There's plenty to be grateful for and it could always be worse!
1. It was our best home record for ten years (even if it didn't feel like it).
2. Our core home support held up remarkably well at over 17,000 (even if a couple of thousand season ticket holders couldn't be bothered for most home games).
3. Seven of our Directors dug deep to donate another £7m to ensure we had a proper go at promotion without the uncertainties of financial problems.
4. The Board also reorganised to once again simplify control of the club under those with the biggest stake to make decision-making easier (we shouldn't under-estimate how this may serve us well in the future).
5. We showed faith in our manager (whether you like him or not).
6. He did a reasonable job in the circumstances (a useless manager simply couldn't take a club to the play-offs, despite what some of the more ill-informed like to think - Ian Dowie anyone?).
7. The disappointment of being knocked out by Swindon was absolutely nothing compared to losing at Wembley in the final to Millwall.
8. In spite of our financial situation, we own the Valley and our training ground. It's one of the things that mark professional clubs out from Sunday sides.
9. We have so far avoided Administration. If it is to hit us now, at least we have a better chance of surviving it in League One than in the Championship.
10. It could always be worse - ask any Gills fan if you can find one. If not, ask a Shrimpers fan.
11. Whilst promotion looks highly unlikely next year, parity with Palace looks inevitable in 2011-12.
12. We have continued to bring on our youth players and that should stand us in good stead if we have to rebuild from the bottom up that looks likely.
Keep the faith!
Just wanted to congratulate you Dave on a phenomenal season. Don't always agree 100% with you, but 9 times out of ten I do. you tell it how you see it in a great way.
ReplyDeleteHow you churn out the volume you do never fails to amaze me. I have a good insight into how much time and dedication is needed to keep things like this going, so congratulations on a job well done mate.
Thank you, i actually feel slightly better..
ReplyDelete10 - 0, last 5 minutes 2-1 ,Or Penalties....There is never a good way to lose a game is there?
i'm just sad that the team will probably start all over again next season with new faces in/our "better" players gone..actually, maybe that's not so bad either..
Thanks AFKA. Charlton Life provides plenty of inspiration. It's where the real fans hang out. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThanks AFKA. Charlton Life provides plenty of inspiration. It's where the real fans hang out. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWell said. And I can't see how we would have beaten Millwall in the final. So overall it's been an enjoyable season. Parkinson deserves credit for the job he's done. His loan signings have been good and he's made the best of an average bunch of players.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to next year, I wonder how many clubs in league 1 are also going to have financial problems? I would hazard a guess that it'll be the majority, so I expect we'll just be on a par with the rest of them. This gives us every chance of getting into the play offs or even better.