Charltons Darkest Week

So Burnley leave the Valley with a point, capping what has to be Charltons darkest week. At 9.00 am last Saturday everything was rosy, we had just had the international break following a home victory over Ipswich. Whilst the up and coming away game to Cardiff was going to be tough, last seasons record against the Welshmen augered well, after that we had two home games so there was every chance of bounding up the table, plus the Dubai group were fairly assured of taking us over, bringing us riches and potential unheard of by an Addick.

What a difference a week makes! Of the 9 points available to us we have only pickled up 1 and we have lost the £50 million investment proposed to the dire world economy, if this is not our worst week ever then I would like to know what happened to the one that was (The answer is the days leading up to the almost winding up of the Club, but they ended happily, maybe it was leaving the valley but that was over a longer period and again ended up happily).

The reactions to the pulling out of Zabba dabba doo that I received were reflective of the generations that I know of Charlton supporters,

My Mother In Law who watched Sam Bartram said “I am not surprised” – The old head of Charlton, never expect it to turn out right on the night.

My Brother In Law, who I took to Charlton as a Kid “Oh bugger we could have done with the Arab money”

My other Brother In Law, who is a traditional Kentish supporter or rather the pessimistic breed of Addick “Looks like we’ll be playing Millwall next season”.

And my mate a Plymouth argyle supporter, who I converted to Charlton and is now a valley Gold member and buys the shirt when it comes out, unlike me, who waits till the new kit nears and buys it at cut down price, “Shit – a heavy blow”.

I was not at the Valley today, so I will not comment specifically on the game, except it sounded like there was some passion in the 2^nd half. Maybe, just maybe out of the darkness of this week there will be a new dawn and some form and a run, because despite everything that happens to Charlton, despite every knock as fans we take, we are optimists, we are hopeful and what that means is

WE ARE CHARLTON

Dubai, No Buy, Goodbye

Today Guernsey heard that their bid for the Youth Commonwealth games had failed, due to cost A disappointment for the residents of Guernsey, but their emotions cannot match those of Addicks fans around the world, from Leamington to Bermuda, Roehampton to Sydney, not to mention Dubai, from where Zabeel rode in on their white chargers tickled and teased us, stroked us and played us, but just as abruptly dropped us and left us.

If you read through the blogs the disappointment is almost overwhelming, “Addicks Championship Diary” says this could have been our last chance for top flight success, “Roehampton Addick” calls for Pardews head and there is more.

And yet for us, the guys and girls in the street what has changed since two three weeks ago. It’s the same team, the same manager and the same board, same opposition, same results, same prospects.

As a club we are adept at securing defeat from the jaws of victory and this must be the greatest example of this. Anfield has a sign above the players tunnel gloriously spat on by all the Wimbledon squad years back. Charlton should erect a similar sign at the Valley – This is Charlton – “leave your optimism at home”.