Signing number 16 is...Jason Euell

So after what would have seemed to be a successful trial Jason Euell has signed a one year contract and been given squad number 17.

Never prolific as a goal scorer, he did have quite a deft touch and laid the ball off pretty well. And I think will be a decent addition as a squad player, and his experience should be well received in the dressing room.

I wonder if this means we won't be signing any of the other forwards we have been linked with.

Charlton v Reading Postponed

Due to the recent public disorder (sorry meant to say selfish mindless idiots) the police have called off several sporting events, including the first round Carling cup game against Reading.

Can't say I'm all that surprised, as the nature and geographical spread of these morons is making it extremely hard to police and put a stop to.

Seeing as they are just looters, and have absolutely no political agenda, I say bring in the water cannons and call in the army.  We could all do without this with everything else going on in the world!

Scotty's Scorcher

Charlton 3 Bournemouth 0


What a performance. What a goal by Scotty Wagstaff. What a bloody vast improvement on the last two seasons.

Okay the last comment maybe a bit premature after a three nil drubbing of a team I fully expect to struggle this year. However, I'm sure most will agree, this was one of the best performances from a Charlton side for a very long time.

What was clear, was that Chris Powell was still playing the same system that failed so awfully last season, but with the personnel he has assembled worked and was a joy to watch.

The back four put in mind of the Brown's, Balmer's and Webster's. Taylor an extremely passionate and vocal centre back, marshaling his colleagues in defence commandingly.  Wiggins looking a very safe full back.

The midfield, Jackson (who I think will become a great captain), Hollands, Stephens and Wagstaff all passing the ball cleverly and fluidly, and all putting in tackles to slow down any chance of Bournemouth creating any momentum and quick attacks.  Stephens crosses and incisive passing was so exciting and when he got the ball you could feel the crowds anticipation of what he would do with it.

Wagstaff scored one of those wonder goals, the type that when it leaves the foot, nine out of ten times it's going into row Z. A sublime volley, the type of goal that when you celebrate, you celebrate with the little bit more delirium than usual.

Up front, you didn't get the usual from BWP, he stayed in the game for longer, tackled back (well attempted to) and I think will enjoy and feed on the service he gets from the rest of the side. (With the players around him, I think he'd be disappointed if he doesn't have a 20 goal plus haul this term.)  Hayes also, despite  luke warm reports of him from pre season, looked to me like as he gets used to BWP and the midfield could contribute well, not the most pace in the world but looked like he has a football brain and his positioning was good.

It feels most odd writing such a positive post match summary.

When asked who my man of the match was, I found it really difficult to single out any one individual.  They all played great, Pritchard again impressed when he came on as sub.  One to watch I think. It still is a work in progress, but if yesterdays performance was anything to go by, and as the players play more games together and gel even more we are in for a thrilling season.

If I have to pick one, it would be Robbie Elliot.  Obviously the introduction of Hamer with the number one shirt, and some of the conjecture over Robbie's future would have affected him over the past few weeks. Hamer injures his thumb in midweek, and Elliot comes out and puts in a performance full of nervous energy.  You could see how desperate he was to keep a clean sheet, and the times he was called on to make saves he did.

At the end when he jumped out of the tunnel pointing at the number 44 on the back of his shirt and kissing the badge, you could see there is an real and genuine supporter proud to be playing for the club.

Can't wait for Tuesday night.

Come on you Reds!!!

Charlton v Bournemouth Preview

Being the first game of the season there is absolutely no real form to base any prediction on.

Bournemouth will be up for it, having lost quite a few of their stars from last season, two of them to us.  What will be interesting will be whether or not highly rate Danny Ings plays for them today.  He has been increasingly linked with us over the last 48 hours.  I would assume if he does not play then his signing may be a shoe in.

I've seen us twice in the latter part of the pre season program, both time against decent opposition (Den Bosch and Millwall)  and both times Powell fielding what I pretty much believe will be his starting line up, with the only changes being, I think, Hamer now between the sticks and Wagstaff in for the suspended Green. (It will be interesting to see what happens if Waggy plays a blinder).

Apparently the Bournemouth team had a lengthy delay on a nightmare of a journey and arrived at their hotel pretty late.

I'm going the optimist route on this one. Both teams will be up for it from the start, and I fully expect to see some very competitive tackling, but our quality will show through and I'm predicting 3-4 goals to the good at The Valley for Charlton on the opening day.

It's got our name on it...

So the anticipation is reaching fever pitch in Chez Coops.

I have to say I’m looking forward to the new season with more fervour and optimism than I have done in years. And that includes some of the years of predictable premiership stability.

I thought I’d take an initial look at what the bookies of our great land see as what should finish up being the top six and then suggest what I feel the real top six will be.

1. 1.       Huddesrfield (6/4)
2. 2.      Sheffield Wednesday (7/4)
3. 3.       Preston North End (2/1)
4. 4.       Sheffield United (5/2)
5. 5.       Charlton Athletic (5/2)
6. 6.       Brentford/MK Dons (4/1)

The above is based the odds checker website which shows a cross section of all the bookies odd’s available.

I think Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday will definitely be vying strongly for the two automatic spots. Huddesrfield have Lee Clarke who is turning out to be a great young manager, coming close last season,

Sheffield Wednesday with Megson at the helm have strengthened quite a bit, Megson going for a very physical bunch of incoming players from what I’ve read. And to be honest it is very possible to ‘kick’ your way into at least play off contention in this division. And they do like us, have the ‘third time lucky’ tradition that I hope we benefit from to rely on?

I think, for Preston and Sheffield United it’s going to be much more of a struggle than the bookies are suggesting. Both are relatively big clubs who are visiting the third tier after a good spell in the Championship (and not all too recently the premiership for Sheffield United). 

United’s manager Danny Wilson is not well liked (to put it mildly) by the native Blades, which I think will put additional pressure on both him and his players.  You also have the same ‘big club’ syndrome that ourselves have suffered from along with the Leeds United’s, Nottingham Forests and QPR’s of this world. Where everyone views you as a big scalp and your players may suffer from the heightened expectation of themselves and supporters that they ought to steamroller through the division.

I’m obviously confident of our own chances. (Call me an optomist or deluded).

Of the other two, I really fancy Brentford to be a surprise package this year round. And think they will flirt with the automatic spots throughout.  MK Dons, I’m hoping will stay put and get their just desserts from AFC the following season.

My actual top six, and I’ll probably regret saying this next May is as follows:-

1. 1.       Charlton Athletic
2. 2.       Huddersfield
3. 3.       Brentford
4. 4.       Sheffield Weds
5. 5.       Leyton Orient
6. 6.       Notts Co

One worrying odd available is Chris Powell as third favourite to win the sack race in the division. (Behind Danny Wilson and Les Parry).

I’ll go out on a limb and say I think Chris Powell is going to turn out to be the real deal and we’re going up!!!

Come in number 44, your time is up?

So the squad numbers have been released by the club today.

And no doubt Elliot getting the number 44 and Ben Hamer being given the number 1 will no doubt add to the growing specultation over his future.

The full list is below.

1. Ben Hamer
2. Andy Hughes
3. Cedric Evina
4. Johnnie Jackson
5. Michael Morrison
6. Matt Taylor
7. Danny Green
8. Dale Stephens
9. Paul Hayes
10. Bradley Wright-Phillips
11. Scott Wagstaff
12. Gary Doherty
13. John Sullivan
14. Paul Benson
15. Yado Mambo
16. Rhoys Wiggins
18. Bradley Pritchard
19. Simon Francis
20. Chris Solly
21. Ruben Bover Izquierdo 
22. Danny Hollands
23. Mikel Alonso
25. Ben Davisson
26. Tosan Popo
27. Freddie Warren
29. Conor Gough
30. Nick Pope
31. Jordan Cousins
32. Callum Harriott
33. Harry Osborne
44. Rob Elliot

Millwall away, another goalkeeper and a utility player

I spent my Saturday drinking with my oldest friend and attending the Millwall Charlton friendly. (Which is why it's taken me so long to post, you know your going to suffer when your evening culminates in drinking shots in a New Cross pub with a new friend called 'Freddie the Rasta'.

The game itself was a reasonable work out. The highlight from my point of view was Bradley Wright Phillips strolling, route one past the entire Millwall team and popping the ball past the keeper literally seconds after they had scored.  It was all I could do to restrain myself from openly celebrating in the Millwall crowd.

It's amazing the completely different demographic between Charlton and Millwall. Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to start banging on about what a dreadful bunch the home supporters were, in fact those I spoke to were not too intimidating. The strangest thing was at half time when the toilets filled up like some kind of gentleman's smoking club, flumes of tobacco smoke filling the air.

Our performance matched Milwall's, who are a pretty decent side, leaving me feeling both confident about our chances this season and going forward if, as I suspect, we win promotion to the Championship. Wiggins had a much better game than against Den Bosch. I'm still not convinced about Hayes. And hope that we will see another striker coming in before next Saturday.

I'm not all that sure how I feel about the news of the signing of Ben Hamer.  My guess is this means that Robbie Elliot must have pretty much got a deal tied up elsewhere.  To be honest I do rate Sullivan as a better all round keeper. For me Elliot's real strength is his distribution and reaction shot stopping. He is often left flapping on crosses and set pieces. As was the case on Saturday.

Andy Hughes seems to be a bit of a utility player. Able to play in defence and midfield, with a pedigree for winning promotion's with Notts County, Leeds United and Reading. So hopefully he'll bring that good fortune with him to the Valley.