A New Low?

Dagenham & Redbridge 2 - Charlton Athletic 1.


In a long and painful series of downwards steps, covering the last 5 years or so, yesterday really did feel like rock bottom.


Rather worryingly, it might not be 'the bottom' but the opposition, coupled with our own complete capitulation added together to form a rather bleak picture.


Dagenham were good value for their win. 
A one goal advantage tells little of the story.


Anybody who wasn't there would probably look at the result and assume the Daggers had managed to snatch a victory.
Nothing could be further from the truth.


I really needed to forget about Charlton Athletic last night.
I went to a birthday party but unfortunately I was fielding questions all evening about the decline of our club.
If losing to Dagenham wasn't bad enough, receiving sympathy from West Ham and Crystal Palace supporters just rubbed salt into the wounds.

I was probably one of the very few Charlton supporters who managed to enjoy themselves yesterday.

I was lucky enough to be a guest of Simon and Vicarage Field Barking, one of the sponsors of the Daggers.

The day started off swimmingly, meeting ex blogger Frankie Valley outside the Rose of Denmark on Woolwich Road before we were driven over to Essex by Simon.
The sun was shining, my Oakleys were having their first outing of the year and the company was good.
Simon, FV, myself and JB found plenty to laugh about and we were looking forward to a good day out.

We parked up next to the players cars and wandered inside, pausing briefly to pass a few words with Ketts from Dr Kish.

I've been lucky enough to be invited by Simon to match days at Dagenham on previous occasions but this was the first time I really 'cared' about the result.

If only my interest was writing reviews of catering or hospitality.
I'd be handing out the awards right, left and centre to Dagenham.

We were treated to a sumptuous carvery of roast beef with all the trimmings and apple pie to follow.
I've eaten at 'Legends' at the Valley and to be honest, this was far better, even if you don't get escorted to your table by an ex player or get the chance to have a wee next to them in the Gents*.

*FV and Garry Nelson.

There was plenty of local interest in the Spurs -West Ham game being played as we ate. The game was being shown on large screens.
A very tanned 'celebrity' Charlton fan Karl Howman was sat at the next table, chatting amiably with Peter Varney.

We were treated really, really well.
Even after it became known that I am a Charlton season ticket holder, people couldn't have been friendlier.

The Daggers are a club it would be easy to fall in love with.

They are a 'real' club. Part of their local community, surrounded geographically by their supposed betters who have lost what it means to be a proper football club, and not just a business feeding ridiculous amounts of money to the agents of foreign sulk merchants with attitude problems.

I was having a fine day.
The world was a great place to be.
Then we had to take our places to witness the game.

Despite the very, very poor form, lack of public transport and the general consensus that Bournemouth next week is going to be the 'big' day out, Charlton sold out the away section.
I was surprised.

 There was even a small over flow section for those mad people who had turned up and paid on the day.

The game started with the Daggers battering Charlton.
They could have scored with less than a minute on the clock but Worner blocked well from a hard shot.

Dagenham dropped the tempo after 5 or 6 minutes and Charlton started stroking the ball about a little.
This was really the time when we needed to score but there were very few clear cut chances, despite dominating possession.

Against the run of play, Jon Nurse seemed to have an eternity to pick his spot for the opening goal.
He had time to take 3 or 4 touches such was the lack of enthusiasm from our defenders.
He didn't need them and sent in a rasping shot beyond Worner's despairing dive.

At 1-0 up, the Daggers were lifted, their crowd woke up and the fragile confidence of the Charlton players flooded out of them.

At half time, we retired to our coffee and pastries and wondered how Charlton were going to attack the second half.
Our players had been booed off the pitch and Powell was not exempt from the fans blame.

I was clinging to the hope that we were going to pull out a fairly decent 45 minutes to cover up the rubbish first period.

As it turned out, it actually got worse.

Our seats were directly behind the away team dug out.
My seat at the Valley is in the East stand and prior to that it was in the North and then Upper North.

I've not had much opportunity to listen in on the 'bon mots' of those supposedly commanding events from pitch side.

On the evidence of yesterday, to make it in football you need a speech impediment and the ability to throw random shapes with your hands and arms.

Chris Powell seemed to favour the loud utterance of "Gwooooowarra", while pushing his right hand forwards and spreading his fingers.
FV insisted Powell was conducting his instructions in Swedish.
He may well have been for all the use they were to anybody who uses English to get by.

The Daggers bench were marginally better.
At least I recognised most of the words, even if their combination was alien to those of us who sometimes read a book.
"Oy Nuuurseee! Pull it back again sideways as ya go forwards round the edge!"

Eh?

Chris Powell started off fairly animated on the sidelines but long gone is that infectious smile and sharp suit.
He looked as if he was trying to blend in and wore a beanie hat pulled down low and a scruffy tracksuit with puffy jacket.

After the second goal, (richly deserved again by Dagenham), Powell stood stock still and looked as if he really didn't know what to do.

We had all witnessed Danny Green double the home team's advantage without being hindered by our defence.

He took the goal well but he again, was given the time to steady himself.

We didn't hear much more from Chris Powell for the rest of the match.

He knew the game was up. We all knew the game was up. Nobody inside the ground even remotely believed Charlton were capable of mounting a comeback.
Our already fragile players were now being booed, told they weren't fit to wear the shirt and ridiculed by their own supporters.
Such was their lack of application they deserved no less.

Most worrying was when Scott Wagstaff was substituted.
Alan Mac was having a complete 'game to forget' so when a substitution was made, we all assumed he would be making way.

Reid came on and Waggy came off.

"You don't know what you're doing!" came the chant from the Charlton supporters.

I hate to agree with the sentiment but Powell was starting to look a little out of his depth.


Eventually, to loud cheers, McCormack was replaced by Ecclestone but it was too little, too late.

Those West Ham/ Daggers supporters in the ground were pleased to witness our, (on loan from the Hamsters), Nouble score a tap in with seconds to go.
Despite where I was sitting and the company I was keeping I still stood up to cheer but the goal meant nothing.

The final whistle blew and there was a bit off 'afters' involving a few players in front of the dugouts.
It's a shame nobody wearing the blue shirt showed such passion while the game was in progress.
Powell stood and waited for it to calm down before offering his hand to the Daggers staff.

The team left the pitch to cat calls and jeers.

Casual Rating.


A fantastic day out, only spoiled by a bit of football.
Charlton keep doing this to us.
If I was enjoying a book as much as I'm enjoying following Charlton I'd have binned it.

As supporters, we are like a battered wife who keeps thinking their husband will change.
We love them and keep coming back for more, despite all evidence hinting at future disappointments.

I know in my heart of hearts I'm still going to keep chugging along, supporting the team and oddly, being proud of the club, even if the present situation is awful to witness.

Ross Worner is receiving the Lacoste polo this time due to stopping the first minute effort.
If that had gone in, heads would have dropped sooner and a 6-0 tonking would have been on the cards.

Take your pick for the Primark novelty slogan tee shirt. More or less anybody in blue under performed.


*** I'd like so say a huge thanks to Simon for another great day out at a fantastic, friendly, family club.
Good luck to the Daggers for the rest of the season.

If you are feeling low about our beloved club, look at this picture and believe things can get better.

Mugged

Charlton Athletic 2 - Dagenham & Redbridge 2

Ok, it's not like we've never drawn at home to Dagenham before.

Even in those heady days under Curbs we managed to make a right horlicks of it and needed a second attempt to see them off in the FA cup.

Todays draw was a completely different affair.
We entered the field of play in the same division, (which only shows how far we've fallen.... etc etc blah blah drone drone.)

Crispy couldn't make it today, being away in Belgium.

Early on, I sent him an update declaring the game to be a 'turkey shoot'.
It was so one sided we could have been 3 or 4 up before Llera finally headed us into the lead from a corner.

The rest of the first half was more of the same.
However, rather worryingly, Charlton just couldn't get the ball into the net again, despite owning the ball and rarely letting the Daggers have a kick.

The turning point for me came as we were wondering what the queue was like in the bogs and deciding if the now Autumnal temperature was cool enough to warrant a cup of something warm in a few moments.

We could almost touch half time when for possibly only the 5th time in the first period, the Daggers managed to get the ball into the Charlton half.

From my (rather good) view in the East stand, there then seemed to be a Dagenham player launching himself rather hopefully into space and then the referee pointing to the spot.

It seemed such a laughably poor decision we almost forgot to have a moan.

The (appalling all game) East stand lino, who must have had the best view of all, refused to get involved and suddenly from being 1-0 up and cruising, we were exiting at halftime with the score 1-1.

Over halftime, it would seem that Parky gave the referee Jon Moss the benefit of his wiser world view and got himself sent off.

Throughout the second half, Moss was almost the Daggers best player. He obviously had an axe to grind against Charlton so our booing him and Parky's outburst really were counterproductive.
 I was almost shocked he didn't try and make a blocking move or tackle himself, he seemed so keen to stifle our attacks.

One example of many shockingly crap decisions was when Akpo Sodje was being held by the arm so he couldn't run onto a through ball. He tugged and tugged to escape but he couldn't free himself.
Moss blew for a foul and awarded a free kick........ for the Daggers!

Charlton weren't quite so in command in the second half.
Worner had to pull off some smart saves to keep the score at 1-1 but Charlton were still having much more possession and many more, (reward free), attacks.

As the game entered added on time again, Charlton finally made the breakthrough due to a well placed header from Jackson.

Charlton had seemed unlikely to get much from the game after Reid had left the pitch, injured, only minutes after entering play as a substitute.
Jackson pushed forward and Fry came on in defence.

At 2-1, the score wasn't really a true account of the game but I was willing to take the 3 points, despite all the missed opportunities to improve our goal difference.

Anyone who has been following Charlton for more than ten minutes would have been able to guess what happened next.

The Daggers went straight up the other end and Nurse finished off a really good move, bravely, at the far post.

2-2.
Bugger.

Despite his general crapness, we couldn't blame that one on the referee. It was just Charlton pressing self destruct again.

Wish I was in sodding Belgium.

A Casual Rating.

The Daggers team can all have Lacoste polos for being most certainly second best, yet still coming away with a draw. They've now scored their first, (and second) away goals of the season and have something to build on. Well done Daggers and good luck for the rest of the season, at least until we head over there.
Ross Worner can have one too for a confident performance and some very good saves.

The most useless in a long line of bloody awful useless tier 3 referees can have a whole collection of dreaded Primark novelty slogan tee shirts for his 'performance'.
I hope we never have him again.
It's my fault really. About 20 minutes into the game, Crispy's father and I remarked that the referee seemed to be having a 'good game'.
Almost instantly, he turned to excrement.

Right now, I'm really rather teed off with Charlton.

Just a little note for the pinboard at Sparrows Lane.
When you've just scored, in injury time, to take 3 points, maybe a spot of defending might be in order?

So, back on Tuesday for more of the same it is then.

Daggers Blunted

Charlton Athletic 1 - Dagenham & Redbridge 0.

Hardly a feast of football tonight at the Valley.

The reported crowd of 4630 gazed upon the completely empty North and East stands, while the lower tier of the West stand seemed surprisingly cramped.

One goal, scored by the possibly Greece bound Racon, was enough to see off a spirited Dagenham who seemed to have the lion's share of possession in the first half but gradually lost their way as the game progressed.

It's enough to say that Charlton are in the next round of the JPT but had we been knocked out, I don't think I'd have been that fussed.

A (very brief) Casual Rating.
The Lacoste polo shirt is going to Paul Benson as a welcome to the Valley gift.

 Benson could have had 3 or 4 goals this evening but unfortunately fluffed his lines or encountered a good block or save at each critical moment.

Lee Martin looked lively and Semedo performed his usual spoiling role without flamboyance, Racon took his chance well, (admittedly with the assistance of the upright) and Waggy ran his little legs off but on what must have been a very difficult evening, all things considered, I'm awarding the highest accolade to Benson.

The Primark novelty slogan t-shirt is going to the kids sitting behind us.
Can you remember your first pint?
I think they'd just had it and then their second and third.

Whatever decision the linesman or referee made, even when it was cast iron correct, they reacted with the same "Ref, you're a c**t, f**k off, " "Your wife s**t in the bed". etc etc.

I quite like swearing.
Sometimes, it's the only way I can express myself and show the extreme of my opinion.
Once every third word is an F or a C it really has no impact whatsoever.
It was tiresome beyond belief.

After spending the evening being Billy big balls and trying to impress everyone within earshot with their foul language, they then had a chat about which one of their dads was picking them up.
What would mummy have thought?
Proper gangsta!

"Oy- Elbows Sodje!"

While the majority of Charlton supporters were either at Stockport watching our heroes, or doing the appalling pre Christmas Bluewater shuffle, I was to be found yesterday taking in the delights of East London / Essex.

It was a thoroughly entertaining day and one which I hope to repeat when the opportunity arises.

With Charlton playing in the chilly north at somewhere I've already been, it was a no brainer when Sledge asked if I wanted to be spoiled at Dagenham and Redbridge!

The walk from the tube station to Victoria Road was punctuated by posters promoting local girl Stacey Solomon in the X Factor final. As you may already know, she came third but she carried my vote.

I met up with Frankie Valley in one of the bars at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Stadium and waited for Sledge's other guests, JB and Nigel to arrive. Westie had already sent his apology due to work commitments.

We were all there to indulge in a spot of corporate hospitality, as the guests of Vicarage Field shopping centre in Barking, watching the Daggers play Bury in a 'vital' League 2 encounter.

Despite being born in Dagenham, (thanks mum!), I don't really keep up with the fortunes of the club. I'm ashamed to say that I had to go online on Friday evening to check who they were playing.
I was, in all seriousness, here for the beer.

We sat down to a three course carvery Christmas meal, then made our way up to our own private box overlooking the pitch, just behind the home dugout.
I've never really fancied watching football from behind glass but on a cold day, with the wind blowing in your face, it really does make the world seem a glorious place.

Did I mention that there was a fully stocked fridge, laden with beers, lagers, soft drinks etc. and a steaming pot of coffee waiting for us? The nearby toilet was a godsend.

The one player I was looking out for was the Bury defender Efetobore Sodje.
He is an instant target for the opposition crowd as he stands out like a sore thumb. He is big, strong and powerful and he also still wears the bandana he made famous when playing for Stevenage.

Within seconds of the start, the home crowd were on him, booing his every challenge. One loud local constantly bemoaned Sodje's use of his elbows. Even when he made the cleanest of tackles there was a murmur leading to a crescendo of displeasure.

It was a little ironic when it ended up being Sodje who was on the receiving end of a clattering. He had to go off the pitch for treatment on a blood injury. Strangely, he had a Terry Butcher style head bandage placed over the top of his bandana.

The game was a little stodgy in the first period but really came to life in the second half. Excitement tripled when one of the lady staff members came speeding into our box to grasp the drinks from our hands. We were not allowed to drink in view of the other supporters apparently. We felt like naughty schoolboys.

The Daggers ran out 3-1 winners with my man of the match, Paul Benson scoring two goals.

It was then back downstairs to watch the Man of the Match award and mingle with the players as a pasta dish was being consumed. The official M.O.M was Scott Doe who had a very tidy game in my humble opinion.

I'd like to thank Sledge and all at Vicarage Field for a fantastic day out.

It's not the way I'd like to enjoy my football every week but as a special treat it's a wonderful experience.

Dagenham and Redbridge are a very friendly club, living hand to mouth. It felt like indulging in 'real' grassroots football.
We do need to remember though that when looking at league positions we are far closer to the Daggers than any of the Premiership teams we used to count as peers.

If Dagenham get promoted, (they currently hold a play off place) and we don't, then Charlton would be playing at Victoria Road next season.

Can you pencil me in for that one Sledge?