So its over........

The final Premiership Meeting of the Season was held yesterday, it is at this meeting that relegated clubs handover their shares in the Premier League and the Promoted clubs receive them. Hopefully Richard Murray was able to pass ours over to Derby with a Library Ticket, return 1st June 2008. For those of an age to remember the US TV series "Branded" with Chuck Connors, I have an image of Murray at this meeting in a Charlton Shirt, facing Richard Scudamore who, to a drum beat, rips the Premiership Logo from the sleeves of our shirt and breaks the stick with the Premiership Flag over his knee, before said Murray salutes turns and Marchs into the wilderness of the fizzy pops League.

We now are in the wilderness as our, Sheffield Utd and Watfords existence is neither acknowledged on the Premier League website nor the Football League website. 14 days to the fixture list.

London Relegation

As the rumors of players continue, Luke Young to link up with Curbs, Thomas to go to Birmingham, where Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink may turn up, its difficult to find any information that can ease the pain of relegation.

If anything our performance in a fictional London Premier League was worse than the performance in the overall league. Its not that long ago that we were around third after a long period of being unbeaten, but this term our solitary but outstanding win against West Ham, is the only highlight. I suppose that next season we will only be competing in a league of 3 - Palace and QPR being the only London clubs in addition to ourselves - 12 points sorted??


......................Pts

Chelsea...........21
Tottenham.....18
Arsenal...........15
Fulham...........12
West Ham......11
Charlton..........4

New Home For Kish

At some stage over this weekend, as previously mentioned we are expecting to hear about the departure or release of Radostin Kishishev, after being frozen out of our relegation struggle and subject to the one up at Leeds. Its being reported that the new boss at Leicester, Martin "Mad dog" Allen is set to make Kish his first signing (BBC Rumours).

Kish is one of those players you either love or hate. Signed as a right back he was terrible, notably being found out of position in our first season back against Derby resulting in an early two nil deficit, before the management decided he was more of a wing back or midfielder. It was in his mid field role that he played the role of club Jack Russell, running here there and everywhere, often breaking up the oppositions play getting the ball and returning it to them. His best period at the Valley was when Murphy and Smertin were tearing up tree's at the beginning of 2005 / 2006 and he formed the stabilising forcing in the centre until Curbs lost his nerve.

Having spent the end of last season at Leeds where he found his level, it looks like we will come up against him next term, but apart from that, i am sure most Addicks will wish him the best of luck.

Crack open the bubbly lets celebrate

Do you remember when the premiership journey, that has just been so rudely interrupted, began - 9 years ago today, in old smelly, toilet less, twin towered Wembley on the 25th of May, the Addickted ventured, many to support and rejoice in our Play Off appearance and a few with belief in their hearts that the Black Cats would be overcome. But the heroes of the day, who included Illic, Mills, Brown, Rufus, Youds, Heaney, Bright, Robinson, the Jones brothers Keith and Steve not to mention Super, super Clive Mendonca, won through in a match that is classed by many as the best ever at the old stadium. Charlton's never say die attitude won through, thanks to a scuffed penalty by Michael Gray. And so began the Premiership adventure punctuated by a single season in the new Championship, (old Div 1, old Div 2).

Those 9 years have spawned some excitement and some success but overall mediocrity and disappointment resulting in this years relegation. Now we have an opportunity to clear out the old bring in the new and with it the old Charlton spirit and lead a charge through the Championship into the Prem and forward onto European glory. The process has already started with the capture of Luke "Not Reg's son" Varney and Chris Iwelomu and the release (allegedly) of Kish, Super Kevin Lisbie and the Elk and Hermann "The Relegator" signing for Pompey.

Its going to be an exciting next 18 months, but just close your eyes and think back to where you where nine years ago at 17.30 on 25th of May, when it all began .............

More departures

As predicted by Addickted Hermann has decided to exercise his free transfer clause and has departed for the South Coast. This will presumably mean that he has greater access to copious amounts of fish and fresh penguin and also the opportunity to hold the record for the most relegations from the Premiership, although I doubt that Harry will allow him to achieve this.

Personally, whilst I have every respect for Hermann who has been a great battling servant since he joined from Ipswich, I cannot be doing with players who have get out clauses after relegation, after all its not as if HH did not contribute to our downfall. Having said that good luck to him going to a club where former Charlton stalwart Dean Kiely described his treatment as being like a piece of meat.

Welcome to Championship coverage

After 8 years of blanket coverage it appears that the media have already condemned us to 2nd rate reporting. Having read all the blogs on the capture of "Not Reg's " son and Chris Iwelumo, I thought I'd go to the cultured press and failing that the Times to see what they had to say. Well it took me back to the 80's when living in Hull there was no internet and there was definitely no coverage. Not a sentence in my version of Murdochs rag absolutely zilch. Not only had the Times let me down, but throughout last season I was on Oranges Charlton alert and to get their pennies they would text any old rubbish, two days on and I have not heard a thing about our two signings - at least that saves me a few pennies.

We are going to have to get used to second rate coverage for the next twelve months, so bloggers you are going to have to keep at it.

Another Charlton Blog

So heres another Charlton blog, like we need another one. what's going to be different about this Charlton blog, well I'm less connected than some, know less than others and have no vastly different views from anyone else, so apart from that its unique.