Valley woes cheered by Powell

Chris Powell has brought a smile to the faces of Charlton fans.  Its not just the wins, although they help as illustrated by the humorless crowd reaction to the players at half time.  I thought that booing your own side during the game had gone with Parkie but obviously that is not the case, old habits die hard.

Chris has brought a breath of fresh air to the Charlton family and his approach brings smiles that we have not had under previous managers, Lennie, Curbs, Dowie, Reed, Pardew or Parkie.

I am sure Chris would have you grinning from ear to ear at a funeral, his smile is infectious and he infects you with a feel good virus.  He appears to be unique amongst managers, someone who realises that, after playing he has his best job in the world, at the best place he could imagine.

On Wednesday, I went to the Q&A at the Valley and Chrissy arrived late as he entered the room the assembled hordes started the "tunnel" hum and he reacted with the jump and punch to the applause of his audience.  He knows his fans and he has them on his side.

I did not learn much at the Q&A Chrissy was less forthcoming than Parkie, but then Parkie was experienced and never had his boss on his shoulder. I was fortunate however to meet Cheltenham Addick and Fanny Fanackapan as well as an assortment of other Addick friends.

However, I digress, today Chrissy did a number of things today that will endear him to old ladies (my mother in law) or Charlton fans. So here is a list of Chrissy's good deeds today:-

1. he demands that the players all celebrate the goals together.  The funniest thing was the third goal when everybody was celebrating except Christian Dailly who finally dragged his weary (injured) body to the melee, with a look that said something like "Why they hell do they have to celebrate by the opposition corner flag!"
2. Not only do the players celebrate together but so do the bench.  For those not at The Valley and those that did not notice, the players melee was mirrored by the backroom staff in a huddle with Chrissy at its centre.  After the second goal, I am told, they even lifted Chrissy up.
1+2 are about building and maintaining team spirit, celebrating together and working together.
3. After the players had come out and were warming up for kick off, Chrissy posed with a child for his mum to take a photo of them together, possibly it was at his suggestion.  He took his time, no rushing.
4. Soon after the photo session he sat on his haunches and talked to a child in a wheel chair.  (My mother in law would love that).
5. After the third goal, I think,he just sat on the edge of one of the advertising hoardings, just staring on to the pitch, he looked so relaxed.
6. He did the same thing at the end of the game only this time he looked like he was trying to take it all in, scared maybe that he would wake up and still be Svens side kick.
7. We have 12 points out of 12, we can't ask more than that!
8. He is the most dapper manager in the league.

As I said Chris Powel has brought something new and unique to the club, but as the booing showed today we are a fickle bunch and whilst we are in a honeymoon period we the fans have to accept that there will be bad days as well as good.

In the meantime as Brucey, almost, says ..."Keeeeep smiling!"

Following in the footsteps of Dickson

Dulwich Hamlet who sold Chris Dickson to Charlton in the last season of the Premiership, have done it again only this time the team in premiership decline is West ham and it ism they who have invested in Dulwich youth.

Paul McCallum joined West Ham on transfer day and made his debut for the under 18's against Arsenal, not a flying start but West Ham did beat the Arse Yoof 3-0.

Lets hope his career with West Ham is more fruitful than Chris Dicksons with Charlton and he does not end up in some Cypriot outpost.  Although I'm hoping that West Ham follow the rest of Charltons model and decline to through the leagues.

26 gone 20 to go

This time last season having played 26 games we were level with Norwich on 54 points in third and with the run of games to come an automatic place seemed a reasonable aspiration.

Out of the next 36 points we only picked up 14 and dropped to 5th and this included the ignominy of a 4-0 defeat at The New Rusty Den and games against teams who were at the bottom of the table.  We only scored 14 goals in this time and it was this period that destroyed our promotion campaign.

Today on 26 games we have 44 points, Brighton at the top of the table have 53 points, whilst last season on 25 games Leeds had 57 points.

In the end Norwich went on a run and and at a canter won the league with 95 points and that is the challenge for Chrissy Powell.

It has been a great start for the legend three out of three and three clean sheets and a move back to the position we were at when Parkie left.

Bradley Wright Phillips could be our modern day Jim Melrose who fired Lennies team to promotion to the top flight in the 80's. Two games two goals a start we could not have dreamed of.

This division is there for the taking, probably the best four teams are Southampton, Huddersfield, Brighton and Charlton.

With loan window opening Tuesday there are still holes that we need to plug, non more so than the lack of creativity in midfield.  Whilst there maybe arguments for Semedo and Racon the figures show that in terms of assists  Elliot is on par with Racon and Semedo is below him.

Wednesday is the Q&A with Slater and Powell and it will be interesting to see if Slater says more than pr speak and outlines a plan for this season and next given the two potential scenarios.  Slater is a a smooth operator and hopefully those skills will support Chrissy to achieve promotion this season.  And yes for me Parky went because the new management did not believe he could take us up, so Chrissy needs to take us up to justify Slaters decision.