...the end has come, and the final curtain has been pulled across the death throes of a season.
Black...gallows humour abounded at the Valley on Sunday, when the whole stadium stood and chanted "Stand up, if you're going down"...by this time Charlton were three goals to the good against Norwich, and Barnsley were drawing at Home Park, Plymouth. For Norwich to be safe they needed two things to happen, they needed Barnsley to lose to Plymouth and Norwich needed to play over their nerves, which they couldn't. How many times have we seen those nerves jangling, and exposed with the Charlton players this season...that must win game...those got to have points. Let's hope next season we give ourselves a good start and a base to build on, then we shouldn't see those nerves.
Where I sit/sat, I had some nice gentleman behind me already booing Hudson when the team was announced...it makes you wonder! Last game he was explaining to him how he should be going back to his last club...
Whatever happens during the close season, players out(eleven out of contract), players in...changes in the management or boardroom, it's going to make an interesting first game in August, but a more interesting few months between now and then.
Congratulations to Cambridge United for reaching the Conference play off final...they beat Stevenage after being down 2-0 in the away leg. They now meet Torquay United, who beat Histon in the second semi-final, which was a shame, it would've been great seeing two local rivals meeting in such a game. For those who don't know Cambridgeshire geography, Histon is a large village just north of Cambridge city, literally on the edge, with just the A14 between them.
In a low scoring game, Kent beat Middlesex on Sunday at Southgate, with Tredwell having bowling figures of 27-6 from 10 overs including 3 maidens, and then went on to beat Scotland yesterday, both Trophy games. Tomorrow sees the start of the Test Series against the West Indies...the first match is at Lord's, starting at 11:00am.
Here endeth the sports bulletin...please see the next episode for the rest of the news...
Showing posts with label relegation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relegation. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Monday, 9 March 2009
Every day...
...in every way, I'm getting stronger and stronger...so the saying goes.
Maybe that's what my team need to use as a mantra, as long as they believed it! I think we, their careworn supporters, have been as strong as we can this season. We've looked on philosophically as the team first slid to, and then nestled comfortably at the foot of the table. We've watched as the gap between us and the team above, and also safety got wider, and less likely to be bridged. We are now in that area when we all know it's going to happen, and it's not if...but when...that's the only detail left to complete. Will it be before Easter? ...more likely than our hearts would like, but our heads know differently. How many will still go and watch the demise of a season, which started with hope, had a high of unknown riches dangled before it, and then slid into dismal nonentity.
I'm fairly sure that some players and management care, but caring isn't always enough...it has to be shown on the pitch, and too often this season that has been lacking. The fans wanted something to cheer, something to support, something to be proud of...even a fighting defeat, but they weren't given even those morsels for the majority of the past months. We watched as confusion and seeming apathy reigned, as our performances spiralled out of control. We were tormented as a few sparks fluttered, only to be stamped out by the general malaise that surrounds Charlton at present.
We have questions...like, will our manager survive? Which players will value playing for their careers in the third tier of the English game? Do we go with the youth...and would that be fair (they didn't get us where we are)? What can we afford?
I've wondered at the players who have slipped through our fingers the last few seasons...even before the advent of Dowie, Reed, Pardew and Parkinson...we have a good team playing permanently out there for others...makes you wonder, doesn't it!
Ahhh, but then, it's...."just Charlton"!
Maybe that's what my team need to use as a mantra, as long as they believed it! I think we, their careworn supporters, have been as strong as we can this season. We've looked on philosophically as the team first slid to, and then nestled comfortably at the foot of the table. We've watched as the gap between us and the team above, and also safety got wider, and less likely to be bridged. We are now in that area when we all know it's going to happen, and it's not if...but when...that's the only detail left to complete. Will it be before Easter? ...more likely than our hearts would like, but our heads know differently. How many will still go and watch the demise of a season, which started with hope, had a high of unknown riches dangled before it, and then slid into dismal nonentity.
I'm fairly sure that some players and management care, but caring isn't always enough...it has to be shown on the pitch, and too often this season that has been lacking. The fans wanted something to cheer, something to support, something to be proud of...even a fighting defeat, but they weren't given even those morsels for the majority of the past months. We watched as confusion and seeming apathy reigned, as our performances spiralled out of control. We were tormented as a few sparks fluttered, only to be stamped out by the general malaise that surrounds Charlton at present.
We have questions...like, will our manager survive? Which players will value playing for their careers in the third tier of the English game? Do we go with the youth...and would that be fair (they didn't get us where we are)? What can we afford?
I've wondered at the players who have slipped through our fingers the last few seasons...even before the advent of Dowie, Reed, Pardew and Parkinson...we have a good team playing permanently out there for others...makes you wonder, doesn't it!
Ahhh, but then, it's...."just Charlton"!
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