Kevin Anthony Lisbie - An Obituary

So the whipping boy is gone long live the new whipping boy (Marcus Bent?). But was Kevin Lisbie really as bad as that? He took over the mantle of Carl Leaburn, except Carlo divided opinion, as many loved him as hated him, Lisbie failed to divide too many fans. He made his debut in '96 /'97, after signing in 95, and that was probably the root of his problem, he was at the right club at the wrong time. Most of his career was spent during the Premiership years and his opportunities to develop and build on his reserve team experience, was in the full glare of the media. He is a Championship quality player, but his few good Premiership appearances indicated that there was a talent, that only on a couple of occasions shone through. Unlike Carlo, who exceeded his potential, Super Kev failed to achieve his. So yes he was that bad and sadly a player of unfulfilled talents.

I have only seen about three reserve games in my life. The first was at The Valley against Swindon, when Lisbie was just a kid. Sitting behind some non playing Swindon reserves I chatted to them. They pointed out this young black player as one of the best players they had seen and that with his quick feet he was bound for stardom. It never happened.

Too often in one on ones he bottled it, not enough did he use his pace to unsettle defences, just one season - the year of the Stamford beach, when he used it and won countless penalties for us.

Kevins best spell during his contract with Charlton was when loaned out to Gillingham 4 goals in 7 appearances. His highlight was his hat trick against Liverpool.

His record for us was:

Starts	Subs	Goals	Yellows
67	101	19	1

With that record it is impossible to put forward a case for retention, despite the last three seasons being blighted by injury. Injury also cut short three of his loan spells and is a theme through his career.

Sadly one of his last appearances generated particular venom against him, as he failed to take the opportunity to score the winning goal away to Watford in the last minute, a miss that summed up his career and gave him the alternative nickname from Super Kev to Misibie.

Many players when they have served clubs for 10 years or more, get granted a testimonial, its testimony to Kevin that he's missed his.

Today's the day

That contracts for players expire, anyone who is coming to the end of their contract is about to receive their final pay packet until they sign a new contract from their current or future club. So we should be seeing by Monday an announcement on the likes of Lisbie and you never know the incomings of some Premiership Bosmans.

Memories are made of this

Another Departure

As exclusively revealed here, mainly becasue we can't be arsed about him. Brian Hughes has now offically joined Hull City. Given the paucity of quality in our midfield, should we be bothered .. err no!

Darren Bent has gone

In a deal worth £16.5 million, of which £1.5 million has been held back based upon future contingencies, Darren Bent has joined Spurs this morning. Of the fee received £2.85 million goes to the tractor boys, who presumably will be able to buy some new brake pads for their tractors.

Unlike Charltons previous record sale, the sale of Benty has been harmonious and no one at the Valley can have any complaints about a player who at all times has conducted himself impecably.

I wish Benty the very best and now he has joined a so called big club, perhaps those in power in the FA will give him a fair chance at international level, something both Errickson and McClaren have failed to do.

For the future Darren - Live, Love, Laugh and Be Happy!



To the board who have come under a lot of critiscism over the last 18 months, well done on a good bit of business. They said £17 million, which I interpreted anything from £12 t0 £15, so £15.5 with more to come is a good job well done. Now lets sort out the women.

Now a decent keeper and a goalscoring midfielder please Mr Pardew.

The Who = An interesting day

I went to see The Who, yesterday, it was the first time since Keith Moon died and the 4th time I have seen them. If anyone is interested in an interesting day click this link.

Millwall, Birmingham and Palace Fans meet up

Ok not quite, but this video from Kruger reminded me of a meeting of the above lot on Saturday afternoon. Watch it all the way through, it is awesome.

Netaddicks users wil already have seen this.

Decree Nisi Yet To Be Pronounced

According to the website there maybe a last minute reprieve for the womens team, although I suspect the way all of this has happened the first teamers will probably be wanting to get into other teams as quick as possible.

The statement seems fair enough, although the comments "

"No sponsorship or television revenues are received from the Football Association and none appear likely in the immediate future, and therefore the ability to attract sponsorship for the women's section is very limited as any potential sponsor has limited exposure.

"What a sponsor wants is exposure on television and, apart from the FA Cup final, women's football has no great exposure and can therefore create no brand awareness. This is a problem by no means unique to Charlton.

"In addition very few Charlton supporters watch the first-team matches in particular, and therefore gate revenues are minimal.”

Are no different today from when we first took over croydons Ladies team (No not Simon Jordans lot, they are not Ladies) and the whole premise behind the Womens team must have consisted of very short term thinking. What would have happened if we had been relegated in the first season, or the second or the third .......

The Club could have done more to market the womens team, sticking them out in Gravesend may have been one reason why I never went to see them, down there. Why after the successful matches at the valley didn't they play there for the last two seasons at all, not every game but two a season, against say Arsenal and Everton, plus there is more that could have been done.

That being said Womens football in this country is under marketed and under supported and we were better than most. Hopefully something will come of this sponsorship deal, but I doubt it and I think we will see little more of the womens game under the auspices of Charlton and i suppose testimony to the thinking by men about the womens game is that Liverpool, Man U and Chelsea either do not have a womens team or it plays a low level of football.

Hughes Gone

Latest rumour is that Hughes has gone to Hull City, not sure if its true, although Hull fans are asking about him so they think so, nothing on ours or their official sites. I thought he could do a job for us as a squad player, but maybe he prefers the delights of playing by the Humber, than getting bum splinters by the Thames. As an Addick who used to live in Humberside (North Yorkshire as it is known to the locals), I would warn him to be careful of going down the Hessle Road when they are unloading the fish catch, if they still do in Hull, its not nice when you already have a hangover.

He could have done worse and gone to Grimsby the other side of the Humber bridge

Scott Carson

This weekend there has been confirmation that Rafa the gaffer has decided that Scott Carson will not be allowed to leave Anfield, dashing that minute hope we had of either getting him on another season loan or even as a make weight in any deal involving Darren Bent going the other way.

Like the two other scotts that have played for Charlton during my period of following the Addicks (Minto and Parker) Carson leaves us with memories of a great prospect, who has yet to achieve his full potential, but in his case he served us well and of course is the first non Charlton player to achieve the Player of The Season accolade.

if you look at his record since joining us, you'll record a player that was between the sticks for our relegation and you will see the number of goals he conceded, but this belies the fact that he saved us from so many potentially bigger defeats. I can only remember two occasions where he could be faulted for goals Pompey at home and Blackburn away, thats not a bad record for any keeper let alone a young guy in a poor team learning his trade.

Scott leaves me with one overriding memory and it is that game, where he really was the only one who was fit to wear the shirt. he was the only one who showed that he cared, that saluted the crowd when the likes of Jerome Thomas against Wycombe, treated us with contempt, here was someone who was not ours, was a Liverpool player, a man with a future whatever we thought of him and he acknowledged the crowd and showed humility to us.

I hope that the new record cap holder at U21 level makes his Anfield break through, but if he does not then Desperate Dan knows there is a place just waiting for him in a Valley in South East London. Thanks Scott and best of luck for the future.