Good Friday or same old same old?

 Left Foot Forward – Gary Nelson 1995

"Saturday 6^th April

‘Whatever you do this season, make sure you beat Millwall.’ Whenever two teams are gathered in one space, there you will find a local derby and the inescapable fact of life that the workplace,

playground, pub or, or indeed, home becomes a miserable, all but no-go area when your lads are at the wrong end of that all important result.     In terms of this form of neighbourhood watch, Charlton fans have long had their problems. In close to sixty meetings, the reds have only beaten the blues nine times.

This is only Charlton’s second visit to the pompously, OTT- named New London Stadium.  On the first, I gave our makeshift, injury-hit team an early lead but the game ended sickenly for us with an injury time Millwall winner.  It gave me one further reason for disliking the Lions’ computer designed, state of the art and hence, characterless New Den.

……. But for me, its undeviating four-square symmetry lacks a human dimension”

  

The Toolbox with Lewisham recycling centre
standing proud in the background

All those years and nothing changes.

The record now stands :-

Millwall        Charlton        Draw

28                   10                 25

It is seven games since we last beat Millwall, forget the 19 years crap, you can only beat them if you play them and we did not for 13 years.  But no wins in seven is appalling, as is conceding 11 and only scoring 4.

So excuse me if I go in trepidation to the Toolbox on Friday, All the signs indicate that the gap between our two teams is greater than for many years in terms of player quality, managerial quality and morale but this is Charlton and however well the turnaround has been you know there is always a wet haddock round the corner waiting to slap you round the face, hopefully it won’t happen this Friday and if it doesn't then Friday really will be Good Friday and Luzon really will be a Sir.