XI:

Dean Kiely, John Humphrey, Chris Powell, Peter Shirtliff, Richard Rufus, Colin Walsh, Mark Kinsella, Claus Jensen, Robert Lee, Derek Hales, Clive Mendonca

Subs: Darren Bent, Scott Parker, Mark Reid

Hard to leave out the likes of Bob Bolder, Paul Walsh, Colin Powell, Nicky Johns, Yann Kermorgant, Paulo Di Canio etc

Manager:

A choice from two here, but after 15 years in charge and 7 of those seasons in the Premier League it has to be Alan Curbishley. Relegated the following season after he went which showed the man’s legacy of how good he was with Charlton

Lennie Lawrence just behind him and what a job the man did with us playing away from our home, getting us promoted to the First Division for the first time since 1957 and then spending 4 years in the top flight against all odds. Found some wonderful players in his just under 9 years with Charlton.

Moment:

5th December 1992. Back at the Valley after 7 long years away from home. Colin Walsh’s winner v Portsmouth still brings goosebumps to myself every time I watch that goal back plus Brian Moore’s iconic commentary.

Game:

The 1998 Play Off Final v Sunderland is now 25 years old but there won’t be many better games at Wembley than that one. From Mendonca’s Hat Trick to Ilic’s save in the shootout, 8 goals, 13 consecutive scored penalties and Richard Rufus first goal of his career. Premier League football will be at the Valley.

The scenes arriving back on the train to Charlton Station and then drinks in the Royal Oak. What a day.

Nickname:

Derek ‘Killer’ Hales – Deadly in front of goal and the clubs highest ever goalscorer with 168 goals plus a man who loved to go out Shooting with his shotgun in his spare time hunting for pheasants.

Hard Man:

Eddie Youds – A man not to worry about reputations of international strikes from throwing Michael Owen into the dugouts at Anfield to giving Dennis Bergkamp a rough time which had Arsene Wenger moaning about it (He saw that then! Selective vision) and on his debut v Nottingham Forest’s Pierre Van Hooijdonk where he welcomed himself to the Valley faithful. Top man who likes a pint.

Song/Chant:

No it’s not Addicks to Victory you will be glad to read. A choice of two which I can’t split between. The Red Red Robin being played as the teams walk out or Valley Floyd Road sang to the song of Wings, Mull of Kintyre by the Covered End Choir and the rest of the ground

Special mention to the Andy Hunt song about him playing up front and having a name like a fanny! Bernie Taupin never wrote anything like that as good for Elton John.

Cult Hero:

Charlie Wright who played in goal in the sixties. Proper entertainer who would swing from the crossbar and have a chat with the home crowd whilst the ball was up the other end. Prone to the odd howler with a shot between his legs.

If coins got thrown at him by opposition fans he would pick them up, put them in his flat cap and give them to the kids at the front behind the terraces

Ran a cafe for a while in Greenwich.

Season:

1999/2000 – After being relegated from the Premier League Charlton still had a strong squad minus Danny Mills but a big plus in the signing of goalkeeper Dean Kiely from Bury.

Charlton went on to win the First Division title with 91 points despite not winning their final last 7 games of the season.

12 consecutive league wins from Boxing Day to the beginning of March pulled them 12 to 13 points at the top of table away from Ipswich and Manchester City to give them that buffer.

Andy Hunt was the man main up front that season with 25 goals in all competitions after Clive Mendonca’s last game away at QPR in December

Owner:

Roger Alwen – A club director from 1987/1988 who become Chairman of the Football club the following season and saw us back home to the Valley as Chairman along with the other directors in 1992.

Happy 57th Birthday (14/10). When you think back to that promotion winning season of 1997/1998, then the centre midfield pair would always be him and Mark Kinsella. Jones would play in all Charlton’s games that season bar a couple of league games and a League cup fixture (Kinsella ever present) and the pair dovetailed superbly and was part of that spine from the start of that season (Rufus, Jones, Kinsella, Mendonca) and that would see us in the Premier League.

Jones came in from Southend United (Where he played with Chris Powell) for £150,000 in September 1994 and ended up playing over 80 appearances in the following three seasons but it was that 97/98 season where he will be fondly remembered, with Kinsella and ended up with 3 league goals (Winner v Man City, Crewe and Swindon, all at home).

The Play off final v Sunderland with his ball from inside our own half to find Super Clive to make it 2 each. and hiss penalty in the shoot out to Perez’s right. Fully deserved.

Then into the Premier League where he ended up playing 23 times (10 as sub) and that famous winning goal at home v Liverpool.

Keith finished his Charlton career with another promotion (1999/2000, 17 league games) back to the top flight before leaving on a free transfer at the age of 35 to Reading after 176 appearances for the club.

Underrated? Possibly by some but every team needs a Keith Jones in their starting eleven. Never shirked a challenge. A proper professional who gave his all for the shirt. Happy Birthday Keith.

Well it’s been a while since I have done a blog on this account, but no better time with the season coming to an end. This season has been a poor one especially with some of the noise coming out of the club during the summer, so from next season what is required to gain promotion to the championship.

Well let’s look back at the last 4 Promotions for starters. First of all in all of those campaigns one person would score over 20 League goals. From Mendonca, Hunt, Wright-Phillips and Taylor, they knew where the net was, but also they each played over 40 League games in those seasons. Our top league scorer is Washington on 10 goals from 28 league games

You need your best players playing over 75% of your league games if you want to be good. Okay we could go and sign 6 players who could do that, but they have to be bloody good otherwise you may as well sign a bunch of marathon runners. Fit but no good if they can’t kick a ball.

Our promotion to the Premier League back in 1998. Now 12 of those players played over half of the League games. Eight of them over 75% and Mark Kinsella who was ever present. Bar the keeper that season most of the side would be there most games. Keith Jones, Newton, Robinson, Bowen, Rufus, Mendonca, Kinsella were on your team sheet if you were guessing who would play in the pub beforehand. 

The same with the title winning side from 2000. Even more so this season with your regulars. 13 of those players over 50% of league fixtures. Nine over 75% and 5 of them in Kiely, Robinson, Rufus, Hunt and Newton over 90%

The play off winning season from 2019, not so much like that, however 5 of those players in Taylor, Solly, Aribo, Sarr and Bauer would play in over 75%, but 16 in that squad would play over half the league games. Now with 7 subs on the bench by then, that would be more likely but again you knew what the spine of your team would be. Phillips, Bauer, Cullen, Bielik, Aribo and Taylor.

Now onto this season. 31 different players have been used in 39 League games so far, with 13 of those over 50% of League games played, with 7 of those playing over 75%. More than the last promotion winning season but more players are being used in other positions down to injuries and trying to find players to get us out of the mess in the first 2 months of this campaign.

So how to improve. Well we need to be looking at good quality players you can play over 35 league games a season. No point having someone playing 6 games here and there, then getting injured again. We need consistency. Get the spine of the side right. Also someone with a record of scoring over 20 league goals. Okay saying it but with the likes of Taylor on a free 4 years ago and Kermorgant (Also on a free) they can be found.

Fingers crossed we can have better 2022/2023 and a push for at least a Play Off Spot.

Four games into the resumption of football after lockdown and the addicks have gained 7 points and moved out of the bottom 3. This has been written before the other weekend fixtures so the picture will be a bit clearer then however everyone is still hurting from last night.

Using our heads we would have taken those points if offered to us. 3 clean sheets with the impressive Phillips in goal and the defence has been solid. However the loss of Taylor has put added pressure on the goal scoring front. The 2 goals in 4 have both come from Corners and the ability of the front men to score has dried up. That is not for the want of trying. Like them all they leave everything out there.

So with 5 games to go what do we see us getting from those. An in form Brentford at Griffin Park will be tough. Anything from there will be a bonus, but the last 4 are games we should picking up points.

What do we need to stay up? Probably 6 more points and the Reading and Birmingham games are games we must looking to get maximum points. No reason why not and if we don’t then a game against a 12 point deducted Wigan side has now become more tricky. Through no fault of the players they have been hammered and will now be more determined to prove people wrong and stay up.

Then onto the final game at Leeds. If we need anything to stay up hopefully they would have been crowned Champions then and might be suffering with the after effects of too many shandies.

The players and the management have been hammered with the still on goings fiasco off the pitch. Limited funds, no money to spend on fees in January, transfer embargo etc. Injuries are part and parcel but we have received our more than share of those.

So keep the faith. It is what it is and if we do stay up it will be one hell of an achievement. If not well we go again, but what that future is, who knows.

Stay well and keep safe

With a few days left of the January transfer window, it looked hopeful that for the first time in the reign of Roland Duchaletet, Charlton may have a decent start of the year window.

The loss of Jed Steer back to Aston Villa was replaced by Chris Maxwell on loan from Preston North End. Ben Purrington came into the problem left back slot with a loan from Rotherham United and the best signing of the lot was the free transfer on a Six month contract, of Jonny Williams from Crystal Palace. If fit and injury free, a good Championship player at least.

However one or two were always going to leave and it was no real surprise that Nicky Ajose left for a loan spell at Mansfield Town and Billy Clarke was released from his remaining six months with a move back to Bradford City.

All ok with the above, but then things never go smoothly in SE7.

Karlan Grant at the start of this season was probably not in most Charlton starting eleven’s but Lee Bowyer saw something in a front two with him alongside Lyle Taylor, and the pair of them proved him right with 26 goals in 29 League games.

The last thing we needed was a bid for Grant from a Premier League side. Sadly an offer of up to 2 million was accepted from Huddersfield Town and Bowyer was left with a couple of days to bring in at least 1 replacement.

Regardless who the owner is Grant would have gone. You would have to be deluded to think otherwise. However any other owner would let the manager have a bit of that fee to spend. Not here I’m afraid.

This next bit is guesswork on our part so bear with us. Our theory is at the start of pre season, Bowyer and Steve Gallen were given a budget for the whole of the season. Regardless who is sold for a fee, that is still your budget. Even if someone went for 5 million. Whatever wages you free up can go back into your budget, but you will not see a penny more.

If we are right on that, then as Bowyer says “It is what it is” They know where they stand and get on with it.

Deadline day arrived and bar Clarke leaving not a dicky bird of anyone coming in. Then as we got into the last hour of the window, a new signing in Josh Parker from Gillingham appeared. Not what we all expected but that’s not the fella’s fault.

The window closed. Then the news came out. Deals for Erhan Oztumer and Mohammed Eisa from Bolton Wanderers and Bristol City respectively, never happened due to those clubs wanting replacements before letting them go. Just how a normal football club is run.

With Taylor serving his 2nd of a 3 match ban, it was up to young Reeco Hackett-Fairchild to make his first league start at Fleetwood Town with Parker on the substitutes bench. The addicks suffer their first league defeat in 6, but a top 6 spot was still there for the Addicks.

Time to look at the free agent market then for Bowyer and Gallen. With the money not spent (Wages) on Oztumer and Eisa, maybe they could find a bargain once again on someone.

However the press conference with Bowyer after the 1-1 home draw with Southend United, seemed that all was not well. Last Friday Bowyer mentioned that there is a striker who he would like, but other clubs are interested.

This season Bowyer has kept things in house. With him playing under the management of Sir Bobby Robson, George Graham, Terry Venables and Alan Curbishley during his playing days, he would have picked up some great habits. Digging out individual players after the game is not one of those, and so unlike him.

Then he came out with the lad we want, there are others who are talking to him, but I don’t know if the owner will allow it.

Monday morning his worst fear came true when it was announced that the owner told Gallen that you can’t bring in another striker as you already have Taylor, Parker and Igor Vetokele.

So what happened to the money then from the Oztumer and Eisa deals? 11 days ago he would have brought those in if all went to plan. So why now he can’t spend it. Like the English weather, the owner changes his view from hour to hour. People have given up trying to second guess him.

So for the first time all season since Saturday evening, Bowyer has shown some anger towards the owner. His contract along with First Team Coach, Johnnie Jackson is up at the end of the season. With 17 possible games to go, here’s hoping that they stay and get us into the Championship. We are sure they will as they are in a win win situation, but what happens at the end of May is anyone’s guess. Fingers crossed!

An excellent start would be on Charlton’s halfway season report after 24 League games played now.

4th with 43 points has now seen the Addicks consolidate their position into the top six thanks to a great run of form with seven wins from their last nine league games.

Hats off to Lee Bowyer, Johnnie Jackson and Steve Gallen. First of all to get players in with the small budget given to them by the owner and secondly getting those boys to push for promotion, especially with the run of injuries they have had to deal with. The likes of Forster-Caskey, Clarke, Page, Aribo, Lapslie, Bauer and Vetokele have all missed parts of the season, or in the case of a couple, no League football at all.

History shows over the past 4 seasons that Charlton have been in the third tier of English football, that they have picked up fewer points in the second half of the season, than the first. However the transfer window is poking his head around the corner.

The main question that will be answered is will Bowyer be given an adequate budget to play with by the current owner?

The club has been up for sale for what seems forever now. Why the owner would now give him money to improve the squad when he had no intention to do so back in the summer?

Could the squad be reduced in numbers though? With 12 players currently out of contract at the end of the season, would the owner take a cheeky offer from a rival club for one or two of them?

Those fears will be answered by the end of next month, but what will be the state of the squad is anyone’s guess. Promotion is a strong possibility but if the management are backed by the owner, not hinded in any shape or form.

So here we are again, days away from another league season at the ongoing soap opera that is Charlton Athletic Football Club.

A disappointing play off 2-0 legged defeat to Shrewsbury Town under caretaker manager, Lee Bowyer left fans fed up but hopes were raised by the appearance in the directors box of the Australian consortium at both legs. They can’t just be here to watch a game of football? They must be buying us! At last we are rid of the Belgium owner. Praise to God!

12 weeks later, Duchatelet is still in charge, Bowyer still as Caretaker (the only one in the top five divisions of English football) and for reasons unknown the Australians are not any closer to taking over but have not walked away. Yet!

The squad has been shrunk to 19 first team players, Konsa, Lennon and Magennis sold for undisclosed fees, all the loans back to their respective teams and Bowyer is shopping in the free transfer market with 2 brought in so far. Lyle Taylor and Darren Pratley. Good additions at this level, but no sign of a transfer budget for him to work with. The transfer window closes on the 9th August but he can still get loans up to the end of that month. Hopefully the owner will give him adequate funds to at least do that. The 3 lads on trial, Simon Dawkins, Rohan Ince and Elliott Ward were not seen at the final preseason game v Norwich last Saturday. If they will be seen in a Charlton shirt again, is anyone’s guess.

So the squad then. Dillion Phillips (23) the only first team keeper in the squad. His chances have been limited. A season at National League Champions, Cheltenham Town, the only regular football he has seen since 2016. At present he’s likely to get a run, unless Bowyer is allowed to exploit the loan/free transfer market for a Number 1.

At the back, well that currently picks it itself like a Sunday morning team over Danson Park. Chris Solly (27), Jason Pearce (30), Patrick Bauer (25) and Lewis Page (22) with French centre half, Naby Sarr (24) as back up until called upon. All five missed parts of last season due to injury, and Bowyer will be crossing everything that they don’t get hurt, or in Bauer’s case sold on. Bauer has been offered a new deal but no signature has been forthcoming (The same with Aribo and Fosu)

The midfield is now less one Ahmed Kashi who made his way back on the Eurostar back to France on a free transfer and club legend, Johnnie Jackson who has taken his place on the line as first team coach.

That leaves a middle 3 of Joe Aribo (22), new signing, 33 year old Darren Pratley and Jake Forster- Caskey (24). Again, good players at this level and will cause problems for opposition teams. Behind them is the athletic, Anfernee Dijksteel (20) who was seen at Right Back for a spell last season, but would be excellent in a midfield role. However the lad has been diagnosed with pneumonia and the timescale when he will return is unknown.

The attacking midfield and wide roles is filed by Mark Marshall (31), Ben Reeves (26), Tariqe Fosu (22) and Billy Clarke (30). Sadly only one of those is currently fit and available. That being Marshall who will hope to have a better season after being disappointing since his free transfer move from Bradford. Reeves and Clarke won’t be back until September plus Fosu has suffered with another hamstring problem and won’t be back for another six weeks.

When fit the latter 3 have been very good (Reeves since Bowyer took charge in March) Clarke until his ACL in December and Fosu causing problems for opposition defences when fit.

Finally, the strikers. Top goal scorer, Magennis has moved on but has been replaced by 27 year old Lyle Taylor from AFC Wimbledon. Taylor scored 18 league and cup goals for the relegation threatened Dons and if gets the right service could be looking at repeating that figure. However Taylor is prone to injury and is a doubt for the opening day with a calf problem.

After that we have Nicky Ajose (26) and Igor Vetokele. Ajose has not lit up the Valley in his time with the club and is rumoured to be joining Coventry or a club abroad. Vetokele has returned after loan spells in Belgium but is currently unavailable until September with a foot injury suffered in pre season.

Which leaves us with Karlan (Aherne) Grant (20) and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild (20). The two have had off field issues back in June after a holiday in Ibiza. Both are now back at the club and pending any other issues need to get on with their football, as they both may have a spell in the first eleven for the first few weeks at least.

So that’s the 19. After that then Bowyer will have to delve into the Under 23’s and pick from the following, especially for the subs bench at present.

19 year old Australian goalkeeper, Ashley Maynard-Brewer
19 year old Australian Centre Back, Ryan Blumberg
19 year old Midfielder, Taylor Maloney
20 year old Midfielder, George Lapslie
18 year old Midfielder, Albie Morgan
18 year old Midfielder, Alfie Doughty and finally
21 year old Striker, Josh Umerah.

So Prediction for this season. Well if everyone was fit and stayed fit (I know it won’t happen and we are suffering already) then a top 6 spot would not be out of the question, maybe top 2. But injuries will play a part and unless Bowyer is given the tools to play with then a mid table finish is a distinct possibility.

For the long suffering fans, it’s a new season but the same old nonsense, while the Belgian is in charge of our club. Every day that he’s here it’s making it harder for us to move onwards and upwards. Keep praying people!

Charlton’s failure to win against top half sides all season will cost them promotion, if the current trend continues between now and the end of the season

33 games played, 2 points off a play off spot with games in hand should see most fans optimistic that a top 6 place will be there by the start of May.

However 8 of those games are against sides in the top 12 and this is where they have struggled all season.

Games played against the current top twelve. 2017/2018

Played: 14
Won: 3
Draws: 3
Defeats: 8
Goals For: 8
Goals Against: 19
Points: 12

Away wins at Rotherham and Bradford have to go down as Charlton’s results of the season, but the failure to beat the likes of Gillingham (Twice), Plymouth, Peterborough and Portsmouth, is not good enough for the squad available to Robinson.

The manager states 71 points will be enough to get Charlton a play off spot, so where can we see those 20 points coming from.

5 at home, 8 away. Wins are essential against Wimbledon, Blackpool, Fleetwood, Northampton and Rochdale. With the rest of the games against other top half sides (Peterboro, Plymouth, Rotherham, Bristol Rovers, Scunthorpe, Shrewsbury, Portsmouth and Blsckburn) Charlton will need to rectify this awful run very quickly if they wish to be playing Championship football this August.

Even if the Addicks get into the Play Offs they will need to play their best football of the season result wise against the likes of Shrewsbury and Wigan, otherwise the season will be one big disappointment.

Room for improvement would be on Charlton’s halfway season report after 23 League games played now.

9th with 36 points (with a game in hand away at 2nd place Shrewsbury in January) has now seen the Addicks fall away from the top six and with January/transfer window on the horizon, this is now the biggest month for Karl Robinson since his arrival over a year ago.

History would say that at least 75 points would be required to get a play off spot. A minimum of 39 points is possible in this league, but form/injuries would need to improve plus some new players into the squad.

Not ideal when automatic promotion should really be the aim, but to get 88 to 92 points from now on, would take a monumental run for that to happen.

History shows over the past 4 seasons that Charlton have been in the third tier of English football, that they have picked up fewer points in the second half of the season, than the first.

The main question that will be answered by the start of February is will the manager be given an adequate budget to play with by the current owner? Robinson’s recent comments are that for the first time he knows who he wants, but considering this is his 3rd window since being at the Valley, it does make you wonder what went wrong in the previous two, for him to make that comment.

No wins in 6 League games, mean we now have a section of fans questioning if he’s suitable enough to continue. If we still under the same ownership, then changing the manager would be nonsensical, however if new owners bought the club, then it would be a strong possibility that he would be requlinshed of his duties.

So fifteen league games gone and a third of the way through the league season. 4 wins and a draw in their last 5 games have put Charlton up to 4th with 30 points. Keep up this 2 point average then Charlton will finish in the top two and they will be playing Championship football next season. I don’t see Shrewsbury staying where they are, and I do see the likes of Bradford and Blackburn pushing along with Wigan for an automatic spot.

Hopefully they can get to January with Magennis unscathed and find replacements for Novak and Watt which they never replaced back in August. Luck and fortune is on Charlton’s side in that regard and long that may continue along with other key players staying injury free. The injury to Pearce has not been such a blow with the likes of Konsa and Sarr doing fine jobs.

Robinson needs promotion this season. Regardless who will be our owners come next May, they will expect in my opinion Championship football. So far the results speak for themselves. Keep it up.

First Fifteen League Games in seasons which lead to promotion.

2011/2012

34 points

1999/2000

32 points

1997/1998

26 points

1985/1986

30 points