Dear Sir..

Today sees even the most optimistic among us finally accepting that we are to return to League One.
This is wholly unnecessary and purely down to the (ahem) 'correct' decisions our owner and his toady minions have made. 

A few weeks ago, I rattled off an email when the club showed it was finally going to pretend to listen to the fanbase by providing us with an email address.

I decided to explain why I am not renewing my Season Ticket. 
I have copy and pasted it below in the hope that it might encourage other people to write and explain why they are holding back on a repeat purchase.

* So far there has been no response from the club.


fans@cafc.co.uk


If you were time rich you could check that I've had a Season Ticket at Charlton for 20 seasons.

Having Charlton as a part of my life has been the one thing that hasn't changed.

It didn't change even when work conditions altered, my marriage broke up, close relatives became sick or died or moved to other parts of the world.

Following Charlton has been part of my identity. 
It's part of who I am and how I'm known to other people.

I've made myself really unpopular by refusing to attend social events or arriving at them late if they clashed with Charlton fixtures.
I've spent thousands of pounds over the years on travelling to see the team around the country and also to get back to Charlton for home games while holidaying elsewhere, then returning to the holiday.

I've loved every minute of it.
I'd say I'm a committed fan.

It breaks my heart to think that I'll be turning my back on the club, that one thing that helped me get through tough times but that's what I'm doing.

I will not be buying a new Season Ticket until this inept stewardship of the club has ended.

When Charlton won League one, the club was a beautiful organisation with supporters, players, sponsors and owners all pushing together in the same direction.

There was a unity of purpose.
There was a belief.

We knew the club was unlike any other. 
There was a 'feeling' and a mutual respect between all parties.

The one thing the club didn't have was enough money.
The Jimenez and Slater years had meant some corners were cut but we knew that with just a little bit of cash, things could get back on track.

When Roland Duchatelet bought Charlton I was cautiously optimistic.
I had of course read about how he was detested by Standard Liege supporters but I still hoped for the best.

All Duchatelet needed to do was buy into the ethos of Charlton, spend a bit of cash and we'd be looking at a successful club who'd be knocking on the door of the Premier League.

I can't deny Duchatelet has spent money. He's just spent it on things that won't help the main product, the first team.
He's also not 'spent' the money, he's loaned it, making it extremely difficult for somebody else to buy the club.

The owner of a football club should be someone who cares for it on behalf of the community, before passing it on, hopefully in a better condition, to the next person who will do the same.

Duchatelet has seen the club and the players as a Cash Cow to be bled for his own personal gain.

It's a sad state of affairs when Valley Gold have to hold back money to the club that has traditionally gone towards promoting the young Academy players progression to the first team, due to Duchatelet's 'vision' of selling them once they make it to the shop window playing squad.

Unfortunately, my early positive hopes for Duchatelet very quickly turned to dust.
He showed his lack of class and understanding of the club by removing as many 'good' parts of Charlton as he could and replacing them with poorer versions.
This was not just on the playing side. The staff behind the scenes were systematically dispensed with if they had a whiff of the old guard or they were old school 'proper' Charlton.

Good people who were fired or 'let go' all had similar stories of the disarray behind the scenes but have all been labelled as mere unhappy ex employees with axes to grind.

This would all have been bad enough but then the constant fibs and misinformation regarding the appointment of the regular new Head Coaches, (fed to the supporters by a CEO who may be excellent at being a lawyer but is beyond parody in the crass way she deals with the 'customers' ) just puts the cherry on top.

Recent (drunken?) outbursts from Duchatelet that somehow found their way onto the official website brought shame on himself but ultimately showed the club in a very poor light.

The supporters are now considered the enemy as far as the owner and CEO are concerned.

We are inconvenient. We are 'weird'.

I felt I had to let the club know why I have decided not to renew my Season Ticket.
*However, you can rest assured I will be hot footing it down to the Ticket Office (or NHS call centre) to purchase one as soon as news filters through that Roland Duchatelet has become little more than an unhappy paragraph in the history of Charlton Athletic.

I'd also like to add that this is not results driven.
When Charlton were relegated to League One last time I never for a moment considered any change in my support.
Some things don't change.

I remain a Charlton supporter but I cannot and will not financially support the owner who is taking me for a mug.

M

It's All Over Now.

Mathematicians may disagree but we all know that we should start preparing for League One.

Cheers Roland. 

Hopeless

Fulham 3 - Charlton Athletic 0.

Hope is being washed away.

For around half an hour yesterday, I was quite enjoying myself. 

Despite my personal reservations, I'd made the short journey West to Fulham and it really looked as if I'd made a good decision.

Our team started well. 

Had just a few of our players calibrated their shooting boots, nobody could have said it was unjustified for the Addicks to be a couple of goals up within the first period. 

We chuckled as the linesman was sent crashing to the floor by a powerful clearance that had he not stopped with his chin, would surely have made it with ease to the back of the stand.

There was a spring in the step of our team and I found myself thinking it was like the 'old' days. 

Harriott in particular was haring about, leaving defenders in his wake. Just the final ball was missing but the confidence was there and I believed it could very easily all come good.

The Charlton support were on good form, 100% supporting the team while also, very vocally, announcing that Roland is certainly not going to win any popularity contests. 

The incessant booing of Scott Parker was, as usual, rather counter productive. 

He's one of the best players I've seen wearing the Charlton shirt. 

The way Parker left us to bench warm at Chelsea, with only hours left of the transfer window and at a time when we were pushing for Champions League, (hey Roland!!), was extremely messy but nobody can deny he always gave us 100%.

 'Spotty' has been badly treated by our support each time our paths have crossed since, which has done nothing except give him the extra boost to stick one on us. 

Yesterday, his shot that crashed against Henderson's crossbar was the catalyst for Fulham going ahead and instantly the game was up.

For most teams, 1-0 down isn't the time to accept that it's not your day. 

The current CAFC incarnation is such a fragile flower that a minor setback instantly proves to be terminal. 

By the end of the game, Charlton had shipped 3 goals, scored none and were probably a bit fortunate not to be on the end of a right hammering. 

Fulham were no great shakes. In fact, their approach play seemed quite half hearted at times - yet it was still far too much for our shower. 

It all kicked off in the Charlton section as the game entered the final minutes. 

An already angry fanbase were now witnessing players who had visibly given up.

What looked from my angle to be a rather low grade attempt to get onto the pitch, by *one* girl, escalated into windmills of arms as the stewards showed the softly, softly technique is no fun when you're bored and have an opportunity for a bit of a ruck.

What a load of rubbish.

I walked back to the tube station, through the drizzle, thoroughly pissed off.

By the time I emerged into the fresh air at North Greenwich, I'd made the decision that *finally* I've had enough.

Charlton has been a part of my life for a huge chunk. It's part of my identity. 

I care about it too much to stand by and blindly support Roland Duchatelet's crack pot experiment.

Despite having a drawer with around 20 old Season Ticket booklets stuffed in it, I won't be getting one next season. 

-(Or the season after that, unless we Get Our Charlton Back). 

I am an extremely dissatisfied 'customer'.

Unfortunately, one of the few methods of showing our discontent, that might possibly be noticed by RD, is if the take up of Season Tickets is dire. 

Dark days.

Three Points but The Fight Goes On

Rotherham 1  - Charlton Athletic 4.

A welcome 3 points today and the confirmation that having somebody who has more than the very slightest clue sitting in the Head Coach hot seat, really can make a difference.

If only somebody had thought to tell Katrien and Roland eh?

Except for the final 25 minutes, I didn't follow the game today as I was on the move.
I looked at twitter using the WiFi on South West Trains into Waterloo and then the brief moments of contact as my Jubilee line train paused at the stations heading to North Greenwich.

I've just seen the highlights on Channel 5, (with the added bonus of Chris Powell being a studio guest), and it did seem as if Charlton were worthy winners, despite Rotherham blowing the chance to get back into the game, amusingly sending a penalty kick into orbit.

While on the train, I attempted to watch the video of the Fans Forum.
To be honest, it was ridiculously tedious and was less of a forum in the true sense of the word and more of an exercise in justifying what has happened since RD arrived and denying any blame for the mistakes - or even acknowledging there have been any mistakes.

No change there then.

I scrolled forwards and watched small chunks so there may have been some nuggets I missed but one section I did see was when KM was asked to explain why Roland hasn't seen fit to watch a game live since 2014.

The usual flannel about him being passionate about the club and sitting with a live stream of every game was let loose to stink out the room but then, (and I paraphrase here as I really, REALLY can't be bothered to go back and transcribe the exact wording), Katrien made the odd statement that he was really too busy to attend.

This amazed me.

It might surprise you to learn that I am neither a multi millionaire or even the boss of where I work. Like most people, I'm a wage slave who can't pick my hours or even decide the order various projects are to be tackled.

Roland Duchatelet on the other hand, can decide what days he works, where he works or even if he is going to get out of bed that day.
There can't be many people who have made their fortune but don't have the resources and safety net of a fawning staff to answer the phones while they sneak out of the office to indulge in things they are 'passionate' about.

Katrien Meire has stated she wants to get 20,000 people inside the Valley.
What are the chances of finding 20,000 people less busy than a bloke who could be living a life of leisure?
I have a demanding job yet I shuffle things around to do all the things a grown up has to do.
 I make the time.

Surely, maybe even just out of curiosity, you'd imagine Roland might want to see first hand something he is so, (ahem), emotionally connected to?

 It's not like he's got that far to come. His potential journey is less miles than a trip from London to Newcastle yet multimillionaire Mike Ashley seems to manage to squeeze in visits to see his team each week.

Duchatelet could come for the day using Eurostar or even a half day using a quick flight into City Airport.

He could even gain some brownie points with Mrs D, or his secretary, or his Mistress, (I'm guessing here) and make a weekend break, staying in a nice chic London hotel, a spot of shopping on Bond Street and an evening at Lion King with a classy meal at Pizza Express or Nandos.
*He would of course have to nip off for a couple of hours to see that pesky sports team he's passionate about but everyone has to make compromises.

What we all know is that if he wanted to, Roland could juggle things around and come to the Valley at the very least once a month but he doesn't because he has zero interest.

Yet another example of the people in charge treating us like idiots.

Today's result changes nothing.

The low below the last 'New Low'

Huddersfield Town 5 - Charlton Athletic 0

Pathetic. Nothing more to add.

I'm finding it hard to put into words how I'm feeling as a Charlton supporter at the moment.

So where words fail, here's a picture that neatly illustrates how 'The Shareholder' and his useless cronies are treating the Charlton fanbase.

We are doomed.

Shock? Nope.

Colchester United 2 - Charlton Athletic Bistro 1.

I have to be honest here. 

I couldn't raise myself to head to Essex despite the attractive pricing and a relatively easy journey.

What transpired is exactly the kind of performance I was expecting from the current Charlton, under the stewardship of our Interim One.

His record speaks for itself.

It's pony. 

Our club is broken.

In no way was Colchester beating Charlton a shock or an upset. 

Magic of the cup? 

Naah. 

To this end, I gave myself a Charlton holiday and went to visit my mum in her care home. 

Spending time with a person who is a shell of the one I remember is always done with a heavy heart. 

At present it is millions of times preferable to spending any extra cash on Charlton.

Of course, just as you might look at a totally dependent, bed bound Altzheimer's patient and remember the good times, we can all look at the YouTube clips of Charlton's amazing history- the history KM has dismissed as irrelevant to the project The Shareholder has set up.

I refuse to accept the highlight of being a Charlton supporter should now be spotting ex Academy graduates on Match Of The Day. 

I won't be getting all warm and fuzzy as I think of the handful of games they played for us before being sold off ASAP to keep the pockets bulging of our multimillionaire owner. 

(Valley Gold anyone?)

Sorry KM but we deserve better. 

If you wanted that kind of relationship with football fans customers,  your boss should have bought into a League 2 club or below. 

Of course, we may well be a League 2 club before the project is completed, though one with 'Premiership Aspirations' naturally.

Charlton Athletic 2016 is a mess. 

The 'weird' customers have had enough.

Here We Go!

Charlton Athletic 1 - Nottingham Forest 1.

'Wolfie' Citizen Smith, Spelling It Out to the Belgians.

Blah, blah, blah... Callum Harriott, blah, blah, Danish bloke haircut, blah, blah 1-0 down at Half Time, blah, blah, second half improvement, blah blah, Danish bloke scores equaliser, blah, blah, 2 quick yellow cards, blah blah, sending off, blah, blah, nearly won it in added on time, blah blah.

Right. That's the match taken care of.

I've always been one of life's protesters. 

At secondary school, I was heartily impressed by the older kids demanding changes to the way my Comprehensive school was run by having 'Sit Ins' and barricading the teacher car park with hundreds of chairs.

Now, as a grown up union rep, I've of course been on many a march, I protested against the invasion of Iraq etc, had my collar felt by a rather 'over keen' copper at a demo against US fighter planes taking off from UK soil back in the mid 80's, was one of the last cohort of students to go through Higher Education with our fees paid and a maintenance grant, (so it was our duty to demonstrate the unfairness of the situation for the benefit of those who followed) and I've been part of many a letter/email writing campaign for Amnesty International. 

Oh and don't get me started on the Poll Tax protests!

I'm one of those irritating people who to quote Vic and Bob, 

"Wouldn't let it lie".

Yesterday thousands of other people,  your ordinary folk, both young and old, (not rent a rabble), felt so strongly about the appalling situation at Charlton Athletic, they were prepared to demonstrate twice in a day outside the ground. 

If you are reading this you'll know why but just on the off chance, here's a quick summary.

Shambles

There were also rousing choruses of disapproval for our absentee owner and his minions throughout the game.

I was extremely proud to be a part of something so close to my heart.

To those people who say we should not be demonstrating as it effects the team, I can dismiss your argument with a flourish.

The two biggest demonstrations the supporters have managed so far have been against Sheffield Wednesday (we won) and yesterday against Forest, when despite having 10 men, we hung on for a draw and but for some fine goalkeeping could even have snatched all three points.

I hope this is the start of something. 

Perhaps Roland may be swayed, ever so slightly, to change his gameplan, even by a mere (ahem) 2%?

We can't afford to stop now. The wheel has started turning. 

Pressure needs to be maintained.

Keep On Keeping On.

'Til The Fight Is Won!

Just before the blind came down! KM pretending it's just a normal post match slap up feast.

M.

Charlton Athletic 0 - Wolves 2

Another appalling display was served up yesterday by the home side at The Valley, this time for the delectation of the usual die hards but also kids who could find an adult willing to spend a pound on them.

The larger than I anticipated crowd showed that perhaps the chance of grabbing a bargain has a stronger pull than most people's inbuilt quality filter. 

I'd joked with friends that £1 to see Charlton was daylight robbery at present but there were a few moments worthy of the 100 pence expense.

Surely it was worth 50p to see the referee Keith Hill go down like a sack of spuds after a clash of heads with our own Big Mac?

We all know head injuries can be scarily serious but everyone also knows that any kind of pratfall involving an official necessitates a jolly good cheer and chuckles all round.

 It could only have been more 'amusing' if he'd been struck in the knackers.

Hill was treated for quite some time before he finally got up.

He seemed anxious to end his afternoon and almost straight away he blew for half time, with by my reckoning at least 2 or 3 minutes of added on time still remaining.

Hill did not return for the second half. 

Personally, the highlight of the afternoon was the spontaneous eruption of anger towards our absent owner, his under qualified puppet and their woeful, floundering latest 'right man' interim coach.

All parts of the ground stood to mock our CEO's public announcement that it is a mere 2% of negative grumblers who aren't satisfied with the direction *our* club is heading. 

Even the Wolves supporters clapped making it impossible to pretend nothing was happening. 

Surely worth another 50p?

As far as the game went, one team was organised, had ideas and looked likely to score, had an experienced coach and pushed on to a deserved but routine win.

The other team was Charlton.

Even if I'd not read the latest VOTV before kick off and at half time, I would have been particularly vocal against our current owners but after reading the Varney email string they published, I was moving towards utter contempt.

Our club needs a massive change. 

Sofas, pie cams and marketing gimmicks are all well and good (actually NOT good but understandable) if the team are pulling it off and there is a feeling of togetherness. Ironic 'crapness' could be amusing in a sold out stadium with a feel good factor. 

Not so at present.

At present, even if RD and KM copied Leicester City and presented everyone of drinking age with a free beer, I'd find a way to work myself up into a tizzy about it because they have 'lost' me, and thousands of other long term supporters. 

We need a very, very good January transfer window for any kind of unity of purpose to return between fans and hierarchy.

Shall I hold my breath?

Seasons Greetings

Seasons Greetings (obviously not football season), to all, -or nearly all-, of the people who've stopped by here over the last year to glance at my missives.

The infrequent nature of my blogging is mainly down to my unwillingness to be a 100% moaner. 

It's very tough not to get on a roll and have a rant when thinking about the current plight of CAFC.

There are wonderful things happening in the world that fill me with joy and happiness. 

Charlton Athletic is no longer one of these things.

While there have been many changes in my life involving births, deaths, marriage breakdown, serious illness and all the other things that thread together to form 'being a grown up', the one constant has been the excitement and enjoyment of following Charlton, win or lose.

Unfortunately, the Charlton that we all remember from just over 2 years ago has gone and I am getting no pleasure from it at all.

The unity once experienced between the club and the supporters has been replaced by infighting, rumour, counter rumour, conspiracy theories and plain old lies.

We have the richest owner we've ever had, yet we are drip fed nuggets of being 'over budget' when it comes to the part of the business that laces up their boots, while extraordinary sums are being spent on the training ground and the Valley infrastructure.

A man who obviously is no fool when it comes to money and getting hold of it, has trusted the day to day management of a multimillion pound organisation with someone who has so little experience they've yet to prove they could manage a sweet shop.

The *one* part of the organisation most of us really care about, the playing staff, are now under the command of a 5th rate coach whose record is so poor, he should be embarrassed to get in his car and drive to work- yet he's kept on as he's a cheap option hiding behind a fake 'interim' label.

I so wish things could be different.

Despite what RD and KM think, it's not their club.

 It was here long before they'd even heard of Charlton and once they've packed up their failed experiment, there will still be people wanting to support the team in (as The Guardian wrote) this 'unfashionable' part of London.

With a change of heart Roland could be a hero but unfortunately, with the Christmas story in the back of my mind, I'm afraid to say RD is looking more and more like a Herod.

Happy Christmas to all Addicks and let's hope for a better 2016.

M

It's Time To Play The Music. It's Time To Light The Lights.

Burnley 4  - 'Charlton' 0

Here are some Muppets.

Here's another

and another

                                           

and finally.

What a shambles.

Playing the Percentage Game

The appalling events in Paris, two weeks ago, made me hold back from having a gripe about the way my local football club is being run.

Suddenly, my little concerns seemed rather pointless in the grand scheme of things.

Paris is a city I know well.  I have walked down the same streets where the news media congregated, though of course I was usually high on life and Pelforth beers rather than holding back the tears at the madness of the modern world.

If terrorism is going to win we have to change our behaviour - and I refuse to let that happen.

So today it's back to normal and I'm going to be part of the 'negative' support of Charlton Athletic.

We may be moaning but we are at least showing up. 

We are prepared to support the team. There are thousands (not hyperbole, it really is thousands) who are now refusing to attend, many who have already paid via their own Season Tickets.

Millwall Mick is bringing his Ipswich side to the Valley today. 

I've always quite liked him and he is a quality manager.

Just the kind of manager we can only dream of- unless he takes a sabbatical doing a spot of coaching in the Belgian part time leagues to catch the eye of Roly.

McCarthy said in his press conference that Ipswich will be looking forward to this 'local derby'.

I suppose it's all relative but as far as most Londoners are concerned, Ipswich may as well be on the moon.

Today I will be proud to show my dissent against an ownership who, while spending millions, have not captured the essence of what it means to be a football supporter.

Our club used to be the model of ownership-supporter interaction. 

We are now seen as irritants, and that's just the ones who are still showing up!

I hate to use the word 'customers' but any business who treats their own regular supporters with such disdain will crumble.

Be Loud.

Be Proud.

Support the team.

Hate the Regime.

Stand up for the 2%!

Protests Imminent?

  

Anyone who has started following Charlton Athletic since the return to the Valley would probably agree that these are "The Worst of Times".

Even those people who endured the journey to the Supermarket on the Surrey border, would have to say that the current situation at Charlton is pretty dire.

For a new generation of fans who weren't part of the Back to the Valley campaign, this may well be the period they will look back on with either pride or embarrassment.

"Grandad, what did you do in the battle with nasty Roland and Kate?"

Now is the time to step up. 

Direct confrontation is rarely the way to win over the moderates you want to join the cause. It's a very quick and easy way to just get yourselves labelled as the 'mindless and clueless', no matter how valid your point may be.

This is why I would love any protests to include a smattering of humour.

Any bunch of idiots can smash a window and try and get people to take notice.
Unfortunately all that will do is reinforce the negative stereotypes of the angry fan.

How about some passive aggressive slogans?
 

Roland Is A Silly Boy

Down With This Sort Of Thing!

 

Angry But Not Sure How To express It

I'm Peeved.

Just a thought as we approach the weekend.

See you there. 2:30pm, West Stand car park.

 

M

Luzon Sacked

After what Katrien will no doubt call an 'all nighter' but we all know will be texting the next name down on Roly's friend list,  some bloke will be announced and then given a couple of players as a sweetener that Luzon wasn't allowed. 

Results will improve slightly. 

Then it'll all start crashing down again within the year.

Repeat to fade.

A club with a proud history is becoming rather an embarrassment in 2015.

Thanks Guy but you were always on a hiding to nothing.

Catch Up.

Charlton Athletic 2 - Hull City 1

Working around young kids, it would be professional suicide to align myself with Gary Glitter but here I am singing "Hello, Hello, it's good to be back..."

To stretch the Glitter connection into submission, I'd have to answer the question "Did you miss me, when I was away?" with a big fat "No" as not a single person questioned when my return to this blog would be.

Never mind, here I am anyway.

"So why are you feeling the need to 'catch up' today?" I can hear absolutely nobody is asking.

Good question. 

Once I'd witnessed the last game of the 2014/15 season and the Bournemouth team outclassing us on our own pitch, (after bending over to present our nether regions and parts of the West stand for their pleasure), I was pretty sure I'd had enough of football for a while and I was glad of the opportunity to forget about Charlton.

My blog was just an extension of this general apathy towards football.

This feeling of what the kids call 'meh' towards football didn't necessarily mean that I wouldn't be writing anything on here though. 

I sort of intended to but it didn't quite happen.

Some of the pieces for my blog you were spared due to my laissez faire mode of writing include:

*The Who playing live around the corner at the O2

*Fleetwood Mac at the O2

*AC/DC at Wembley Stadium

*Running the BUPA London 10K and raising nearly £800 for Alzheimers Society.

*Holiday to the Greek island Crete, surprisingly untouched by the financial situation of mainland Greece.

*Pre season friendlies at Welling, Dagenham and home to West Ham.

*League and cup games to QPR and Dagenham.

So why today?

The visit of handsome Steve Bruce to the area isn't usually a red letter day and a chance to get the curtains twitching and the bunting out.

I just need to remind myself that I was there.

Like May 25th 1998 and many other games since, including being at Southend in League 1 when Reidy lashed in that late winner, being at Wycombe when Bailey powered through to score in the mist and the late winner scored by captain JJ a few years ago at home to QPR, today was all about the crowd reaction. 

We went absolutely bat shit mental.

The game was excellent/ dire depending upon your perspective.

From a Hull perspective today will be a day to forget. They were absolutely appalling, found it almost impossible to stay on their feet or find each other from passes. Their players really didn't seem to have much of a clue. 

Without key players Charlton looked toothless upfront. 

It was really quite annoying at half time to count all the excellent chances that had gained zero goals.

I felt sure that a manager as experienced as Steve Bruce wouldn't let his team come back in part 2 and play so poorly. We'd bound to get punished.

Just to prove how much I know, Hull were really not up for it in the second half!

Their non appearance on the pitch was matched by their fans.

 It was a hot day and it's a long journey from the North East so they probably needed a rest but I can't recall another away support all sitting down meekly at the Valley for many, many years.

The atmosphere in the home stands had been pretty good all game. 

It was notched up a level once Simon 'Thor' Makienok nodded in his debut goal for the club.

His celebration was rather flamboyant. He seemed to be dedicating his goal to someone obviously not present. We later learned via his twitter feed that he was honouring his late mother so well done to him.

It could have got even better soon afterwards when JBG took advantage of another Hull player wearing his roller skates, leaving him a clear route onto a 1:1 with the 'keeper.

From my angle it looked a fine save by the Hull goalie but JBG was visibly annoyed with himself for not doubling the lead.

There was still nothing coming from Hull. It took over an hour before Nick Pope was tested properly.

It looked as though Charlton were going to have to settle for a 1-0 win, despite being clearly the better side. 

Then disaster.

Suddenly the ball was bouncing off the Charlton upright, it came back into play and Hull had another chance, a bit of a ricochet, the ball seemed to be in Nick Pope's grasp and then suddenly it wasn't.

1-1.

The Hull fans woke up. 

They thought they'd won it soon afterwards when they had the ball in the net again but it was a clear as day offside.

phew!

I'm not really sure where the 8 minutes of injury added on time came from but just at that point when I'd reminded myself why I bloomin hate football, I got a reminder of why I love it.

98 minutes. 

Simon Makienok nodded the ball down to JBG who bravely dived headfirst at it, beating the keeper to win the 3 points.

The Hull players showed yet again their inability to stay on their feet, their legs buckling underneath them.

To say the place went mad would be something of an understatement.

Guy Luzon completely lost it and dived on the rolling players celebratory bundle, getting himself sent to the stands by the referee who really hadn't had much to do all afternoon.

What 

A

Day.

................... and I was there.

M.

Phew- Made It!

The Fat Lady is warming up her vocal chords. 

Just one more encounter for Charlton Athletic today before we get to spend our weekends doing the Bluewater shuffle or whatever else we try to avoid for 2 months+ each year.

This season will not go down as a 'classic'. 

We started off blowing all my distinctly average expectations out of the water and the first few games under Big Bob were enjoyable, even though the wins were always by the tightest of margins.

Then, the 14 game stretch when we couldn't buy a win was a particularly uninspiring period and we looked to be in freefall.

A recovery after the arrival of Guy Luzon was much more like it but there was far too much to do after the mid season shambles for anything other than mid table safety to be achieved.

For me, the season has been over since the referee at the Den decided he'd like to take centre stage, sending off Chris Solly for being hit in the face with the ball, then refusing to give the eventual winning goal scorer a second booking for a blatant foul.

The 2-1 defeat, grabbed from the jaws of victory in the last 10 minutes, took the stuffing out of our (my) season and it's been rather a limp to the finish line, despite a laughter inducing undeserved win over a patched together and clearly superior on the day Dirty Leeds side.

As ever, I'm looking forward to a rest from football. I do still love the game but I really appreciate having the time away. 

I shall miss my football friends though. Every year we plan to meet up in the close season but it's not quite the same as when you're seeing people sometimes up to twice a week. 

I hope it's a rip roaring game today between two entertaining sides.

It'll probably be us rolling over to have our bellies tickled while all around everyone purrs about Eddie Howe and (always OUR) Yann.

I won't be staying behind to watch Bournmouth receive their baubles. Nothing against them, they've had a fine season, it's just that it's their affair, nothing to do with me.

 Enjoy the Summer break.

M.

Brains

Cardiff City 1- Charlton Athletic 2.

I have a great deal of affection for Cardiff as a destination, if not their football team. 

I went to university in South Wales and thoroughly enjoyed living in the Cardiff districts of Cathays, Riverside and for a while, right by the Heath hospital.

Carefree days and nights were often spent playing snooker (badly), taking in a few rounds (for about 50p) on the world's very worst municipal golf course, (where even the greens had various hazards more usually found on a farmers field), having a kickabout in Roath Park and of course reading texts associated with my course.

As well as the more active pursuits, I credit Cardiff with introducing me to the fine world of proper beer.

When I arrived in South Wales, I was a dedicated Foster's drinker. This was the late 80's so I also showed I had 'class' by drinking Grolsch.

After less than a week in my new environment, I worked out one of my most useful life lessons, - this of course being that I'd been drinking the most appalling pish throughout my learner drinker stage.

I became a dedicated fan of Brains beer products, especially the SA, (skull attack) and Dark.

Even now, all these years later, I still occasionally have a case of Dark sent to me at home.

The game yesterday had Guy Luzon showing his 'brains'. 

He made the changes and kept going for the win when previous Charlton coaches would probably have taken off a striker to pad out the defence, hoping to maintain what we already had.

The arrival of Luzon at Charlton was handled extremely badly, meaning he was going to have to work a minor miracle to win over most of the fans.

Five wins from six is probably that miracle and there's been a definite softening of hardened attitudes and a warmth from the support towards our new head coach.

A dire first half became a marginally better second, until Cardiff took the lead.

All looked lost but nobody had told Tony Watt who skilfully placed the ball into the net for the equaliser.

Simon Church was felled in the penalty area as the game neared the last few minutes. 

Buyens doesn't miss penalties, Charlton ran out 2-1 winners and the celebrations began.

We now have a week before the visit of Blackburn who will hopefully have one eye on their FA cup replay against Liverpool.

Happy Returns?

Charlton Athletic 3 Huddersfield Town 0

The Football for a Fiver lapsed fan / never been a fan but fancy a bargain, crowd packed out the Valley yesterday.

The only spaces I could see were in the Jimmy Seed stand where the Huddersfield fans had also taken advantage of the £5 offer. 

There was an air of anticipation pre game.

The return of Chris Powell to his spiritual home went as well as could be hoped for. 

We got to applaud him as he walked to his (unfamiliar) dugout, he paused to shake hands with many old friends and looked up to see a banner across the other side of the pitch in the East stand with the simple message, "Thanks Chris", then 95% of Charlton supporters stood to applaud him in the 3rd minute.

The people who consider themselves to be 'better fans' than the rest of us were free to keep their arms folded and scowl throughout the minute of applause and then we got on with the game properly.

Football for a Fiver has had a rather 'mixed' history.

What often happens is we invite lots of people back to the Valley, then remind them why they don't come anymore.

Yesterday was different. 

Chris Powell had a thoroughly miserable return while those Fiver Folk certainly got value for their money and were given plenty of reasons why they might consider adding a few more fixtures to their calendars.

Huddersfield started brightly and had obviously been given instructions to try and quieten the bumper crowd.

It was all very even until Cousins and JBG performed a rather obvious 'run over the ball, then your mate lashes it in' free kick routine.

The regular supporters and their Johnnie Come Lately neighbours rose as one and bobbed about like joyful dolphins.

The Ref for a Fiver was constantly being fooled by the rather pathetic Am Dram diving and rolling of Vaughn, who I remember as quite a decent player not long ago. 

Surely he doesn't need to add this cheating to his arsenal of skills?

On one occasion, just in front of us, he leapt forward, arching his back and snapping his head back, pretending he had been given the kind of nudge Giant Haystacks might have performed.

There was absolutely no contact whatsoever and he should be ashamed of himself.

Huddersfield were out of it almost as soon as the second half started when Tony Watt wriggled to make the space then doubled Charlton's lead.

The Charlton team then started to, (excuse my French), quite royally take the piss.

The ball was passed about, Huddersfield not really looking too keen on getting it back.

It got worse for them. They had a lifeline back into the game when Henderson managed to pull off a ridiculously good save, the Huddersfield supporters already up and celebrating the 'goal' he managed to deny.

They were still feeling crestfallen when Tony Watt picked up the ball, ran with it- showing strength to maintain possession, then wellied the ball high into the goal.

Three- nil.

Huddersfield then let their manager down. They really just wanted to go home. Charlton could have scored three or four more but we were all rather content with the score as it was.

One of their blokes, (Robinson?), completely lost his head, having 2 attempts to clobber whoever was nearby. He really had no interest in the ball. He went chasing madly, attempting to send people into the stands, completely disregarding any pretence of being a footballer.

This was just assault.

The Ref for a Fiver really had no choice. It was a red card all day. 

Oddly he called the player towards him who just shook his head and walked away…….

RfF then had to chase the naughty boy half the length of the pitch to wave a yellow card???

Surely, even if the original offence had only been worthy of a yellow, the additional petulance should have seen him getting first dibs on the shower gel?

The game ended with Charlton now really, really taking the piss.

The crowd shouted 'ole' as our team stroked the ball about, Huddersfield still not caring.

There was one passage of play when I counted over 20 passes, not going anywhere, just keeping the ball before a Huddersfield player attempted an interception.

So, happy days at the Valley.

A few beers were quite necessary after another 3-0 win.

What's going on?

If it's Guy Luzon I'm prepared to taste the humble pie and say well done. 

This of course doesn't mean I'm forgiving or forgetting the shambles and untruths surrounding his appointment but now he's here, we have to support the team, if not the regime.

So, see you on Tuesday. 

I'm predicting a crowd around 10,000 less than yesterday!

The Exaggeration Game

Charlton Athletic 3 - Brentford 0.

Football supporters are fond of a massive dollop of hyperbole. 

We aren't born liars, we just like to lay it on a bit thick.

Only a few weeks ago, the less than massed ranks of the Rotherham support were announcing to whoever would listen that they are, 

"By far the Greatest Team, the World has ever seen!"

It's all just a verbal game. 

Nobody believes it for a second yet still it continues. 

"We're a fairly average second tier team who nobody outside our own postcode cares about," 

is closer to the truth for most sides but I can't see that particular verse catching on. 

Pre game yesterday, all I could foresee was a heavy spanking for the Addicks and yet more reasons to go home feeling totally despondent. 

Given just one of my companions agreeing with the suggestion, I'd quite happily have stayed in the pub for a few extra pints rather than heading over to the Valley.

I was comfy, why would I want to put myself through it?

The game on Tuesday against Norwich may have had a short spell when we scored two goals but nobody could argue the Canaries weren't streets ahead of our woeful bunch.

They deserved to win easily, even if the final score didn't reflect that. They were surely more than one goal better than us?

Fast forward a couple of hours yesterday and as far as any eavesdroppers are concerned, I'm piling on the superlatives, laden with dollops of exaggeration myself.

Asked by a Charlton supporting friend who wasn't at the game- and in all honesty hasn't been to the Valley since October, "What was it like?", my response was brief and to the point.

"Hundreds of times better than anything we've seen recently".

Those of us who were present at the Valley yesterday are the ones who know that just this once, that statement really is underplaying it.

After The Love Has Gone

My favourite book is probably shared by many people who 'discovered' reading in their early to mid teens.
I don't mean I couldn't read until then, I'd mastered the mechanics of it, just not much pleasure.

A particularly inspiring teacher sent me on my merry way with a few Steinbeck novels, notably The Pearl and Of Mice and Men, which lead me away from the flimsy copies of Shoot and Mad which along with Look and Learn littered my bedroom.

My favourite book is On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I couldn't say how many times I've read it but I revisit it fairly frequently so it's definitely at least 12+ times.
It never disappoints.

I found myself thinking of Jack Kerouac yesterday after the visit of Rotherham to the Valley.

Kerouac was one of the writers famous for chucking down his thoughts in one long (often punctuation free) stream of consciousness.

I found I was doing much the same while messaging friends post game, - long rambling missives just getting everything out.

I wasn't alone.

I tried my best to move away from Charlton chat and Charlton supporters by avoiding twitter for most of the evening but it was plain to see I wasn't alone with my verbal diarrhoea.

I've pretty much fallen out of love with Charlton Athletic.

There, I've said it.

I sat in the freezing East stand yesterday, watching what was masquerading as entertainment, nursing a barely hidden simmering rage.
I was hating every sodding minute of it.

The morning had gone well.
I'd had a few pints in Greenwich pre game and eaten some excellent street food from the market but once I got to the Valley I really didn't want to be there.
My sour outlook wasn't helped by Crispy deciding he was giving it a miss so once in my place, I had an empty seat next to me, mocking the fact that I'd been too weak willed to stay away, despite nobody forcing me to turn up.

Being without someone to talk to made me realise that actually the football isn't very important to me. Without the football as a reason to get together, it's unlikely I'd be meeting up with Crispy sometimes up to twice a week and that goes for all my other 'football friends'.

I value the company, the shared interest, the exchanging of views and of course the communal aspect of being at the Valley but not the way the soul has been removed from our club.

I hate what's happened to Charlton Athletic.

When we left the Premier league I still loved following the club.
The football was less good but there was a feeling of togetherness and the majority of the players you could tell were proud to wear our shirt.
Even in League one I loved it, though the football was even worse, there was still a collective feeling of who we were and what we stood for.

Now we have a situation where I look at the team and other than a few notable exceptions, it's a load of foreign 'not quite good enoughs' who are just passing through, with no empathy for the club or the area.

Yesterday was a massive turning point for me.
I realised I'm only at Charlton games out of habit.
This season I've been to fewer away games than ever since I started going. I don't feel any affection for the team or club anymore.
It's gone.

Guy Luzon surely broke a record when he had much of the home crowd booing him, only an hour into his first home game.
Our crowd are not stupid. We know we are being taken on a journey we don't want to take.
The highlight of the whole miserable afternoon was the North Upper chanting at Guy Luzon for Roland to sanction a substitution.

Nearly everyone I know who supports Charlton, is seriously contemplating whether to bother with next season. These are not your Johnny come lately supporters. They are all supporters who caught the Valley bug in years preceding the time in the Premiership so they've been around the block a few times.

Now, my circle of friends might not be representative of the fan base as a whole but surely it's a pointer that all is not well.

I have said many times that just because Roland bought the club, we are not obliged to agree with everything he does from that point on.

"But if he hadn't bought us we'd have been broke".

So what? I'm now watching him while he wrecks our club.
 It doesn't make you a 'better' supporter because you blindly follow some crackpot as he's in charge.
It makes you a moronic sheep.

I was pleased when Roland paid out for the club but his first major decisions were to sack Chris Powell and to wave off Yann Kermorgant, who went (unwillingly) to Bournemouth.
It was going to take something pretty spectacular to come back from those black marks and as yet he's not even come close.
He's actually made things worse with the transparent fibs surrounding the employment of Guy Luzon.

I want to feel something for Charlton but at the moment it's like watching a team as a tourist.
Sure I jump up and down when we score, (rarely nowadays- cheers Roland), but then I do that when I go and watch NY Rangers ice hockey or the NY Knicks basketball. They aren't my teams, I have no history with them beyond the annual visits and it's no more of an event than a trip to see a film.

I think Dave from Drinking During the Game managed to put what I feel into words so I suggest you look at this if you haven't already.