Joining the prawn sarnie brigade

Would you believe it! The Old Man has won a prize draw with his credit card company - the one that has a promotional tie up with Charlton. The prize is a couple of VIP tickets for the game against Colchester. It seems MBNA, the credit card company, are sponsoring the game and a number of credit card holders have won VIP packages. At first the Old Man thought it was a wind up as they told him the good news over the phone. He didn't hear anything then for over a week, so checked it out with his mate Henry. But now he has had a confirmation call and recieved the details in writing.

Well, the good news is that the Old Man has negotiated an extra place so that both me and Matt can join him. We weren't sure what to expect until we saw the itinery. The bad news is that we can't wear jeans and trainers. But that inconvenience is offset by the fact there is a free bar!!! We have to arrive at midday for a champagne reception. That's followed by a 'tour of The Valley. I assume this will be confined to the west stand, but we'll have to wait and see. Then we have a 'four course silver service meal served in the Centre Circle Suite'. In my initial excitement I didn't read the last word and thought we'd be eating on the pitch. But no, we get to go on the pitch when four guests make a pitch presentation. The food is definitely served in the restaurant.

The itinery is amusing. It says that refreshments are served at half time and at 3.55pm 'return to your seats'. Yes, 3.55pm! Half time will be my big chance to lambast those that don't get back to their seats for the kick off. I don't really care whether we've finished our prawn sandwiches or not. We need to be there for the start of the second half. None of this strolling back ten minutes into the second half. Every game this season you see empty seats in the west stand at the start of the second half. Well, against Colchester there will be at least three people in their seats at kick off.

And what's the protocol about singing in the VIP area? Will we be allowed to stand up and abuse the away supporters? I guess we'll have to find out.

At the end of the game the VIPs can vote for the man of the match. Let's hope it's Big Chris because he's scored a hat trick against his old club. If we can still stand up, at 5.30pm we make the 'man of the match presentations'. And at 5.45pm we are 'welcome to transfer to the Milenium Suite where a pay bar is in operation'. I think the bar staff in the Centre Circle Suite could be busy at 5.40pm!

It promises to be a different and memorable day on Tuesday. I wonder how many other VIPs will be at the ticket office getting their Watford tickets having been to every game this season?

Up The Addicks!

Robin

Pi Pints and pie

The journey up M1 to Leicester was trouble free and we did it in a couple of hours from Essex. Dean did the driving for this one - thanks Dean!We met the Old Man in a strange bar about ten minutes from the ground. It had Sky Sports News, some comfy armchairs and good service. I think it was meant to be a trendy bar. It was fine for a pre match drink but I do puzzle over the thinking that went into the naming of the bar. It was called pi - the mathematical symbol. And just so you come away suitably educated, the windows had the number 3.14159 written on them. I really can't think how maths and beer go together.

After a pint in pi we went to the ground for a pie - it seemed appropriate.

The game itself was poor. I'm sure the bumpy pitch and the wind didn't help, though it didn't seemed to affect the half naked drummer at the top of the stand with the Leicester boys in it. Leicester even have a fixed platform for the drum. Maybe he sees himself as a rival to Tango at Sheffield Wednesday. I think he's also had a few pies - and not of the mathematical variety!

For a while it looked like big Chris was going to be the latest Addick to see red, but he just about managed to avoid a second yellow card. A draw was probably a fair result but we really need to look at the transfer window as an opportunity to get some invention into our play. There's a real prospect of the deason tailing away unless we do.

Up The Addicks!

Robin

Happy New Year

The Norwich game involved a fair bit of driving for Matt, so he's sitting this one out. Dean's getting behind the wheel to drive up for this one. The Old Man is visiting relatives in Corby so will be travelling from there. The wonders of mobile phones means that we should be able to hook up before the game for a swift beer. Not sure where though.

Getting to this new stadium is as easy as getting to the old Filbert Street. It's virtually on the same site. Parking at the Rugby ground has always been a good option. Once out of the car park, you're on the main road for a quick journey home. The Walkers stadium has all the features of a newly built stadium. No more stewards laying down because the front row seats are below the level of the pitch. No more crammed facilities at the back of the stand. And no more squeezing through cramped turnstiles. And yet despite all that I quite enjoyed going to Filbert Street. It was one of my favourite grounds because we were under cover and the acoustics were good.

The real attraction this time is to see whether we can maintain some good away form and to have a bet as to who's gonna get sent off this game.

Up The Addicks!

Robin.

Seasonal good will to all men

Except those that make two footed tackles it seems. It's now fashionable to be sent off for lunging in with both feet off the ground this Christmas, and Match of the Day showed a number of similar incidents from the Premiership. Clearly Sodje thinks of himself as a Premiership player as he went for that tackle at Carrow Road. It's not the worst tackle I've seen, but if the rule is that you can't tackle with both feet off the ground, then I guess he deserved to go.

We've now had five games where we've had someone sent off which makes us look like a dirty side. But when you look at the incidents, Sam was caught wrestling; Semedo had two bookings yet they were dubious fouls; Fortune swung an arm - after the final whistle for Christ's sake; Mills couldn't keep his mouth shut and Sodje made a fashionable tackle. In my book only Sodje's tackle could be labelled 'dirty'. But that label will stick unless the players become more disciplined.

When you look at the top of the table you can only speculate where we might be if we hadn't had these unecessary suspensions. Certainly at Norwich we were looking the better team until the sending off. In the second half it was just a matter of time before the Canaries equalised and I suppose we should be grateful that we took a point. We can now look forward to our last game of 2007 at Lineker's crisp stadium on Saturday and hope that 2008 brings better fortune - and discipline - than 2007.

Up The Addicks!

Robin

Let's be having you

Poor Norwich supporters. Not only are they saddled with being Canaries, they have Delia Smith running the club. Yet the rejuvenated club have long since sold out their allocation against us on Boxing Day. We're close to selling out which is an achievement when you consider there is no public transport.

Christmas Day celebrations will need to be kept in check as Matt is doing the driving on Boxing Day. He has to get back from his girl's place in Tilbury so we can set off mid morning for Norwich. It's usually a good day out in Norfolk, but somehow it doesn't have the same feel travelling for three hours each way at Christmas.

It'll be a case of fielding the walking wounded for this game, and with Norwich on a bit of a roll, it'll be a tough game. Let's hope our fans are not too hung over and can provide some real support. We'll need it for this one.

Up The Addicks!

Robin

For if you know your history...

...You'll know that 50 years ago Charlton won what the News of the World described as 'the most amazing game in history'.

The late Albert Doyle was Robin's grandad - a man responsible for two more generations of Addicks - and the one game he spoke about more than any other was the famous 7-6 game against Huddersfield.

It was typically Charlton to parade the four surviving members of that team before the Hull game. It must have been great for them to walk the Valley turf once more and remember that game. Life is about memories like that. I hope they enjoyed their day.

In some way - but a very different way - Robin will remember the game against Hull. Mediocre in the extreme with their keeper almost redundant. We clawed our way back only for the departing Danny Mills to do what he does best and get sent off. At the time there was a possibility that we could win the game. But as soon as he went off that changed. He was unbelievably stupid to keep arguing with the ref. We know the refs in this league are sub standard, but there's no need to keep arguing. Danny's had a good half season with us, but unlike the Huddersfield game, our memory of Danny will now be tarnished.

But the day started well. We met up with Toby for a pre-match meal in Legends. The food was good though clearly it was the busiest day of the year in Legends and the club have had to drag in staff from wherever they can to serve the tables. They must have struggled to get any English staff, and you do wonder whether we would be served in any restaurants these days if we didn't have a healthy influx of immigrants. The staff worked hard, and when they get a sense of organisation the service will be good.

But it wasn't a bad day out. Just a shame we didn't get three points.

Up The Addicks!

Happy birthday Toby!

Young Toby from Basildon has reached the ripe old age of 16 today. A lifelong supporter and season ticket holder for the past few years, Toby lives in 'character building' Basildon. Going to school North of the Thames surrounded by West Ham fans always tests your stamina - as other Essex based supporters will know. But although having to go to school with them really is character building, he's stuck with Charlton throughout and hasn't wavered.

So well done Toby and welcome to the tax paying world.

To celebrate his birthday a small group of us will be making an occasion of it with a pre-match meal in Legends. Members of the Essex Branch of the supporters club have had meals there before, so know what to expect. As it's just before Christmas there should be some Christmas fare, but really it's about celebrating Toby's birthday.

So it's an early start on Saturday. Tickets to collect for Norwich and Leicester before the game anyway so we'll need to be there by noon. You tend to get kicked out of Legends 20 minutes before kick off, so we may be there to see the surviving members of the team that beat Huddersfield 7-6 50 years ago. It's a shame that many of those there on the day will have passed on by now, but I'm sure there will be plenty of reminiscing anyway.

As for the game, we won't be at full strength with three regular midfielders out injured. Maybe this will be the true test of how good we are. You'd hope we'd get three points, but when you look at our home record it's anyone's game.

Let's hope it's memorable for Toby. Another 7-6 should do it.

Up The Addicks!

Robin