Monday 28 October 2013

Football for a fiver...

Football snobbery can be a strange thing.

I have been guilty of this on many occasions when talking to my missus. She's a Scouser (born in Eltham but it's in her lineage) and a through and through Liverpool supporter by her own football hating Fathers design (long story), but I know more about both her club and my own. And do rub her nose in my seventies and eighties trainspotting football trivati and  knowledge of the apparent obscure probably too much.

Charlton are not the only club where there are mixed mindsets based around these promotional types of match days.

My best friend is a Millwall supporter (he's actually a really nice bloke) and he bemoans the reaction of some of his fellow season ticket holders when they (copy Charlton) run these innovative promotions. 'Why the f*@K should I pay fifteen/twenty quid a game when they're only coughing a fiver to watch this sh**'

I do appreciate that there are those of us that pay the full fare match in match out at The Valley (i'm a season ticket holder since the days when Eastenders had not even aired yet, the Star Wars Trilogy was not even a trilogy yet and Liverpool were still winning things) there are even those that do this AND pay the time, travel expense and away ticket prices every other week to support the mighty Addicks.

Personally I can only view a crowd attendance reminiscent of those halcyon premiership days as a good thing. For a variety reasons. One - if there was such a better atmosphere created by the same number of people at a Premiership game, then that is simply because they were fair weather fans who enjoyed the limelight but soon vacated the ship (like rats!) when things went too swiftly south and are probably watching a n other 'Prem Club' and revelling in such 'glory' or have simply 'outgrown/become disillusioned' with the beautiful game. Out with the old in with the new, who are actually willing to give it a try outside of the top flight. That's what I say.

If you look at the dynamics of our new/old stadium. It's really the North Stand that makes the majority of the constant noise at The Valley. And good luck to them. I've always been a West Stand Boy. Not known for our chanting - but prone to outbursts of delirium and angst in equal measure.

The two important factors are that it could, just could cultivate new Addicks to keep the faith going forward and even more importantly creates extra revenue in abundance. I'd guess (simply cos I can't be all that bothered to do the maths) our average attendance so far this season must be around 12-13,000. Baring in mind Wigan only brought at best a few hundred to the game, that's an extra TEN THOUSAND potential new Addicks and programmes, burgers, hot chocolates or pints of beer purchased. It's a bit of a no brainer considering the current predicament of the club and it's finances isn't it?

And isn't it exciting to look around and see a fullish Valley?

Another clean sheet - Huzzah!!!

The bad weather managed to stay away for a match what was on the whole as entertaining as a nil all draw can be.

My wife accompanied me to a Charlton game for the first time since the play off final to help cheer on our son who enjoyed his day as mascot. Just to quickly go on the record, those at the very highest echelons of the club may seem to be pretty disinterested in the supporters (so it's alleged) but the day to day staff went out of their way to make it a special day for all of the mascots. A special mention should go to Sue (I think that was her name) who chaperoned the kid's and gave an entertaining and interesting tour before the game in only the way that a true Addick fan could.

Onto the game itself. Another solid defensive display, Wilson was particularly impressive, going forward too. On a couple of occasions it was his surging runs down the right that really unsettled the Wigan defensive line, the shame was there simply was no on in the box to get on the end of them, and when there was we simply did not look like scoring. Church is a likable and hardworking type of player (as his spectacular 'air' scissor kick showed), but i'd say not anything like a natural goalscorer - Sordell just doesn't cut it at all.

Dale Stephens (can' believe i'm about to go on record saying this) was my man of the match for Charlton. Clever simple distribution of the ball, tackling back and generally getting his foot on the ball when it counted. The only thing his performance missed was a goal.

It's a work in progress, but we do seem to be growing in confidence, playing with more purpose and keeping our shape well. Now we just need to find enough spare change down the back of the boardroom sofa to loan in someone who can actually get into positions to score goals in this division.