Quality always shines through in the end

As so it ends. A final match to reflect the season as a whole, starting quietly but finishing with fury and finesse making sure everybody else sits up and takes notice. Charlton Athletic are going to be one to watch next season, be sure of that.

Unfortunately for me, they weren't one to watch yesterday. Rather than enjoy the end of season atmosphere of the local pubs in SE7, I was in Crawley at a wedding. As weddings go it was a lovely day, I caught up with an old friend who was over from Northern Ireland for the do, we snuck out for an hour to the local pub and discussed the lack of planning of the date. He's a rugby fan and holds a season ticket for his local club, their last league game was also this weekend. On the plus side I got to dress up in my new whistle, looking sharp and then owning the dance floor when One Step Beyond came on.

Throughout the service I was checking my phone, not only to see how the Addicks were faring but also to keep an eye on the drop zone. Huddersfield were leaping about all over the place, whilst Barnsley and Peterborough also both occupied that third relegation spot at times during the afternoon. This division hasn't failed to deliver all season and once again it lived up to expectation giving a thrilling finale to all but those poor Peterborough fans. Twice in front, a draw would have been enough to keep the Posh up, but those darned Eagles swooped in the final minutes of the game to break the hearts and end the hopes of a very plucky Peterborough side. Crystal Palace certainly know how to win friends!

Peterborough look the best bet to bounce straight back. Wolves were dismal at The Valley recently, the club are certainly in turmoil while yesterday's visitors, Bristol City, simply haven't looked good enough for a while now. Down and out, a 4-1 defeat seemed a bit of a cruel way to finish them off, but quality always shines through in the end. This squad has it in abundance and Chris Powell has finally discovered how to dispense it.

After a season where home wins were, to coin a phrase, like buses we turned the awful home form around and finished with four straight victories. Yann Kermorgant finished with a brace that could have so nearly been a hat-trick, Jonathan Obika (possibly the most successful loan signing since Jorge Costa) finished with his third goal in front of the Covered End while skipper Johnnie Jackson rounded his season off in style scoring a very commendable twelfth goal of the campaign from midfield. Will the skipper scoop the player of the year award tonight at The Valley's traditional end of season event?

This Saturday sees one of the greatest institutions of English football, the FA Cup final at Wembley. At a time when the FA are quite happy to let the grand old cup competition fade away into the background to concentrate on Sky and their more 'money making' ventures, it's easy to take this season at Charlton for granted. Remember, last summer we had no money to spend and many feared the worst. I have no idea if that situation has changed for the better, twelve months further down the road, but lets just take comfort in knowing we have some stability. This week I signed up for membership of the Supporters Trust; these are turbulent times for all but the biggest of football clubs and it's never been so important to have some voice in how your club is run. Their website states "The Trust has been formed to give fans a voice and to act as positive force to help preserve Charlton Athletic Football Club for its fans and community." It's very early days in the life of the Trust but at just five pounds a year for membership, it's got to be worth our support.

There is one last hurrah for me this season, Sutton United entertain Godalming Town in the final of the Surrey Senior Cup on Wednesday evening. When the final whistle blows at the end of that game the curtain really will have come down on my season. Roll on August.

One Step Beyond

Cardiff City had become the nearly men of the Championship, synonymous with falling at the last hurdle. Tuesday evening they went one step beyond and secured promotion to the promised land, keeping in line with the hopes demands of their new businessmen owners.

A pitch invasion at the end was beamed into the homes of football fans everywhere showing how a capacity crowd were enjoying the fruits of both Malky Mackay's leadership and a bucket load of cash from Malaysia. Not that I begrudge them, promotion is a feeling second to none but if I were in that position I'm sure (easy to say when it isn't you I know) I'd be watching non league football having sent my season ticket back, therefore watching the pitch invasion of jubilant friends and colleagues on my television set with the rest of the country. As they say on twitter, #againstmodernfootball.

Charlton had arrived in Wales on the back of their greatest ever away victory, the Bluebirds were going to have to work hard for their long awaited half a century return to the top flight of English football and the chance once again to tackle fierce Welsh rivals Swansea City.

The Addicks for all their valour gave a strong performance but it was never going to be a night where the Londoners made the headlines. We can reflect on taking four points off undoubtedly the best team in this division over the two games and also take heart that, as we approach the finishing tape, we have not only had a respectable campaign but also got through it unscathed as a squad. We feared all along that Chris Solly and Dale Stephens to name but two could depart for international fame and wads of cash at such alluring places as The Boleyn and Villa Park. They stayed put, Chris Powell kept his head and we sit ninth with only three games left to go. That came round quick didn't it!

I've no idea what next season will bring but I promise you one thing, if Slater and Jimenez change our kit to blue, nickname us the Blue Peters or we become The Charlton Nike Red Bull Jets they will be receiving my season ticket recorded delivery as quickly as the Royal Mail can humanly deliver it.

As Cardiff were celebrating in Wales, just across the border at Ashton Gate, Bristol City were realizing the gravity of a situation that in all honesty had been written on the wall for a couple of months now. The Robins were the first side to fall through the basement trapdoor into League One. It's a feeling we still remember far too well and if they're not managed at all levels particularly well next season, they could be playing counterparts Rovers far quicker than they ever anticipated. You only have to look at Portsmouth and to a slightly lesser degree Scunthorpe this season to see money will be harder than ever to come by, and fans favourites on the pitch equally as hard to hold on to.

As Charlton fans enjoyed their final midweek away day of the season, I was stationed far closer to home at The Hawth theatre in Crawley to be precise. The star of the night in West Sussex was Madness frontman Suggs.

This wasn't a Madness gig or even, as has become trendy of late, a solo acoustic set. This was Suggs telling us his life story. He had turned fifty, his cat had died and he felt the urge to tour the country reflecting as he went on the rather bizarre and dysfunctional events of his childhood, the search for the truth about his father and those carefree days as a young musician. At £25 a head I'm guessing his need for a little income may too have influenced his decision to tour small town theatres!

A sell out crowd included many a familiar face. Local men that were once skinheads, soul boys, Mods and scooter boys, there was a large selection of Fred Perry polos and Adidas trainers as many of these gents still carried their youthful exuberance with style and a swagger, even if the bodies were getting larger and the hair harder to comb. I cannot really comment though as i stood there equally trapped in time resplendent in ten hole cherry red DM's, crombie and gingham check Ben Sherman shirt. Suggs himself looked just as dashing in a green check three button slimfit suit. A life in the public eye certainly hadn't increased his waistline by too much!

I hadn't too much idea of what to expect other than this you tube clip from an evening earlier on the tour. Suggs was far funnier than I imagined, his comic timing superb whilst running two or three story lines simultaneously and switching back and forth when you least expected it. Interspersed with this were tuneful interludes as he sang excerpts of a handful of well known classics accompanied by the only other person on stage, a lad in smart polo and Weller haircut, on the piano.

The jokes and the stories reminded us all of some great old days past, Suggs hinted how knowing what we do now, wished he'd given a kick to a certain cigar smoking Top Of The Pops presenter when he had the chance, yet also showed a real talent when he impersonated the great Tommy Cooper to perfection. A lot of what he said went over the head of my young wife, yet even she left knowing she had witnessed something quite special. I left finally knowing for sure that Jerry Dammers didn't call his record label '2 tone' out of reverence to his teeth.

A good night all round then, especially for those Cardiff supporters. As for the Malaysian owners however, rubbing their hands with glee at the giant money pot they've just prised open, can I just say on behalf of all football fans that value the history and heritage of their clubs, in the words of a man mourning his cat,  you're an embarrassment!

A day to remember

This is the commemorative five pound coin produced by the Royal Mint for today, remembrance Sunday. One of the most important days of the year in my estimation, as we remember those who fought and fell for this great country and also those left at home that lost loved husbands, brothers and fathers.

It puts football into perspective a little doesn't it. However, the world keeps on spinning and although we all stopped for a minimum of two minutes today, there was still the small matter of a Championship fixture to fulfill.

I had a couple of reasons for choosing this picture over a more conventional poppy. First up, Bristol City blogger Paul, aka The Exiled Robin who invited me to answer some questions on his site prior to the match works for the Royal Mint, and secondly i won a fiver of someone for the subsequent  Charlton victory.

The game was on the back of Tuesday's stunning home win over Cardiff, we were relying on the players to recover from that epic in time to carry the momentum forward down at Ashton Gate.

Chris Powell had dabbled in the loan market during the week and brought in a couple of fresh faces in the shape of Dan Seaborne and Eggart Johnsson. Seaborne, a left sided full back from Southampton went straight into the starting eleven in place of Dervite, thus allowing Solly to revert to the right hand side and Morrison back to partner Cort in the heart of defence. Other than that the Addicks were unchanged. Johnsson, an Icelandic midfielder from Wolves will have to wait a little longer to get his chance under Chris Powell.

An impeccable minute's silence was observed after the sides were led out of the tunnel by members of the armed forces, City quite rightly not ignoring the importance of the occasion.

The home side lined up with Sam Baldock up front, a player we had been linked with a lot during the summer transfer market. With six defeats in a row, the natives were desperate to see a change of fortunes yet failed to get behind the side as a '12th man', a tactic we discovered works wonders in the week. In fact it was very similar to some darker days at The Valley with a chorus of boos being their most vocal moments.

Danny Haynes was returning to his old hunting ground and therefore almost guaranteed a starring role. Word perfect with the script, his pace caused the Bristol defence all sorts of problems and he got his opportunity with a rebound after Dale Stephens had hit the upright after twenty minutes.

The one thousand travelling supporters were bouncing and even let off a smoke bomb as the party atmosphere continued where it left off Tuesday. My twitter timeline entertained this 'ultra inspired' spectacle with mixed emotions, it was interspersed with praise for the balti pies on sale at the ground. I've yet to decide which topic is the more important.

A second half goal from Michael Morrison just before the hour did in all honesty seal the victory although City rallied for a period after our goal as they 'enjoyed' their best spell of the match.

Matt Taylor saw a long awaited cameo appearance towards the end, as did Ricardo Fuller - a very welcome return to the match day squad! Fuller got a ten minute run out replacing Rob Hulse who once again did his reputation no harm at all as he continues to attract prospective clubs.

How different it looks for the two managers now. Chris Powell has had his critics but with back to back wins is once again the man of the moment. Derek McInnes still has the respect of the bulk of the City fans but you have to wonder if seven straight defeats mean the writing is on the wall.

Charlton are now sixteenth in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone below, and an identical number off the last play off spot as we look up. Things appear much brighter now, especially as players slowly start to return.

Have we got through the worst of it? I really do hope so. Come on you reds!