Two weeks
15 HRS AGO - Sunderland v Charlton 12.30pm (live on Sky Sports). Two weeks time. Today, we are at Crawley in Expand
15 HRS AGO - Sunderland v Charlton 12.30pm (live on Sky Sports). Two weeks time. Today, we are at Crawley in the latest pre-season friendly. They have a manager called Harry Kewell, who if rumours were correct could have been Charlton’s manager for the past 6 months! Expect a team and bench this afternoon with a good sprinkling of […] Collapse
Checkatrade Trophy first-round draw
3 DAYS AGO - League One and Two clubs - plus squads from some big Premier League clubs - have found out their Expand
3 DAYS AGO - League One and Two clubs - plus squads from some big Premier League clubs - have found out their Checkatrade Trophy opponents. Collapse
Football did come home
6 DAYS AGO - A World Cup Final to bless the best month of football in my lifetime. I felt for Croatia, and my Expand
6 DAYS AGO - A World Cup Final to bless the best month of football in my lifetime. I felt for Croatia, and my mate out in Moscow, but after three exhausting games their continued chasing of the ball when they were out of possession and their lust to get forward and make chances when they had it was […] Collapse
Alexander Hamilton
13/07/2018 - Hamilton has been sweeping the theatre world and has become one of the biggest musical shows of Expand
13/07/2018 - Hamilton has been sweeping the theatre world and has become one of the biggest musical shows of all time, and I managed to get to see it last weekend in New York, where it sells out every night and ticket sales are said to average $600,000 a week. Perhaps the almost 100-year old Richard Rogers […] Collapse
We’re on our way
07/07/2018 - My brother and I have just got off the phone, we have worked out the visa system and have looked Expand
07/07/2018 - My brother and I have just got off the phone, we have worked out the visa system and have looked into hotels and flights. Problem is I’m talking about the Final, he is talking about the Semi, and to do that I have to seriously ditch some long planned work stuff this week. We will […] Collapse
It’s coming home
04/07/2018 - Just to make sure I never dreamt it, I woke and overdosed on video clips of delirious Englishmen Expand
04/07/2018 - Just to make sure I never dreamt it, I woke and overdosed on video clips of delirious Englishmen and women this morning. It happened didn’t it. It’s coming home. Our office is shut today, it’s Independence Day somewhere, so bleary eyed I put the TV on, and the American news shows talked that whilst the […] Collapse
Lyle Taylor signs
27/06/2018 - With noises getting louder that the Aussie takeover is collapsing like a deck of cards, caretaker Expand
27/06/2018 - With noises getting louder that the Aussie takeover is collapsing like a deck of cards, caretaker manager Lee Bowyer has made his first signing of his managerial career, and a half decent one it seems too. As picked up by me and a few others Bowyer and Jacko had made the Wimbledon striker their number […] Collapse
Besotted
24/06/2018 - Don’t know about you but I’m becoming besotted by this World Cup. So much to see and enjoy, and Expand
24/06/2018 - Don’t know about you but I’m becoming besotted by this World Cup. So much to see and enjoy, and the noise and the colour in the stadiums brings back for me childhood memories of Mexico ‘86 and Italia ‘90. There’s been goals, not one 0-0 draw in 32 games, a desire to win games and […] Collapse
Sunderland away at lunchtime
21/06/2018 - Perfect. 600 mile round trip on opening day and because our new friends Sky fancy it, the game Expand
21/06/2018 - Perfect. 600 mile round trip on opening day and because our new friends Sky fancy it, the game will kick off at 12.30pm. Nice for those of you that wanted to see the team in the flesh on opening day. Wait, we may even have new owners sat in the stand the old scrote in […] Collapse
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Like
2 DAYS AGO - I was unsure about the white away kit released by Hummel, something about the way the stripes Expand
2 DAYS AGO - I was unsure about the white away kit released by Hummel, something about the way the stripes criss-cross at the top and the badge should be on the chest, shouldn’t it? But it’s a football kit, and I’m 50. I have good wine to spend my money on. The white one was inspired by the […] Collapse
Pratley makes it two
4 DAYS AGO - As expected, and I think in most corners, hoped Darren Pratley became Lee Bowyer’s second Expand
4 DAYS AGO - As expected, and I think in most corners, hoped Darren Pratley became Lee Bowyer’s second summer signing. The 33-year old midfield general played 35 times last season for Bolton in The Championship, where he was their captain. Pratley posed in the new away shirt today at The Valley. He will be a good addition and […] Collapse
On the 31st day..
6 DAYS AGO - A traditional 3rd Place humdrum affair yesterday. In truth both sides put out strong sides and it Expand
6 DAYS AGO - A traditional 3rd Place humdrum affair yesterday. In truth both sides put out strong sides and it was reasonably fast paced, but Belgium are irresistible on the break, and we failed again to make the most of our possession around their penalty box, specifically in the second half. Oh well.. still, it was a very […] Collapse
Park View Road El Scorchio
13/07/2018 - The Addicks play their annual pre-match friendly against Welling United tomorrow, kick-off Expand
13/07/2018 - The Addicks play their annual pre-match friendly against Welling United tomorrow, kick-off 12.30 at Park View Road. It's traditionally a long hot day and tomorrow promises to be no different with temperatures touching 30C. Shorts and sunglasses will be the order of the day.I am looking forward to seeing Welling's new line-up and how Charlton compete. Fully expecting Lee Bowyer to field a different eleven in each half as he seeks to get players match fit and used to playing together. At least it cuts down on all the substitution time which ruins the flow of the game.The early kick-off reduces the pre-match drinking time but non-League regulations mean civilised supping on the terraces during the game, so use both bars on both sides of the ground as you burn in the July sunshine.The World Cup may be finishing on Sunday but at least we still have the longest football club takeover in history to continue arguing over. Collapse
How pro sports are getting into Pride
06/07/2018 - Reggie Bullock of the Detroit Pistons was joined by his five-year-old son and friends from the NBA Expand
06/07/2018 - Reggie Bullock of the Detroit Pistons was joined by his five-year-old son and friends from the NBA on his first Pride march, in New York last month. Collapse
From Russia with love
01/07/2018 - This World Cup just keeps on giving, and I’m loving it. Two outstanding games of football Expand
01/07/2018 - This World Cup just keeps on giving, and I’m loving it. Two outstanding games of football yesterday, and whilst today’s 2nd Round matches lacked the same quality, the excitement was palpable as both games went the full distance and were settled by penalties. The two keepers were unbelievable in the Denmark v Croatia game. After […] Collapse
Aussies to pull out
26/06/2018 - It would appear that Roland Duchatelet's deadline for the Aussie consortium to find the extra Expand
26/06/2018 - It would appear that Roland Duchatelet's deadline for the Aussie consortium to find the extra investment needed to make his asking price won't be met and that they will shortly call it a day. Duchatelet has clearly been trying to get the remaining Directors who are owed money to settle, in order for him to be able to try to cut a deal with the Aussies whereby he could still sell the club at a price they could afford but he would have retained the Valley and Sparrows Lane assets. Bravo to those who held-out and, I believe, to the Aussies who realised that they had to get the club lock, stock and barrel if they were to have any chance of succeeding.If you follow the line from Duchatelet and Murray, then there is a second 'British' consortium waiting in the wings who may now come into play. Let's hope this is true but I have always assumed it was wishful thinking on Duchatelet's part and an attempt to keep the pressure on the Aussies. If there really Collapse
Welling friendly changed. Again
23/06/2018 - Apparently according to the Welling United website. Back to it’s original date, which means one of Expand
23/06/2018 - Apparently according to the Welling United website. Back to it’s original date, which means one of three things: 1) Lee Bowyer now needs less time to get his players ready, 2) Roland Duchatelet has now agreed to pay for a pre-season tour camping in Swanage, or 3) The management of the club don’t know their […] Collapse
A statement {…}
21/06/2018 - A non-statement statement but at least it was, er, a statement. I’m not sure if the club hit Expand
21/06/2018 - A non-statement statement but at least it was, er, a statement. I’m not sure if the club hit a new low or high yesterday when it came to communication, but let’s not forget that Chris Solly is leading the World Cup prediction competition! A lot of doubt still surrounds the sale of the club, but […] Collapse
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Division
3 DAYS AGO - Ah, the new football season. League One football returning to The Valley. Who’s excited? The Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Ah, the new football season. League One football returning to The Valley. Who’s excited? The curtain of the World Cup has been drawn and after watching Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, we have to settle for Nicky Ajose and Naby Sarr. Oh and playing the role of Vladimir Putin is Roland Duchatelet, still owner, all […] Collapse
Welling United 1 v Charlton Athletic 2
5 DAYS AGO - A pleasant couple of hours at Park View Road on a cracking day. Welling have spruced up the Wings Expand
5 DAYS AGO - A pleasant couple of hours at Park View Road on a cracking day. Welling have spruced up the Wings Bar during the season with an astro-turf frontage and tables and chairs to allow drinkers to sit outside. It's not the Riviera but a nice touch nonetheless. I overheard a couple of Charlton fans moaning about the £15 entrance fee but this is in line with National League South prices and, let's face it, the opposition were better than normal. What's more, if you had a few pints in the Wings Bar at £3 a pint you would have made a few quid back. You also weren't charged extra for not arriving before 10.30am or for having the audacity to print your own ticket at home on your own paper using your own ink.I said hello to a few old faces and exchanged the usual gloomy view of pre-season preparations and fears for the year. I then had to concentrate to figure out who was playing. Not for Charlton, because even though I haven't been to the Valley for over a Collapse
Bottom of the barrel
7 DAYS AGO - Today was the traditional pre-season run out at Welling. Nicky Ajose and Lyle Taylor got the goals Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Today was the traditional pre-season run out at Welling. Nicky Ajose and Lyle Taylor got the goals in a 2-1 win. A crowd of just 1,020, the lowest ever, witnessed it. Two different sides played each half and included trialists Simon Dawkins and central defender Elliot Ward. Dawkins is an attacking midfielder, aged 30 and […] Collapse
Hurt
12/07/2018 - That was tough to swallow last night wasn’t it? In the end the experience and brilliance of Expand
12/07/2018 - That was tough to swallow last night wasn’t it? In the end the experience and brilliance of Modric and Rakitic, and canniness of Mandzukic was too great for our young lions. If Kane or Lingard had got a second, and Kane should have, then that might have been too much for a tired Croat side […] Collapse
Doing the numbers
06/07/2018 - Lee Bowyer talked today about a potential “big loan” signing, which sounds promising accept the Expand
06/07/2018 - Lee Bowyer talked today about a potential “big loan” signing, which sounds promising accept the Belgian football genius is in charge of proceedings. He also talked of ongoing interest in Patrick Bauer and Josh Magennis. Remember Bowyer said he accepted that Duchatelet would sell five players in the summer, if he could bring in four. […] Collapse
Auf Weidersehen Pet
28/06/2018 - Is it safe to come out behind the sofa yet? Is the ref playing until the Germans score three? How Expand
28/06/2018 - Is it safe to come out behind the sofa yet? Is the ref playing until the Germans score three? How an earth did that happen? The mental fortitude of the Germans finally exploding into a million pieces, that 95th minute Kroos goal against Sweden on Saturday meaning nothing as South Korea gloriously beat the four-times […] Collapse
Igor, Igor
25/06/2018 - Seems like about 100 years ago that chant cannoned out of the away end at Brentford. It is coming Expand
25/06/2018 - Seems like about 100 years ago that chant cannoned out of the away end at Brentford. It is coming up 4 years to be exact, but Igor Vetokele this week will make his umpteenth re-appearance at Sparrows Lane for pre-season training on Wednesday. Lee Bowyer has never seen him play, in fact most of us […] Collapse
The Art of the Deal
22/06/2018 - I honestly can’t remember a time since starting this blog when I’ve had so many times of starting Expand
22/06/2018 - I honestly can’t remember a time since starting this blog when I’ve had so many times of starting to scribble only for something to get in the way, or just to realise that whatever the motivation for starting I’m going to end up with the same conclusion: back in March I was looking forward to a return to London at the start of April coinciding with confirmation of a takeover and a return to The Valley; we’re now in June, World Cup in full flow, close to pre-season gearing up, I’m back in Lyon, and it still hasn’t happened. For a Belgian and a bunch of Australians not to be able to organise the proverbial piss-up in a brewery has to be seen as a reflection of serious shortcomings. Along with everyone else I’ve been trying to keep up to date with the comments from those in the know (of which I am not one). We were warned not to expect anything dramatic from the statement and in that sense were not disappointed. True to form, even something so bland managed to sound confused. “The Collapse
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