Stanchion 2 Crystal Palace 0

Colin is livid after Palace scored a perfectly good goal but the referee and his assistants didn't see it. (Arf !)

I can see Colin's point but he is such a charmless irk I really can't imagine the football authorities bending over backwards to ease his pain.

Crystal Palace have form in this kind of thing.

In 1980 Clive Allen 'scored' against Coventry. (Admire the tiny shorts and Clive Allen's perm).

These things 'even themselves out over the season' we are told but Warnock is spitting feathers, blaming the officials, blaming Bristol City players for not owning up, blaming Bristol City players for not taking the ball up the other end and scoring an own goal etc etc.

Strangely Warnock is not blaming his players for not scoring in the other 89 minutes available.

Rob Shroebridge, the hapless referee has been given a few weeks off by Keith Hackett.

I've always liked Gary Johnson.......

Buckmore Park

On Friday evening and this afternoon, (Sunday), I finally accomplished something that I've really fancied doing for ages and ages.

I left the comfort of South East London and headed out to what has been described, (not by Paul Scally), as 'the Charlton heartlands' of Mid Kent for some sessions at Buckmore Park.

Lewis Hamilton features heavily on the promotional literature. It may as well have been Lewis coaches and Christine Hamilton for all the skills I showed on my first few warm up laps. It took a while to learn the correct racing lines and the parts of the circuit where a gentle touch of the brakes is necessary. I performed a few pirouettes while the tyres were still warming to optimum temperature but it was all good fun.

There are two classes of karts available for hire. Pro karts and also a Sports version. The Sports versions go a little faster so I opted for the slower version while learning.

On Friday I thoroughly enjoyed the experience but today was even better. I beat / smashed my best lap times from Friday and didn't spin off while trying to push it, though I was knocked off the track twice by an over eager girl who looked like she was desperate to prove something.

If you've even the slightest interest in motor sport, or even just enjoy driving, it is a fantastic experience. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Have virtual lap of the circuit here.

3 in a row ?

A 4-2 win at home against Norwich, followed by a 3-2 win in our next league game against Wycombe.

Is it possible that Charlton Athletic might manage '3 in a row' for the first time since November 2007 ?

Come On You Addicks !!!

What did I miss?

Well, I'm back home again after a week of doing very little other than sitting around in the sunshine, drinking Mythos beer, swimming, eating Greek food from friendly tavernas and avoiding all contact with home.

I've now got my washing spinning around and I've made sure that Top Cat still remembers me. (above).

I did get updates by text message from our opening game last Saturday but other than that, I've been out of the loop.

So what have I missed?

It would seem that the T*** O*** is still no nearer. The good and bad part of this is we are now in a 'Transfer Embargo', so none of our players will be leaving. Andy Gray seems to be the main player who has had his plans altered due to this situation.

We've won at home in a not particularly convincing fashion after enough chances to be out of sight. (Sounds familiar). A win is a win is a win so we should be happy with the 3 points.

We've been knocked out of the Milk/Rumbelows/Carling/Worthington/Pointless cup. We were never going to win it so most people aren't that fussed despite having enough chances to be out of sight. (Again).

We seem to be in danger of filling around a quarter of the Matchroom stadium for our visit to Leyton Orient on Tuesday. I already have my ticket and it will be my first Charlton experience since the friendly at Welling. To say that I'm up for it is an understatement.

Other than that, it seems I've not really missed much. I won't be heading North tomorrow to Hartlepool but I wish those who are going a safe journey and the opportunity to see an away victory. Remember those???

Out of Reach

Yassou !

Again, I'm wishing everyone a goodbye. (Yassou).

In a few hours I'll be off to Greece for a week of sun, fine foods and too much beer.

In the previous years I've visited this same village, I've got used to wandering around with ONE lovely woman.

"Pretty lady, special price!" rings around my ears, as we do the evening promenade, calling into every leather goods shop and jewelry trading post within a flip flop walking range.

This year it's going to be slightly different.

Not content with escorting one beautiful woman, - I shall be vacationing with THREE!

The two 'extras' would probably rather eat their own weight in lard than spend time with me but it doesn't stop me feeling a little bit like this or this, or even this.

Unfortunately, compared to my companions, I'm more likely to resemble this.

The two youngest, will hope to be spending their time enacting the scenes from Blur's 'Girls & Boys' video while us two older /mature specimens will be dozing under a sun umbrella with a good book!

Yes, it's going to be tough without my broadband, WiFi and daily glances at the Charlton blog sites but I think I'll be able to manage!

I will of course be missing our opening game against the 'Chairboys' of Wycombe.

What an effete nickname! It makes 'Addick' seem quite hard and almost on a par with 'Lions' and 'Tigers'.

My first game of the season will be away at Orient on the 18th August. It seems ages away and by then we could /should have a bit of an idea of how our season is likely to progress. Much will depend on the 'T*** O***' and the ability to retain certain players but we will have seen how Parky wants to set up his players this season.

So, over and out, from me (and the 3 babes!)

I'm back - briefly.

Last night I returned to London on the Eurostar after a quick break.

I enjoyed a really pleasant and laid back few days with the extended family in Normandy, then I spent a couple of days in Paris just hanging about.

I've spent lots of time in Paris over the years so didn't feel compelled to go charging around visiting all the 'must sees'.

I did however, watch the sun go down over Paris from Sacre Coeur. It was a beautiful experience shared with around 5000 people who all had the same idea! It ended up being a big free party - some black kids had brought along drums and guitars which they were mixing into the music playing from their sound system. Many people, (not me), danced away with Paris twinkling below.

I also went up the Tour Montparnasse. I'm a huge fan of tall buildings and always make a point of ascending the tallest building in any city I visit. The views were phenomenal. It brought home that we are lacking anything similar in London. We have tall buildings but due to security risks blah blah our highest and most famous buildings are not open to the public.

We do have the wheel on the South Bank but the pressure of enjoying the ride within the 30 minute rotation without feeling trapped or needing a wee means that many people aren't keen.

Yesterday, I sat around reading, people watching and listening to my iPod beneath the Tour Eiffel. (See the picture above).

My playlist included many French tunes including 'chansons' by Etienne Daho, Desireless, Ladyhawke and France Gall. -I'm so bloody cosmopolitan!

After a week away, Charlton Athletic seem to be ever so slightly on a roll. Wins against Ipswich and Bournemouth, plus many of the players we assumed would be off still training at Sparrows Lane has given a sense of hope to many of the Addickted.