Easter Monday - Rochdale

I'm feeling relatively fine after my first three and a half hours of the year in the saddle. No doubt I will feel stiffer tomorrow but I should be walking normally around the Valley later today. It was great to get out at 7am yesterday in the cool Spring air and stretch my legs on a run down to Gravesend. We stopped short of going on to Higham (which is a great flat run through open farmland with views to the Thames estuary) because Pete needed to collect his car from Crayford Dogs. With hindsight, that was the right move because I felt tired by the time I got home and my bum had had enough for one day.


Today looks like it will be last of the recent hot spell (how unusual for it to end on a bank holiday rather than start on a Tuesday) and it should be a decent day in SE7 for a match. Rochdale are pressing for 6th place but they lost at home 3-2 to Carlisle on Saturday are now need a minor miracle to overhaul Bournemouth where they also have to go before the end of the season. I can see today's game being decided by just how much belief the Rochdale players have that they can still make it. If it's still make or break, they might have enough to scrape three points although they could throw the towel in if we can open the scoring. 


I am heading up to the newly refurbished White Swan pre-match to inspect the decor and see if the new owner has any chance of breaking the cycle. Good reports were emanating about the refurb which apparently cost £170,000 and has included "chandeliers."  One of the workmen involved was heard in the Oak to say that the Swan now resembled "a boozer in Chelsea." I am taking that with a handful of salt. A neighbour who climbed the hill on Good Friday texted me to say that the prices were reassuringly expensive but that in terms of Chelsea it was "no way Jose." Not altogether a bad a thing.


One of my regular refrains on this blog is about the dire shortage of a "decent" pub in Charlton. By decent, I think I really mean upmarket. I am not asking for too much; decent decor, new carpets, curtains, a proper bar, a landlord with a stake, regular professional barstaff, real ale, food, no machines or pool tables and a bit of music. It would also be nice not to have a hypocritical notice on the toilet doors about the management not tolerating drugs and instead have a vigilant landlord who knows his customers and simply bars those he/she catches. Let's face it, if you think you can casually snort a line in the toilet in view of any of Customers who want a pee by saying "alright mate" to anyone who sees you do it, you might as well do it at the bar. Ray Woodard was brilliant at sussing out drug users and would follow them into the toilets and bar them then and there so they could finish their drink and slink off without a scene. Kath and Dermot don't tolerate any nonsense in the Rose of Denmark although the Rose tends not to attract that much of a problem.


I may sound like a Turkey voting for Christmas here but I hope the new owners have upped the prices in the White Swan. That might be enough to deter some of the regular clientele who ruined it for Vito (last para). If they can encourage the wino's to drink elsewhere and stop the bad language and more anti-social behaviour, they might have half-a-chance. I know I am sounding like a 70 year-old member of the Conservative Party, but it's what we need before all hope of a really good drinking venue is lost in London SE7. I think the Customer base is there in spite of the fact that pubs are a dying trade. The Rose and the Anchor are both decent pubs but the Rose is limited (Estate pub on a main road) and the Anchor always seems much further away than it really is - that from me who will have to scale the Charlton Heights to reach the White Swan.


If you are going to the game today, remember that there's only one left to endure after this before we can sit back and marvel as the big signings roll in and the wasters are left to rue their missed opportunities.


Enjoy your day.

Where to drink on match-days?

During the current gloom the importance of a good pre and/or post-match drink has been heightened. Only trouble is that our drinking options have continued to dwindle and we are now fast approaching something of a crisis.

For me, the basic requirement is a proper pub, one where you might spend several hours on any other day quite happily. I am prepared to put up with Legends or Crossbars (or whatever) once or twice a season for a change or an occasion. It's actually quite refreshing but I couldn't do it every week. I have never been a fan of Working Mens Clubs either. Those metal chairs, too many kids and too many rules for the uninitiated.

So, what that has meant for me over the years, has been the White Swan, very occasionally the Bugle, more often the Rose of Denmark, once upon-a-time the Victoria, the Horse & Groom of yesteryear and the Royal Oak for the best part of the last 15 years. Even the Anchor makes a pleasant change on an early Summer afternoon. Invariably I'll visit several of these on a Saturday.

I tried the Lads from the Village/Thanes Barrier when it was open and have ventured down the Woolwich Road on occasion to the White Swan and whatever they call the other couple nowadays. The Valley was a regular haunt in the days of Phil Marron but long since went down the pan. The Anti and the Watermans were invariably full of away fans although that's never stopped me completely.

So, why are we in the current predicament? Well, we all know that the Watermans, the Vic, The Thames Barrier and now the Horse and Groom have all shut. The White Horse has very strange women running it last time I was in and Clancys/Dockers/Westminster etc is pyschologically too far (not great either). The White Swan has gone downhill badly - it is in desperate need of a makeover and attracts old men and old soaks. The Bugle accommodates a non-Addick crowd from the flats up the top and is not particularly welcoming. The Valley died a death in the 90's. That pretty much leaves the Rose of Denmark, the Oak and the Anchor.

The Anchor is just too far for me to contemplate using regularly, so it's the Denmark or the Oak. The Denmark remains a good pub with proper bar staff and is well run. The glass doors at the front have made a significant improvement and you can get served reasonably quickly on all but the days when away fans pack the pub (like on Saturday). In fact, away fans can be the only draw-back here. At least they are barred after the game when you can only get in around the back on production of your season ticket.

That leaves the Royal Oak, my staple. Unfortunately, it has gone downhill since Ray departed. the new landlord is very rarely in the bar, even on matchdays. He has changed out all the "proper" bar-staff and we now have four or five Arsenal fans who laugh when they hear we've just been beaten again. They work at a pace akin to the employees in the ground's burger outlets i.e. slow and have no idea about managing the expectations of the waiting customers. It is now possible to stand there for half an hour and be missed repeatedly. The pub has been extended to the right as you look and this should be a major benefit, but it doesn't work. They still only have the one door on the left and the bar has grown to squeeze the passageway around to the right. What's more, the landlord has now taken to only serving several lines on matchdays - the rest are all covered -up, as are the optics. You can't even get salt n vinegar crisps! This doesn't work and the punters have been voting with their feet. You can actually get served much easier now, if you want one of the three drinks on offer.

You have to wonder why Charlton didn't buy the Royal Oak when Ray left. It has a rich Charlton history and would take very little to turn it into a Club Pub without the sterility of the bars in the ground.

I have taken to to the Rose of Denmark instead in recent months but the away fans can be a drawback. I think I'll try the Anchor again for the last home game because I am tempted to stay in there all afternoon in any event.

Let's all back Geoff at the White Swan

The White Swan in The Village re-opened it's doors last night in what looks like a last throw of the dice. Having closed several times already and looking like it was going to be turned into flats, Geoff has ridden to the rescue and is going to make a go of it. The good news for Addicks fans is that he is already a successful Publican having re-established The Pelton Arms in Greenwich and one or two others further afield.

Charlton locals made a big effort to welcome Geoff last night and they were joined by a number of Geoff's regulars from The Pelton. I will be switching my pre and post match drinking to the White Swan and will endeavour to show my face once or twice a week in between times. 

It would be great if Geoff can see what might be possible on match days if Addicks fans can make a big effort to support him on Saturday before and after the Rotherham game. Let's face it, we have precious few watering-holes left and even the Liberal is being down-sized. If you are an East-Stander the walk down to the match is only ten minutes entering via Lansdowne Mews.

Come on you Reds, it's not hard to make an effort for a pint or two in a new or revisited venue!

Charlton Athletic 2 v Leeds United 4

An eventful but ultimately disappointing game at the Valley yesterday. It had nearly everything except a just outcome but it has cemented something more fundamental for me.

At 2pm the White Swan was a-buzz with news that kick-off had been delayed until 3.30pm. In fact, the message I got was that there was to be an inspection at 3,30pm which didn't make a lot of sense because that implied the pitch was currently unplayable. It had been raining on and off for 24 hours but nothing like the abandoned Doncaster match. With the real ale in the White Swan running out (there had been no staff a few weeks ago) we moved into "the newly refurbished Bugle." I had been told that the Bugle had been transformed and was unrecognisable from it's old self. It looked exactly the same although they now have a large pull-down screen which was showing the England v Argentina Autumn friendly. At least the regulars in there confirmed a 3.30pm kick-off and the place emptied at quarter-past.

My step-brother and his wife made a rare appearance and it was good to see their daughter being lead on to the turf as one of the mascots by her favourite player, Michael Morrison. They don't really get football but thoroughly enjoyed the game and he was hugely impressed at the finish with what he had seen and thought we should have won. That we didn't was down to a squirt of a referee (Keith Stroud), our inability to remain on level terms, some poor decision-making by Ben Hamer and inspired solo performances by Scottish forward Ross McCormack and goalkeeper Paddy Kenny .

Yann Kermogant was only fit enough for the bench so Chris Powell went again with a similar line-up to that of the past few weeks with Jackson in behind Church upfront and only one change with Callum Harriott being preferred to Bradley Pritchard. In theory that meant two wingers providing ammunition for a  lone striker whose forte is not his aerial ability.

On a pudding of a pitch, Charlton started brightly enough and looked up for it but Leeds were worryingly combative in midfield and Michael Brown and Rodolph Austin stood out early on. We fashioned an early chance which Harriott blazed over (our shooting really is poor) but it was cynical Leeds who opened the scoring when Ross McCormack got between Wilson and Morrison and ran on to a fine ball from Dexter Blackstock to beat Hamer in front of the Leeds fans. 

It took us until the stroke of half-time to equalise but you felt it was coming and  the wonder of the venomous volley from Cameron Stewart was too good for Paddy Kenny. It needed to be good to beat Kenny because the thorn-in-our-side had already pulled off a superb reflex save to deny Simon Church who had steered a driven Stewart cross goal-ward from close range header. As if to present himself as a microcosm of the Leeds United Football Club, Kenny had already been booked after only half an hour for time-wasting, something the rest of his team-mates were also keen to do after taking the lead as they fell down and held limbs one after another to break any Charlton momentum up. Ref Stroud had also played his part by turning down a half-decent penalty appeal after Stephens went tumbling in the box and then what looked like a stone-bonker to me when Church was prevented from running on to his own touch ten yards from goal. 

One-one at half-time and there was a confident feeling around the ground that we would up the ante in the second-half and see them off. That lasted barely two minutes after the oranges, when Stroud awarded Leeds a penalty for what looked like a 50-50 shoulder challenge in the box. For a moment I thought Stroud had decided to award the penalty in light of the two he had failed to give earlier and only then realised it was for the wrong team. McCormack stepped up and fired high into the middle of the goal to re-awake the former Champions of Europe (1960's Fairs Cup but don't let that prevent you from shouting it from the rooftops for forty years).

Leeds began time-wasting again, a very obvious and deliberate tactic that infuriated the home support. We stuck to the task but there was again no pattern to our play and it was all effort and haste not control and patience. On 67 minutes, Kermogant was introduced for Harriott in what looked like a good move. However, we slowed after that and you were left with the distinct impression that Kermy is still carrying a knock. Irrespective, we equalised again three minutes later. Simon Church's persistence carried him into the box and past two challenges before he picked out Johnnie Jackson in the six yard area and we were level again. A sense of justice once again swirled around the ground and again you felt we would go on and win the match. Unfortunately, we hadn't featured on Hamer or Ross McCormack. Within three minutes again Leeds were in front. A deep cross dropped at the back post. Hamer had watched it across his six yard area and followed the trajectory to Dervite and McCormack beyond the back post. To be fair to Wilson he was very close but the ball fell a yard beyond McCormack and stuck out his boot and directed the ball back and up into the stranded Hamer's net. Sorry Ben but you are costing us as many points as you win us at the moment.

There was still the best part of 20 minutes left but we looked beaten and Kermogant saw little of the ball after that. Kenny was tested when a long shot was deflected after his dive and the extra height the shot gained looked for a moment like it might beat him but he found an extra stretch and pushed it over the bar. That was pretty much it until we conceded an iffy free-kick on the edge of the box on 90 minutes. From my seat our wall looked two men short and Hamer looked very small in the goal. When I saw McCormack step up to strike it, I said "four" in my head and watched it follow the line I had mapped out. 

Ultimately, no shame in losing to the Champions of Europe but this was a game against moderate opposition we should have beaten at home and it leads me back to the point at the start of this post. Our home form simply isn't good enough and Chris Powell has to find a way of changing it. We were rarely as impressive as we should have been when winning League One and last year was very poor at the Valley, especially before Christmas. We are repeating that form with only one win, three draws and now three defeats although it feels like four having been three-down to Doncaster so early on in the abandoned match.

We seem unable to take home games by the scruff of the neck and exert sustained pressure. I think our midfield is too weak and to compensate we retain possession in the back four and launch our attacks from there instead of the centre of the park. That invariably means longer balls or much more build-up play down the wings which gives the opposition more chances to defend. If we were holding possession in midfield more often, we would be looking to provide angles for over-lapping wingers or to thread through-balls for strikers to run onto. If you can do that then your opponents have to drop deep and defend and it means you can exert pressure and dominate games. It gets your own fans going too and that can inspire the home team as we have seen on a couple of notably exceptions in the last two seasons. It also means that the opposition have to play on the break which should be meat and drink to a back four like ours. 

Not an easy problem to resolve when you don't have the personnel but it would be worthwhile trying a different centre-mid at home or we have to use our loans better.

Charlton Athletic Nil v Burnley 3

A very full and hectic weekend schedule which began on Friday, means I am last to the party with my thoughts on Saturday's encounter with Champions Burnley and the efforts of our fans to show maximum protest at the unacceptable face of football club ownership and management.

The Valley was a cauldron of noise on Saturday. The travelling claret and blue army from Lancashire sang their hearts out to urge their team on for the Championship whilst the home fans screamed abuse from three stands at the absentee Shareholder and the Puppet Meire.

The war on the home fans was also cranked up a notch by Meire who went to new depths to alienate and embitter her Customers. Hundreds of new Stewards were deployed pre-game to body search all home fans and their bags on entry to the stadium. She had also added the Orwellian imposition of a twenty foot high netting in front of the revolting peasants who now occupy the cheap seats in the Lower North. It might only be £175 for a season ticket there next season but none of the early bird purchasers would have known they would watch next season from a cage. It was something Ken Bates would have approved of thirty years ago when football hooliganism was at it's zenith. 

I met three Burnley fans at the station, a father I work with and his two grown-up sons. They have been to the Valley with me before and enjoyed pre and post match hospitality in the local Charlton pubs although they have always managed to watch the match from their end. This time they had to rely upon my help to secure tickets with me and they watched the match respectfully from the East although the younger son couldn't stop an involuntary leap from his seat when they took the lead. Those around us looked on with knowing smiles because the game was all about Burnley. We played very well in parts and Tom Heaton kept the Clarets in it with a couple of fine diving saves but you knew they would score and that the floodgates would open.

On the way in my guests stopped to put bets on, first scorer and anytime scorer. I told them to double it with 3-0, which they all did. At least it provided us with a whip for the Prosecco in the White Swan after the match (pints too!).

CARD played yet another blinder this week. They managed to ensure a relatively low-key protest was sustained throughout the day which ensured the game wasn't delayed or abandoned and they did so with superb press releases in Lancashire which got the Burnley fans on side and also managed a classy 'good luck' advert in the Brighton Evening Argos on Friday "from all your friends at CARD."

The decision not to spend protest money on throwables was perfectly timed to coincide with Clumsy's turnstile search although that didn't stop furious fans from throwing whatever they had to hand onto the pitch during the game to show their disgust at the new cage and the heavy-handed Stewarding as well as necessary policing, although the boys in blue were probably being deployed in case of major disappointment for the visitors. 

During the game we had my personal highlight of the season, a Charlton couple (by the looks of things) who carried out a lone-wolf protest brilliantly. They managed to drape a large bedsheets from the upper tier of the West displaying the work 'LIAR' in large letters with a huge arrow pointing downwards. They were in the press row and it was clear that they needed to move to their right to get the banner above the head of the biggest Liar in the ground. The East Stand duly obliged with howls of 'left, left' and mass gesticulation. At the point they halted, there was a brilliant snap taken which I attach here. One of Meire's Stormtroopers snatched the banner shortly afterwards but the job had been executed brilliantly and I think the gallant couple managed to resume their seats for the rest of the match - who said love is dead? No doubt the club will be scouring the database in an effort to ban them in future but nothing can ever take that away from them. My Burnley guest were throughly enjoying the home fans show and were amongst the first on their feet applauding loudly and directing traffic.

In the second-half we had another pitch invader who did a lap of honour gesticulating strongly at the Directors Box but by this time, Meire and Murray had already fled for their own protection. The lad was roughly grounded by clearly angry heavy-mob Stewards and Old Bill might need to look carefully at the footage because the force used looked excessive to me. They were clearly prepared for a fight and when another protester left the East Stand to run in front of the Sky cameras with a Roland out poster, he was caught by over-zealous Stewards who were again using excessive force. To be fair, this guy was struggling. I am not sure he had entered the pitch but so angry were the fans who witnessed the man-handling that soon a posse appeared on the touchline and he was wrestled back. He was apprehended behind the East and was pinned up against the wall by a dozen authority figures as we left the ground. I hope common sense prevailed but I will gladly pay his fine, if not.

We then came to final scenes of the season and something quite amazing happened. With the forces of law, order and small-mindedness ringing the home stands, the door was left open for the jubilant Burnley fans to pour down onto the pitch and they did so with gusto. Charlton fans were attempting to join the party but the first few on were pursued in comic fashion by Stewards incensed that their wall had been breached. Hilarious to see them running through herds of Burnley fans in pursuit of lone Addicks. At this point the dynamics of the situation appeared to change and the visiting fans turned their attention to chants of "give them their club back" and were clearly assisting Charlton fans to evade Stewards. The pressure of Charlton fans at the fence grew and shortly hundreds were filing along the walkways and cascading down the stairs of the East Stand which was less well defended. Inevitably the trickle turned to a pour and soon hundreds of Addicks were on the pitch and leading the chanting for Regime change. It was an impressive sight and a more impressive sound. The Police could clearly not be bothered and the Riot Squad and horses looked on with amusement as Stewards tried in vain to remember the 'no-nonsense' briefings they were given before the game. 

Sorry Meire but you can't beat the people and once again you were out-manoeuvred and out-thought by your Customers. Then we had the moment of retribution. With Meire and Murray having long since fled to hide in the bowels of the stadium, the fans turned on that symbol of Belgian brilliance, the Fans Sofa. It was torn to pieces by the victorious fans. I don't think they will bother with a replacement.

CARD also lead an effective sit-down demonstration behind the West Stand pre-match, the unexpected success of which must surely inspire a repeat next season if, God-forbid, they are still here. All-in-all a really eventful day and one that will live long in the memory of both sets of supporters. Other Burnley fans celebrating in the White Swan told me they were hugely impressed with our protests and they all got the spirit of what we were doing whilst trying to ensure their club weren't disadvantaged. They were all grateful for the applause they received from the home stands when they ran onto the pitch and when parading their 'Champions' flag in front of the East Stand.

Roland and Katrien - Time to Go.

Charlton Athletic 0 v Hartlepool United 0

Following yesterday's nil-nil, Summer has officially started. It was a decent day yesterday enlivened by 600 Hartlepool fans who came to enjoy themselves. Apart from a couple of stunning strikes which were kept out by the underside of the crossbar, there was more amusement to be had watching the forty-odd perfectly dressed Oompah-Loompah's in the Jimmy Seed. In the circumstances, how sick would you have felt dressed as Santa Claus all day?


It was sad to see Jon Fortune stretchered off with a ruptured Achilles which could spell the end of his career. Up until then, he had been enjoying a rare Valley start alongside Miguel Llera, Freddie Bessone and Chris Solly. With Rob Elliot in goal we looked largely untroubled until the latter stages but by then I think both sides had settled for the point. 


Bradley Wright-Phillips almost broke the deadlock in the opening half-hour when he latched onto a ball into the box and clipped a clever shot over Scott Flinders only to see that damned crossbar keep it out. In the second-half, the ball came out to Bessone who roared onto it and hit what was the hardest shot I think I have ever seen. He got over it and it looked unstoppable save for the crossbar again and, I think, a hand from Scott Flinders to ensure it came out. If he's capable of that, why haven't we seen it used more often?


Player of the Year, Jose Semedo revelled in his new status and Michael Stewart  played like he was trying to impress someone. Calum Harriott started the game and looked very confident. He plays with pace and isn't afraid to take players on or look to get by and run into space. Surely already a better player than Kyel Reid thinks he is.


Before the game, I got up to the White Swan for a few pints of London Pride and we were joined  by Kings Hill Addick and his Dad. Whilst I am still a big fan of the Rose, the Swan has to be the best drinking spot if your journey takes you via Charlton Village. The new decoration has made it light and airy and the garden has been restored to close to it's 70's hey-day. After the game I had a few lagers in the Con Club where it was good to say farewell to a few of the lads for the Summer, including my old season-ticket neighbour who was making a rare appearance from Leeds.

This morning, I got up with the lark and onto the Iron Horse for a few hours with Pete. We got a bit wet to start with but the sun was out soon enough as we explored the back-streets of Rotherhithe. I knew it had long since changed up there, but hadn't realised just how much. Complete social cleansing. All of the old council housing looks to have gone. We were surprised, and impressed, to see so many of the local pubs still open and, by the looks of them, thriving. Maybe the Yuppies have saved them? I made a mental note to come back and visit a couple - we will see. We also cycled around Surrey Docks, somewhere I am a tad embarrassed to say I have never been before. I suppose I always knew there were docks somewhere there but hadn't seen them before or realised just how large they are. The nearest I have come before is Surrey Quays station and a sortie once upon a time into the Warrior pub. Other than that, we have always had the car doors locked and have hurried by.


Over Tower bridge and back through the Isle of Dogs and the Greenwich foot tunnel before swift progress down the Lower Road and home for bacon sarnies. The sun is still shining and I am down to Halling for lunch with the in-laws. 


Tomorrow I am heading off to Bangalore for a few days work. I hope the sun is still shining when I get home.

Charlton Athletic 1 v Sheffield Wednesday 3

No great surprise in the result given Charlton's pile of injuries, current form and the size of the occasion which historically defeats us. The result was largely unimportant yesterday, it was far more about the significance of new ownership and enormous hope for the future.

I was on the streets shortly after 10am as I made my way to meet a couple of CARD's finest and start the day with brekkie in Marks & Spencers - the Valley Cafe was queueing out of the door. It was great to get nods, handshakes and shouts as I made my way along Floyd Road. Everyone was grinning and several looked skywards in thanks after talking about our new owners. 

The game itself began quickly with Wednesday on the front foot and netting an early headed goal which was disallowed (offside). Our hospital eleven showed a determination to stick at it despite Wednesday's domination of possession. Wednesday were quick out wide and pressed the game. Their opening goal was neat and simple in execution. A right wing break, the ball played back for a pinpoint cross into the box and a well-directed header by the forgotten Steven Fletcher. I'd have to see both of their early headers again but there was a suspicion that someone should have been closer to both players. 

The Addicks continued to battle hard to get forward and fought well at the back. I had been told that there was a virus going around the squad before the match and that it had ruled Ben Purrington out which had given Alfie Doughty his first start at left-back. He did well, as did Oshilaja, who was my man-of-the-match after a particularly stong second-half showing where he might even have nicked an equaliser before Wednesday's flattering third on the whistle.

Erhum Ostumer ran his heart out in the middle and Leko and Bonne did whatever they could when the ball arrived to try and stretch the Owls backline. Bonne's equaliser looked fortunate on first viewing as it appeared to loop up and take an age to beat the flat-footed Dawson. It looked much better and more deliberate at half-time. 

As if to add some sparkle to the occasion, we had already seen new Chairman, Matt Southall glide smilingly through the West Stand lounge in an immaculate blue suit and being lead by Commercial Manager, Ravi Patel who seemed to be smiling as widely as the fans. But there at half-time was Lee Ryan of Blue with his Charlton-mad boy. I had to Google him of course but I had recognised the face!

Into the second-half then and Gary Monk's orders were very clear from the restart. Wednesday stepped it up again and took control of the game, directing traffic for the next thirty minutes until they won a penalty in front of their own fans. It looked stonewall to me and Fletcher stepped up to slam home and cue a huge roar from the visitors.

Wednesday sat back a little after that and contained us as we tried everything we could to make it 2-2. Leko was out on his feet and Bonne wasn't going to out-jump their back-line so our pressing inevitably resulted in shots from around the box. Oshilaja fired the two best efforts but both cleared the bar at speed by a couple of feet. There was also time for Charlton to introduce another Academy debutant. Having seen the Alfie's drafted in in the last two weeks, today was the turn for James Vennings. No-one I spoke to yesterday had ever heard of him. Maybe Steve Avory has been keeping him under wraps?

Finally it was time to continue the takeover celebrations - I started in the White Swan and finished in the Oak. The Swan was busy, happy and noisy. I had spent the day encouraging friends and acquaintances to show restraint about our new owners and to hope that anticipated investments are appropriate and sensible. By the time I reached the Oak it was loud and drunken. I left for home with a non-stop chorus of "we're fucking rich, we're fucking rich, we're fucking rich" ringing in my ears. I suppose it's hard not to feel like we have won the Lottery.

Charlton Athletic 3 v Swindon Town 0

Another protest day and another day where the match was a sideshow. Relegated Swindon were comfortably beaten by a strolling Charlton side. The result leaves us in an elevated, and frankly flattering, 13th position. Meire will no doubt refer to this as an 'easy' season, as she did following our 12th place finish in the Championship prior to relegation but it felt anything but easy and was hard to stomach.

I had a prior appointment with God so couldn't make the game but I did catch-up with friends after the match in the White Swan where the mood remained defiant and determined that we must continue the protests until they are eventually forced out. As I have said before, I will boycott all games next season if they are still here, but I will continue to protest and play whatever small part I can in seeing it out. Nothing's going to change until they are gone.

The protests themselves lacked the high profile impact of previous shows but it was effective, nonetheless, as 2500 fans blocked the West Stand car park and hundreds more security and police personnel were deployed to protect Meire and Co as well as to try to contain any protests. As it was, thousands of spoof paper season tickets were cascaded from the upper West and thousands of black and white balloons were released causing play to be stopped for a couple of minutes. There was a post-match pitch invasion which even the serried ranks of security couldn't stop.

The rumoured 'anti-protest' predictably failed to surface but that's because it doesn't really exist outside the weird world of half-a-dozen would-be internet warriors. My guess is another repeat close season of failed expectations will probably quash even those before the season starts. All that supposes Duchatelet doesn't find a buyer before then. I remain convinced he wants out and that the club is for sale but that he still hasn't come to terms with the reality of the loss he is going to have to swallow to get out. Logic tells you he is going to have to get real one day soon because he's signing up for another year of hefty downside in 17-18. We won't see another Ademola Lookman for a few years at least.

Meire's hands will be tied even more tightly and her statement that the budget for the close season of "a million pounds" suggests season ticket sales won't rally based upon any galactico signings. The rumour is that Ricky Holmes will be cashed-in and, if that happens, I can't see us finding anywhere close to a replacement. Konsa and Aribo may attract the more vigilant bidders too but the bigger risk is just another cull and churn of the existing first-team squad as the wage bill is trimmed and we get even more mediocrity.

Gate revenue will inevitably drop again on the back of a further fall in season ticket sales. I can see another 30% refusing to commit to a whole season and more moving to a week-to-week model where they have the freedom to pay if we're performing and not if we aren't.

Strong rumours too that Chris O'Loughlin could be the next back-room departure following that of Nugent and Clarke this week. We have nearly lost more background staff than players in the last two years. It really isn't a settled ship. If Congo Chris does go, at least we will be spared the imposition of another Duchatelet aberration as manager . It could also open a space for Johnny Jackson who will surely say more than play more next season.

As supporters we deserve a break given the continued suffering and I intend to take one. Maybe things will look brighter come August?

Charlton Athletic 1 v Carlisle United 0

Charlton did what they needed to at the Valley today and collected three points from Carlisle. The scoreline flattered the visitors who could have had few complaints if they had been beaten 3-0 but our finishing was once again short of the mark, something that promises to be our eventual downfall. It was, of course, our second win in three days and marks a critical Easter holiday which has seen ourselves, Swindon, Millwall and Leeds pull clear of Huddersfield and Colchester who look increasingly like they are going to fight it our for the sixth place. 


The only disappointment of the day was the fact that the four sides above us all won, some of them against the odds - Millwall and Leeds doing particularly well to both win 2-1 away against Colchester and Yeovil respectively.


Phil Parkinson made two changes from the starting line-up at MK Dons with Lloyd Sam restored on the left for Wagstaff and Jonjo Shelvey back in a 4-5-1 formation. Carlisle looked largely unfamiliar apart from Jason Price, the afro-ed Millwall loanee, who partnered Scott Dobie up front. They have been resilient on their travels but limited in terms of their ambition and this is pretty much what we saw today. Adam Clayton stood out like a sore thumb as the best they had to offer and at 20 he's someone I would be very interesting in signing if I were a manager. Him apart, they lacked any real ambition and I can't remember Randolph having to make a save. It really was a case of "can we score" and we managed that just before the break as Sam Sodje arrived at Usain Bolt pace to meet a corner which he absolutely buried.


Christian Dailly had seen a back post header blocked on the line and Kyel Reid had loosed off a couple of wayward long-rangers before we took the lead, but we hadn't seriously exposed the Borderers up until that point. Jonjo Shelvey had a stinker and with Nicky Forster playing the line and waiting for through-balls which didn't come, we weren't exactly threatening. It's worrying that Shelvey looked so out-of-sorts after his first start in ten games. He was ponderous today and half-interested. Not what you would expect from an 18 year-old with ambitions of greatness in the game. Maybe the hype has got to him or he's awaiting an end-of-season transfer? However you look at it, he doesn't look critical to the side right now and we should bite someone's arm off if anyone is going to offer us anything like the money being talked about during the last close season.


Things improved in the second half as we upped the pace and urgency for a second. Fraser Richardson was particularly busy supporting Lloyd Sam and between them they delivered four or five excellent crosses which deserved better finishes. Bailey (on for Reid) fluffed one header and Jonjo missed two glorious chances before he himself was deservedly subbed for Akpo Sodje to bring a physical edge to the finale. Akpo managed to smash a loose ball home but it was chalked off for offside as Richardson had re-entered play from the goal-line. Carlisle had seen their only real effort of the game similarly disallowed for offside as Jason Price had deflected a cross goal effort in from just in front of Randolph. Before he was taken off, Price also got into a great position to finish but was deprived by a desperate make-or-break tackle from Sam Sodje. 


David Mooney got on for Jonjo before the end and played the pass of the game into the path of Akpo Sodje but he hit the keeper when he should have made it 2-0. All-in-all, it was a case of job done but the news from the other League One grounds means it was a case of "as you were" and we need to get something from St. Mary's on Saturday if we are to seriously threaten Millwall, Leeds and Swindon for second-place.


Carlisle brought about 229 fans today (to go with the 17,000 Addicks) and a curious bed-sheet banner which I think read "Found myself in a strange town." Big Jam fan that I am, it had me puzzling throughout the match but I am none the wiser - suggestions on a postcard please.


Before the match, I visited the White Swan in The Village. Under new management, I have heard encouraging things and am pleased to say that Vito and Alison are doing everything they can to turn it around. There was no problem getting served and the beer was good. The pub has been re-painted in a bright yellow and white and the garden has been cleared. If they can continue to make the improvements they have managed so far in three weeks it bodes well although it's a massive task from where it's fallen to in the last five years, particularly as tenants with limited funds.

Charlton Athletic 4 v Carlisle United 0

Well, we all went looking for a response and few can argue that we didn't get one.


Carlisle United had threatened to come and attack us on the back of their fourth away league victory at Yeovil last week. It was hard to see what the Carlisle game-plan was because they were so poor and were beaten with barely a quarter of the game played. It was a huge let-down for the 400 Cumbrian die-hards who made the journey, especially those from the border-town who were on the 6am coach. Four of them made the climb up to the Village pre-match as they had a White Swan connection. They were from a coach that goes to every game - £400 for the season. It was great to hear them talking of their long journeys and I was more than happy to point out that I am hoping to be at Brunton Park in April for our hat-trick of promotions on their ground.


The subject of goalkeeper Jimmy Glass' last gasp league preserving goal inevitably came up and "Ginge" shared his own personal dedication to the moment. He also had the back-page headlines from the News of the World tattooed around his neck. I suppose it was an historic and almost unbelievable event for Carlisle fans.


Back to the match and Chris Powell drafted Chris Solly back in at right-back but stuck with Green and Kermorgant. We also looked to have made an enforced change in the middle with utilty man Andy Hughes partnering Danny Hollands in the engine room. I was a little apprehensive about this but they looked like they had played together for years. Danny Green played like he had been told it was his last start and with Jackson firing on the left, we had width and were at Carlile from the off. Green and BWP had chances before our opening goal which had some fine wing play and an excellent cross from Jackson which hit the unmarked Kermorgant plum centre and he has the simple task of deciding which side of the keeper to direct his header. One-nil and there was no response from the visitors. Within ten minutes it was two-nil. A woeful short back pass let Bradley Wright-Phillips nip in and steer the ball into the far corner from a tight angle.


Still no response from Carlisle and the third was inevitable. Rhoys Wiggins looked like a "man on a mission" yesterday and you could be forgiven from his attacking performance for assuming he bore some grudge against Carlisle or that he was a former player. He raced down the flank cut into the box, skipped a challenge and pinger the ball back to a host of players. The first effort was blccked, as was the second but the third was rifled home by Yann Kermorgant.


After the break it was really only a case of how many and the answer was four. Danny Hollands, showing considerably more urgency than last week, strode through the middle and then accelerated at goal before hitting a hopeful shot which squirmed out of Collin's hands and rolled over the line. After that we pretty much played the game out although Ben Hamer did have a penalty to save before the scoreline was set.


All-in-all, a home performance that you might expect to see fairly frequently from a table-topping team and one that I have crying out for in recent weeks. If we can carry the urgency and focus to Wycombe in the week then we might well have a points cushion again to take to the tough looking fixture at Hartlepool on Saturday.

C'mon Derby!

Nothing much went right for Charlton fans this season. Yes, we maintained our Championship status but that was the bones of it. It was another miserable season as a regular - ten home defeats and only three more points garnered at the Valley than on our travels. Invariably falling behind in games, rarely managing to play in both halves of the match and having to watch a squad of triers competing against what were, by and large, better opposition. We also had to suffer the ridicule of the state of our pitch which also managed to ruin several match-days on it's own.

The Con Club closed and, whilst it was hardly a great drinking venue, it further diluted matchday options for a pint. If you add the opening-closing-opening White Swan, the matchday experience was also poorer this season. The 'best hot-dogs in the world' on the concourse behind the East wasn't quite enough to retrieve the situation.

Beyond our own shortcomings, we had to suffer a miraculous Palace turnaround under Pulis and watch Millwall scramble to safety too. There was little comfort for Addick fans and today we have the last throw of the dice. QPR, that little club from West London whom we once aspired to be like, have the Championship Play-Off final and are within 90 minutes of justifying the ridiculous sum of money that has been poured into them over the last few season. Tony Fernandes and his board have made a mockery of Financial Fair Play and Harry Redknapp has squandered tens of millions on a type of player I can't abide - nearly men mercenaries. They let their fans down big time last year when failing to compete in the PL and this year they have only done enough to make the play-offs. 

Sorry Rangers-fans but as Kevin Keegan would say, I would love to see you blow it today. Whatever happens, Derby were a better side than you this year and they deserve promotion.

On a lighter note, we may have reduced our playing squad to five-a-side proportions in the last week and let the best development coach we may have ever had leave, but I am pleased to tell you than money has been spent on red paint and the club crest on the back of the Covered End has been restored to vibrant red. 

Charlton Athletic 2 v Brighton & Hove Albion 2

Another point and Charlton extend their unbeaten run to seven matches. The point was more of one gained than two lost although I was pretty disappointed with our lack of ambition today. Brighton looked a shadow of the side that dismantled us a couple of years ago and, to my mind, they were there for the taking. Having said that, they played more like the home side and looked more likely to nick it at the end.

Michael Morrison returned to central defence but I was disappointed to see Leon Cort moving to the bench for Dervite. Dorian played very well at Millwall but he was over-shadowed by Cort. Lawrie Wilson returned to the right-back berth and was my man-of-the-match. Dale Stephens partnered Manny Frimpong in central midfield and we also managed to fit Jackson, Pritchard and Haynes in with Hulse alone up front. It was a bit of a mess if you ask me and Haynes, in particular, was wasted.

A game of very few chances saw Charlton take an early lead when Lawrie Wilson ghosted into the six yard box to meet a near-post corner and glanced a header past Kuszczhak. We looked comfortable enough after that but failed to push for a second and allowed Brighton to settle into the game. They play the ball around very well and support the man on the ball which is always dangerous against Charlton. Craig Mackail-Smith was lurking and before half-time he pounced. A long ball had Michael Morrison back-peddalling and he didn't get enough on the backward header. Mackail-Smith seized on the short-fall and stroked the ball beyond Hamer for the equaliser.

After the break and kicking towards the Covered End, I expected a sustained step up in gear but we didn't really get one. We simply weren't strong enough in midfield. Pritchard was too slow and Haynes was ineffectual. Frimpong flattered to deceive and Jackson didn't contribute nearly enough. In spite of that, we managed to take the lead. Our most urgent move of the half saw five players attack in unison  and the ball was eventually played in to Pritchard twelve yards out. For once he was alert and switched the ball smartly from left to right foot as he beat the on-rushing Kuszczhak.

We looked unlikely leaders at that stage and I feared an equaliser. Brighton stepped on the gas and Lua-Lua injected some pace and urgency from the bench. A free-kick 20-odd yards out was the opportunity Brighton needed and a wicked deflection beat Hamer for 2-2. Both sides huffed and puffed for a winner but 2-2 was probably as much as either side could really expect.

I can't help feeling we showed them too much respect today and that we have to be more ambitious in future matches. We were too slow with fresh legs and allowed Brighton to take the initiative with their substitutions. We will go again next week at Bolton and then at Sheffield Wednesday where our more cautious approach suits us away from home. I only hope Chris will up the ante significantly before we play Ipswich on Boxing Day.

I took a wander up to the White Swan pre-match where it was good to share a few pints with Addick fanatics, Mick Gebbitt, Mark Garvey and Steve Nelson (as well as Pete and Tony). Fitting really given the reflection on 20 years since our return to SE7.  Brighton filled their end but the home areas were again disappointing. The West looked half-full/empty and the Lower North was sparse. The 19,080 gate was hardly a surprise and put the Huddersfield gate into sharp focus. Assuming we had 15,400 there today, there were three thousand Charlton fans missing from the Huddersfield game. Personally I think we were probably only a thousand down but that would again suggest the Huddersfield gate was inflated.

Crunch time

An opening goal and an assist from Nicky Ajose this afternoon on his debut for Mansfield Town who continue to press for promotion from League Two. I am not complaining about letting him go out on loan given I don't think he's been good enough for us since we signed him. However, timing is important and his shift this week without cover has now left us exposed.

A late, late Karlan Grant penalty saved the day at the Valley against Accrington Stanley and keeps us in the hunt but it came after Lyle Taylor was red carded and means we now face a couple of testing away trips to Peterborough and Fleetwood without the talismanic hitman. Grant has been holding his end up all season but the folly of again running an unbalanced squad threatens to hurt us. Morgan Fairchild-Hackett is too inexperienced to expect to step-in and provide adequate cover so we really need to hope that Bowyer is given more financial support to get someone in next week. Arguably we need them until May in any event but failure to shore us up in the next two matches could prove very costly.

With Karlan Grant himself the subject of transfer speculation, you have to wonder if there are any more bumps in the road. I don't see any real threat of losing him to Rangers this season given who they already have and the recent addition of Jermaine Defoe, although he's an obvious pre-contract target. That is also the case for an alarming number of our other squad players and one or two have already made it clear they will be off - Patrick Bauer being the most notable. If an all-consuming takeover suddenly happens, this might not be a bad thing as it would give new owners a clean sheet if they had serious spending ambitions. However, you would like to think it would be a case of evolution and that we would really like to see the nucleus of the side kept together and strengthened rather than any wholesale changes.

The situation could quickly change with a number of players being signed up on new terms but you have to wonder what motivation, if any, Duchatelet has to do this, particularly if it's going to increase his running costs (which would seem inevitable) and if he still hasn't got line-of-sight to a sale that gets him off the hook. 

Meanwhile, illness prevented me from getting up to see Andy Holt at the White Swan pre-match as I was very much looking forward to hearing from the man voted the Best Football Club owner in England. He is someone who really understands the responsibility of owning a football club and the fact that the value of the club in its community is far more than the cost of its assets and debts. I am looking forward to the CAST report on what he had to share as I am sure it would have been illuminating and entertaining.

Meanwhile, the Wings also managed a 1-0 home win over Eastbourne Borough this afternoon at PVR and stay in play-off contention in National League South. 

Charlton Athletic 0 v Wigan Athletic 3

I bought seven tickets for some old mates from Bexleyheath today who were taking in their first match for several seasons. They were duly handed over in the White Swan over a swift pint and they mocked me for heading to Welling instead of the Valley and I reminded them that they were all Glory Hunters. As I left I did wonder if we might put in a traditionally duff showing, the sort we reserve for whenever our less fanatical fans show any interest. 

By all accounts it looks like an insipid performance where Wigan had us sussed and Karl Robinson had no Plan B. This is a common theme when our one upfront gets isolated and we really need to be able to revert comfortably to 4-4-2 or even 4-3-3. Ironically, we probably don't have the personnel to do this having spent so long unable to play Robinson's preferred 4-2-3-1. Wigan's opener came just before the break which is always tough, especially at home and they killed the game in the 70th when Massey netted again. The late third was probably salt-in-the-wounds but by then it made little difference. 

As always, what the manager has to say should be interesting but he hasn't dealt head-on with previous games like this and instead has a tendency to waffle or say something confusing or slightly controversial as if to deflect the real explanation. 

It probably won't do us any harm to have lost our second match as expectations have been growing wildly based upon some good results against mediocre opposition, albeit with much better football than we have previously witnessed under Robinson, or dare I say it, under Duchatelet since he took over three years ago.

Meanwhile, over Shooters Hill at Park View Road, the Wings secured their second successive home win courtesy of a 1-0 victory over lowly Whitehawk from east Brighton. I met up with a few other disgruntled Addicks with soft spots for the Wings and we endured the drizzle on the terraces for 90 minutes which reminded me of much happier times (last century!).

Welling started brightly and bossed the first-half against a huge Whitehawk side who had clearly been given orders to run at goal and shoot at every opportunity.  I'm not sure it really helped them as they wasted some decent positions but it was evident Welling were going to score, so they knew they needed a goal. As it was Welling had the ball in the net within two minutes after Nanetti was rolled a free-kick in acres of space on the left of the box and his driven low cross was steered home by one of three sliding Welling players, at least one of whom was offside. 

Whitehawk hit back and a determined left wing run caught Welling unprepared on the right but their man saw his pile-driver tipped up and off the bar in fine style by Dillon Barnes. The drizzle was steady by now but Welling kept at it and Harry Phipps saw a thumping header brilliantly tipped around the post by Alex Tokarozyk. Flo Bojaj then should have scored Welling's second when he beat the last man and drew Tokarozyk before sliding the ball past him. Unfortunately, it rolled on a little further than he wanted and shaded the post. 

There was still time for the boss, Jamie Coyle to power a header inches wide before the break. Whitehawk had done their homework on Welling and having doubled-up on Monakana and Nanetti, they had managed to prevent over-supply from the flanks but were still fortunate to go in at half-time only one down. 

The rain intensified and Whitehawk looked much better after the break. They visibly stepped up and were working very hard as a team to deny Welling space as they tried to fashion chances. Credit to the Welling team for restricting them but it made for a quieter second-half. Welling threatened a second in a better ten minute spell towards the end but they looked satisfied with the three points before the whistle. The win moves the Wings up to half-way in the table which is a better reflection, I think, of where they deserve to be after a number of creditable draws and the disappointment of a few last minute goals which have deprived them a few more points.

Charlton should bounce back at Gillingham on Saturday but it's a derby match and the Gills usually step up a bit for us. Welling play Haringay in an F A Cup qualifier and I might just get to that as well.

Charlton Athletic 3 v Rochdale 1

I questioned Rochdale's belief going into today's match and, on reflection, they looked well short. You would have been hard pressed to believe you were watching play-off pretenders today as Rochdale looked grateful just to be on the same pitch as us and, apart from a 15 minute second-half spell, they looked content to accept an away defeat.


A reshuffled Charlton side saw Parrett paired with Stewart in the centre with Racon on the left and Eccleston on the right. Wright-Phillips and Benson lead the charge. At the back it was the same as Bristol Rovers with Francis, Fortune, Doherty and Bessone protecting Sullivan in goal. At this point I need to confess to being surprised at how much smaller Sullivan looked than the first time I saw him play. He was positively in the mould of Little Ross, even though he had another decent game and made a superb save which Dale scored from on the rebound.


As so often this season at home, the first half wasn't much to shout about and we only had a couple of efforts from Racon and Eccleston to talk about before Thierry Racon latched onto a lay-off from Wright-Phillips to fire home passed a helpless Fon-Williams.


After the break Rochdale started quickly and for once committed men to attack and after that stop from Sullivan, Holness powered home a close range header between several red shirts on the line. Just before we finished muttering "here we go again," Dean Parrett got on the end of a retaliatory Charlton move to sweep home from 15 yards and restore the lead. From then on, it was really only a matter of whether or not we could extend our lead and that's just what we did through an excellent right wing cross from Paul Benson which Nathan Eccleston got on the end of to head beyond Fon-Williams. Rochdale were on the rough end of a number of refereeing decisions this afternoon but they certainly didn't deserve anything from the game.


I thought Chris Powell got the substitutions just about right for once. Solly came on for Benson after 79 minutes which enabled Eccleston to move upfront. Nouble got on for Bessone  after that as Solly went to left back and Powell used the game to blood young Calum Harriott who gave an admirable impression of Kyel Reid in terms of stature and pace on the left wing.


Other than that, I got up to the White Swan pre-match and can report that it looks a major improvement if a little short of "Chelsea" expectations. The re-decoration has been total and there is a good quality dark wood flooring throughout. The toilets have been revamped as well as the garden and there are a couple of large flat-screen TV's. The beer was good and the staff looked promising although it wasn't at all busy. I will give it another go soon.

Charlton Athletic 0 v Portsmouth 1

I said on Friday that this game had all the Charlton trademarks of a disappointing match and result - so it proved. On a bitterly cold day with 4,000 gobby Pompey visitors, some of whom had hired a box in a direct attempt to provoke Charlton fans in the East Stand, we failed to get any momentum and eventually succumbed to an own goal after the restart.

We seem to save particularly uninspiring performances for any game which attracts a number of returning supporters. The gate was a few hundred over 16,000 which suggests around a 12,000 Addicks. Allowing for the usual number of complimentary tickets on top of season tickets, would suggest we had a similar number of 'match-by-match' buyers as the visitors which is clearly disappointing given the significance of the game. My view here is that this is a strong indicator that several thousand fans, maybe up to four or five thousand, have been lost under Roland Duchatelet's tenure, much of those to the failed Meire Offensive in 2015-16. Relegation obviously hasn't helped, nor has the merry-go-round of poorly-chosen managers, but the club has been managed in a very deliberate way with a hope of over-achievement from an under-resourced first team squad. 

It was evident in August that we were desperately short of forwards and Karl Robinson's tunnel vision on playing 4-2-3-1 also signalled to the ageing Lee Novak that he needed to get away, leading to the last transfer day fiasco where Novak was reluctantly sold and we made the panic signing of Do-do from Rangers. That has been the story of this season and, aside from a purple patch in October which helped mask the deficiencies, we are now seeing the effects of limited striking options and an inability to react tactically to falling behind because the manager has a squad built around a 4-2-3-1 formation.

At the end of November I said December looked a challenging month and that my focus was on not finishing 7th - forget the clamour for the top two spots. It's now looking increasingly likely that Wigan and Blackburn Rovers will win automatic promotion after finding their feet and both are on good runs. The scramble below is also evening out and given our poor resent results, our game in hand now changes little. Portsmouth are breathing down our necks and if one of Oxford United, Rotherham or Peterborough put a few results together, we will be fighting to make the play-offs. 

An unlikely promotion this season could propel the club under new ownership. Better-informed people than me believe we are now very close to a deal which is very encouraging given the doubts that appear to have emerged in the last couple of weeks. We have to hope and pray that there is good news before Christmas that gives the club a transfer boost in January. If no deal is done, Duchatelet will surely cash in on some of the playing staff and settle for another season of mediocrity in League One. 

Finally, I was pleased to join many other old faces and friends in the White Swan last night for an impromptu 'Valley Party' 25th anniversary celebration. I got to meet the inspirational and courageous Julie, who along with her son have gone down in Charlton folklore as 'the Liar bed-sheet' heroes. Good, too, to catch-up with some of those behind the ROT Party who are continuing to carry the battle to Duchatelet in his hometown. If you sell-up Roland, you may avoid any potential embarrassment in your local elections next year!

Charlton Athletic 1 v Rotherham United 1

After the heightened expectation following our decent start to the season, it was fairly predictable that we were due a disappointing result at home and we duly got one yesterday. Rotherham came to subdue us and they managed it with a dose of good fortune and a referring howler which lead to their goal.

We were back to a full strength looking side although I don't think any of the front three choices are still anywhere near full fitness. Nicky Pope was in goal with Solly, Diarra, Bauer and Fox in front of him. The defence played well although they were guilty of going to sleep for the Rotherham goal when a near post flick was bundled in unmarked at the back stick. Rotherham also managed to test Nic Pope twice during the match with a thumping close range header which he did brilliantly well to keep from crossing the line and a rasping shot which he saved at full stretch. Other than that, all the action was at the end.

Lee Camp made debut for the Millers in goal and he denied us twice in the opening fifteen minutes. Both times Jordan Cousins' pace lead to shooting chances, both of which the diminutive Camp did well to get to. The second one in particular after a flowing Charlton attack saw Cousin weave past two defender and shape a fine shot for the top corner but Camp dived strongly to his left and got a hand on the shot. 

We would have been good value for a one-goal advantage at the break but we couldn't score and after the referee awarded Rotherham a corner following a free-kick which cannoned off one of their defenders in our wall, you knew what would follow.

After the break and kicking towards the Covered End we upped the ante and put Rotherham on the back foot. It took the introduction of Simon Makienok to force the equaliser. Igor Vetokele was the man who made way. I was convince it would be Watt who looked flat footed and struggling during the first-half. Having said that, he came more strongly into the game after Makienok came on. After another Charlton break down the right with Solly and Gudmundson operating in tandem, the ball was hit to the back post where Makienok took it on and squared past Camp for the onrushing Bauer to poke home. It was Bauer's first goal in a Charlton shirt and I reckon he is good got half-a-dozen a season.

Zag Bergdich came on with ten minutes to go and that gave us a bit more balance but we couldn't quite get the break needed to force a winner. Rotherham were playing for time but also kept the odd reminder that they were capable of a second.

Alou Diarra was my man-of-the-match which a dominant centre-half display and also for striding into midfield when he had the space and starting most of our attacking moves. Bauer was again rock solid and he clearly has a game at this level which gives him an extra second and bags of confidence as a result. Fox was fine too but didn't get down his flank nearly as well as Solly who backed Gudmundson superbly in the second-half as we chased the game. 

Kasha saw less of the ball than in the last two home matches but played his part, as did El-Hadji Ba and Cousins, both of whom spent some time on the left side until Bergdich came on. 

Igor did plenty of running but didn't see so much of the ball. Tony Watt was sluggish first-half but he too raised his game in the second-half was a handful once again with his direct running and frequent change of direction. 

We had pre-and-post match pints in the White Swan. It's good to see it open again on match days. It's had a lick of paint but not much else. There were plenty of new staff on although they were far from run-off-their-feet. They have a strange till system whereby one person is ringing all the drinks up and handling the cash which I am not sure works too well with everyone repeating orders and making mistakes. The decent selection of real ales and cider also ran out one after the other, so it's probably just as well it wasn't busier. I will go back.

We need to get back to winning ways on Tuesday and heap the pressure on Chris Powell's Huddersfield who lost at Cardiff and sit second-bottom above Rotherham.

Charlton Life Somme Trip 2019

Coming up for three years ago, on the way back from a protest trip to St Truiden, a small party of Addicks agreed a minor detour to enable us to visit the World War One war grave of ex-Addick Herbert "Nobby" Nightingale. We also took in the Menin Gate and the experience was enriched by the commentary given to us by Guild of Battlefield Guide and all-round Charlton nut, Clive Harris. I promised myself that day that I wanted to see and learn more about World War One and would get on one of Clive's very popular tours.

It may have taken longer than anticipated but I was delighted to spend this weekend touring the battlefields and cemeteries of The Somme. The trip was enhanced by the fact that friends and I were part of a coach full of Charlton Lifers as well as few fans from other clubs (Millwall and Reading). We set-off from Charlton at 5.15am on Saturday and were in northern France and at our first stop by mid-morning. The coach rolled on from stop-to-stop until tea-time and we were all thoroughly absorbed by Clive's first-class story-telling which told us of the key military engagements, individual heroics and the sporting connections as we went. 

I have learnt far more about World War Two over the years but the significance of World War One has loomed larger more recently as I have read more and it has received more media attention with the passing centenary. It was fantastic to be able to put landscapes and towns to what were previously just awkward French place names. When you are on the ground, it's also incredible just how close all of these iconic names and actions are to one another. Clive has a story to tell on almost every bend in the road and he can recount the war on a day-by-day date basis. The product of a life's obsession covering the reading of more than 3000 books on the subject and 15 years experience teaching and touring. How fortunate we are to count him among our number.

We had the added benefit of the personal family stories from a number of those on board which were retold and remembered as we reached the appropriate places. Brave young men whose lives were cut short so suddenly leaving a painful family legacy which would endure for decades but which has still not been forgotten 100 years later. 

Michael and Matteus, two German Addicks, who like the Millwall-supporting couple, had to enjoy some gentle stereotypical ribbing, such as "waiting to win on penalties" in a particularly well-told Clive tale about football in no-man's land. It may also have encouraged Clive to take us to the largest German WW1 cemetery in France, at Neuville-St Vaast outside Arras, where we walked among the graves and steel crosses of 45,000 fallen Germans. The contrast to the multitude of 'English Garden' Commonwealth War Grave Commission cemeteries we had visited and driven past was stark, and a powerful reminder that there are no real winners and losers in war, just huge changes in society and the world at large. 

In addition to the sites, stories and sacrifices of heroes Donald Bell, Sandy Turnbull and Walter Tull, we also stopped at the resting place of Addick, Fred Chick, probably most poignant life story of the three Charlton men killed during the Great War - Jim McKenzie will have to wait a little longer. 

As if that were not enough, Clive and Steve Hunnisett (sp) are supporting a Charlton Museum-led evening next Tuesday (6th August) at the White Swan in Charlton Village where there will be four short talks on WW1 sporting connections. There will also be a 'Blitz Walk' from the ground to the Village ahead of this at 6.15pm and the Charlton Museum will be open from 4pm. 

Charlton Athletic 2 v Leicester City 1

I must start today's post with an admission. I bet against us and was quietly confident when I did my accumulator that we would be swept aside by the Foxes. So I am pleased to be able to report that I got it wrong and maybe, just maybe, our season is finally underway.

It was a cracking day today with clear blue skies and late Summer sun. Great to meet with up with a few mates in the White Swan pre-match and stroll down for a Valley victory. Good to see Chris Powell prepared to stick with the 3-5-2 formation that we fielded against Huddersfield. Morrison, Dervite and Cort held the back-line with Wiggins, Jackson, Stephens, Pritchard and Wilson fighting in the midfield and Kermorgant and Church leading the line.  The pitch was gloriously green and we even had the irony of the sprinklers on before kick-off.

We started positively and our defence looked assured as Leicester tested us. The five man midfield quickly got to grips with the opposition and we were soon taking the game to the Foxes. Yann Kermorgant was evidently up for the match and he set the tone by fighting tooth and nail for every ball. Simon Church ran his socks off alongside Kermorgant and the pair were a handful for Leicester all afternoon. 

It was another former Leicester player, Michael Morrison who opened the scoring with a firm header from a Charlton corner at the visitors end. Morgan was outstanding in  the Leicester defence but they were vulnerable all afternoon to the aerial ball. Our second came on the hour from another corner kick which was hit deep and Yann Kermorgant steered it home from three yards beyond the back post. Two-nil and we looked comfortable and things got even better when James collected his second yellow card for his over-zealous attention to Yann Kermorgant.

Leicester tried to hit back but Vardy was thwarted one-on-one after an impressive burst of speed had carried him through our rearguard. Hamer saved again after that but was finally beaten when Leicester drove down our right side and pulled a ball back for Drinkwater to slam past him.. 

Charlton then slowed the game and played some impressive possession football fully utilising the extra man. Wilson, Pritchard and Stephens made pretty patterns for ten minutes as Leicester threw on sub after sub trying to change their fortunes. Schmeichel made a fine save down to his right-hand post to deny Yann from a free-kick but he had saved the best to last. A brilliant one handed diving stop to deny Kermorgant a deserved second from a colossal back post header. We had other chances towards the end and we had the telling introductions of Jordan Cousins and Joe Pigott before the finish. 

Things may be far from perfect behind the scenes at the Valley but Chris Powell has again managed to stir his troops and get a response. Once again it's a pity that we have to go into an international break when we have our tails up. Watford in a fortnight may represent a step-backwards but at least we are off and running and the aggressive salute from Lawrie Wilson at the whistle spoke volumes.

Charlton Athletic 2 v Fulham 2

They say you should never bet against your own side but I don't follow that. I have always been prepared to and it occasionally softens the blow. Yesterday was a case in point. Based on our league form, our thin squad and the Sky Hoodoo, I had anchored two accumulators with a Fulham victory.

When Conor McAleny wasted a golden opportunity in the opening minute to put us one-up I gave my wife a knowing smile. Karlan Ahearne-Grant's chance was nowhere near as easy but he was caught by Hangeland and I was sure it wasn't going to be our day. When Nicky Pope spilled a first-half free-kick and Fulham reacted quickest, I did feel slightly less pissed-off.

A largely unrecognisable Fulham side edged the first half but looked good value for a second goal. One name that was familiar was that of Ross McCormack, and whilst he looks to be living well on his big London wages, he was busy and increasingly direct. I told my wife we would leave once he had netted the second but as that came on the hour we persevered. There was no response and as good as we were left to right and right to left, up and down was not happening. Gudmundson and Solly whipped in a number of decent balls from the right but Watt and Ahearne-Grant were never going to capitalise. With ten minutes left Super Jacko was unleashed and he appear to run straight on and into the box to thunder home a header from off the bar from a corner.

The lack of leadership was so apparent at that moment. Jackson lead the team at pace back for the kick-off and his clenched fists urged us to get behind the side. We did and they upped their game. Suddenly Fulham were back-pedalling and their noisy contingent was finally rescued to nail-biting as we piled men into the box and slung balls over the top. We got to 90 minutes and four were added. Once two of them were gone I settled for the defeat our 90 minutes deserved and headed out.

The roar that greeted us on the concourse behind the East was too loud for it to be a Fulham third and it was quickly confirmed that Jordan Cousins had rescued Luzon's blushes and cost me the thick end of £600.

Left to mull it over in the White Swan over a few pints of Howbury (Bexley/Erith brewer) and homemade pork pies,  I came to the conclusion that today we were probably only a striker short (and maybe Kashi) of our strongest eleven and we were well short of the mark. I don't see Fulham as promotion contenders but our performance would suggest a lower half battle for the rest of the season. Our squad is too thin but it's our striking options that will ultimately leave us short of goals. Big Mak is probably worth no more than five a season and without Vetokele firing, Tony Watt cannot play the foil he so good at. Time and again yesterday he had two or three men to beat.

I haven't had time to check the attendance yesterday but the actual turnout was paltry. I was surprised that the Covered End sounded so loud given it looked so empty. Clearly, given the option of watching from home, several thousand decided not to bother. Transportation has been woeful in recent weeks but that is a really bad sign for the future. Still, I am guessing most of them were old gits who live in the past and whose opinion don't really matter.