This Saturday will bring to a close an eventful season. Not just on a league scale with Bournemouth getting promoted, Warburton being dismissed after an amazing first season in the championship from Brentford, and Blackpool only having 6 registered players 2 weeks before the start of the season, but for Charlton too. After a busy off season, Charlton started as one of the favourites for relegation, and then had better initial results than anyone could have predicted. The team seemed to gel quite quickly and churn out some very good results such as the 3-2 win over Derby, a 1-0 win over Watford, and a 1-0 at Norwich. However inbetween these results were too many draws meaning we were never really in contention for promotion. It wasn't until October that Charlton lost, with a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth, after this the wheels came off for Bob Peeters. Over the next 19(!!) games only 2 wins were recorded, with 9 losses and 8 draws (1 lose was under Damien Matthews, 2 losses and 2 draws were under Guy Luzon). This was too much for the people in charge, and he was fired at the beginning of 2015 after a 1-0 loss to Brighton. Enter Guy Luzon, causing outrage and anger as this was the man who was fired 2 months before by RD at Standard Liege. The case for Guy Luzon, was very thin on the ground especially seen as two known potential candidates Alan Curbishley, and Paul Jewell had extensive Championship experience. Things were made worse by a bad start for Luzon with 2 draws and 2 losses. However after a dire 1st half against Norwich things seemed to come alive for Charlton with a better 2nd half performance. This despite not being a result for Charlton is memorable due to the performances that followed. The team went on a run of 9 games with 7 wins and 2 losses. This was enough to propel Charlton to the top half of the table, where we have stayed since. As the season draws to a close Guy Luzon's time at Charlton has rendered 6 losses, 5 Draws, and 10 wins. A respectable 47.6% win ratio Highpoints: The 3-0 over Brentford to start a great run of form, the emergence of Joe Gomez, and the signing of Tony Watt and Johann Berg Gudmundsson Lows: The 5-0 at watford Star Player: For me JBG Overall for the season, while being chaotic, I think the players can look back and be fairly proud of the season. From relegation fodder to comfortable league position. If we keep hold of the core of this team and add to it in a shrewd manner we could be on for a hell of a season next year. I think if you look at the season as a whole rather than the bits that you want to focus on (be it negative or with rose tinted glasses) then we have progressed this year, and that is good.
I really thought that we would be relegated this Season. Thanks go to Guy Luzon for keeping us up. I never thought it would reach a stage where I gave up my Season ticket. But after the debacle of choosing Luzon and the pork pies of Meire I felt angry enough to do it. I have missed my trips to the Valley but I have had a great time watching the U18s and U21s. During the Summer we need to keep hold of our best players and improve our squad. But I won't hold my breath. Royston's favourite Yoni Buyens seems to be on his way to STTV. TofⓂ️ @iMacTof · 4h 4 hours ago Yoni #Buyens (Charlton) rejouera la saison prochaine en #JPL. Et portera les couleurs de St-Trond. #Mercato#STVV 3 retweets 1 favourite TofⓂ️ iMacTof · 4 hours 4 hours ago Yoni #Buyens ( Charlton) play again next season #JPL . And carry the colors of St- Truiden. #Mercato #STVV 3 1 retweets favorite
Good review <tricky> St truiden would be surprising, think he's better than a promoted Belgium club. I imagine their federation will be keeping a close eye on activity between the two clubs. As for charlton - it's been a tad uninspiring, but we've progressed. We have a core group we need to build around - Henderson, Gomez, JBG, and watt. Another positive is the amount of games solly is getting through. Now we wait to see what RD does with liege. Has he lost interest, or will he spend to make up for a disappointing season?
In total, it's been a disappointing season. The Lows: Losing to Watford 5-0 and to Millwall The Highs: Our pitch being amazing still at the end of the season The Anger: Being lied to, and the appointment of the donkey Guy Luzon (whom will be sacked next season) When we was in the top 3, I met Matt Hollands at my work, as he was giving a speech about TalkSport. Had quite a long conversation with him, and he told me we'd finish 12th as we had neither the experience or depth in the squad. I did say, "we're flying at the moment and can do playoffs" but seems like he was 100% spot on.
A very balanced well written review, well done. I think Guy Luzon had done an excellent job after taking over with so much negativity at the ground and on various message boards but he really turned the performances round as you stated with a good win % so well done to him, the players, the Board/Katrien for all their efforts this season. I am looking forward to the next one and the final game against Bournemouth before then.
Good review. To my mind, a damp squib of a season. Despite the much lauded 'investment' (in reality, Network players shifting amongst RD clubs...), there are still too many holes in the squad. Luzon looks a better manager than Peeters, but then again a donkeys arse looks more attractive than a pigs arse. Positives are Henderson, the emergence of Gomez...and not much else. Charlton negatives include Meire's strange relationship with the truth, Bikey's strange relationship with a football, and Reams' strange relationship with reality. Jackson's gradual fading has left a huge, unfilled hole in the squad. Solly hasn't quite looked the player of the previous two seasons. And after a good start, Vetekole basically nicked his wages in recent months. We badly need two quality strikers this summer, a new full back with Wiggins looking shot and Fox looking sh1t, and a long term replacement for Jackson who's name is not Yoni or LePoint.
This seems the best place to put my end of season awards. Knee-slide of the Season – Johnnie Jackson The Cory Gibbs Award – Franck Moussa Bald Belgian Midfielder of the Season – Yoni Buyens The Best First Half of the Season – Igor Vetokele The Worst Second Half of the Season – Igor Vetokele Cool Dude of the Year Award – Johann Berg Gudmundsson Lie of the Season – Katrien Meire the day before Luzon was appointed The Wish You Were Still Here Award – Francis Coquelin The Wish You Weren’t Here Award – Christophe Lepoint The Most Unpronounceable Name of the Season – Milos Veljkovic The Shows What I Know Award – Captain B when he shouted ‘Don’t shoot!’ as Gudmundsson let fly against Cardiff The How The F*** Did He Do That? Award – Tony Watt’s 2nd v Huddersfield The Most Frustrating Yet Inevitable Moment of the Season – Tucudean’s miss v Millwall The That Boy Will Play For England Someday Award – Joe Gomez
Worst Performance of the season - Watford away Most Ineffective Midget in a Charlton Shirt - Neil Munchkin Etheridge. Runner Up - Igor "Holiday Brochures"Vetekole Worst walk to an away ground from the train station - St Andrews via 65 mosques Charlton Moderator of the Season - Super. Saddest Charlton sight/site of the season - Into The Valley left with only 4 posters Deserter of the Season - Dick Plumb. Runner Up - AHLL Charlton Twitter feed of the season - @HenryIrving10 (250 followers) Nicola Sturgeon Award for Sassenach of the Year - Forest Hill Billy
Sassenach- you mean Saxonoid? A person of Saxon descent? Shurely shome mishtake? Most promising newcomer- cafc_fan Outstanding performer of the season- the Valley pitch Most sickening performance- getting tonked by a poor Millwall team yet again Most notable absentee- Roly leDouche Special comedy award- Monsieur lePoint Lifetime achievement award- It's the skipper, Johnnie Jackson
Most blatant lie- Katrien Meire, Most sycophantic display- Reams by Cardiff toilets with the above. Lord Lucan award- Oguchi Onyewu. Presented by Cory Gibbs. Most enjoyable moment of Season- Watching the U18s win the Championship. Biggest disappointment - Losing to Millwall, again. Second most enjoyable moment- Seeing Millwall relegated. Biggest U turn- Me. After giving away my Season Ticket, I have applied for one next Season. Outlook for the Summer- Selling of Gomez and Gudmundsson and replacement by cheaper options. Personal ambition- To stop being so cynical.
Goal of the season - Mitov! Stupid sale of the season - Michael Morrison Performance of the season - Brentford (H) Game of the season - Derby (H) Cock-up of the season - Nick Pope vs Derby (H)... but time to come back, Nick, and challenge for your place next year Positive impact on results award - Stephen Henderson Negative impact on results award - Bloody "Much-Maligned" is coming on again with 10 minutes to go Outlook for summer - cash in on Gomez, get him back for next season on loan, spend the £8m on a couple of good strikers, another CB, and someone to play alongside Cousins, push for promotion Delusion of the season - my outlook for the summer. False dawn award - Bikey's volley against Wolves which convinced BP he would be a good 3rd striker Interview of the season - Steve Evans, Rotherham vs Reading... Best network decision - Sacking Bob Peeters Worst network decision - Appointing Bob Peeters Person who should have been given a random drugs test award - Frederic Bulot post African Cup of Nations Team we'll never see again - Etheridge, Wilson, Bikey, Onyewu, Nego, Moussa, Buyens, Reza, Lepoint, Much-Maligned, Pigott, (subs we're likely never to see again: Dmitrovic, Jackson (also winner of the bad decision of the summer award as we let him go), Bulot, Harriott, Tucudean (should really be in the first team in this line-up), Eagles, Polish Pete)
I believe you, LB, because you obviously know the score with Pope, but I also think it's a pity. I'd hazard a guess that he doesn't feel the club has any confidence in him, and therefore his way forward lies elsewhere? And if Henderson can stay fit, which he has done for a while now, the position won't be a problem. So unfortunately Pope is probably making the right decision for himself, but I think we'll hear an awful lot more of him in the years to come.
