Park 'n' ride Saints

One of the conditions of Charlton's return to The Valley was that the club introduced a park and ride scheme. A condition that was never implemented. Mind you, there was a lot of talk of a bowling alley as part of the proposed complexat The Valley, and thankfully that didn't happen either. But since those dark days for Charlton, a lot of clubs have introduced park and ride schemes. Southampton at their St Mary's stadium are one such club. And Saturday may well be the first time I experience wonders of such a scheme. Usually when I go with the old man by car we ignore them, assuming we'll get a good spot to park near the ground anyway.

But on our last trip to St Marys we drove around the warehouses and industrial park near the ground, couldn't find anywhere and ended up in a car park near the station. Now that was OK in daylight, but after the game in the dark and a 30 minute walk via a 'short cut', we couldn't find the car park let alone the car. And when we did, we still got caught in a snarl up getting away from the town.

No, this time we are seriously considering the park and ride scheme and wondering whether this should have been the future for Charlton.

Despite the past three results it seems we have around 2,000 Addicks going to the game on Saturday. Not sure why it's such a popular place to go. OK, it's not too far, but it's much the same type of ground as many others - Stoke, Hull, Coventry, Derby etc. For me it keeps the run going. The aim is to go to every game this season. Whilst there are more challenging places to go, it's not easy to muster the enthusiasm to go anywhere after three consecutive defeats. So full credit to those that are going. Let's hope we can get behind the team and help turn it all round again.

Up The Addicks!

Robin

West Country sorted

It's alright if you live conveniently in south London or Kent, getting to and from these midweek away games is difficult, but possible. If you drive, it's that bit easier still. But if you live in Essex and don't drive, then the midweek away games are a definite challenge. Not for the first time this season I've spent a lot of the day checking out the possibilities for the game against Bristol City on Tuesday week.

The first away game this season in the cup at Swindon, presented a similar challenge and I resolved this by staying in a Travel Lodge. On that occasion my girlfriend was over from Canada and I treated her to a night out at the County Ground. It all worked well, got there by train, saw us win, and came back the following day. I spoil her.

But the fundamental problem is that there is no way home on the night of the game. The train home after the Bristol City game gets back to Paddington at 12.30am which means that I can't get a connection across London to Essex. The coaches will drop off in south London with no way of getting home from there either.

So yesterday I considered the options. All of which mean staying overnight somewhere. Having checked out the hotels in the Bristol area it looked like it was going to be an expensive away day. But assuming I can get back to Bristol Temple Meads station by 10.30, I can get that last train to Paddington and have now booked a hotel room in Paddington. This at least means I can get in to work at a reasonable time and not take too much time off work.

Does anybody know the best and quickest way to get to and from Temple Meads? It's my first time in Bristol!

Up The Addicks!

Robin

Charlton 0 QPR 1

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what has gone wrong. Eight days ago we were looking forward to a clash against Wolves. But we have lost three games in a week - two of them at home. And this latest defeat was against the bottom club that have not won away all season.

We can't just shrug this defeat off and say QPR were lucky. It was us that were lucky! They missed a penalty and several golden chances. I'm not sure their keeper had a proper save to make. And it is difficult to know where the problem is. Basey made a good debut, Lloyd Sam looked lively going forward, and Mills was his usual hard working self. But everything else was lack lustre. And that includes the crowd. Several people near me - not the usual die hards - commented they had never heard the crowd so quiet.

Because we lost at Luton, we don't have a game in the cup this week. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing for a league aspirations. Perhaps it gives us supporters time to dust ourselves down and gear ourselves up for a trip to Southampton next week.

Yet Saturday started off so well. Getting to The Valley from Essex is quick and easy, and relatively cheap. Having left home at 10.30, I had bought tickets, programme and a pint in the Horse and Groom by 11.40. Even managed to see the Crossbar Challenge on Soccer AM in the pub. Perhaps we should have stayed in the pub.

But the pupose of this blog is to provide a record of a season where I get to every game home and away. I knew there would be some logistical problems - and Britol City is providing the first major obstacle - but I hadn't fully appreciated the drain on motivation after three consecutive defeats.

Up The Addicks!

Robin

Hoops!

The thing about this league is that you don't normally have too long to wait until the next game. With two previous defeats, this next one against the 'superhoops' from Loftus Road, the game really can't come quick enough. QPR have a new, albeit possibly temporararily appointed, man in charge, so it's difficult to know how this one will go. But we need the win against a team in the bottom three.

Hopefully Charlton fans are not that fickle that we'll be calling for the manager's head if we lose. But getting the win is pretty important if we are to challenge at the top.

This game's on Sky so it's an early kick off. That always screws with the pre-match routine. Probably time for a quick pint either in the Horse and Groom or the re-opened Oak. I also need to pick up tickets for Bristol City away at some stage. I might be going to that one on my own, and still have to sort out travel.

I don't want to tempt fate with a prediction for Saturday. We just need to win!

Up The Addicks!

Robin

Charlton 1 Plymouth 2

Sometimes it takes a while to muster up the enthusiasm to record thoughts after a second consecutive defeat, and our first defeat at home. This is one of those times. But even immediately after the final whistle I had to recognise that Plymouth probably deserved the win. Ok they didn't construct too many chances, but then I don't remember their keeper having too many saves to make. The lasting impression was that Plymouth were up for it and prepared to have a go. Yes, it became a bit feisty, and yes it was one of the worst refereeing performances we have seen for a long time - even in this division. But let's be honest, Plymouth were prepared to work hard and at all stages of the game were prepared to commit numbers going forward. And for that I think they probably just deserved the win.

Having been to Hull earlier this month, I recognise the pleasure the 1,000 plus fans must have felt as they made their way home. The fact that some of them were on the platform at West Ham station waiting to go 'home' to Essex just shows that there are always loads of exiles living in the South East and able to get to even mid week games. Maybe that explains why the Jimmy Seed stand had over 1,000 Plymouth fans, yet at Hull we had a couple of hundred.

Away from the actual match there are always other issues to concern the average Addick - if there is such a thing. On other blogs and websites a number of people have been concerned that they don't get the bottle top when they get a soft drink. Some clubs provide them but we don't apparently. But in the East Stand we do! Not from the official concession places, but from the independent van selling burgers and soft drinks. Waiting for my delicious burger, I witnessed people getting bottles of water and coke with the tops left on. This is a major inconsistency! So if the top is important to you, avoid the official sellers and go to the burger van!

Chant of the game from thePlymouth supporters after Toddy got booked: "You dirty northern bastards".

Up The Addicks!

Robin

An expensive night

Whilst we may welcome the chance to get get back on track at home against Plymouth on Tuesday, we should perhaps spare a thought for Plymouth supporters. Having done a long distance midweek trip to Hull recently I can empathise with any loyal Argyle fans coming up to London for this game. It ain't cheap when you consider the time off work, fares, food, beer and match day ticket. I know! Let's just hope it's an expensive and miserable day out for them and we get three points.

I'm not sure how much we have in common with Plymouth, except that a few years ago we swapped commercial managers with them. It was all recorded for a documentary on TV. We got a modest, mild mannered chap; they got our Steve Sutherland who endeared himself to the locals by declaring 'I don't make tea'. Unsurprisingly they wouldn't do a premanent deal, and sent our bloke back at the end of it all. It was all amiable stuff which presumably allowed us to forge a few bonds. Not exactly a tie up with Inter Milan, but harmless enough.

However that will all change if we don't get anything out of the game on Tuesday. We've played eleven games now and struggled against the teams just below us. Plymouth fall into that category. It's time to step it up a gear.

As for me, I'll be going to the game straight from work in central London. We'll probably meet up in the Horse and Groom, though the Royal Oak should be opening soon. Might have a look in there if I get there early enough. I see tickets for the next couple of away games are now on sale, so might pop round the ticket office for the Southampton tickets before the game. Best to do it before Tuesday's game as it always seems that much harder to muster enthusiasm if we don't get a win.

But of course we will win. Won't we?

Up The Addicks!

Robin

Wolves 2 Charlton 0

Charlton have made enormous progress on a number of fronts over recent years, including in the ticket office. Many Essex supporters use 'Fiddler' to get their tickets, which saves us all having to try to get through to the ticket office, and what used to be hours on the phone. But the ticket office answer the phone much quicker these days and are far more efficient.

That's probably the reason that I didn't check the four tickets I bought from the ticket office last week. We hadn't been sure how many of us were going to Wolves so were later than usual in getting tickets. I bought them at the ticket office - three adults and a junior. It was only when we were sorting the tickets out on the way up to Molineaux that we realised that two tickets were in a different block. We wondered whether they might somehow end up being close to each other, but no. Two seats were some way from the other two. Is it too much for the ticket office to get a request for four tickets all seated together? It wasn't the end of the world, but it's so simple to get right that it is bloody irritating.

Having had two weeks to look forward to it, the game was disappointing. We did OK in the first half without ever showing a cutting edge. Scoring straight after half time meant that Wolves were in the driving seat and we never really looked like getting back into it. We're getting a bit careless with our full backs now as well. Apparently we didn't have anyone in the treatment room a few weeks back. So where are Mootu, Sankofa, Thatcher and Gibbs (he had another injury last week)? And now Powell's injured.

Whilst I like the ground, Molineaux still doesn't have pleasant memories for me. We left yesterday at 11.00 and arrived at 2.00. Not too bad considering the state of the motorways. But it took nearly an hour to get out of the town, arriving back at 8.00 - just as the egg chasing final started. At least we don't have to wait too long for the next game and to get this one out of our system.