchester United only a year ago, and now on the transfer list. Quite has gone wrong for him at Ipswich isn't immediately obvious so hopefully a footballing difference of opinion with Roy Keane rather than anything else. To paraphrase a certain beer commercial, he's good, but he's not a striker, his more natural positioning being right side or central midfield. He has however, played as a supporting striker, so again Parkinson has remained true to his mantra of versatility, but I am not convinced he is the answer to our lack of firepower. He should be a class above the vast majority in the third division if he can stay fit, but that is a big if, given his injury record to date.

So, here we go again, the first game of the season is upon us, and I know I should be excited, but I feel curiously flat about this one. Our squad is still in the making, and although it is capable of achieving mid table mediocrity, it does not look like a side capable of automatic promotion. Time will tell of course, but I hope Parkinson still has a "surprise" for us, and I hope it is a genuine out and out striker. A win today against a more unified Bournemouth team would be no mean feat, but I suspect a draw may well be a more realistic outcome. 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.

Contract End 2011

Dailly
Jackson (Contract length not known)
Llera
Racon
Reid (Contract length not known)
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Worner (Contract length not known)
Youga

Contract End 2012

Abbott
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
McCormack
Wagstaff

Loan

Fry (Jan 4th 2011)
Martin (May 31st 2011)

Non Contract

Smart

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Frying Tonight

2010-08-05T04:10:00.000-07:00

So welcome back Matt Fry; not that we saw much of him first time round. The powers that be at Wet Spam obvioulsy rate him though, as he has been awarded a new two year contract. Parkinson also rates him, and I suspect we may see a bit more of him this season, and hopefully not just warming the bench. It does make for good competition on the left side, so a solid signing in that regard.

And now a striker, a striker, my kingdom for a striker! (pretty please). I suppose we had better have a second goalie as well; oh we now have one, Worner from Woking.

Contract End 2011

Dailly
Jackson (Contract length not known)
Llera
Racon
Reid (Contract length not known)
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Worner (Contract length not known)
Youga

Contract End 2012

Abbott
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
McCormack
Wagstaff

Loan

Fry (Jan 4th 2011)

Non Contract

Smart

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Pierless

2010-07-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

There was a time when Ipswich were our feeder club, but now it appears to be Southend with that dubious honour, after the signing of right back Francis today, making it five new players to arrive at the Valley in the close season, two of them from that place with the pier. I can't say that Francis stuck out in my mind from our encounters last season, but that may not necessarily be a bad thing.

Oh, and suddenly we have a sixth in the shape of Abbott from Oldham signed less than seven hours later. Not quite the 20 a season striker we need, more a Bailey replacement in terms of the goals he is likely to contribute, but hopefully the next signing will be the one to trouble the upper reaches of the goalscorer of the season charts.

Contract End 2011

Dailly
Jackson (Contract length not known)
Llera
Racon
Reid (Contract length not known)
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Abbott
Doherty
Elliott
Francis
McCormack
Wagstaff

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Muzza Moves

2010-07-28T00:32:00.000-07:00

Well done Richard Murray for preparing the ground for a potential investor / buyer to enter the fray. It is good news of course, but celebration is somewhat premature. It is Murray's next move that is likely to be the really interesting one. I don't normally like posting the material of others, as it is the information and views of someone else that is already in the public domain, but maybe a poster on Charlton Life has uncovered the next part of the story when he posted this;

"Just done a bit of digging around and noticed that a new company was formed 16th July 2010 called Charlton Athletic 2010 Limited (Reg No 07317403). Its registered office is in Leeds. It has 2 shareholders; Michael Bold with an address in Cheshire and Sebastien Charles Sainsbury with an address in Geneva. Both of these people have only one other Directorship listed, a company called Caistorian Limited which also has a registered address in Leeds and was incorporated on the same date, 16th July 2010. Sebastien Sainbury tried to buy Leeds in 2004".

Sainsbury is relatively easy to find information about, and yes he is part of the family, but it makes you wonder who Michael Bold is?

A Good Reid

2010-07-17T00:53:00.000-07:00

Good to see Reid back, and good riddance to McLeod. Another player needing to be paid off, and I suspect McLeod will not have compromised too much on the basic £400k + he would have earned this year. I genuinely feel that McLeod and Moutaouakil between them have trousered about £650k of Charlton money, and probably not less than £500k. Well done to the club for getting shot of the two of them anyway. At the other end of the scale, it would be a shame to see Basey go, but it does explain all the left sided transfer activity with Jackson and Reid the probable duo to patrol the left flank, possibly with (Esajas?), and hopefully a returning Youga as competition.

So what do we still need? A goalkeeper certainly, (Kitteridge?), cover at right back (Mulley?). I still feel we need a fourth central defender, but with cover from Semedo, and the youngsters Mambo, and Jenkinson, I doubt it will happen, although I would love to see (Fortune?) back. The left side of defence is probably complete, although it does rely on Youga recovering, preferably before Jackson gets injured. Basey may also stay of course, but I am less convinced he will now. Young Carter may well get a bow at left back if circumstances conspire against us.

The lack of cover continues in right midfield, and although Reid can do a job there, it doesn't represent enough cover for Wagstaff. (Sawyer?). The centre is probably one player light as well with Semedo, Racon, and McCormack backed up by Davisson, Stavrinou, (A.N.Other?).

Charlton's achilles heel once again is up front. Sodje is never going to be the answer to the need for a free scoring striker, and whilst I can see the logic of having a big lump up front in the third division, two front line strikers are definitely required. (Bauza?) may be one of them, but I am unclear as to who the second might be. (Thorvaldsson?) picked up an injury, but may well feature again before the season kicks off.

Contract End 2011

Dailly
Jackson (Contract length not known)
Llera
Racon
Reid (Contract length not known)
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Doherty
Elliott
McCormack
Wagstaff

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Give Us Our Dailly Red

2010-07-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

Now that is a proper signing! Whether it will do anything for the 20% drop in season ticket holder numbers I doubt, but even the 8,000 signed up is as good as I could have expected. Just need a couple of strikers, a goalkeeper, three others, and to get rid of McLeod now. Not much to ask is it?

Contract End 2011

Dailly
Llera
McLeod
Racon
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Doherty
Elliott
Jackson (Unknown length of contract)
McCormack
Wagstaff

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

What's Left?

2010-07-09T03:10:00.000-07:00

I would be interested to know from those in the vicinity of Sparrows Lane whether a certain Mr. K Youga has been seen training? Absent for the latter part of last season through injury, any mention of him suggested that all was not well with our erstwhile marauding left back. Coupled with that, the probable signing up of Basey to go alongside Jackson, and the probable playing of a left midfield triallist, ex of Sheffield Wednesday at our first pre-season friendly this Saturday, and I do wonder whether we have seen the last of Youga, I do hope not.

And speaking of things left, what of McLeod? I suspect that after the shenanigans he had with no fewer than three managers last season, our boy now has a reputation that is shall we say a little tarnished. If ever a player needed removing from the Charlton gene pool then I suspect he is it. Sadly, I fear we may not be able to get him away. Such a shame really, as he should be terrorising third division defences for us, and not listening to his i-Pod whilst counting the £8k a week he is widely believed to be "earning".

Contract End 2011

Llera
McLeod
Racon
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Doherty
Elliott
Jackson (Unknown length of contract)
McCormack
Wagstaff

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Floodgates?

2010-07-08T04:26:00.000-07:00

At last the Bailey deal is done. All fairly muted on how the deal breaks down in terms of when the money is to be paid, but nevertheless an extremely good bit of business by the board, so hats off for that. Hopefully this, and Richardson's transfer will allow the recruitment gates to open for Parkinson, who has a bare 11 to choose from, kids aside. The SLP is reporting the imminent arrival of Jackson from Notts County which I would regard as a positive move, given his sound performances for us whilst on loan last year. Just that 20 a season striker needed then?, oh and a second goalkeeper, and coverage at centre back and and and..... I know, I'm just being greedy now.

Contract End 2011

Llera
McLeod
Racon
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Doherty
Elliott
McCormack

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Movement At Last

2010-07-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome Gary Doherty. A much more reassuring signing for me than that of Sodje Jnr, or McCormack who we have also signed today. No detail of the contract length on the official site for the Southend player yet, but for now I am going to call it as two years, given statements in the press. How long would you give the weaker half of a partnership with Bailey? Actually, I don't need to call Sodje "Jnr" any more do I? After all big brother has gone now, and so indeed has Fleetwood. I couldn't be bothered reporting his transfer as quite frankly he did nothing for us, except take the money handed out by an as usual profligate Pardew.

I can however be bothered to report on Richardson's transfer to the above mentioned Pardew's Southampton for £450k. This is not good, not good at all, but can come as no surprise, given that Charlton are now in a position where they have to sell if any semi sensible offer comes in. So why did he have to go, when surely all that lovely money for Bailey is waiting for us?

What is happening with Nicky Bailey? He passes a medical eight days ago, and yet the oft mentioned move to Middlesboro still hasn't happened. Boyd managed to transfer from Rangers with less fuss, and publicly at least a lot quicker, and all that with a World Cup on as well. I suspect that even if the headline £1.4m transfer fee for Bailey is credible, the reason for the delay is in how it is paid. Charlton will want as much as they can get up front, but I suspect that Boro are playing hardball on the amount of the initial payment. I still struggle attaching credibility to the £1.4m fee, so have to believe at this stage that our North Eastern cousins have probably only offered somewhere between £500k and £750k up front, the amount that I believed we would get for him in the first place.

So, we still only have 12 senior players; (and one of them is Bailey), although I struggle to see Stavrinou in that category, but beggars can't be choosers. I only hope that the Bailey situation can be resolved quickly, as I suspect the credibility of the squad Parkinson can put together for the forthcoming campaign will be seriously compromised if he cannot move in the market immediately. The delay in moving Bailey on will almost certainly be the material factor in causing that compromise. Middlesboro know that, and I do wonder if the sale of Richardson has something to do with it as well.

Contract End 2011

Bailey
Llera
McLeod
Racon
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Doherty
Elliott
McCormack

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Well Well Well

2010-07-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

And so with Randolph joining Motherwell on a free, the squad is effectively down to 12 senior players and 5 kids. It is now the 1st of July, and our first pre-season game is in two weeks time. It actually gets worse, as Bailey will be gone shortly, and both McLeod and Fleetwood are obviously not "fancied" to use footballing parlance. Hopefully Wagstaff and Basey are all but in the bag, but who else?

Parkinson talks of "several" signings in the pipeline awaiting the transfer of Bailey, and let's face it he will probably need a dozen to even have a squad capable of competing in numbers. I hope that there will be some loan signings in there, as I suspect that is the only way Charlton will be able to retain sufficient quality in the squad to thrive in the third division next season.

At present though, survival has to be the target.

Contract End 2011

Bailey
Fleetwood
Llera
McLeod
Racon
Richardson
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Elliott

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

So Solly

2010-06-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Gosh, Parkinson will even have bums to put on the bench at this rate - literally rather than metaphorically I hope. Welcome back on board Solly, and hopefully Basey, Randolph, and Wagstaff will also put pen to paper soon. I am not about to waste time on the debacle that was England over the weekend. Suffice to say that "Ingerlun" will never be a force to be reckoned with until the grass roots of the game are tended, and some airspace in the rarified heights of the Prem is created to allow them to develop at the top level of club football.

As for our lovely "Chullun", can Bailey please go quickly, as I suspect a number of dominos won't start to tumble until he does. Given the proximity of pre-season, time is rapidly becoming of the essence. Even if you believe that say four of those out of contract in two days time will stay, it will leave Parkinson looking for about eight new faces, and even then that will only give him a squad of twenty four players, if you leave the first year pros out as not being ready yet.

Contract End 2010

Basey
Burton
Clark (Released)
Dailly
Dickson (Released)
McKenzie (Released)
Randolph
Sam
Sinclair (Released)
Sodje S
Spring (Released)
Wagstaff
Warner (Released)

Contract End 2011

Bailey
Fleetwood
Llera
McLeod
Moutaouakil (Contract Terminated)
Racon
Richardson
Semedo
Sodje A
Solly
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Elliott

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Gissa Job?

2010-06-22T23:54:00.000-07:00

In a week when an unspecified number of Charlton staff started the redundancy process, young Stavrinou has his contract extended for another year. Probably not the first name out of the hat for most supporters if they were asked who they would like to keep for 2011 from those whose contracts expire in just over a weeks time, but at least Parkinson now has eleven players to choose from, lucky fellow.

That could change very soon of course, as Bailey to Middlesboro seems to be a done deal in most peoples opinion. I have to say, I am staggered at the thought we might get £1.4m for him, and I am already on record as believing that £1m would be silly money for a player who started last season like an express train, and ended it like Network Rail. I will keep my powder dry for now, as the deal is not done, but it will be interesting to see how much cash we would actually get up front for him.

Elsewhere it is ominously quiet as to who will stay and who will go. As the club are in no position to turn down any vaguely sensible offer, agents will no doubt be working overtime trying to secure their clients the best deal they can for next year, whether that is with Charlton or not. Let's hope that some of the class of 2010 can be encouraged to stay. Not all of them mind; after all they weren't good enough to get us out of the third division last term, so why would they be any better next time round? New blood is definitely required, but will out of contract journeyman pro's and untried non-leaguers be any better?

Contract End 2010

Basey
Burton
Clark (Released)
Dailly
Dickson (Released)
McKenzie (Released)
Randolph
Sam
Sinclair (Released)
Sodje S
Solly
Spring (Released)
Wagstaff
Warner (Released)

Contract End 2011

Bailey
Fleetwood
Llera
McLeod
Moutaouakil (Contract Terminated)
Racon
Richardson
Semedo
Sodje A
Stavrinou
Youga

Contract End 2012

Elliott

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

Anothe One Bites The Dust

2010-06-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

How a third division club could justify having both a CEO and a MD was lost on me. Regular readers will know that I didn't rate Waggott at all, and I am delighted that he will be removed from the payroll as at the end of this month. Kavanagh as an accountant is far better suited to the role of overall head of the club's day to day affairs given the straitened circumstances Charlton finds itself in, and I wish him well.

In Waggott and Moutaouakil we now have two expensive heads removed, McLeod remains as the blot on the copybook, and it is a concern rather than a surprise that his agent has warned that his player will not be pushed out the door. In other words McLeod will have no qualms about taking his salary for another year, and doing as little as possible for it if necessary.

As for other rumours, well they are just that. Bailey leaving is only a matter of time, and I would expect us to get about £500k for him. No doubt when the deal is done, it will have various appearance and sell on clauses, but the reality is that £500k probably represents the best value we can get for him presently. All the talk of £1m transfer fees are quite frankly silly. Other than that, it is difficult to see who else is likely to command a fee. Youga, Semedo, and Racon are the most likely, but it wouldn't surprise me if all three remain Charlton players when the transfer window clangs shut.

As for incomings, well I have to believe they will be freebie journeymen and promising fourth division and non-league players. Despite the removal of two high earners, I suspect that is all we can realistically afford these days.

One Down

2010-06-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Moutaouakil has finally left the building. Where it seems to be a fairly wideheld belief that McLeod is on c£8k a week, I suspect our departed Frenchman would not have been a million miles behind. I wonder how much that "termination" of his contract cost the club?, because cost will almost certainly have been involved, unless they have managed to drum him out for some breach of contract, which I think is unlikely. My guess is that it will have cost c£250k to say goodbye.

What it does mean of course is that we have seen the first meaningful move toward restructuring the squad into a smaller, and less well paid thing. McLeod must be well and truly in the cross hairs now, as his salary, and attitude are every bit as untenable to the club as the departing Moutaouakil's would have been, if not more so. There is something seriously amiss with McLeod, when not only Parkinson, but Jackett at Millwall, and Gannon at Peterborough drop him like a hot stone. It is such a shame, as even McLeod would have been dangerous at third division level. It's all irrelevant of course, as we simply cannot afford to keep him.

As for the transfer rumours, well, they are just that. Parkinson has placed the inevitable "For Sale" card in the shop window by stating that there has been no expression of interest shown for Bailey, just as a whole plethora of clubs are cited as being interested in him - we shall see.

Here is an update to where the squad is now:-

Contract End 2010

Basey

Burton

Clark (Released)

Dailly

Dickson (Released)

McKenzie (Released)

Randolph

Sam

Sinclair (Released)

Sodje S

Solly

Spring (Released)

Stavrinou

Wagstaff

Warner (Released)

Contract End 2011

Bailey

Fleetwood

Llera

McLeod

Moutaouakil (Contract Terminated)

Racon

Richardson

Semedo

Sodje A

Youga

Contract End 2012

Elliott

First Contract

Davisson

Jenkinson

Mambo

Perkins

Tuna

Silly Season

2010-05-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

Not the one just gone, but the short summer break during which all sorts of comings, and mainly goings will be happening in SE7. It is widely known that 14 players contracts are up this summer, but here as a reminder is a run down of who is on what contract, and what I think may happen to them.

Contract End 2010

Basey
Burton
Clark (Released)
Dailly
Dickson (Released)
McKenzie (Released)
Randolph
Sam
Sinclair (Released)
Sodje S
Solly
Spring (Released)
Stavrinou
Wagstaff
Warner (Released)

Of these, I would expect Basey, Solly, and Wagstaff to be offered new deals. I would also like to see Burton, Dailly, and Randolph offered one year extensions as well. I am unclear as to whether Sinclair and Stavrinou are good enough to warrant a new deal, and I believe the rest will go, either as not good enough, or in the case of Sam because somebody else can afford to pay him more than we can.

Contract End 2011

Bailey
Fleetwood
Llera
McLeod
Moutaouakil
Racon
Richardson
Semedo
Sodje A
Youga

From a financial perspective, the removal of McLeod and Moutaouakil is an imperative. I would expect the others to stay, with the possible exception of Bailey who might command a fee worth releasing him for. The reality is that if anybody came in with a semi sensible financial offer for any of these players, the club are more likely than not to take it. The exception here is of course Sodje Jnr who we have apparently signed. A deeply uninspiring start to the summer transfer window. He didn't do it, or even remotely look like doing it this season, so why on earth does Parkinson think he will do it next season?

Contract End 2012

Elliott

Will stay unless somebody comes in with some money to spend on buying him.

First Pro Contract

Davisson
Jenkinson
Mambo
Perkins
Tuna

The Rest

I believe that Parkinson has a deal to the end of next season, so I expect him to stay, although I don't believe he is good enough quite frankly. As for behind the scenes, can we get rid of the ineffective Waggott please? I also expect to see Rick Everitt leave as well, but that is more down to what he has been reported as saying about the management of the club rather than anything else. Who knows, maybe he already knew he was going when he made those statements, and I for one agree with them wholeheartedly.

It's Semi-Finally Over

2010-05-17T23:48:00.000-07:00

There will be huge amounts of conjecture as to what happens now, but last night the team did its level best to make us proud. As the official site says, they gave absolutely everything for the cause. It is just unfortunate that it was not quite good enough. The story of the season played out in one game really. We set off like an express train, all purpose and neat play. By the end the honest endeavour was there, but the quality had become intermittent at best, and the advantage was gone.

To go two up, and take the lead in the tie overall for the first time was excellent. To then see an opponent sent off quite rightly for trying to lodge his studs in Burton's chest was wholly appropriate, but how appropriate was it also that we managed to throw those advantages away?

Not really that surprising if we are being honest, after all this is Charlton - gotta love 'em!

Perspective

2010-05-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

The first news story I remember was from 1966, and I was six years old. The World Cup? No it wasn't, it was Aberfan, and what made it stick for me was not the fact that 144 people died, but that 116 of them were my age or close to it - six years old. For the first time in my young life I understood that I was mortal. It was a realisation that in 1971 was reinforced by the Ibrox disaster, albeit I didn't realise the enormity of it at the time. I witnessed it.

It was the first game of football I had ever attended. My father was a press photographer for the Scottish Daily Express, and he did his job. At 10 all I saw was a stairwell collapse, and lot's of people panicking in slow motion. I didn't even realise that 66 people had died. All I knew was that my father was taking far more photographs in what seemed like no time at all than he had done during the rest of a match that was nearly finished. It will be the 40th anniversary of that disaster next year.

Roll forward

Twenty five years ago this very day, half my lifetime ago, 56 Bradford City supporters died at Valley Parade on what was supposed to be a day of celebration for them; indeed supporters were celebrating on the pitch dull to any realisation that the stand behind them was claiming 56 of their own. I wasn't as shaken by it as I was four years later by 96 Liverpool fans dying at Hillsborough. Why did that effect me when Valley Parade and even Ibrox had not? Well, I was a football supporter by then; the refugees at Selhurst Park had claimed me for their own, as unloved by even many of their own as they were. A part of football was in pain, and I felt it as sharply as I had Aberfan 23 years previously. I had something in common you see.

Aberfan, Ibrox, Valley Parade, Hillsborough.

Good luck to Charlton for the play offs, but do you know what. in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter does it?

Lucky 13

2010-05-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

Between 16:09 and 16:22 this afternoon Charlton were on their way back to the second division. It was never going to last of course, and Millwall taking the lead against Swindon, and Leeds going down to ten men, drawing level, and then beating Brizzle Rovers put paid to what was at best an unlikely set of circumstances that would have seen us promoted automatically, rather than face the uncertainty of the playoffs.

On balance Leeds deserved their passage back up the leagues, certainly more than Charlton would have done. To think we lost out by one win in the end. How many games this season have we seen where that should have been the result, but for a variety of reasons wasn't? That's all in the past now of course, and it's onwards to the playoffs, or rather it would be if the club website wasn't misbehaving itself yet again, while I was attempting to check for ticket details. Ah - we are indeed truly third division!

Unfortunately I cannot make games during the week, so I shall be watching the home leg at a pub in Northants. The away leg would have been tempting, but I suspect I don't qualify. I can but try though!

Charlton 1 Leeds 0

2010-05-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was important for two reasons; the first being that we need to show some form as we head towards the play offs, and secondly the mathematical hope of automatic promotion is astonishingly still there, albeit somewhat unlikely. Charlton win at Oldham, Leeds lose against Bristol Rovers, and Millwall and Swindon fight out a draw - simples!

Yesterday was my 50th birthday, announced by Big Dave Lockwood at half time, so thanks to my wife and friends in the Rose of Denmark for organising it. The team of course were suitably galvanised by this knowledge, and put on a second half, which on balance meant that we deserved our winner. The first half had been a frenetic affair, lacking that one touch of real class that could have seen either side go in at the break one goal to the good.

In some ways the now near inevitable 1-0 scoreline was fortuitous, the goal requiring the head of Leeds defender Naylor to change the flight of the ball sufficiently to beat the Leeds keeper. Whilst Sodje junior celebrated by getting a yellow card, it will definitely go down as an own goal. I can't see the dubious goals committee even needing to sit for that argument to be settled.

The game started in a fractious manner, and I seriously thought referee Probert was going to lose it after about ten minutes. If tempers were in danger of boiling over on the pitch, then they were even closer off it. Parkinson and Kinsella spent most of the first twenty minutes in incensed mode, keeping fourth official Kettle fully occupied either listening to their grievances, or giving him cause to have to leave his chair to admonish one or other of them for infringing the technical area. The cause of this ire was not immediately obvious to me, as yes Charlton were being subjected to crafty shirt pulls and blocks all over the pitch, but let's not kid ourselves, we were no angels either, a fact that Grayson was also keen to point out to Kettle on numerous loud occasions.

The team showed a cohesion and fight yesterday, that had it been seen across the entire season would have seen us promoted as champions quite some time ago, but given that fight is capable of being engendered in the team, albeit on a sporadic basis by Parkinson, then now is the right time to be showing it.

Celebrations

2010-04-28T00:20:00.000-07:00

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?

Charlton 0 Norwich 1

2010-04-17T22:59:00.001-07:00

There was a pleasing symmetry to yesterday from a Norwich perspective. Twelve months ago we had sent them down to third tier football, and yesterday we sent them back to the second tier despite our best efforts to stop them. All this without their two best players, as Holt was suspended, and Hoolahan injured, and yet Norwich still had sufficient class in their ranks to shut us out, and nick the points. In some ways it was the story of our season; we were good, but not that good. The stats regarding possession speak for themselves at 68% us, 32% them, and to put it into perspective, they only managed to get into our final third four times in a fifty minute second half.

The lack of a true predatory striker at this level came back to haunt us yet again, with the hapless Sodje Jnr coming off after forty two minutes, having spent most of the first half on his back. Most of our chances fell to Bailey, and although the Norwich goalkeeper had a good game, the saves he produced were all regulation, the ball coming at him at a good goalkeeping height, and with little venom. Much like ourselves, he was good, but not that good.

Was I the only one puzzled by Parkinson's substitutions? Burton for Sodje Jnr - fine, but removing Semedo for Reid? All this did was relieve pressure on the midfield from a Norwich perspective, not to mention remove our best player from the pitch. It would have made more sense to sub Racon at that point, or even (heresy of heresies) Bailey. Team shape was then thrown out the window completely when Parkinson brought on Shelvey for Bailey, but by that stage he was desperately trying to chase the game.

Results elsewhere mean that we are still in with a shout for second place, which is both astonishing and barely deserved. I genuinely did not believe that we would get more than one point from the last two games though, so hats off to a solid display against Colchester on Tuesday night that has left us pretty much nailed on for the playoffs. It would take a collapse of Charltonesque proportions to deny us at least two more post season games. On the evidence of yesterday, it is difficult to predict whether we would get a third.

Looking Up or Looking Down?

2010-04-12T02:39:00.000-07:00

The fact that Charlton blinked first in the race for second place was no surprise to me, and that it should be Pardew's Southampton that caused it, even less so. Most people seem to believe that the play offs are the most likely outcome to the season, and that may well be the case, but I am not convinced that Parkinson or the players are necessarily capable even of that. The remainder of this week is crucial to whether even the play offs are a realistic ambition.

Our own performances against Colchester and Norwich are crucial, as even one point from those two games could well be the difference between sixth and seventh come season end. The game on Friday night between Huddersfield and Millwall is also crucial to our chances, and strangely a Millwall win would be better for Charlton than the reverse. How ironic would that be!

Carlisle & Other Things

2010-04-06T03:10:00.000-07:00

It is surprising how people view the same event in completely different ways. Monday's fare was toe curlingly dull in the extreme. Following on from two games where the opposition managers both felt with some justification, that their teams should have won, Charlton should have buried Carlisle; damn right we should have. Were we ever going to?, of course not. This is Charlton after all. At this stage of the season, nobody does pretty any more, and if a seven point haul from an available nine on offer is the result, then I for one am not going to complain about it. Oh, and Bailey got an enforced rest over most of those three games, something that was quite frankly not before time. Sodje Senior was immense yesterday, and another good performance from Mooney, this time as provider deserves praise after the opprobrium he has received of late.

As for other things, the club are congratulating themselves on convincing 60% of the season ticket holding base to renew early. I suspect it will be a little higher come 5pm this afternoon, but now the club has a different issue to tackle, namely what of the near 40% who have not renewed at this time? As has been pointed out elsewhere, the club has now put themselves in a bit of a corner, as nothing more can happen with the absentees until the club's fate for next season has been decided. Simplistically, the missing 4,000 will fall into two broad categories; those that have no intention of renewing, and those that have chosen not to at this time for a myriad of reasons, ranging from budgetary to general dissatisfaction. I suspect, and hope that the latter category is carrying the majority, but the clubs actions now will determine whether the former category gets bigger.

Achievement on the pitch will have an impact, there is little doubt about that, and the Board obviously has no control over that, but there is a secondary elephant trap that the club does have the power to do something about, namely seat allocation. I would strongly urge the club to hold off allocating seats to those who renewed early, where the seat in question is being held by a current season ticket holder, who has not yet renewed. It seems unreasonable that somebody who has budgeted for their season ticket to be paid for in the conventional season ticket buying window, should lose their seat because they are not able to change when they can afford to pay for it. Just a thought.

Archbishop Desmond

2010-03-20T23:33:00.000-07:00

We share the same sponsor, and we share the same players, with no less than six ex Charlton in their squad. Oh, and their management team also has more than a nodding acquaintance with Sparrows Lane as well. It is only reasonable therefore that for the second time this season we should share the points. This was a game we should have won, and a game we could have lost. On the balance of chances created, Charlton should have buried this one, but did not. We played one of the weakest teams in the division yesterday, and were evenly matched, and yet I cannot point a finger of criticism at any one player, as having had a mare. We have indeed found our level.

A word here in support of Mooney, or "Moons" as Parkinson calls him, a monicker that shows all the imagination and originality that football managers are near legendary for. He had a good game yesterday, leading the line well, holding up the ball and laying it off with some aplomb, and his goal was both deserved, and very good. It isn't very helpful to abuse players, but Mooney seems to be attracting a level of criticism that yesterday was quite simply not fair. To boo the whole team off at half time may have been understandable; to shout "Parky Out" only reasonable in light of the horror show at the The Toolbox, but quite simply the level of expectation among fans is still unnaturally high. As Parkinson said "We did as much as we possibly could do", it is just unfortunate that it is not good enough, even in our present lowly surroundings.

I do feel that our recent stuttering performances are at least partly influenced by the simple fact that Bailey is horribly out of form. The team is simply not clicking at present, with Racon hiding yesterday, and Bailey spraying wild passes with wreckless abandon, Charlton entered the dreaded last ten games with little indication that this seasons run in will be any better than any of the others since our first skirmish with the promised land of the Premiership, all those years ago. In the following twelve years, the most points we have gleaned from the final ten games was thirteen, and that was in our Championship winning season. To maintain a play off place, Charlton will have to do at least that well, and an automatic place I feel is a step beyond our abilities this year.

Whether Elliot paid the price for his fumble that gifted Gillingham their second goal, we will have to wait and see. I know the club are saying that he was injured, but there was no sign of any problem that I could see, and it would indeed have been harsh to have removed him for one mistake, when those around him were chalking up far more. We are still third. at least until Monday night, a sign that those around us are just as fallible as we are. It doesn't make me feel any better though.

Charlton 2 Stockport 0

2010-03-06T22:56:00.000-08:00

Three points, two goals, and a clean sheet, what's not to like? In truth this was a dreadfully dull little game, and had it not been for the uncharacteristic netting of two goals in the first ten minutes, may well have ended in frustrating stalemate, such was the paucity of attacking threat from Charlton. Don't be fooled by the result though, Charlton played like a team short of confidence and ideas, and it was fortunate that in Stockport we faced a side of loanees who haven't really worked out how to play together yet. Best to draw a veil over this one, and move on.

There will be far harder days than this, starting next weekend when we go to The Toolbox, but for now we have Leeds still in our sights, and that is as good as it gets right now.

Southend 1 Charlton 2

2010-02-28T01:56:00.000-08:00

Is everybody around us catching the Charlton disease? Colchester lose, Swindon, Leeds, and Huddersfield draw. We really couldn't have asked for much more could we? A more convincing display at Roots Hall, particularly in the first half would have been nice, but let's not get greedy. I bet the odds of Charlton still sitting third after yesterdays games would have been fairly generous, albeit that Colchester and Swindon can still go above us when the games in hand are played out. Just a shame that the dreaded last ten is fast approaching. For once, could we have a semi sensible end to the season? Somehow I doubt it. Whether it be good or bad, I think we all know it will be anything but sensible

Charlton 1 Brighton 2

2010-02-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

I am desperately reminding myself that at the start of the season I genuinely believed we would finish in mid table mediocrity. This prediction was based on the premise that we would lose most of our midfield before the season had even started. When it became obvious that none of them were going, I got a rush of blood to the head, and sent off my predictions to CAFC Picks, which now look wildly optimistic in terms of a points total.

The reality is that we are a third division side for a reason, and the reason is that we are not very good, and we should both acknowledge and live with that. I suspect we will finish in mid table, and as galling as it is watching Charlton do in 2009/10 in the third division, exactly what they did in 2007/08 in the 2nd division, the reality is that we do not have the right calibre of players for this division, and in Parkinson, we do not have a manager capable of driving the team in times of adversity.

Charlton 2 Yeovil 0

2010-02-21T01:43:00.000-08:00

Well that felt better didn't it? When I heard the line up before the match, I felt that Parkinson had settled for the best side he could put out, and the players ultimately did not disappoint. This wasn't perfect, but with determination coming from every player, we got our just reward.

Man of the match for me was Elliot, who made no fewer than five match saving stops, so this wasn't a one sided regulation victory, far from it. Yeovil caused problems, and on another day we would have drawn or lost this game. Defensively we still look vulnerable, although Llera did not put a foot wrong, replacing the hapless Sodje Snr. who was confined to the bench, along with his younger brother. Now when was the last time two brothers sat on the same bench, and did not get a kick all game?

In the same way that Racon lost form, and has worked his way back, I would suggest the next player in need of a rest out of the limelight is Bailey. He had a poor game yesterday, albeit by his very high standards, he did not look too out of sorts, but out of sorts he certainly is. I am not sure I would be comfortable with a Semedo / Racon central pairing, but do feel that Bailey has been somewhat below his best recently. Jackson had a solid debut, and he and Reid look a well balanced pair down the left hand side.

Speaking of a well balanced pair, I don't believe a single bloke in the stadium didn't go "ouch" when Tudur Jones, the man with the double barreled name, almost lost his two veg blocking a cross from the Charlton left, that in fairness carried more venom from Reid than the shot that seemed to go through the Glovers goalkeeper in the first half. We rode our luck yesterday, but for once we got some, and hopefully it can continue on Tuesday night.

Bristol Rovers 2 Charlton 1

2010-02-16T00:19:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to think what else could have gone wrong last night. Whilst wishing young Basey well, I suspect that his season is effectively over. On the basis of how we have played since the enforced winter break, Charlton's isn't far behind.

Goodnight Irene indeed.

Money For Nothing

2010-02-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

When Crystal Palace went into administration, a five year season ticket holder friend of mine had only one question when I met up with him for a beer. "Will I get any of my money back if the administration turns into liquidation?" The answer realistically is no, although he may get "lucky" and salvage a few pence in the pound. As with everything to do with professional football, the average fan will be a long way down the list of priorities when it comes to being a creditor.

On the same theme, I like this with regard to the five year deal from the official site. "Unfortunately, you cannot apply online for a VIP five-year ticket and you cannot pay by credit or debit card, because the card handlers are unwilling to take on legal liability for refunds over a five-year period". Too bloody right they are unwilling. If Charlton were to go into administration or liquidation, and fans who had shown this not inconsiderable level of commitment found themselves staring at a few pence in the pound offer, the queue of punters claiming the balance of their five year outlay would not be palatable for any self respecting card company.

The club seem to be indicating that you should sign up the paperwork, enclose your cheque, and then they will send you a contract. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't write a cheque for in excess of £2,000, and only then receive the t's and c's. I know the club are saying that the contract will be available to view online, but if that's the case why aren't the terms of that contract online now? I bet they don't say that I would be a preferential creditor if the worst were to happen.

I for one will not be taking the club up on this offer, nor indeed will I be renewing my two tickets early for next season either. If we get promoted, then fine I will pay the extra, but if I find my seats have been reallocated to somebody who paid by the end of March, regardless of whether we get promotion or not, I can tell you now, I won't be back at all.