Fighting Talk & Barca.

On Saturday morning I was up with the larks, (if they have larks in Charlton) to head over to Broadcasting House.
We'd arranged to be there before 8:40am but I had an unscheduled Starbucks yearning on the way, so I didn't arrive until around 9:00.

I met Neil, first in the queue as always, then Phil joined us after around 5 minutes.

We were treated to Clive Anderson passing the time of day with us as we waited.
He seemed slightly surprised to hear we were aware of the programme 'Loose Ends' he was going to be a part of.
I noted he seemed remarkably full headed for somebody who has had his baldness commented upon for around 15 years.

Soon Colin Murray turned up but instead of rushing inside, he was happy to hang around on the other side of the street, chatting to mates and necking a few morning sharpeners from a huge coffee he was carrying.

After going through security and hanging around some more, we were finally allowed into the hallowed hall for the series finale of 'Fighting Talk'.
It was billed as the Champion of Champions show.

Defending champ Bob Mills, was pitted against Steve Bunce, Tom Watt and Martin Kelner.

The show isn't usually performed in front of an audience so it was a rare opportunity to see how it is put together.

We couldn't have had better seats.
When we were finally invited inside, the three of us managed to race to the centre of the front row.

I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the event won by Tom Watt, (maybe a little controversially).

Bob Mills made everybody laugh off air and Buncie wandered about, handing out flyers for his book while the news and weather were being read out.

                                          Colin Murray.

                                          Bob Mills and Tom Watt.

                                          Steve Bunce and Martin Kelner.

                                          The Sony Award, in the foreground.

After a bit of a wind down, when audience members were prompted to ask the guests their own questions or 'Any Other Business', Bob Mills told a few more jokes and then we were thanked and back onto the West End streets.

We went for a quick drink, then I headed to some of my favourite trainer shops, obviously with the intention of Just Looking but I must admit, my plastic did come out.

I didn't buy these Kopenhagens but they are next on my list.

Next it was Tokyo Diner.

 If I'd known they had a constant live webcam going I'd have waved but I didn't realise until just now. 

The Tokyo Diner way of doing business is no tipping, which takes some of the hassle out of paying.

I had a Bento box which was smaller than I remember having there before, so maybe I'll try something else on their menu next time.

London was completely taken over by fans of FC Barcelona.

There were very small pockets of Manchester United fans, sitting snarling at the locals or doing show off drinking outside pubs but really they were quite hard to find.

Everywhere I went there were huge crowds of happy Barca fans.

They were joyous, colourful and good natured. They seemed to be full of smiles rather than Stella. 

The prospect of any kind of trouble seemed to be highly unlikely.

They were well dressed, well behaved and as far as the travelling women were concerned, well gorgeous.

If the supporters of *Manchester United and Barca had decided to take over London, Barca had it in the bag by around 2pm.

* (There is the point of course, that many of the United supporters were still at home, cutting the grass or taking Tarquin to tennis sessions in Epsom and wouldn't be heading into town until much later.)

;-)

After heading home, I spent the rest of the afternoon doing preparation work for the annual reports the parents of the kids in my class will be expecting. 

It always takes such a long time but I like to make sure they are done properly and are most definitely individual rather than just blanket comments that could really be about anybody.

A curry, some beers and then it was me, Adrian Chiles, Manchester United and FC Barcelona for the rest of the evening.

WOW!

Sometimes finals are a bit of a let down but this year the final of the Champions League will be remembered as a bit of a cracker.

The young Barca star Messi most certainly stepped up to show the viewing public his label of 'Best Player In The World' is not hyperbole.

He is frighteningly good. 

He's only 23 and will probably get even better.

There are some quite tragic haircuts in the Barcelona team, (Puyol anybody?) but that is the only chink I can see in their armour.

They might be 'dodgy' in defence but when they can score almost at will, it doesn't seem to matter that much.

Manchester United are a fantastic club and they are quite rightly the current kings of English football. They can dominate other teams, often without playing particularly well.

Last night they looked very second best and were given a bit of a spanking by Barcelona.

Spain are the Kings of World football, European football and now European club football.

No wonder their supporters looked happy.

Up, Up & Away.

 

This afternoon, I headed out to Essex to enjoy a sight seeing flight over London.

It was a fantastic treat to view the city I call home from an unusual angle.

What amazes me is how close together everything seems when you're airbourne. 

We headed towards Dartford and joined the river above the bridge.

We flew over North West Kent, towards Greenwich and Docklands. 

Unfortunately I was on the wrong side of the plane to get a good shot of the Valley but the Thames Barrier made it easy to spot.

Click on the picture above and you'll see a fairly good view of the Charlton area.

We then headed towards London Bridge and the Shard.

Even the more obvious tourist sights such as St Paul's Cathedral were mesmerising.

London looked beautiful.

The pilot was obviously a North London sports fan as he made a point of circling their football grounds.

The Emirates.

White Hart Lane.

After about 40 minutes we headed back to base.

Even the M25 looked gorgeous from above.

A most enjoyable trip.

It really wasn't easy to take pictures while being buffeted about. 

I tried to keep my photography to a minimum so I could just enjoy the flight, rather than observe it all through my iPhone screen.

I need to give a huge thanks to Sarah for organising the special experience for me.

Thanks babe.

xxxx

We're Outta Here!

Charlton Athletic 0 - Hartlepool United 0.

That's it. 

Goodbye season 2010 / 2011.

Done and dusted.

We're now gone for a lovely, refreshing few weeks before we have to start worrying again about events at Floyd Road and Sparrows Lane.

The game today?

Same old same old.

Before Kick Off, I had a quick drink with some of the Charlton twitteratti which was just grand.

 Typically, to put the full stop on the end of a disappointing season, there was another disappointing result once we arrived at the Valley.

It's quite a relief to finally put this season to bed.

BWP could have scored early on when Llera sent through a fantastic ball but he hit the cross bar.

Semedo was booked for being on the receiving end of a foul and in the second half, Bessone struck possibly the best shot I've seen all season, only for a combination of woodwork and 'keepers hand to deny him.

Hartlepool nearly scored the goal we were half expecting when they hit the crossbar. It would have been against the run of play but this season we've got used to just that kind of thing.

I didn't stay for the players to do their lap around the pitch.

I would have been a complete hypocrite if I'd clapped them away for the summer.

As individuals, many have worked hard and shown flashes of skill.

As a team, they have been very, very poor. 

I'm pretty sure there would have been some people who were willing to give them the traditional send off but I wasn't one of them.

The undoubted stars of the show today were the Father Christmas characters and the Oompa Loompas among the Hartlepool support.

They were absolutely fantastic and a credit to themselves and their club.

Well done fellers.

Nearly There.

The fat lady is having her breakfast.

Only a few more hours to wait until she can finally open her great big throat and serenade us into our Summer break.

Charlton fans, it's been a right pig of a season.

Only one more gargantuan effort to drag ourselves to the Valley before we can have a rest from the tribulations and disappointments of Charlton Athletic.

Of course, I'll be back again next season.

Much like Paul McCartney, who is probably sitting at home with his thumbs aloft, a few bad experiences haven't put me off.

Recent seasons have ended on a high, (remember CP scoring?)
Perhaps the rain showers will cease and we'll see a final flourish of goals?

As Curbs used to say in his programme notes, I assume the team will want to "send us home happy".

It won't make one jot of difference and won't paper over the cracks but it might remind a few people to finally fill in their dusty old season ticket applications.

And Now, The End Is Near.

Warsaw 2 - Charlton Athletic 0.


In the spirit of all things Royal, (after yesterday's opportunity to find out we all fancy William's bride's sister), I'd like to copy one of her madge Elizabeth 2's famous lines and proclaim this season an 'annus horribilis'. 
(Stop giggling at the back)


When Nicky Bailey skied his spot kick to end last season at the Play Off semi stage, I assumed we would find it hard to repeat a top six position this year. I figured we'd lose most of our more appealing players to the circling vultures and they'd be replaced with journeymen of little ability. A mid table finish was to be expected.


I've been proved right of course but what I didn't expect, was to be teased into a mindset where I believed a repeat top six placing was ours for the taking. 
Only then, just at the point when we were beginning to believe again, there was a collapse of the most appalling magnitude to snatch the chance away and completely trample over our hopes for the team.


It could have been worse I suppose. 
All those gloating and braying Swindon fans, who showed their collective worst side as we trudged up Floyd Road after extra time and penalties on that warm evening last May, have actually plummeted deeper than us.
They finished last season as Play Off final runners up and finished this season relegated!


Today, a hardy bunch of around 500 Addicks, (many in fancy dress), visited the West Midlands for the last away game of the season.
A meaningless fixture for us but still important for the Bescot Boys as they seek to avoid the drop.

We've done everything we can to help Walsall's cause, allowing them to complete the double over us this season!

A minor positive is the Walsall victory condemns everybody's favourite cheating baskets Bristol Rovers to relegation.

I'd like to have done Dagenham a favour and piled the pressure on Walsall but it wasn't to be.

I experimented with the strength of my WiFI and followed the game using the CAFC player, while sitting on the grass outside.
I had a few tins of London Pride and the most recent Stuff magazine with me of which I was quite thankful as after an early Paul Benson chance, there didn't seem to be much for Charlton supporters to get excited about.
It would seem Walsall ran out worthy winners with Charlton failing to get going.
There may also have been some of this seasons regular 'comedy defending', depending upon which first hand report you believe.

Only one more game before we can pack this season away.
Roll on the Summer break.

I think we deserve it.

Fun In The Sun.

Charlton Athletic 3. Rochdale 1.


Well, that went well.


It's just a shame things didn't fall into place a little sooner and then, just maybe, we might have been in Rochdale's position at the start of this afternoon and been pushing for a Play Off place.


The team played with belief and despite being without a few players who would have likely started, took the game to Rochdale  who never really got going.

Racon scored a well placed opener late in the first half and even when Dale equalised from a corner, early in the second period, Charlton just went straight up the other end and stuffed the ball in the net to keep the advantage.

I particularly enjoyed viewing one Dale supporter who was in the middle of giving it large to the home support after their goal, only to sit down again with his head in his hands mid celebration!

Most people seemed to think Dean Parrett was having a good game but until he scored, I'd been a little disappointed with his performance. Perhaps I'm expecting too much? He did take his chance very well though.

The star of the show for me was Nathan Ecclestone.
Whatever must he have done to minimise his appearances for Charlton?

Obviously I don't see him in training and he might be a truly awful young man but on the evidence of the games I've seen, I'd play him every week. Whenever he's been on the pitch he's looked dangerous.

He ran and ran today, taking up positions that more often than not weren't spotted by his colleagues but he persevered.

Young Nathan got his just rewards when a perfect cross from Paul Benson, who was also playing well in my opinion, was met by a bullet header giving the 'keeper no chance.
Ecclestone is far too good for this league and I'm just disappointed we haven't seen more of him during his loan spell from Liverpool.

There were a few Dale penalty appeals late on.
I have no idea how valid they were but the referee who had not been particularly impressive all game didn't seem interested.

It made a pleasing change to exit the Valley after a win.

Crispy noticed some old fella wearing a baseball cap with an appalling grammatical error, (unless we once had a manager who's nickname was Curb), and we chuckled in the sunshine.

Only one more game for me now and two more for the team before the Close Season and lots of work from CP I imagine.

I've already taken the plunge and signed on for next season but if I'm honest, this season can't finish soon enough.

Well done to the team today but when we aren't playing for points to go up or avoid relegation, it really is rather unimportant.

One heartening piece of news from today was those cheating folk down at Bristol Rovers lost.
After their performance on Saturday, I think we'd all like to wish them bon voyage onto the slippery pole of relegation.

Pirates Gifted A Point.

Bristol Rovers 2 - Charlton Athletic 2.

When Chris Powell returned to the Valley, 100 days ago, he must have thought he was the luckiest man in the world.

The team didn't play particularly well yet they managed to win his first 4 games in charge.
The 'luck' was with CP.

Since then, Chris has found out what it's like when the luck doesn't run for you.

The story of today is typical of what happens when things aren't going your way.

2- 0 up, away from home, sounds like a position to build on.
It's the position managers dream of being in.
Cruising and in control of the game.

Paul Benson and Kyel Reid had got Charlton into the good position but unfortunately,  Semedo and Reid managed to wreck it by being sent off!

Reid couldn't really complain but our Portugeezer can consider himself rather hard done by.
Indications were that the Rovers player manager used all of his cunning to get Jose a red.

Bristol Rovers. I hope they get relegated.

So, down to 9 men.
Hmmm. How unlucky.

The referee may have got it right with the double yellow cards, adding up to the reds but he most certainly wasn't consistent.
 He chose to completely miss similar offences by the Pirates.

Down to 9 men, it was only a matter of time before Bristol Rovers came back into the game. Wayne Brown got the home supporters believing to make the score 2-1.

The real robbery occurred in the 84th minute when Williams controlled the ball with his arm and lashed the ball home.
Unbelievably, the referee saw nothing wrong with it.

Chris Powell was so annoyed he ended up being sent to the stands.

With our team only playing for pride it really doesn't make a lot of difference if we won a single point or grabbed the deserved 3.
However, supporters of Dagenham and Walsall will most certainly be annoyed at the referee gifting Rovers the point.

It could be very, very important to them.