A New Year.

Firstly, I really do need to say a huge thanks to everyone who has taken the time to glance at my words over the last 12 months.

I extend the thanks to include the supporters of other clubs, (even Leeds United!) and those supporters of Charlton who have seen fit to put me in my place when I've written something they disagree with.

This is just a bit of fun for me, it's certainly not my job, which means I can choose to post something whenever I want but also I can leave it alone if I can't be bothered.

2013 had fewer posts from me than any year since I started this blog.
Sometimes life and beer do get in the way!

Charlton's 2014 started in exactly the same way as 2013.
A celebratory knee slide across the turf to the dismay of an opposition's groundsman.

Jackson grabs a point for the Addicks, 2014

Ipswich Town 1 - Charlton Athletic 1.

Last New Year's Day, I was at Watford to witness Captain Jackson score the winning goal for Charlton.
Other than when fellow blogger Al got 'the call' late in the evening and had to leave the pub we were celebrating in, ashen faced, it was an all round perfect day.

Jackson milks it at Watford, 2013

This time, I was all alone, listening in to the game while looking out of the window at the filthy weather.
The 2014 Jackson goal was still celebrated by me but it was with a convivial raising of a mug of Red Bush tea rather than 8 (?) pints of real ale.

Charlton certainly did it the hard way yesterday.

The central figure for the afternoon was former hot shot young gun Premier League referee S. Attwell.

The Premier League realised he wasn't up to the task after some rather eccentric performances and now he's been inflicted upon the Championship.

Is it possible to get nearly every decision wrong?
No, it's not- but he came pretty close!

Very early in the game Ipswich should have had a penalty but Attwell waved play on.

Later, after Charlton had conceded what has become the 'regular' deflected own goal, our referee not only decided that it was a fair challenge on Stewart but also the forward had performed a swan dive and carded him, when everyone else in Portman Road was expecting a penalty for the Londoners.

Coming so soon after the officials had robbed Charlton on Boxing Day, allowing Sheffield Wednesday to equalise from an extremely offside position, there were many Charlton supporters wondering what the FA have against the folk from SE7.

All game, Attwell was busy making a hash of it.  Not always in Ipswich favour, sometimes he messed up to the benefit of Charlton but the theme of the afternoon was the referee was a cock.

Ipswich were eventually given a penalty. It looked to be a correct decision, yet less obvious than the one Charlton were denied.

At this point the afternoon took on a different feeling as Ben Alnwick pooped on Attwell's betting slip and pulled off a remarkable save.

(Red Bush all over the carpet).

Charlton gained belief and as we headed into stoppage time, Jackson was there to plunder a point that had looked quite unlikely for most of the game.

2013 was a good year for me but it was always going to suffer when compared to 2012.

2012 was the year the whole planet came to have a look at this part of London, (and liked what they saw).
If having the Olympics and all the razzmatazz that goes with it within sight of home wasn't impressive enough, good old Charlton managed to outclass the rest of League One and romped to the title.

We had pyro loving parachutists, an opera singer wearing a skirt too tight and a full Valley for the presentation of the L1 Champions trophy.

2012 was amazing but there were times in 2013 I particularly enjoyed.

My Personal Highlights of 2013

1. Seeing The Stone Roses at Finsbury Park.
(This is the highlight of my decade and will only be beaten if The Clash manage to reform, with Joe Strummer somehow coming back Lazarus style, riding on Shergar).

"This Is The One……"

2. Seeing Fleetwood Mac at Madison Square Garden, NYC.

3. Seeing The Who perform at the o2 arena.

4a. Jackson scoring at Watford.
4b. Fuller scoring at Palace, (sadly it went downhill later).

5. Surviving another OFSTED without chinning an inspector or having a breakdown.

Here's to 2014.

Happy New Year everyone.