20,000 League One home gate?

On the back of our blistering start to the campaign, we should be expecting the largest crowd of the season on Saturday despite it beling live on Sky and a 12.15pm kick-off. I am anticipating a gate of over 17,000 for the visit of Brentford and providing we can win live on TV, we might find that the following Saturday's tasty home game against the Saints puts us very close to the 20,000 figure. It might also encourage Sky to commit to more Charlton games in the next tranche of live League One games.

Southampton may have had a dire start to the season but their Administration nightmare looks behind them and they have a new manager in Alan Pardew who will not be relishing his return to the scene of the crime. The Saints are well supported away from home and I would expect them to bring 2000 fans at least. The prospect of a top versus bottom clash against a side we were relegated with and us potentially defending a 100% start to the season is the stuff of dreams. It immediately reminds me of Alan Curbishley's crushing return to the Valley when Pardew's new charges gave West Ham a four-goal mauling.

If we don't break 20,000 for Southampton, the next chance looks like it might not be until the Lions visit on 19th December. Their 3,000 visiting supporters might be enough to swell the gate but that pre-supposes that our home gate won't be too badly affected by "Millwall Flu."

Pleased to see Aidy Boothroyd back in management at Colchester, even if he could again become a thorn in our side. He has always impressed me as decent bloke and very much a Charlton-type. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he manages us one day. It was a logical appointment when you considerd the options and we will just have to hope that it takes him five or six games to find his feet.