Richard Branson has just deprived me of £20 for this Did you get the train home Doc ? The previous one had been cancelled, so it was standing room only all the way from Manchester. Absolutely packed with Charlton. Great atmosphere.
For those who have yet to see him player, Tom Lockyer looks a good player, and another quality Bowyer signing. He reminded me of Mark Fish or even Costa in the way he intelligently defends.
I think he may turn out to be the best of our summer additions..... which means he'll be gone next summer
Unless we get a takeover I believe that Lockyer had a few clubs interested, so another triumph for B&G and their skills of persuasion.
Interesting, Blackburn committed more fouls than us in the game yet we got three yellow cards and Blackburn got none?
Bexleyboy warned everyone on ITTV before the game that the ref was a wrong 'un. And he doesn't do that every week...
Congratulations to our @Clb74 and @Royston Vasey you won the breakfast bet on us having over 1,000 yesterday. I'll see you both in the Bromley S Wspoons next Sunday, time tba.
Train cancellations is the reason I've retired from trains for away days so drove to and fro yesterday. Lockyer was brilliant ageee with you there, I imagine him and Pearce will be our 2 starting centre backs for Stoke
Depends what you're hoping for. Those fans hoping the team avoids relegation will not be disappointed I expect. I can see Charlton getting enough unexpected wins in the first half of the season (while we are still an unknown quantity to our opponents) to rise to mid-table. From there LB will be able to keep a grip on the rest of the season even if some ground is lost later on. But as hopes go, that's a pretty modest one. We aren't a quaint little Club who've spent decades in the 4th and 3rd tiers and are now exploring new territory - living the dream and making memories to cherish when our day in the sun comes to an end. If 21st place is enough to content what's left of our fan base then Roland really has done a thorough job on us. I'm hoping that we compete in this league, not just spend 80 minutes defending in every game and mugging a few teams on the break. I'm not satisfied with Charlton being the 4th worst team in the Championship. This is the season to go for the throat and aim for a play-off place. Duchatelet isn't selling. So next season Bowyer will get another £200,000 budget (if he is even still at the Club) and all the other Championship teams will have worked us out by then. There is no such thing as consolidation under RD's ownership. There is only decline. Lee Bowyer is the best accident that ever happened under Roland from Charlton fans' point of view, but the owner is clearly indifferent even to this stroke of luck. He doesn't want a manager who actually wins things, just one who will struggle along with almost no backing while the Club inches towards breaking even. So in short, I want to see Bowyer take Charlton higher than Chris Powell took us in 2012-13. Top eight would be a superb achievement but ultimately it's 6th place I'm looking for. If we aren't going to compete then there is little point being in this league at all, and Wembley in May becomes an empty victory.
