Sunday 26th May 2019 - possibly the most important day in the 114 year history of Charlton Athletic Football Club. Forty thousands Addicks supporters made their way to Wembley yesterday daring to believe that Lee Bowyer's side could emulate that of the 1998 play-off heroes under Alan Curbishley. Thousands more filled the pubs and living rooms of south-east London with the same hopes and fears.
When this season started at The Stadium of Light, Lee Bowyer was unable to field a full substitute bench because he simply didn't have the number of players required. We were several short and yet we matched newly-relegated Sunderland that day and felt hard-done-by settling for just a point in the final minutes. Sickening then that Sunderland netted a last-gasp winner to start Bowyer's season with a defeat. Some then suggested that we would get our revenge come May with the last game of the season in a play-off final against the Makems. We all saw the history and the possibility but very few really believed that.
Throughout the season Bowyer's side have battled and bounced back repeatedly from setbacks, to the point that we were on a decent run prior to Christmas and were in the long-sought after position of being in contention come the January transfer window. We now hoped against hope that Duchatelet would be true his previous word about investing in a promising January position to support a serious promotion bid. Those words were several years old and times have changed. Instead, Lee Bowyer had to swallow hard as his joint top scorer, Karlan Grant, was flogged for a £1m and he was denied a replacement. With Nicky Ajose also having been removed from the wage bill, we instead had to settle for third choice Gills striker, Josh Parker.
Predictably, we stumbled a bit in January and thoughts of promotion were dropped from the mind. Bowyer, however, continued to talk up our chances and players again began to grind out wins against the odds and reassert themselves as play-off hopefuls. That we maintained that until the credible opposition fell away was inspiring and Charlton fans got behind Bowyer and his team like almost nothing before. Away numbers picked up significantly and demand at home increased until the unbelievable surge in demand for the play-off second-leg at the Valley which saw us pretty much double the attendance of last season's home play-off leg to 25,000. Not only that but we still managed to win through despite being outplayed in that game in an atmosphere I have been reliably assured was the best ever at the Valley (in living memory).
So to yesterday again and the opening few minutes in which we conceded the softest ever goal from a howler that will be remembered for generations to come. It was a shuddering moment for the Charlton faithful and a cruel, cruel blow for Dillon Phillips who has been outstanding this season. Strangely though, I felt inspired by it that Phillips would have the last laugh. That's so often the way these things work out and so I had to sit back and watch it play out.
I was not worried about Sunderland as an attacking force prior to the match. They looked very light up front and any threat they had appeared to be from midfield. They looked confident and sure-footed for about twenty minutes after taking the lead (without touching the ball) but after that Charlton found their feet and began to dominate the possession and the play. Before half-time Lyle Taylor managed a yard of space on the right and poked a low bending cross behind the Makem back-line which arrived for Pratley and Purrington. Pratley wasn't able to reach it but Purrington was and he knocked in his first ever goal to atone for Phillips' bloomer and put things back on an even keel. The relief was palpable and it visibly lifted the Reds.
Suddenly the Sunderland fans were no longer so loud. Charlton fans found their voices and a bouncing rendition of the Allez, Allez, Allez song saw us able to leave the field at half-time with our heads high. I was confident we would win in the second-half and we resumed where we left off. Phillips made a couple of smart saves in the second-half and although we weren't creating loads of chances, we were dominating possession and passing and moving much better than Sunderland. This has been the trade-mark of Bowyer's side.
The second-half flew by and I was beginning to contemplate extra time when my man-of-the-match, Josh Cullen. crossed deep from the left towards the back-post. Jason Pearce's downward header was prodded out but only to Patrick Bauer who hammered it home off Flanagan to finish the tie and give us everything we had hoped and prayed for. No time for any panic. No time for even the threat of an equaliser. Lee Bowyer asked the fourth official " how long?' and was told "five seconds."
The celebrations were brilliant. The prize may have been decidedly lighter than that in 1998 but you wouldn't have known it and as I said at the start, it could just prove to be the biggest ever if it encourages reluctant seller Duchatelet to finally cut his losses and move on. His window will likely be short because unless he invests heavily we are likely to quickly look like a League One side again playing in the Championship. That's not to say Bowyer might not continue to over-perform but this side won't threaten the Championship and we are almost certain to lose a number of the higher earners who are out-of-contract and free to negotiate more lucrative deals.
I was delighted to spot Andrew Muir and Gerald Murphy and guests prior to the match. Not sure they had flown half-away around the world at considerable time and expense just to see the club they once had hopes of acquiring. Whatever the state-of-play, they must still harbour ambitions....
Finally, we should spare a thought for the Sunderland fans who were once again hugely respectful and dignified in defeat. They were as gracious as they were in 1998 and I sincerely hope they walk League One next season (just like they did the Championship in 1998-99). We just need to avoid changing places with them (which we also did that year).
In the meantime, please, oh please Roland, wake up and smell the coffee. Your best chance to cut your losses is between now and probably October. Get real on a sale price and do a deal so you can move on and maybe enjoy your dotage.
When this season started at The Stadium of Light, Lee Bowyer was unable to field a full substitute bench because he simply didn't have the number of players required. We were several short and yet we matched newly-relegated Sunderland that day and felt hard-done-by settling for just a point in the final minutes. Sickening then that Sunderland netted a last-gasp winner to start Bowyer's season with a defeat. Some then suggested that we would get our revenge come May with the last game of the season in a play-off final against the Makems. We all saw the history and the possibility but very few really believed that.
Throughout the season Bowyer's side have battled and bounced back repeatedly from setbacks, to the point that we were on a decent run prior to Christmas and were in the long-sought after position of being in contention come the January transfer window. We now hoped against hope that Duchatelet would be true his previous word about investing in a promising January position to support a serious promotion bid. Those words were several years old and times have changed. Instead, Lee Bowyer had to swallow hard as his joint top scorer, Karlan Grant, was flogged for a £1m and he was denied a replacement. With Nicky Ajose also having been removed from the wage bill, we instead had to settle for third choice Gills striker, Josh Parker.
Predictably, we stumbled a bit in January and thoughts of promotion were dropped from the mind. Bowyer, however, continued to talk up our chances and players again began to grind out wins against the odds and reassert themselves as play-off hopefuls. That we maintained that until the credible opposition fell away was inspiring and Charlton fans got behind Bowyer and his team like almost nothing before. Away numbers picked up significantly and demand at home increased until the unbelievable surge in demand for the play-off second-leg at the Valley which saw us pretty much double the attendance of last season's home play-off leg to 25,000. Not only that but we still managed to win through despite being outplayed in that game in an atmosphere I have been reliably assured was the best ever at the Valley (in living memory).
So to yesterday again and the opening few minutes in which we conceded the softest ever goal from a howler that will be remembered for generations to come. It was a shuddering moment for the Charlton faithful and a cruel, cruel blow for Dillon Phillips who has been outstanding this season. Strangely though, I felt inspired by it that Phillips would have the last laugh. That's so often the way these things work out and so I had to sit back and watch it play out.
I was not worried about Sunderland as an attacking force prior to the match. They looked very light up front and any threat they had appeared to be from midfield. They looked confident and sure-footed for about twenty minutes after taking the lead (without touching the ball) but after that Charlton found their feet and began to dominate the possession and the play. Before half-time Lyle Taylor managed a yard of space on the right and poked a low bending cross behind the Makem back-line which arrived for Pratley and Purrington. Pratley wasn't able to reach it but Purrington was and he knocked in his first ever goal to atone for Phillips' bloomer and put things back on an even keel. The relief was palpable and it visibly lifted the Reds.
Suddenly the Sunderland fans were no longer so loud. Charlton fans found their voices and a bouncing rendition of the Allez, Allez, Allez song saw us able to leave the field at half-time with our heads high. I was confident we would win in the second-half and we resumed where we left off. Phillips made a couple of smart saves in the second-half and although we weren't creating loads of chances, we were dominating possession and passing and moving much better than Sunderland. This has been the trade-mark of Bowyer's side.
The second-half flew by and I was beginning to contemplate extra time when my man-of-the-match, Josh Cullen. crossed deep from the left towards the back-post. Jason Pearce's downward header was prodded out but only to Patrick Bauer who hammered it home off Flanagan to finish the tie and give us everything we had hoped and prayed for. No time for any panic. No time for even the threat of an equaliser. Lee Bowyer asked the fourth official " how long?' and was told "five seconds."
The celebrations were brilliant. The prize may have been decidedly lighter than that in 1998 but you wouldn't have known it and as I said at the start, it could just prove to be the biggest ever if it encourages reluctant seller Duchatelet to finally cut his losses and move on. His window will likely be short because unless he invests heavily we are likely to quickly look like a League One side again playing in the Championship. That's not to say Bowyer might not continue to over-perform but this side won't threaten the Championship and we are almost certain to lose a number of the higher earners who are out-of-contract and free to negotiate more lucrative deals.
I was delighted to spot Andrew Muir and Gerald Murphy and guests prior to the match. Not sure they had flown half-away around the world at considerable time and expense just to see the club they once had hopes of acquiring. Whatever the state-of-play, they must still harbour ambitions....
Finally, we should spare a thought for the Sunderland fans who were once again hugely respectful and dignified in defeat. They were as gracious as they were in 1998 and I sincerely hope they walk League One next season (just like they did the Championship in 1998-99). We just need to avoid changing places with them (which we also did that year).
In the meantime, please, oh please Roland, wake up and smell the coffee. Your best chance to cut your losses is between now and probably October. Get real on a sale price and do a deal so you can move on and maybe enjoy your dotage.
Good to read you again on the Addicks, Dave. As usual you make an accurate analysis of prospects while RD is in possession.
ReplyDeleteBroke my long boycott of home games for the Donnie game. Much jollity with family and friends who had travelled from Wilts and Somerset. Awful clash of the R/League Magic Weekend, booked in January,and Sunday's final, but No1Son persuaded the steward I/c the Anfield Road end to switch the TV for the last ten minutes. Amazingly, there were about ten Addicks dancing in the refreshment area. Dare we hope for salvation?
Great day out and all achieved in spite of the obstacles put in the way. Surely there is a buyer out there as we need one asap.
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