You are my Charlton my only Charlton(Ipswich 2 Charlton 0)

Its 2.45am and I'm waiting up for my son to come home from a night out because I know he's forgotten his keys and the thud on the down stairs window does'n'half make you jump when your in a deep sleep. My wife is away in Yorkshire seeing her Mum for a few days as its her Mums birthday and I actually volunteered to drive her to Kings Cross (they really are making a fine job of rejuvenating the old station and the marvelous St Pancras ) on a Saturday afternoon, that's how desperate I am to avoid traveling to Yorkshire, although to be honest my mother-in-law ain't that bad. Driving back through the City listening to Radio London, the live match was West Ham v Blackburn and as Blackburn took an early lead the commentator who just happened to be Bradley Allen -remember him, said we now have to go to Portman Road for an update and my heart sank as the first name mentioned was unfortunately an Ipswich player, after that I probably could have been arrested for road rage as the afternoon went from bad to worse . I'm not the sort of person to reminisce but just lately I'm finding it difficult not too. There are probably a few Bloggers and readers out there who have supported Charlton longer than I have but 42 years is along time by any stretch of the imagination and the strange thing is I can split those years in two. The first 21 years were without doubt for me, the most fun and carefree, probably because I could commit my self whole heartily to the cause and my expectations were so low as Second or Third division football was all I knew and crowds over 10,000, were an exception rather than the norm, the thought of anything higher was an unfulfilled dream . Then ironically without a ground , a meager budget and under the great leadership of Sir Lennie we made it to the promised land . After four seasons with Houdini escapes for three of those, we succumbed to relegation and a few years in the doldrums spent rebuilding, at least we had regained the Valley . (I so hated going to Selhurst but First Division football softened the blow. Then magically we somehow gained promotion via the play-offs and again the promised land beckoned - In our first season I thought we had a good team and lost several matches 1-0 and were unfortunate to be relegated . The next season in the First Division Sir Alan bought some great players and took a massive gamble on Dean Kiely paying just over a £ 1 million for his services . A great team went up as champions and this led us to the glory years with a further six seasons in the Premiership. So there we have it a tale of two-halves and now I look back to those early days and realise how far we really have come and although its hard not to have high expectations because of the latter years I must and will understand how hard it is to play and stay in the top flight and little old Charlton have been in the top flight for 11 years out of the last 21 . Looking back to the Championship winning team it is quite obvious several players hit their peak unlike this season unfortunately. Kiely , Powell, Brown, Rufus , Kinsella , Robinson , Newton and Hunt all had a marvelous season and most of those players, played over 40 matches. Hunt scored 24 goals with the other players all scoring over 6 goals each . Mendonca scored 9 in 19 matches until his unfortunate injury. What is galling this season is, if we had gained only 80% of the Champion winning teams points we would be top of the league, as after 38 matches we had amassed an amazing 88 points from 38 games -80% =70 points . This season there are only two players who come out with any credit and they are, McCarthy and Holland, the rest are having a very ordinary season. This league was definitely there for the taking, oh well-hey ho, worst things happen at sea and life goes on. There is always next season and I will definitely be renewing my season ticket, mad sad git that I am but what else would I be doing on a Saturday afternoon.-possibly shopping -now how quickly can I renew. Come on you Reds.
The Valley 1970