Miss Fortune? Yes.

Reports are surfacing that Jonathan Fortune has decided not to take up the option of a new Charlton Athletic contract.

The lure of tier 3 football obviously isn't strong enough for a player who was playing in the Premiership, against Arsenal, only a short while ago -September 2006.

Jon Fortune has never been anything other than functional.
He hasn't been known for tearing down the wing and swinging in crosses like Luke Young or screaming the place down like Herman. He's just a fairly competent defender who scored some nice headers now and again. (Sha la, la).

It really seems a pity to me that Fortune has played admirably well for us on many occasions but always gave the impression of being very slightly out of his depth. He never really looked comfortable. Now we have fallen to a level where he would most likely be able to out play many of the forwards he would come across, he appears to be leaving.

My memories of Jon are vivid.
Through a series of complicated events, I found myself only able to get a ticket for the North Bank at Highbury, (rather than with the Charlton support), when Henry scored his spectacular back heel goal through Fortunes legs. I was surrounded by gleeful Gooners.
My seat was in about row 4 and I was no more than 10 -15 metres from the event. If you see the clip, everyone jumps up to celebrate in the crowd but one person is just too slow to really be celebrating. That's me. Thanks Jon. My cover was blown.

My other strong memory needs no description ---Sha la,la.
(Though we conveniently forget that we were cursing him when he gave away a penalty earlier in the game.)

More recent memories involve being sent off, as the game finished, at home to Ipswich in our first Championship season. What were you thinking Jon?

I'll be sorry to see Fortune go.
Some reports have him being lined up for a press conference at Sheffield United. If this is so, then good luck Jon. You are just the kind of player we really need to be holding onto but the lack of knowledge with regards the clubs financial short term future seems to have meant, as a business, we don't know what we can offer you to stay.