The season is coming

Its not that long ago we all sang "we're all going on a european tour", we did not make it and now the closest we are going to get to one is a pre season mini tour to Ireland. As we do so more rumours surface about the Club only this time its players in and out that are of interest.

Whilst some may feel no great loss it is reported that Andy Gray is off up north to Barnsley. Personally I would be dissapointed to see a player whose quality we failed to maximise leave without some contribution to the cause. For his detractors remember he played most of last season with a serious pelvic injury and the stress of his northern based wife suffering from a brain tumour, diagnosed while giving birth. A former boss of mine, like Mrs Gray, was diagnosed last November with a benign brain tumour. The operation to remove the tumour removed much of her brain and in February the complications resulted in her passing away. The reason for telling this is that just because the tumour was benign does not mean she was out of the woods, so Gray must have been under significant pressure during the last year. Just after Gray joined us, he was awarded 2nd place in the Championship player of the year awards for his work at Burnley, I also recall his two goals against us at the Valley. However, it maybe that we have little choice but to let him go. What concerns me is the rumour that to reduce our financial liabilities we are willing to let him go on a free and (I cannot believe this rumour) we will sub his wages!!

If Gray goes then it is alleged that lined up to replace him is non other than Jamie Scowcroft, I would say a has been, but I am unsure if he has been anywhere. An alternative is suppossed to be Wayne Feeney of Cardiff, a better prospect in my opinion, although that maybe because I have no idea who he is.

As we go to Ireland some of the squad is taking shape, with Miguel Llera and Fraser Richardson. Both are solid signings, it still galls that we are not signing players of Prem quality let alone Championship, but we are where we are. Next season we are going to have to rely on players blending and working together and that will be a job that the manager, whoever he is will need to do. We will lose players and they willbe the good ones, those that are left willbe the iffy ones, the ones no one came in for and the replacements will be distinctly third tier. A front line of Deon Burton and Scowcroft hardly sets the heart beating, when compared to Leaburn and Mendonca, Mendonca and Hunt or even dare say it Bent and Bent

However, whoever wears the red and white of Charlton, however desperate the situation is, true fans will continue to support them. We just hope that the next 12 months will give us some joy, with new and old players alike.

Takeover is happening?

There was a time that when you read news in the paper that you might suspect that the source of the information might give it credibility and add to any information you may already have. But nowadays the definition of an investigative journalist is someone with a computer surfing the net. So today the press are full of stories about our impending takeover, but the stories only reflect what has been stated on the OS and the rumours that have developed over then last few months on the message boards. Lets be clear, the stories today are based upon the cancellation of the Q&A session, due to legal advice. The implication is that the club is in some stage of takeover. The recent SLP article, interviewing Murray implies that it is an imminent takeover, done and dusted in two days (today is day 2) and formally completed in two weeks. That said we have spent a whole summer close season looking at the next two weeks and nothing happened. Lets not forget that Southampton were done and dusted with Le Tiss at the top until the last minute and then it all fell apart. Although, the 10 point deduction issue made the Southampton situation that bit more difficult.

Having said all of that Murray's enforced silence says more than any of the silence during the close season could have said. There is many a slip between cup and lip, you only have to see my shirts to realise that, but hopefully unlike the Zabeel deal we will have some new investors in the club who will steady the ship and at least give us the foundations for an enjoyable season from 8th August.

Handling the truth

I was watching The Andrew Marr show this morning and thought a comment by Martina Navratalova was poignant for us Charlton fans. Talking about Government communication of spending cuts over the next few years, Martina* said,"Just tell us the truth, we can handle the truth. Its not knowing the truth that we can't handle."

This is so true in the case of the lack of information from the board of Charlton. Long established fans and recent fans may not like the truth, but if they knew it they would get on with backing the team,instead of speculating about the worst scenario's.

*The greatest tennis player never to win the mens singles at Wimbledon