26th December 2003

AFKABartram

Was that the peak for our club for our generation, and the couple before it ?

Smashing a big club at home, 4th in the league with a very realistic chance of Europe, possibly Champions League.

Real momentum behind us, in Parker possibly the best young English player at that time, in Curbishley possibly the best English manager at that time. Di Canio bringing grace and flair, Kiely excelling, the Valley at its most atmospheric ?

It almost feels as if we have degenerated back to bridesmaid status. We've completely lost our way. We're dying for our new manager to succeed, but we fear he isn't going to be charismatic enough and isn't a born leader, our star plyer appears desperately out of sorts. Our board doesn't seem as untouchable as it always was.

I've always been proud of just simply 'being Charlton'. But i'm finding very little at present that makes me want to shout it to all and sundry.

Am i alone ?

WSS

Blimey AFKA have you made sure all of the sharp objects and bottles of booze are locked away?!

Whenever i think about where we are now i think back to the time when my dad was literally in tears when he thought we were going out of business (and my old man doesnt cry).

I couldnt understand it then but i do now, things arent that bad really are they?

AFKABartram

Think i may stop posting for a couple of days. Not in a great place at mo and think my mood is showing through my posts.

WSS

You'll be ok after we've done Liverpool 2-0. ;-)

Red_Pete_in_Dubai

No mate you are not alone. I always think of that Chelsea game as the one where we peaked. It's been a long 3 years since then and we have slowly been slipping away throughout that period.

I personally can't wait for the current season to end so that we can dust ourselves down and start all over again in the Championship. I am really struggling at the moment to get up enough enthusiasm to even go to the Liverpool game on Saturday. I am sorely tempted to just watch it at home on the tele. Can anybody out there inspire me to actually go on Saturday?

suzisausage

[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]Think i may stop posting for a couple of days. Not in a great place at mo and think my mood is showing through my posts.

too much alcohol through party season got you the grumps? too many hangovers??

chin up chuck! like wss (or wws as ollie calls him) says, look forward to saturday when we're all singing songs whilst eating mince pies and drinking tons celebrating a win!

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: Red_Pete[/cite]No mate you are not alone. I always think of that Chelsea game as the one where we peaked. It's been a long 3 years since then and we have slowly been slipping away throughout that period.

I personally can't wait for the current season to end so that we can dust ourselves down and start all over again in the Championship. I am really struggling at the moment to get up enough enthusiasm to even go to the Liverpool game on Saturday. I am sorely tempted to just watch it at home on the tele. Can anybody out there inspire me to actually go on Saturday?

If we give up on it how can we blame the players for not playing with passion?

I was at Spurs too so can empathise with your feelings but this is the time the real supporters like us need to make ourselves heard. We may still end up going down but at least as fans if we keep going and positively supporting them while we're there we will know we've done our best.

We are still only two wins from safety. Where there's life there's hope. A team like Fulham, Middlesborough or Blackburn could still get sucked in. Assuming Watford and Sheff Utd are going, which I think they both will, then we just have to finish above one other team.

Keep the faith!!

Red_Pete_in_Dubai

Good effort Len, but I'm still not convinced. If I go it will be more out of duty than in expectation of any pleasure. Or am just being very selfish?

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: Red_Pete[/cite]Good effort Len, but I'm still not convinced. If I go it will be more out of duty than in expectation of any pleasure. Or am just being very selfish?

You just don't want to see us lose passionlessly (is there such a word?) which is a distinct possibility even probability against Liverpool and thus an understandable reaction after Spurs.

Look at it this way if you expect nothing then anything is good!

ThreadKiller

seeing sir alan go to upton park can now lay to bed his ghost.this could in fact turn out to be the making of charlton as we rise like a phoenix and herald a brand new era at charlton.

Riscardo

I tell you what I see in your posts D, is that you do still care. I'm at a place where I really can't be assed. I still check my wap at 3:05 to get the team, and see what the score is a h/t and f/t ... but 5 mins later I'm off somewhere else. I don't really bother with away games ... a waste of money.

aliwibble

[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]Was that the peak for our club for our generation, and the couple before it ?
Smashing a big club at home, 4th in the league with a very realistic chance of Europe, possibly Champions League.

Real momentum behind us, in Parker possibly the best young English player at that time, in Curbishley possibly the best English manager at that time. Di Canio bringing grace and flair, Kiely excelling, the Valley at its most atmospheric ?

This is why I have an almost irrational loathing for Chelsea, and will never give Parker a hero's welcome back at Charlton. I won't boo him, because that's counterproductive, but will not be cheering or applauding him either. We might not have made the Champions League if he'd stayed, but I have no doubt we would have qualified for Europe, which would have been great for the fans, and the additional money we'd have got from such a high finishing position in the table would have enabled some further squad investment.

It almost feels as if we have degenerated back to bridesmaid status. We've completely lost our way. We're dying for our new manager to succeed, but we fear he isn't going to be charismatic enough and isn't a born leader, our star plyer appears desperately out of sorts. Our board doesn't seem as untouchable as it always was.

I've always been proud of just simply 'being Charlton'. But i'm finding very little at present that makes me want to shout it to all and sundry.

Am i alone ?

It's not an easy time at the moment, but what makes "being Charlton" special isn't just the board, management and players, it's us too. Fundraising to buy Ronnie Moore, campaigning to go back to the Valley, the Greenwich elections, the VIP scheme, Target 10,000, even Operation Cottage - we haven't just sat on our arses waiting for things to get better, we've fought to make it happen. Which is why I'm finding it so depressing that everyone seems to have given up already.

MCS

good post aliwibbs

Riscardo

[cite]Posted By: aliwibble[/cite]
It's not an easy time at the moment, but what makes "being Charlton" special isn't just the board, management and players, it's us too. Fundraising to buy Ronnie Moore, campaigning to go back to the Valley, the Greenwich elections, the VIP scheme, Target 10,000, even Operation Cottage - we haven't just sat on our arses waiting for things to get better, we've fought to make it happen. Which is why I'm finding it so depressing that everyone seems to have given up already.

But times have moved on, so I feel so should I. I enjoy going to home games to catch up with people, have a drink, socialise ... but to sit there and watch Marcus Bent stroll round on a couple of grand a week sticks in my throat.

The Prince-e-Paul

i remember the poor old days when charlton were skint. iv'e still got an old A5 poster saying "i helped buy Ronnie Moore" somewhere in the loft. iv'e got a 'valley gold - back to the valley' t-shirt. i watched them take 15 thousand to wembley for the first time in decades and lose to Blackburn in the Full members cup. i sat in tears one night in 1984 listening to the radio till very late waiting for news as to whether Charlton were going out of existence. relegation cannot change my allegience to this club. i have no expectations of what our club should achieve. my dad who like many of you has watched from the Bartram days will always say to me as he did at Sheff Utd the other week. "you know son, this is what watching football is all about, and when you get to my age you will find it doesn't hurt as much as it once did. you will come to realise it's the taking part and not the winning that counts" he's been saying the same thing to me every time we lose since i was knee high and i'm coming round to the idea that living life the Charlton way is never going to be life on the straight and narrow.

jimmymelrose

'Living life the Charlton way'

I love that 'Prince' - that just sounds so honourable.

So what is 'the Charlton way'. What is 'Charlton Life?' Mr AFKA. Come on, you started this site, didn't you give it it's name? Answer my question. Shake yourself out of your stupor young man.'

For me 'Charlton life' is how I remember it as a schoolboy. Being nicknamed 'bottom' because we were. Having my club's name as my 'middle' name. Being on the floor of the corridor and getting the shit kicked out of me by the 'fans' of the club we'd just lost to. It didn't matter - I laughed at my tormentors because I loved my club- a love they didn't have for their own, and I think they begudgingly respected me for it.

mascot88

The Charlton Way.... Life aint straight..... F*** the supposed big boys there passion has been diluted... it doesnt mean ANYTHING!!!!!! weve been here before weve all seen relegations most of us has seen a couple at least... I know how you feel AFKA and RED PETE and probably everyone, its rubbish chatting at work to a bunch of mugs, going to games and coming out feeling terrible... weve just got to battle on ... our midfiled actually hurts me... BUT we just keep going... who knows there could be a miracle somewhere......

Who knows....

AFKABartram

great posts guys, great posts.

browny

Quality stuff guys,chins up and lets get behind the boys and get out of this shit that we're currently in.
cmooooon yooooooou reeeeeeeeeeeeeeds

MCS

[cite]Posted By: The Prince-e-Paul[/cite]i remember the poor old days when charlton were skint. iv'e still got an old A5 poster saying "i helped buy Ronnie Moore" somewhere in the loft. iv'e got a 'valley gold - back to the valley' t-shirt. i watched them take 15 thousand to wembley for the first time in decades and lose to Blackburn in the Full members cup. i sat in tears one night in 1984 listening to the radio till very late waiting for news as to whether Charlton were going out of existence. relegation cannot change my allegience to this club. i have no expectations of what our club should achieve. my dad who like many of you has watched from the Bartram days will always say to me as he did at Sheff Utd the other week. "you know son, this is what watching football is all about, and when you get to my age you will find it doesn't hurt as much as it once did. you will come to realise it's the taking part and not the winning that counts" he's been saying the same thing to me every time we lose since i was knee high and i'm coming round to the idea that living life the Charlton way is never going to be life on the straight and narrow.

That, paul, is a quality post.

I doth my cap, its so true.

Charlton till i die

AFKABartram

not being rude, but its the other things in my life i was referring to.

Do you really think a football club is that important ???

Curb_It

[cite]Posted By: Oracle[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]Think i may stop posting for a couple of days. Not in a great place at mo and think my mood is showing through my posts.

Not being rude, but you need something else in your life to worry about...

not being rude but you thick twat. i think thats what he was saying!

:-)

Curb_It

it was because of my reply to yours that it was removed.. sadly.

shouldnt bite really - i do try to ignore you like everyone else but sometimes its just too hard not to.

and in a more politer explanation... he was saying because of other things in his life that he wasnt happy not football. div.

Curb_It

big of you.

Curb_It

celtic boxers.

KBslittlesis

[cite]Posted By: The Prince-e-Paul[/cite]i remember the poor old days when charlton were skint. iv'e still got an old A5 poster saying "i helped buy Ronnie Moore" somewhere in the loft. iv'e got a 'valley gold - back to the valley' t-shirt. i watched them take 15 thousand to wembley for the first time in decades and lose to Blackburn in the Full members cup. i sat in tears one night in 1984 listening to the radio till very late waiting for news as to whether Charlton were going out of existence. relegation cannot change my allegience to this club. i have no expectations of what our club should achieve. my dad who like many of you has watched from the Bartram days will always say to me as he did at Sheff Utd the other week. "you know son, this is what watching football is all about, and when you get to my age you will find it doesn't hurt as much as it once did. you will come to realise it's the taking part and not the winning that counts" he's been saying the same thing to me every time we lose since i was knee high and i'm coming round to the idea that living life the Charlton way is never going to be life on the straight and narrow.

crikey...........were you & KB seperated at birth?????

you Sir have lots & lots of my respect!