Charlton Athletic 2-3 Norwich City, Tuesday 10th February 2015

'Would you like to go and see game tomorrow night', says my beloved.  Not 'arf.  It's not often I get an offer like this.  The only catch is it's Charlton v Norwich.  Come on you Canaries!  And the chance to get a bus direct from home to The Valley.  I can't even get a bus direct to my local non-league side.  Easy life!

This is what a £28 view looks like.

Having checked on the website, it's 'only' £26.  This has increased to £28 by the time I reach the ground. Luckily, I'm being 'treated'.  Even better, cos of the walkway halfway up the away stand, and a shallow rake of seats behind, we can only see half of the near goal from the back of the stand. Let's hope there's no action at this end.

Charlton are appalling.  I've seen Aston Villa...Barnsley...Leyton Orient...and Charlton must be the worst I've seen this season.  For 60 minutes they cannot put more than two passes together without losing it. It happens time and time again, as the ball is simply given back to Norwich, who start a patient build up from defence.  It is so tedious it's like a training exercise.

and yet we chose seats with a 'better' view!

Charlton last 14 minutes before my view of the net in front of me is put to the test.  The shot is arrowed into the bottom corner, but I only know it's a goal cos I see the ripple of the net.  I later leave for a HT p*** and pie and still get back to see Norwich break away in injury time and Grabban lob the keeper. At least the ball had the good grace to bounce, so I could see it go in.  This could turn into 5 or 6.

Up the Addicks!

2nd half, same old, same old.  Norwich casually throw away chances, it's that easy...then Charlton throw on a sub (Tony Watt) who, despite (cos of?) his size dribbles through people.  One attack, a flick and he's clean through. 2-1.  A few minutes later it was two-all.  Unbelieveable.  Ruddy saves and the rebound falls nicely.  Charlton then made the mistake of fancying themselves and it was no surprise that Norwich nicked it, a tremendous header from Jerome at the far end.

It was an interesting game, and I do like a trip to The Valley, but I really wasn't impressed at £28 for a Tuesday night.  Charlton's next game is their annual 'fiver to see the northern oiks' (Huddersfield this year).  Sadly, I'm otherwise engaged.

Damage:
28 entry
3 programme
3.50 pie

The teams are paraded

The _ _ _ _ EY

But there's no mistaking 'CAFC'

Victoire!  Victoire!

Charlton Athletic 0-1 Barnsley, Tuesday 15 April 2014

‘Two-nil and even Kennedy scored’ or ‘Flip-flop aggro, flip-flop aggro, whoa, whoa!’

Behind the bar at the Antigallican

The relegation-fighting duo of The Captain and Geordie Al once again waved their magic, as Phil did the necessary, buying me a match programme and yet again we came away with victory.  I make that 4 wins and a draw in 5 games.  Promotion form!  (Handily, the magic doesn’t work in reverse, witness Bournemouth away). 

Well, talk about s*** or bust.  12 (free) coachloads came down, courtesy of THAT postponed game in January, and there wasn’t an away fan there who didn’t know we HAD to win last night.  There was no other option.  Even a draw and we’re certainties to go down.  Hell, even a win and we’re (virtual) certainties to go down.  All to play for!

Entrance this way, please.

1^st half, both sides struggled to create and the one chance of any note was theirs: Crainie was skinned at right back (he was playing centre half, I’ve no idea where the actual right back had gone) and a cross to the back post was met with the kind of simple header that only a side at the bottom end of the table could miss.  They did.  Meantime, our one chance was buried by that unbelievable new signing ‘Jean-Yves M’Voto’.  Did we get him in the January transfer window?  Anyway, the corner came over and M’Voto buried it with his head.  ‘He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants, Jean-Yves M’Voto, he scores when he wants’.  We saw out the rest of the half with no scares.

'He scores when he wants...'

The second half, Charlton looked like they were committing more men forward…which meant leaving more holes at the back.  Time and again we had chances to break.  Time and again we failed to create any goalscoring opportunities whatsoever out of it.  So a good job we had goalscoring machine Tom ‘TK’ Kennedy to rely on.  Or a good job he can’t cross a ball, as his latest effort sailed over the keeper….and landed in the far corner of the net.  GET THE F*** IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ‘We are staying up, we are staying up!’  (No, I never joined in.  There’s just something too sensible – is that the right word? – about me to join in with chants I don’t really believe in.  Along with those ‘Yorkshire Yorkshire’ chants, and anything to do with hating Sh*tfield Washday).  Tho I did enjoy one of the worst chants I've heard this side of the Kevin Betsy song, as the away end opened with 'Two-nil and even Kennedy scored'.  It's a syllable thing.

The Valley

Anyway…where was I?  Oh yes, I was dancing down the gangway cuddling anyone and everyone.  (Disappointingly, no teletubbies this week).  There’s no way Chorlton (and their wheelies) are coming back from this.  And they didn’t!  Even the addition of substitute Mellis to proceedings (just to give them a chance) didn’t really make a difference and, honestly, time flew by, in a way it normally doesn’t when we have a lead.  As I said to Selwood with a minute left – ‘we could do with them scoring just to make it interesting’.  And they did.  A scramble in the box off a corner and it’s 1-2.  Hilariously, the ref then calls 5 minutes of injury time.  Where did he get THAT from?  Thank god they didn’t equalise, cos I think I’d have had no teeth after my earlier comments.

FIVE minutes????

*** M’Voto.  He’s magic you know.  You’ll never get past M’Voto!  Awesome.  Who is this dude?  Remember Darren Moore when we won at Charlton the other year?  ’He’s here, he’s there, he’s every f***ing where’.  Well, that was Jean-Yves last night.  And a goal to boot.

** TK.  Decent enough game and deft chip to the back post for the winner.  Think of Hoddle scoring THAT goal against Watford in the mid 80s.

* Crainie.  The names might change, but our central defensive partnership continues to be the rock that’s holding this team together.

Despatches:  Reading the programme, does anyone know who’s created the most goals for us this season?  Is it a) midfield genius Jacob Mellis, b) wing wizard Dale ‘he used to play for Bayern Munich you know’ Jennings or c) Godlike genius Tom ‘TK’ Kennedy?  

Yes indeedie, proving that if you play enough games and gently dink enough balls into the opposition box, you will be credited with creating any subsequent goals bundled in.  Good on yer, Tom!  (I’ve always liked yer!)

As for players’ performances, they huffed and puffed but once again the defence shone.  Steele barely had a save to make, certainly nothing of note. The midfield ran about.  Jennings kept slipping over.  (I’d play with studs, myself.)  And O’Grady held up the odd ball without ever looking like scoring. All in all, a typical Barnsley performance, without the typical result.

Afterwards, we ran the Charlton gauntlet on the way to the station, which consisted of an older lady telling me (politely) we’ll see each other next season…in division 3.  We told her we’d won the battle, but they’d win the war.  I love Charlton, everyone’s so nice.  Even their hooligans come in flip-flops, as Barnsley baited Charlton on the station and one or two of their boys were getting all hot under the collar on the opposite platform.  If this was St. Andrew’s, Molyneux, Bramall Lane, et al, you’d have seen their lot legging it back over the bridge to shake our hands.  As it was…

Onwards and upwards.  Come on you Reds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A

ps, mention in despatches to Dave’s mate, ‘Nice guy’ Jamie.  3 games – Brighton, Reading and Charlton away – 3 wins.  I suggest we chip in for a season ticket for him next season.

pps, and good to see Kev last night, back from representing England in an over 50s chess tournament in Croatia (as you do).

Away: dunno.  Maybe 1000? 

Charlton 0-1 Barnsley, Saturday 20th October 2012

I think we can all agree that was a great day - even allowing for standing at London Bridge station for half an hour waiting for Gerry!  We controlled the match from start to fin...well, from start till the 80th minute, when they went down to 10 men then all of a sudden we couldn't get out of our own half.  Excellent crowd, great atmosphere.  It was good to see so many Reds fans take advantage of the offer to get in for a fiver.  Tho a 'boooooooo' to all those who said they'd come and then couldn't be bothered/had better things to do.

*** Perkins.  Interception after interception, then played balls along the floor to teammates.  It's THAT simple folks.  The Charlton fan at work also agreed 'that little blond fella in midfield looked great for youse'.

** Davies.  Took the game to Charlton up front, a constant threat.  Woulda been good had he a little more support sometimes.

* Alnwick.  Only made one difficult save (that I can think of) but came and collected plenty of times and his kicking remains very good.

Despatches:
Well, full marks for winning, but I'd have taken Davies off sooner - he was knackered.  Altho on top, the shooting was woeful.  4 pathetic long range efforts 1st half (none of which came from the one man we have who CAN kick a ball - Davies).  It was noticeable Charlton stuck 2 men on Davies and made sure he couldn't do his trademark cut inside from the left and strike with his right.

I also thought Dawson had a tremendous game, great back up for Perkins, while Mellis seemed happy to stroll through the game.  I also thought the Polish guy hadn't done much - till he scored.  Stones was quiet, whilst Foster and Wiseman generally had things under control.  And even when Wiseman was done, there'd be little David Perkins, back to clear up the mess.

And how ironic that on a day when I see Craig for the 1st time in yonks, I end up at an all night party involving copious amounts of class A's.

It's just a perfect day....Lou Reed knew what he was on about!

You Reds!!!!!!!