Queensbury Rules

It was reminiscent of Fulham the weekend before, the slow lazy start, giving the opposition the invitation to lead, requiring a fiery half-time team talk to produce some passion. The difference being Fulham have a new found will to succeed, Sheffield Wednesday are just treading water.

Michael Morrison had made an escape to Birmingham City during the week to find himself a couple of months first team football, his place on the bench quickly filled by a former American international centre half, Oguchi Onyewu. A former Owl himself, he has signed up for the two months Morrison is away but being without a club could very easily make that contract a lot longer. There was to be no dream debut against his former employers yesterday though, and in case you were wondering how he happened to find himself at the Valley, you'll be none too surprised to hear the club he enjoyed his longest ever spell at was of course Standard Liege.

Having impressed during a late cameo at Craven Cottage, Karlan Ahearne-Grant was rewarded with a home start although he would only last the first half, while Yoni Buyens and Rhoys Wiggins both returned to the starting line up. As my ageing eyes testify, they are all quickly becoming little more than red shirts to me now; Ahearne-Grant was as I said replaced at the interval by Johann Berg Gudmundsson, and I could have sworn the number seven had been on from the start! Later when Igor Vetokele received the ball in the centre of the box to slide home a much deserved equaliser, I thought it was Cousins and not Wiggins that had made a darting run up the left flank beating men as he went before executing an inch perfect ball to the returning super sub. But this was all a million miles from what we had to suffer during the first forty five minutes.

It may have started briskly but that didn't last long giving way to plenty of stoppages interspersed with Wednesday attacks helped by a referee who wanted to touch the ball more regularly than our midfield. When they did score it was former Real Madrid man Royston Drenthe winning the ball just a couple of yards into our half, then running with it not so closely watched by Wiggins (I'm pretty sure this time) all the way before shooting home to the delights of two ends of the ground.

Wednesday had brought a good number, they always do, but there was certainly room to accommodate a couple more bums in the Jimmy Seed stand. One Charlton supporter though thought it wise to let a couple of travelling Owls sit next to him in the Upper North, it was around this stage that they were discovered. Now it's not much fun being in the wrong end, I witnessed a Sunderland lad get walloped at Wembley in 98, I had an awful time at Elland Road back in the terracing days of my late teens that I'd never wish to repeat, and I was never part of a mob 'taking an end' when that was all the rage. But these lads yesterday were certainly made to feel unwelcome when they showed glee at a time all when around them had their head in their hands.

It would turn comical, once upon a time a burly fellow would have marched straight up to them and helped their speedy departure from our midst, not now. Lots of shouting, gesticulating and name calling but little action although some were quick to find a steward and tell on them. It's a family club and all that, I know it's polite to warn the authorities and let them do their job, but I can't help feeling there was something a little embarrassing about the whole situation. But don't despair, there really was a Charlton legend on hand to give each one of us a lesson on class. The three culprits were escorted down the staircase and were about to depart for the concourse, but in their way was one grey haired old gent. He quickly adopted the pose before letting fly with a good old fashioned punch to the nose, and it rocked it's recipient. The fellow then calmly just sat back down, his work done. A quality moment I shall never forget. What a firm we must have had back in the sixties with this Gent at it's helm!

The second half as I previously mentioned found us deploying more of a threat going forward, corner after corner we certainly had the visitors worried but once we found the goal we failed to really push on and finish the job. Tucudean delivered his customary overhead kick attempt a fair few feet from the ball, Wilson found the net only to be denied by a linesman's flag, and for all we threw at them they looked just as likely of snatching something when opening us up on the break. The result was to be expected, these two teams had become the draw specialists of the Championship and it's a long time since Wednesday have returned from these parts without anything to show for their efforts.

Remember Jose Semedo, the former Charlton player that bled red and white? Well he was in the Wednesday team yesterday, although I wasn't aware of this until the eightieth minute when someone pointed him out to me. Perhaps I need to move my seat a little nearer the pitch. Not too close to our geriatric hooligan though, I'd be too scared to enjoy the match each week!

Permutations

They're everywhere you look. If we draw on Tuesday and Birmingham lose, if we lose on Tuesday, other results go our way and we snatch a point at Blackpool, If we win... So many scenarios yet it all remains undoubtedly in our own hands, we don't need to rely on anybody else. But I expect we will in the end.

After the Easter Monday victory at Sheffield Wednesday, we had every reason to be expectant of an equally passionate performance yesterday with the possibility of actually securing safety and putting this rather frustrating season to bed. In reality Charlton didn't turn up, they played during the first half some of the worst football I'd seen all season at any level and left us still unsure as to where our future lays for the next campaign.

Sordell was a hero Monday scoring a fine hat trick leaving his doubters (including myself) to eat large slices of humble pie. It certainly showed the potential that others have seen in the player warranting high transfer fees and ludicrous contracts yet it was, for us, only a blip on what has been a rather lackluster loan spell. Still flavour of the month with the fickle hoards of Charlton tweeters, he won a softish penalty that he then chose to take himself. True his eye had been on goal of late but we have a recognized penalty taker in Johnnie Jackson and at a goal down in such a crucial end of season tie I'd have expected a captain to assert his authority, do his job and take the shot himself. As it was Sordell played the ball lamely down the middle to a waiting Paul Robinson in the Rovers goal.

It wasn't just the Bolton man who had a bad day at the office. Callum Harriott had a shocker, Morgan Fox looked completely out of his depth, Chris Solly seemed a long way off from being the player he was before the injury and Ben Hamer never looked in command of his goal. Those I haven't mentioned weren't really any better.

At two down just after the break plenty around me left for the pub, it was a tad early in the match for me but I have to say I was tempted. Sordell pulled one back for the home side and briefly looked determined to repeat history and reproduce his results from Monday but Charlton's best period of the game soon dwindled out as the home side once again choreographed their own downfall as comical playground defending gifted rovers their third. That penalty miss just before the interval certainly proved to be a game changing moment. By the end we introduced Reza and Church to aid Sordell but they all chased shadows in a weak attempt to find an elusive goal. Blackburn took the three deserved points to keep alive the faintest of play off hopes whilst we sloped away quietly licking our wounds.

Duchâtelet had better get the cheque book out in the summer, if we do survive you feel we'll be going through all this again next time around and if we don't this lot couldn't score their way out of League One. I'd like to think the owner would put some of the five million refund he'll receive from relegation back into the squad.  Fortunately Blackpool were the only side below us to win, Barnsley secured another relegation spot alongside Yeovil, so with three others below us the permutations from the fixtures left do appear to favour us. Charlton are bound to take it to the wire though, it wouldn't surprise me if at least three different clubs at some stage occupy that last spot on the 'live' table next Saturday afternoon.

After a good Easter weekend of non league football it was almost with some reluctance that I headed to The Valley. If it wasn't for the time with cherished friends the day would have been far worse. We sat in The Pelton Arms in Greenwich (a wonderful boozer that has somehow eluded me all these years) and it dawned on me that the game really isn't the best part of the day, far from it, and how long has it really been since the actual football was more than just a mere excuse to catch up with your mates? That matchday camaraderie is possibly the only reason holding me back from transferring to non league for good. News that will please the lads at Horley Town who got their survival bid back on track with a much needed 3-2 win over Frimley Green in the Combined Counties League. I am without doubt a bad luck charm on them as my presence almost assures defeat. Fortunately I can't make their last two fixtures so they can enjoy firing their way to a couple more end of season victories over the next few days. Charlton could do with taking a leaf out of their book starting with the Watford game on Tuesday.

I'm streaming all over.

Charlton Athletic are in the FA Cup quarter finals! We were in the blue half of Sheffield, and via Bulgaria, Algeria and then finally the United States of America we booked our place in the red half of Sheffield for the last eight.

A dodgy internet stream meant the clarity of the action was poor, the Bulgarian one I first discovered had a commentary five minutes out of sync with the pictures. The Algerian one was in their native tongue and became painful on the ear. The American Fox Soccer stream I ended with was the best of the lot, although for the half time highlights from Brighton we lost the dulcet tones of Peter Drury and were treated to some chap far more used to baseball and it's razzmatazz. Still, beggars can't be choosers and it was the closest I was going to get to the action in Gatwick.

Ben Hamer returned in goal, and along with Morgan Fox making his debut, was the main talking point before kick off. The bearded wonder remaining the hottest topic of conversation at the end of the match too.

Callum Harriott looked bright at the beginning, his pace causing the defence problems and it was the youngster himself who put the Addicks ahead with a fierce shot in the first half that the American production team had a field day with as they conjured up headlines.

Charlton had the best of the first half except for the last five or ten minutes when Wednesday realised that perhaps the dream derby may just be slipping away. Rejuvenated after the half time team talk, the home side continued where they left off and pulled themselves back in it with an equaliser after scrappy Charlton defending.

For the first time during the evening we at home could hear the Wednesday support.

The Owls looked like they were going on to dominate the game but a Simon Church goal against the run of play soon had the Londoners singing again. After that it was Hamer who made all the headlines.

Wednesday thought they had their second equaliser of the night as Hamer clawed the ball from behind him, hip height, and finally smothered the ball on the floor. The replays certainly looked to me like the ball was over the line but without goal line technology we shall thankfully never know.

The home side continued to pile on the pressure whilst at the same time getting rather cynical with their challenges. At the death Hamer made the save of his career as he changed direction at the last moment and still had enough strength in his hand to turn a certain goal away.

Cue jubilant dancing around the lounge as 'er indoors tried to watch EastEnders or whatever girly trash it was. Proof to my theory that there is no-one worse to celebrate a football victory with than my missus.

Back to Sheffield then for the quarter final at Bramall Lane in less than two weeks time. I'm praying I wont need to find a foreign far flung internet stream for that, first thing tomorrow morning I beg my boss for a Saturday off. Let's hope he understands the importance of all this far more than my good lady wife!

Que Sera Sera

Has there ever been occasion before when the only upset from the sixteen cup matches constituting the fourth round of the FA Cup has been the holders getting through?

A week of football that has seen us beat two and discover a third opponent in this prestigious competition, cup fever has certainly hit our part of South East London to a degree not seen for far too long.

I'm a huge fan of the cup, the extra preliminary round, the third round draw, the sunny final in May with hours of build up, I love every moment of it, even if it hasn't always been that kind to us. You could be forgiven for immediately groaning as the last two draws have been made; trips to the two clubs we escaped from League One alongside. Away from home though we currently stand far more chance as round three proved.

After a scary start we pulled Oxford back to a draw in the much delayed first outing of our assault on the trophy, but on Tuesday, on a proper playing surface, we looked far more professional as we ended up strolling into the fourth round and a third visit of the season to Huddersfield.

I've had some great away days in the cup following Charlton, a quarter final defeat at Bolton Wanderers with charging police horses, a dramatic victory against then Premier League Coventry City and more recently a fine day on the ale at Fulham. But as I'm older, married, working on Saturday mornings, boracic and to be honest just a tad lazy, I wasn't going to seek permission, take a day's holiday, borrow some wedge and get off my posterior to see a third defeat of season at the home of The Terriors.

How I wish I had, and i doff my cap to those that did, just to have seen young Harry Lennon appear from the bench to make his debut to the tune of "He's better than John..." Superb.

Before kick off I was bemoaning the departure of Michael Smith to Swindon Town to a friend. Chris Powell had said that the young lad needed week in, week out first team football. I'd have let him have it over Church and Sodall gladly, and of course he scored the first of two debut goals on the half hour and my theories were confirmed. How was I to know Simon Church would cap off a fine Charlton passing move later in the afternoon to seal our spot in the last sixteen?

As games go it was no classic, the talking point being a rash challenge or two from Dale Stephens culminating in a mass brawl which also saw Michael Morrison have his name taken for squaring up. The tackle on Adam Hammill was, on further viewing, dangerous and deserved far stronger action from the official. Comments Hammill said himself in a roundabout way on his twitter account; these were accompanied by a photograph of his knee which had swollen up like a barrage balloon.

To the fifth round draw then and I, like every other Charlton fan, was glued to the television having watched Chelsea stroll past a lackluster Stoke to join us in the last sixteen wishing that rather than a needless interview with Frank Lampard, Adrian Chiles would just hurry up and send us to Wembley to put pay to this uncontrollable excitement.

Citeh got Chelsea, Arsenal got Liverpool, I feared our big fish was going to be Cardiff, no disrespect. Even they came and went dragging Wigan with them. Out came Wednesday next and I knew, just knew that the number four ball was to follow.

It's a very winnable game, a very real chance of making the quarter finals and then we're just ninety minutes from Wembley.  When I watched Whyteleafe in the extra preliminary round the lads there had a tin foil cup, I wonder if they still have it? I'd love to hold that aloft in England's home of football wearing a huge rosette. Daft? Perhaps, but didn't Harry Lennon once sing "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one"?

A load of Belgian waffle.

Football as a sport is built on defining landmark moments. An FA Cup final in the blazing sunshine of May, a Tuesday night trip to Plymouth in the freezing January rain, a hectic Christmas festive football frenzy marking the halfway stage of the season watched by grown men in club colour-matched Santa hats. These different junctures of the campaign all contrive equally to delight us with a hobby and lifestyle we couldn't replicate elsewhere, even if the actual game play so frequently disappoints.

It's a long time since I've managed to complete a whole Christmas fixture list, family commitments (read 'a wife that would never forgive me') taking precedence over a Boxing Day jaunt to SE7. This year, as has become the norm, was spent with family in Tunbridge Wells, Rusthall to be exact. A village to the west of the town immune to mobile phone signals and hosting frustratingly sporadic internet connections. A refreshing break from social media therefore opened out far more traditional Christmas entertainment, but it was a good twenty four hours after the final whistle before I managed to read of Lawrie Wilson's brace and the enthralling team effort to go with it that saw off Brighton & Hove Albion.

If I couldn't attend Boxing Day, there wasn't a cat in Hell's chance I was going to miss The Valley's second festive fixture, this time against a rather large club from Yorkshire. Christmas is renowned for throwing the simplest of travel plans into chaos, never more so than this year with abnormal weather and huge Southern Railway maintenance plans. Every football supporter dreads the words 'rail replacement bus' yet despite their efforts to the contrary, I still arrived at the Richard The First in Greenwich in plenty of time for a few pre match ales.A good job too, I was in danger of sobering up for the first time in four days.

Chris Solly had returned for the Boxing Day fixture, but a heavy pitch had obviously taken it's toll on the full back as he was missing for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday three days later. Rhoys Wiggins was also absent but this due to the birth of his first child. Could the momentum of Brighton be carried over to this mid season relegation heavyweight six-pointer clash with such disruption to the team? Perhaps a far bigger question, could an area of grass that you wouldn't want to walk a dog on host a Championship football match?

During my break from the online world I had missed the news of Belgian businessman Roland Duchâtelet and his intentions to buy the club. As tempting as it would be to immediately have the finest Belgian blonde and wheat beers pumping through the North Upper concourse, the first job after tying down the staff with new contracts for any prospective buyer has to be investment in the playing surface. Quite frankly that pitch is shocking and an embarrassment to the Championship, a statement that could also be used for match officials but more on that later. If it isn't puddles of water stopping a pass reaching it's recipient, it's the mud. Yes, I agree they used to play top flight football in these conditions in 1974 but that was forty years ago. The way the game is played has changed since then, technology has moved on, even if the weather hasn't. I find it very difficult to believe this day and age that professional people keeping a professional football can struggle so much. If the kit man were equally poor with his results would the club happily send the players out in pink shorts after the red in the shirts had run?

So could such a surface host a football match? Just. The first half was dreadful, as dire a forty five minutes as you'll see all season but Dale Stephens would turn on a little style to surprise us all just after the restart. Collecting the ball directly from a Wilson throw on the edge of the box he dropped his shoulder, took it inside the defender then out-witted the oncoming keeper using the outside of his right boot. It was delectable, and as they so often say, a goal that could grace a cup final. The sort of goal Simon Church dreams of. Church, perhaps the 'unluckiest in front of goal' of a long line of Charlton front men spearheaded our campaign to not increase our lead. As we started to sit back on our lead Wednesday started firing shots vaguely goal-wards but mainly towards the corner flags. We felt deep down as we so often do that it was only a matter of time.

The table doesn't lie, these two sides are poor and that is why they find themselves consistently in the bottom six. I never like to slate the officials, it's an easy option but it is becoming harder by the match as referees and their assistants continually both falter with and show little fluidity to many match changing decisions. That said, to some extent you make your own luck in football and if you continually fail to take the chances you create and if you play half your matches in terrible conditions you won't be sitting pretty on top of the pile.

The Sheffield Wednesday equalizer certainly hinted at offside and the more you watch it the clearer it appears to the point where you wonder how anybody could have missed it in the first place, yet it's arrival was ultimately an inevitability. We defended in numbers, so much so that we seemed to get in each others way, our only option going forward was to catch them on the break. The obvious thing to do would be to bring on a centre half come very defensive midfielder and a wide man lacking in competitive practice.

Again Mr Duchâtelet, I beseech you, should you spend your pennies in this corner of London, whilst arranging an annual summer pre-season friendly at Standard Liège, could you invest in resurrecting the reserve team. An occasional Wednesday morning behind closed doors friendly is never going to be enough for the squad's fringe players to find that aggressive edge. Perhaps a short time in the 'stiffs' would also ease the likes of Solly (and all those with recurring injuries) back into the first team for a more prolonged period of time.

A dismal effort from Church at the end again begged the admission that no matter how you dress it up, we struggle to score goals. I've said this before but it seems poignant on the weekend when he found himself reaching double figures, but surely now is good time to give Michael Smith a chance providing it possible to recall him. He certainly knows where the goal is, albeit two divisions below, but regular competitive football is certainly keeping him sharper than the bench warmers above him in the current pecking order.

As much as we like to moan, it is just a matter of perspective. We are unbeaten in three and who wouldn't have taken four points from the two festive home games a week ago? So it is with this vision that I shall bode a farewell to 2013 and welcome the new year full of Belgian hope.

That's if the takeover talks don't collapse on the second of January. Happy New Year!

A massive shock!

Should you happen to glance at either the #cafc or #swfc hash-tags on twitter, you'll see very little love from either set of supporters towards their counterparts. Of late, Sheffield Wednesday have escalated in the rankings of Charlton's rivals to a level just below Crystal Palace and Millwall. Definitely up there with the West Ham's of this world.

There are many contributing factors to this. On one hand, the clubs have met four times as 'big fish' in League One before getting promoted together last season. On the other, the clubs have shared a fair few players including Morrison, Llera, Lita and Semedo who all got a run out yesterday. Perhaps the biggest problem from the south Londoners perspective is Wednesday's perceived status. They are often regarded as a sleeping giant, a team that should be gracing the Premier League and it's grand arena, Old Trafford, St James Park, Goodison Park and the multitude of new Lego stadiums that abound. So the likes of Peterborough, and last season Rochdale and Hartlepool, are seen by many as beneath them. At least that's the impression I get. With all football clubs, Charlton included, there will be eighty to ninety percent of supporters who know the game, respect one another and generally would be lovely folk to share a pint or two with. Then there's the rest, quite happy to sit at a keyboard or nestle their smart phone in their lap tapping obscenities to rival fans, idiotic enough to take these brave words to heart and retort with an equally obnoxious 140 characters of drivel. How many of us thought we were too big for League One?

Sheffield Wednesday may not be a 'massive' club, but they are certainly a famous old name plying their trade at one of the finest traditional stadiums I've ever had the pleasure to visit. Other than a League Cup win twenty years ago, success has however eluded them, even we have won the FA Cup more recently that the Owls! If truth be told I think both clubs have found their level and have returned to a division entitled to be called home.

All rivalries have to start somewhere I suppose. Having won three league games consecutively, Charlton's hopes to make it to the end of the month with a one hundred percent record were high. A defeat, and Wednesday's first double of the season, were out of the question weren't they? A team already caught up in a relegation battle against a side in a rich vein of form. That would be a massive shock.

With only the highlights available to view (stuck at work I had to make to with radio commentary) it did appear that the home side were in charge. In the first half Michael Morrison hit the woodwork from three yards out when putting it in the net would appear to be a far easier option. This of course was to the delight of the away support in the Jimmy Seed stand whose opinion of our centre half is probably lower than ours of our former Charlton defender Miguel Llera.

The second half began in suitable fashion when Johnnie Jackson found the net. A Chris Solly cross was perfectly controlled by Bradley Pritchard who brought the ball down and in the path of our ever improving skipper. A goal that would have caught many still returning to their seats. Unfortunately the woodwork would intervene once again preventing the home side from doubling their tally during the afternoon.

Wednesday had opportunities to draw level but when a wayward shot went over the roof of the Jimmy Seed, Charlton must have thought the one goal was more than enough of a cushion. The Owls, on a superb run away from home, had other ideas though with first Reda Johnson and then substitute Leroy Lita both finding the net in the last five minutes of the game. Charlton had been mugged, Chris Powell made three changes at once in the final minute to desperately try and claw a point back but it was far too late. Often criticised for his substitutions, I know, I'm a culprit, the final whistle blew to a tirade of boos.

Two sides in the same division, eleven against eleven, the result isn't necessarily a shock, the manner in which it occurred however most definitely is.

This game only went ahead because both sides fell at the first hurdle in this seasons FA Cup. Whilst we slogged out a league fixture we'll hope to forget, other sides were stepping into the headlines on this, the fourth round of the cup weekend. If you wanted a massive shock, this was the place to look.

Millwall started the weekend by compounding Aston Villa's misery and knocking them out of their second tournament in a week. Villa have become a shadow of their former selves, unsurprisingly parting company with Paul Lambert before the weekends end.

Queen's Park Rangers did their best to steal all of Villa's limelight on Saturday by getting a good thrashing from MK Dons (Wednesday's conquerors in the previous round) on their own patch. Liverpool went one better today by crashing out at League One opposition in the shape of Oldham Athletic. The Latics rewarded with a pop at the blue side of Merseyside next!

Brentford held Chelsea, Leeds beat Tottenham, wherever you looked the shocks kept coming. The real massive shock came in Norfolk though. Norwich City of the Premier League fell at home to Luton Town of the Blue Square Conference.

I've struggled with modern football for a long time, having a television station claiming to be the 'home of live goals' and Manchester United getting their 300th consecutive cup tie shown live, football needed a kick up the backside to appease the working class, ticket buying football going  chap. Bradford, Luton and co have done this to some extent although I'd be lying (and only from a truly selfish perspective) if I said I was truly happy with the Hatters victory at Norwich. No longer can I now say I was present the last time a non league side defeated top flight opposition in the FA Cup. The seventh of January 1989, three days before my eighteenth birthday remains one of my fondest footballing memories, closely tucked behind the 98 play off final in my affections. Sutton United have found their name banded about this weekend through no doing of their own, and let's face it, all publicity for a small non league club is good publicity, but the real sting in the tail is that Sutton (and myself) went to Carrow Road in the fourth round only to get a real pasting to the tune of 8-0. Of all the places for that great achievement to be equaled!

Luton's reward is that of a visit from Millwall who infamously visited the Bedfordshire town for a cup quarter final back in 1985. Like Sutton, they may well have had their moment of fame but it's truly well deserved. Along with Bradford City in the League Cup, these really are massive but very welcomed shocks.

You can keep your Champions League, despite the FA trying to schedule the final as just another game, the FA Cup has truly lost none of it's magic.

All I want for Christmas is 3 points Boxing Day!

I can only see one down side to being a professional footballer and that's working, or more to the point training, on Christmas morning. I've never managed to ask a player their thoughts on this particular mornings work but i presume it's a monotonous task seeming all the more sluggish when on the back of two long distance away defeats.

Both Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday have beaten us by a two nothing scoreline over the past two Saturdays, our league position slipping dramatically in the process. After just getting our noses into the top half of the table we find ourselves back down in eighteenth, eight points from safety. Many would have predicted a defeat to relegated Bolton, but the Wednesday result is a much harder pill to swallow. The Llera and Semedo factor, the rivalry from last season, the fact they also have been a club that has a glorious past yet has been in the doldrums of the third division for too long, you can find similarities everywhere. Quite simply, and I don't mean to offend, they are relegation fodder who I expect to be scrapping for their lives in a dog fight come the Spring. A point would have been a very realistic expectation here. We have a phrase for yesterday, 'typical Charlton'.

A lot has been said over the past week or so about being the better side for the majority of the game, losing out to wonder strikes, poor refereeing decisions and penalties that should have been awarded. The fact that we haven't taken chances as they've come along frankly hits the nail far more firmly on the head. We can blame the opposition, the officials or even each other until we are blue in the face, the reality of the matter is we haven't got the ball in the net (legally) at any point over those three hours of football.

I'm not stupid enough to link this to Rob Hulse being dropped to the bench for the returning Yann Kermorgant, no matter what my personal preferences, or the constant meddling with the starting eleven. I'm also not stupid enough to get on the Chris Powell isn't good enough bandwagon. I believe we have a very bright young manager that has a lot of potential. He isn't a great manager by any stretch of the imagination but he does have the ability to become one. The art of the perfect tactical substitution will come!

I doubt very much that Brian Clough ever had a softly softly approach on Christmas morning putting his players through their paces just as hard as he would any other day. I hope Chris Powell does the same. If needs be those players need to walk back to the showers on Tuesday thinking the gaffer is a complete b*****d if it means three points against Ipswich on Boxing Day.

Ipswich have started to turn things around of late with a couple of wins away from home plus a drubbing earlier this month of in form Millwall at Portman Road. Certainly no push over and with the arrival of Derby on Saturday followed by a trip to Watford New Years Day, points over this festive season are going to be hard to come by.

It's not all doom and gloom though, we are still only eight points of the last play off spot and I still firmly believe this squad, under this management is more than capable of a top half finish. I would quite happily have taken this position at the beginning of the season as would any Charlton fan with a modicum of common sense. Christmas is the half way stage and we've already shown on numerous occasions that we have the grit and the ability to carve out a future for ourselves at this level for a lot longer yet.

The January sales will begin soon, I very much doubt we'll be bringing new names in although those unsettled amongst our ranks could very well be off to pastures new leaving a more content squad to secure our safety. You forget how many footballers will pack the whole house and family up with the Christmas tree!

Have a great Christmas folks, let's round this year off with some loud vocal support at The Valley and in return Chris Powell's red and white army may well give us the one thing we all want for Christmas, a Charlton win!

Wheels of Steel

After a defeat in West London last Saturday, it was important Charlton roared into the steel city firing on all cylinders for this top of the table clash. The distraction of the cup behind us, it was back to what matters and the first of two really big tests.
A chance to shout our dominance to any pretenders thinking they have a claim to the title, while puncturing the wheels of Wednesday's challenge in the process.

It was a return to Hillsborough for Michael Morrison, an opportunity to show the blue supporters of Sheffield what a giant of a player he is developing into in SE7. Another former Owl, Leon Clarke, was on the bench. The old boys club was evident the other way round as well though, with former player of the year Jose Semedo starting, and the enigma that is Nicky Weaver between the sticks. New addition Miguel Llera began the afternoon in the dugout with the prospect of facing us for a second club this season.

Morrison and Clarke may have made it to Hillsborough, but plenty of travelling addicks didn't. Troubles on the trains meant many had only made it as far as Leicester by kick off, some were further down the line. I've seen on twitter that the fortunate of these fans made it for the second half, I'm guessing plenty didn't even witness that.

As much as I'd have loved to gone, i had to work the morning and settle for listening in on CAFC player, as it turned out better than being stuck on a train and missing it all. Unless of course you're going to listen to the Palace Leeds game, then perhaps the train is quite enticing!
Fortunately the match coverage was quickly fixed by those in the know and we settled down as we often do, our nerves on edge. Due to work i often have to listen in on games this way, i never enjoy it!

The commentators were quick to say how Charlton were looking the better of the two sides, but with the noise of the crowd behind them, every Wednesday attack had me on edge.
Just before the half hour Charlton marked the bosses first year in charge with a delightful free kick from skipper, Johnnie Jackson. Worthy of gracing any Premier League game they said, upon seeing it I'd have to agree. As pleasing to watch was the celebration, as Jackson ran into the arms of the coaching staff on the sidelines. The desire and passion was there for all to see. We were going home with all the points, we just didn't know it then!
Powell loved the attentions of his captain after the goal went in, the attentions of opposition manager Gary Megson however were not so welcomed. On more than one occasion words were exchanged and Sir Chris had to wave Megson away.

Half time came and in true rock and roll style i departed to the kitchen to wash up the lunch things. Minutes later a phone call from the motorcycle shop downstairs, my sink full of water had ended up on their floor. I cleaned everything out of the cupboard under the sink, repaired the broken pipework then mopped up the puddles all at supersonic speed. I only missed the first five minutes of the second half. Still better than plenty of those on trains!

The second half saw Wednesday (and Semedo in particular) throwing the tackles in, and the age old tactics of lumping the ball forward. All very Megson-esque! As the second half wore on, the hosts had five playing up front.
This nearly paid off as Rhoys Wiggins turned hero, not for the first time this season, clearing the ball off the line as Wednesday piled on the pressure.
Darel Russell had a chance to put the game to bed right at the death when he was put clear through, but Weaver foiled his plans as he had done to Wright-Phillips amongst others before him.

After an agonisingly long four minutes stoppage time, the ref finally blew his whistle and Wednesday's unbeaten home record fell, leaving just those mighty addicks in League One that can claim that impressive stat.
Four points clear of Sheffield United in second, with a game in hand, and seven clear of third. This was without doubt a big big result, made all the better by hearing Millwall had lost 6-0 at home!

Megson was heard to say afterwards that the race was now on for second as it would take an exceptional team to finish ahead of Charlton. I think that message we set out to impose on the competition has been well and truly heard. Sheffield United won't be relishing the thought of a trip to The Valley next Saturday.

One final note, Jason Euell made his debut for AFC Wimbledon at Port Vale. He came off injured just before the break, but did help inspire them to a much needed three points. The Euell effect.

Football, don't you just love it!

Monday I had Wednesday on my mind

Looking at the facts, this had disappointment written all over it.

1, Semedo's return.
2, Our centre half up against his old team. (Almost guarantees a mare.)
3, Their poor form away from home.
4, Our great start.
5, Needing to play catch up with the franchise and the red half of Sheffield winning Saturday.
6, Sky TV cameras.
7, Gary 'negative' Megson.
8, I'm stuck at work.

OK, perhaps point 8 could have meant  a truly epic Addicks performance, but alas, no.
With many thanks to Laura for tweeting me the frequency, i managed to tune in to some of the game from my Tesco dot com van. Of course, by the time I'd found it Bradley Wright-Phillips had scored the opener and we were well on our way to going back to the top of the league with an outstanding goal fest.
If I'm correct, the last time we were at home on a Monday and on the telly was Swindon Town last season, Parky's last game. Ouch.

During the first half i didn't want to get out of the van when arriving at customers addresses. One women even commented on this saying she thought i may have got myself locked in the cab. When i told her the full story and mentioned we were attacking the opposition's penalty area at the time she replied with a grunt. A little like a football conversation at home! I'll never understand some people's priorities.

Listening to Phil Parry and former Charlton front man Bradley Allen on BBC London radio, it seemed that Charlton were by far the better side in the first period playing some slick passing football. Dale Stephens had a good chance to make it two from close distance whilst Sheffield Wednesday had taken to their 'lumpier' tactics, both in style of football and method of challenges.

The second forty five and it was a different game entirely. An equaliser for the owls from former Palace striker Clinton Morrison (Sky's man of the match for some reason?) gave the visitors what was probably a deserved point over the ninety. This came from that dreaded set play, something we have struggled to defend for a long long time.

Thoughts of slipping back into the darkness that was last season are perhaps a little premature, we are still third in the table and unbeaten don't forget.
We can however play beautiful football and need to adapt when managers have rallied their troops with their half time team talks. Wednesday tried to stop us playing the game last night, many others will try to do the same. A plan of action and counter tactics must be part of Charlton's armoury to ensure our wonderful start to the campaign continues.

It's another home fixture Saturday, one which i can finally get to after missing everything since the opening day. Exeter are another side who could surprise us, and another donor club to our central defensive partnership. Exeter haven't had the best of starts picking up only four points  to date and sitting just on top of the bottom four. A big game at The Valley and the chance to take a scalp will be great incentive for them.

Lets pray we get back to winning ways and keep the pressure on the top two. Come on you reds!

And The Reds Go Marching On

Things are moving on at quite some pace for Charlton. Our assault on League One is well and truly underway, games will come thick and fast, and our main rivals have made themselves known to one and all.
After the slight disappointment, and dropping of points, against Scunthorpe the Red Army are back on course.

A re-scheduled Carling Cup tie on Tuesday night saw a very different Addicks side to that we had become accustomed to. Not that this was by any means a bad thing, quality in depth is obviously something Chris Powell intended on with the summer spending spree, and every single debutant shone in this opportunity to impress. Agreed, it wasn't a first strength Reading team, but League One reserves still beat Championship reserves on the night. Competitive reserve football is something that has been missing for a little while in our part of South London.
 Chicago Addick wrote a piece on this subject recently and rather than risk parroting (is that a real word?) him, may i suggest following the link and reading his piece, it's a great article.

Having watched the match at a later date on the club website, work again the culprit, the football was at times enchanting. The score could have been a lot more had last ditch defending not been so evident and slightly better finishing been on show.
The heart and soul Charlton supporter could not have failed to feel proud of seeing the names Benson and Euell on the score sheet. This was without doubt a Charlton performance for the fans, put on by a team that knew we deserved it. Schoolboy comic book images flash to mind.
Bradley Pritchard was the name that stood out on a night of many many shining performances. This is the lad signed from Hayes & Yeading remember, one of the sixteen or so that we never really mentioned or got carried away with. In hindsight, i bet a lot more of the regular 15,000 wish they had spent a tenner on watching our reserves.

Our reward for beating Reading is the visit of Preston. This of course we already knew, what we have discovered since is the prise of a trip to Southampton (or possibly Di Canio's Swindon) for the victors. Not really Roy of the Rovers stuff is it! Maybe we'll have to wait until Wembley for the big gun.

Could we take this momentum back into the League? A trip to Bury wasn't going to be the most glamorous or simplest of tasks.
Hamer stayed in goal as once again the Robbie Elliot saga trundles along. We have now reported Newcastle to the Football League for their behaviour over the matter. It would seem we are not alone in this action. For one reason or another (can't think what) I've gone off The Toon of late.
Bradley Wright-Phillips was the other absentee from the side that took on The Iron. This meant a little re-shuffle could accommodate both Danny Green and Scott Wagstaff.

A glorious free kick resulted in the home side going into the break with their noses in front. This was the first time this season our boys had been behind. At last, a proper test of our metal
Paul Hayes scored at the start of the second period whilst a gem from Johnnie Jackson on the end of a splendid ball showed we have the necessary grit and determination needed to turn this early good fortune into a serious challenge on the summit. Happy happy days indeed.

Our next game is a Monday night affair in front of those dreaded TV camera's. Sheffield Wednesday as Jose Semedo return. Oh how I'm looking forward to this one, and it's on the box, everyone can watch. Except me of course, I'll be working. I seem to really have the short straw.
Exeter at home the following Saturday however and I'll be there. I'm expecting my train to roll into SE7 at around three o'clock so a sprint to the ground will be in order, but it's been too long and everbody else seems to be having more than their fair share of this euphoria. I want/need some of it!

Yesterday i had to make do with some television highlights, extended highlights as it turned out, for my footballing fix. Poor Carl Jenkinson. The reds of Manchester are also on the march.
8-2 is more of a football manager computer game score than a real life one. You have to hand it to Sir Alex, he's about the only old school manager left in the game but still the best by a country mile. Squad after squad is built and rewards are never far away, unlike Arsene Wenger who would love some kind of silverware to put in the cabinet.
Not only was Jenkinson out of his depth, but an early bath as well heaped the disappointment onto the youngsters early Arsenal career. This isn't really how he envisaged making a name for himself surely?

Someone out to once again make a name for himself is Phil Parkinson who yesterday was appointed manager of Bradford City.
I don't know much about The Bantams, they have Valley in the name of their ground which caught fire once, they had a very brief stint in the top flight and on their way down they sold the great Eddie Youds to us.
Looking into the current situation a little i find they are in the bottom half of League Two picking up only four points from their first five games. Good luck Parky, i think you may need it sir.

And so to a bank holiday Monday and a whole day off. No work, no church, and no children's ministry. Heidi's gone off to work leaving me to my own devices and i notice Sutton United are at home to Dover in the Conference South at Gander Green Lane. I'm going to jump on the bike and take a ride up there.
The chance, sorry, rare chance to see a little bit of live football.
I'm having some of that.