Almost there

As Bradley Pritchard ran unmarked into the penalty area to put the Addicks in front during the first minute at the Riverside, many may have thought another rout was on the cards, similar to that witnessed at Barnsley two weeks previously. Many Charlton fans thought at that moment, just possibly, the unlikely scenario of reaching the play-offs could in fact become reality. Promotion through the play-offs isn't my ideal for this season but there's no doubt the money would transform the club.

It's a strange place is Middlesbrough. This famous old industrial town certainly has it's rougher element as I discovered many years ago staying there for the weekend as a teenager, yet it's football has always left me charmed. A great community club, they have always managed to attract talented footballers while achieving on the pitch relatively little success.

My first trip was to the wonderful Ayresome Park where I watched Sutton United lose a cup third round replay in extra time. It was, in many ways, far better a performance than the one that beat Coventry the season afterwards. All four sides of the famous old ground clapped Sutton off the pitch after two hard fought games and with that they cemented themselves in my affections.

I've been back twice, both times to the Riverside, or Cellnet as it used to be known. I was there for one of my most memorable away days, the start of the 97-98 campaign. They had the enigmatic Fabrizio Ravenelli, while we gave a competitive debut to new signing Clive Mendonca. We lost 2-1 that day, Boro scoring the winner at the death, while two of my favourite Charlton players made headlines. Steve Jones for scoring our goal and Stuart 'sweaty' Balmer for completing the game with his head wrapped in bandages and blood staining the best Charlton away shirt in living memory. The second visit was of course the much publicised 'Operation Riverside'.

The 650 Charlton fans there this weekend for our final away game dressed themselves accordingly with Chris Powell masks. I wonder where the idea for dressing up for the last away day comes from? Speaking of which, Hartlepool had to find a new destination for their delightfully creative theme this season as for the past two seasons it's been The Valley faithful (and Daily Mirror readers) that have welcomed them. My local league side Crawley Town had the honour this year and the Broadfield Stadium hosted a large number of monkey hanging penguins. If those from the North East had added leggings and Ugg boots to their attire they would I suspect have looked like locals decked out in those dreadful 'onesies'.

Bradley Pritchard gave us the perfect start, a quarter of an hour later we had doubled the lead and the dream was still alive. Kermorgant crossed the ball across the face of goal and it was an unfortunate Boro captain, Rhys Williams, that turned the ball into his own net.

With Johnnie Jackson and Andy Hughes both missing after taking knocks against Wolves last week, Mark Gower found himself in the starting line up alongside long forgotten Danny Hollands, his first appearance in a Charlton shirt since returning from a loan spell at Swindon. Things were looking good, the heart of our solid midfield in recent weeks were absent and those stepping into the breach were doing so admirably.

Results elsewhere in the division would eventually kill off any realistic hope of that top six finish anyway, Middlesbrough's comeback made it definite. Marvin Emnes had looked dangerous all afternoon, almost winning a penalty in the first half after a good long solo run into the box, then midway through the second half he gave the Boro fans hope of saving face when he did finally see the ball hit the back of the net. Ricardo Fuller would see an effort ruled out for off side before Scott McDonald headed home from a corner in the last minute of the game to cruelly snatch two points from the visitors.

We really were almost there, both in the game and the table. We're almost there for the season as we are now left with one last outing before the summer break. A game against bottom club Bristol City and as good an opportunity as you'll get to consolidate a highly respectable ninth place at the first time of asking back at this level. A chance to show our admiration to Chris Powell and this squad of players that have, I believe, over achieved a little this season while most definitely maturing as a squad on a very tight budget.

I won't even be 'almost there' though. I'm at a wedding (who gets married on such a crucial weekend of the football calendar?). All I can say is thank goodness there isn't anything resting on the match, I'd have hated to disappoint someone.

Well done Charlton Athletic on all you have achieved this season and for one last time for now, come on you reds!

False Start

The final pre season match has come and gone, and the new season has started, almost. The thing is, it doesn't really begin until Saturday, the league table is still in alphabetical order, yet we have already endured the bitter taste of defeat.

Once upon a time there was only the one season curtain raiser, the Charity Shield. Back in the day this was a hotly contested and almost meaningful match, just ask Kevin Keegan, but today unfortunately it plays a poor second to the lucrative tour of either the far east or America.

Most clubs will now have a competitive interlude between actual friendlies and league fixtures in this modern football world, with the first round of the League Cup, or COC as it's now known, due to 1, sponsorship and 2, a good name for the referee's used for the competition.

After the impressive 'behind closed doors' friendly victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage last Friday, many would be forgiven for getting a little above themselves with their hopes of what will unfold over the next few weeks. What we all needed was a little reminder that this season is going to be a lot harder than anything this squad has come across before. Thank goodness Charlton delivered.

A blind man wouldn't have known the Cottage was empty last week, the home end still as vocal as normal. He also wouldn't have seen Monday's announcement of the squad numbers.
I hate squad numbers with the player's surnames boldly written above. It should always and forever more be 1 to 11, we know the names of our players and don't rightly care who the opposition are.
When Stuart Balmer wore the number one shirt in defence we took a different view of the system and inadvertently threw an anarchic spanner in the works. Bring it back i say!

There were few surprises, as is usual the unwanted and soon to depart are given the low numbers behind the up and coming youngsters.  Last season Rob Elliot won the honour, this time around Paul Hayes and Leon Clarke know where, or more appropriately don't know where their future lies, wearing 39 and 40 respectively.

Kevin Lisbie and David Mooney returned once more to The Valley with Leyton Orient (disguised as Millwall in their blue and white away strip) for this low key London cup tie.
It's not a competition we've excelled in, even the word average would be an over statement in trying to describe our performances and our record in it, still, we're a club on the up and eager to let rip into some poor unsuspecting team. Just not right now.

Chris Powell didn't field an actual second eleven but it was a side noticeably missing of the 'names'. Kermorgant, who has this pre season increased his popularity and standing at the club to quite an extent was a notable absentee whilst skipper Johnnie Jackson and top scorer Wright-Phillips were both on the bench.

Those that did start can all stake a claim to a place in the normal eleven though. These are all players knocking on the door as opposed to a Charlton XI in it's true meaning.

New signings Lawrie Wilson, Jordan Cook and Salim Kerkar all got a competitive debut and there was also a start for Michael Smith who, i thought, had a great pre season for us.

Is it too early to say we are concentrating on the league? Chris Powell obviously wanted to win this one as his frustration, rather surprisingly, got him sent to the stands (for throwing a water bottle at the ground).
It just wasn't to be our day, the East Londoners wanted this a little more and it was the O's who held the winning lottery ticket at the end.

A goal apiece after ninety (and forty five) minutes, both sides had an effort cleared off the line during extra time. All to no avail, it would be a late journey home for those hardy souls in attendance.
We've had great penalty memories with Sasa Ilic and co, and awful ones with Nicky Bailey, they have certainly made their mark in our history. Last night's penalty shoot out won't be remembered for long in the memories but summed up 'Charlton and the League Cup' as hopes of a cup run once again fizzled out.

Johnnie Jackson is up there with Clive Mendonca in the penalty taking stakes, but even super Clive must have missed one. If the skipper misses you know it's not your night and we are just one in a large handful of Championship teams that have fallen at the first hurdle.
Included in this unfortunate group are Millwall who also went out on penalties to Crawley Town. After losing to the League One new boys in West Sussex a couple of weeks ago, Crawley completed an impressive double at The New Den.
Result of the round however must be Scunthorpe's win at Derby, again on penalties. After ninety minutes this was five all! How did they manage to both keep a clean sheet for the thirty minutes of extra time?

Orient have been rewarded with a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton in the second round. We of course don't need that kind of fixture congestion at this early stage of the season.

The real thing gets underway Saturday at Birmingham. Kermorgant had better be starting that one!

Come on you reds!

Everything's all white now!

It's felt like a long time coming, but last night i attended my first football match since Hartlepool's visit to The Valley back in May.

And did i need it! As wonderful as the European Championships, the Wimbledon fortnight and, of course, London 2012 were (and still are as we win a shooting gold plus a first and second in the canoeing as i speak), there is nothing quite like watching your team play.

I'm as keen as the next person to jump on the Team GB bandwagon, but club football and in particular Charlton Athletic are where my heart and soul lay.
Yes I'd been counting the days away (or sleeps as is the current trend) for my first trip to The Broadfield Stadium, named after a less than desirable part of West Sussex's 'new town'.

Living on the doorstep of Gatwick airport, this was in fact the most local game i will attend all season and was only a short bus ride away. Last time i was able to get the bus to a Charlton fixture we played our home games in SE25.
I can't find any place in my heart for my local side though. I'm not from Crawley, i just live here now and last night's visit did nothing to change that. Not that there was much wrong with the ground or i suspect the club now a certain person has left, but there wasn't much to write home about either.
A club that we feel has bought success, everything i saw last night felt very average at best. I'm sure if you're there week in week out you get a different feel for it.

Just a few hours before kick off as i sampled a beer in The White Hart in the town centre, Charlton announced their third signing of the summer.
Free agent and trialist Salim Kerkar, a 25 year old French Algerian, signed a one year contract with the club after impressing in the games in Spain and North London of late.
French speaking, he'll be relying on big Yann Kermorgant for companionship off the field, whilst his experience with Rangers last season in the SPL will prove valuable on it.

Another new signing helps put our minds at rest as we've had another name depart the boardroom this week. Charlton Life has been full of doom and gloom, stories of the gaffer close to walking out and the money long since run out.
We'll just have to wait and see if their is any truth in the rumours, i think I'd rather be in the dark than spend my days worrying. This does all seem to be part of the modern game for all clubs outside of the elite few. If you believed everything you read on-line we'd be in a worse position than Glasgow's 'newco'!

A much stronger squad travelled down from London than the one that visited Bury Town the previous evening, with just the one unfamiliar name in Dorian Dervite playing at the heart of the defence. Once on the books of Tottenham, he had a spell on loan at Southend before moving to Spain.
He has played at all levels up to under 21 for the French national team, but don't make the mistake i made, Dorian from Birds of a Feather is a different person entirely.
He looked solid though, i hope he stays around for a run out at Gillingham as well.

Running out in the new black away kit, Charlton certainly looked smart, no-one more so than Ben Hamer in his white goalkeeping attire. Even after a couple of diving saves this particular number seemed to still be gleaming. I can see mums all over South London loving this one!
Nearly as impressive as his shirt was his Barnet. Looking like a member of a boy band, his 'extra strong hold' hairspray never faultered, his whole persona seemed as clean cut at half time as it did at kick off.

The second half saw him in front of the home terracing so I'm not so sure how it handled the torrential rain we enjoyed towards the end. It's possible he went from catalogue boy to Catweazle but i doubt it.

We stood directly behind the goal, it was the decision of the lads i was with, and as my eyes get older i find looking through obstacles a little harder. The action up the other end of the park was quite difficult to make out at times, yet Danny Green's perfect free kick midway through the first forty five was clear for all to see.
A well taken set piece, it was the moment of the match, yet Crawley were no pushovers and threw a lot back at us in search of an equalizer.
The almost famous Sergio Torres looked threatening for periods for the home side but as the game got into it's last quarter changes came thick and fast for both sides taking the sting out of it. At one point i think Crawley made about six at once at which point we kind of gave up trying to follow it.

It is always pleasing to win, our pre season has been better than normal in this respect and we have of course another clean sheet. This is all made even more satisfying in the knowledge that Millwall lost on this same ground last Saturday. I believe Brighton have a local derby there a week tomorrow, another stern test for the League One new boys.

A good crowd of over 1400 watched the game, three of whom certainly won't forget me in a rush.
As i was releasing one of my pre match beers in the Gents just before the interval my phone rang. Being a modern man I'm quite capable of turning my hand to a little multi tasking, so i answered the call from my wife.
'Ello darling said i and with that three lads turned and stared at me. Lots of laughing ensued as i think i talked my way out of that one.

The call was an offer of a lift home as the rain was getting heavier and heavier. We were treated to a brief respite at the final whistle but as i waited for the car the cats and dogs came back.
So quarter past ten and i was home from an evening Charlton game, unheard of. And that included stopping at the local kebab shop en route.

My season has started and I'm loving it already!

Season Opener

We may now be a Championship football club, but we start the 2012/13 season against familiar opposition in both location and recent encounters.

The Football League Cup is now rebranded as the Capital One Cup. Not as catchy as Carling, Coca-Cola or the fantastic Milk Cup, but on par with Worthington and Rumbelows in the roll off the tongue stakes.

The draw for the first round was made this morning and gave Charlton a home tie against League One's Leyton Orient. This game is scheduled for the 14th August, the Tuesday before the league programme gets under way. However, there is a chance it may get moved because of policing requirements due to the Olympics.
This of course is the reason there are no home friendlies and the anticipated game against Fulham at Craven Cottage will be behind closed doors.

Charlton do of course have confirmed matches at Welling, Bromley, Bury Town, Crawley and Gillingham before a competitive ball is kicked with, i suspect, one or two more to be announced.

You cannot of failed to notice that this summer we have been treated to a close season tournament on the TV, which it has to be said, has been both entertaining and of good quality. Euro 2012 may make a good filler for those of us who prefer our football live rather than through a television camera, but even the likes of Spain playing Italy, Germany playing Holland or even England playing anybody aren't as mouthwatering as a London cup tie derby. For the benefit of those of you who use twitter I'll add a hashtag, #rosetintedspecs.

In all seriousness though, a home tie against the Orient is a perfect little outing before the Championship campaign kicks off. The fixture list is revealed on Monday and the first game will be contested on the 18th August.

Chris Powell has been silent in the transfer market as of yet, a complete turn around on this time last year. There is talk of a deal with West Ham which would take the Addicks player of the year, Chris Solly, north of the water. Twitter is, as always, awash with rumours as to who may move to SE7. Free agent Keith Andrews is the most popular name banded about although at the moment I'm guessing his mind is on international matters and the small prospect of a match tonight against the world champions.

Whoever comes and goes, and i know a departure for Solly would bring tears to the eyes of many fans, we have to trust the continued judgement of Chris Powell.
There is no doubt last season he worked wonders and there is no reason to believe he'll do anything but the same this time around.
We cannot forget that even with the success of last year we are still in the middle of the rebuilding process and need to be patient if we want the foundations of this club to be solid again.
The new owners have come in and done a wonderful job of steadying the ship, but unlike many more high profile takeovers we do not have what appear to be endless funds.

Lets just take one step at a time, worry about who's in and out of the door when it happens and enjoy some cup football.

Counting the days.............