It hurts, doesn't it? We're no longer where we should be. We're not where we belong.
But where
do we belong? Are Charlton
really a Premiership club? Are we really a tier-three club? If we're honest, Charlton's level, Charlton's position, Charlton's realistic place in the English football hierarchy is somewhere in the top half of tier two. It's not Wigan Athletic (10th in the Permiership) who are keeping Charlton's "proper" seat warm. And it's not Huddersfield Town (10th in League One). It's Ipswich (10th in the Championship) who occupy the place that is where Charlton
should be. And that has got to be next year's target. Aim to get (no higher than) where we belong.
Next season is not about putting into place a plan to get us on the brink of European football as soon as possible. Equally, it's not about ensuring we have a long-term plan for survival on a limited budget in League One. It's about getting us, as soon as practical, back to our proper place, a few places off the top of the Championship; with a balanced team and balanced books; attacking intentions on the pitch, conservative practicalities off it; dreaming of what might be, but still able to sleep without worrying about what could be.
The last quarter century has been an almighty roller-coaster, with some low points, matched, and mightily exceeded by some un-predicatable, unimaginable highs. From the brink of bankruptcy to the brink of Europe. Welling to Wembley (remember the brilliant book of that title? Or the unpublished sequel "... And Back"?). Lawrence, Curbishley, Kinsella, Robinson, Di Canio, Parker. Five at Maine Road. Four at Highbury. The Christmas masssacre of Chelsea. Mendonca's hat-trick at Wembley. Lisbee's hat-trick against Liverpool. None of those triumphs could have happened without the brilliant, imaginative, forward-thinking, passionate, understated fans of Charlton.
Yes, I have witnessed all of those great events close-hand. Yet what's my biggest regret as a Charlton fan?
Back in the eighties, Charlton were in real trouble, facing oblivion, almost hopeless, literally homeless and in desperate need of real, proper support. The Valley Party was set up and a VIP scheme announced. All I needed to do was bung the football club a cheque and secure my seat for years to come. But I wavered. I had been convinced by the doom-mongers. Those "fans" who said it was over. The not-so-silent majority who questioned: "why bother?". "Charlton's had it", "Charlton's dead", "We're gone". I listened to them, believed them and didn't bother. So, my regret? When Charlton really, really needed me and my support, I didn't show it.
Twenty five years ago I dared to dream. I dared to dream that my football club would survive. And not only survive, but to become a stronger club. A forward-thinking, family, community-oriented, grounded club to be proud of. You know what? Dreams do come true. And we owe a huge debt of thanks to the supporters who made it happen.
This time round, I'm going to be one of the ones that makes it happen. I may not agree with everything the club has done over the last season. But I am fiercely relieved that, thanks to the country's best football fans, twenty five years ago, we've lived to see the story unfold. The next chapter starts here http://www.cafc.co.uk/valley_gold.ink and here http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=34091 right now.
Comments
Towards the end of last season, we went into freefall after we threw away our 'rightful 5th position', and finished 11th.
So finishing 11th was pretty near the place where Charlton should be.
In that case, last season was a succesful year.....?
;o)
I agree with this statement but I know quite a few on here will disagree......Over to you Henry ;0)
No we obviously underachieved by one place .Didnt you read it ?
11th place in the Championship? I'd take that in 2010-11.
All clubs are where there status is at the time because that is where events of the season have put them. Nothing is written in stone and we should not accept mediocrity of mid table Championship nor should we expect and take Premiership status for granted if and when it comes again as it was by much of the new wave support that grew with the clubs success.
The fact that teams move from non league obscurity to the Premiership, or bankrupt and fall out of the league as Accrignton Stanley did and 40 years later re emerge to football league status shows there are no pre ordained positions for any club.
Of course the financial status of some clubs is greater than others which give them the advantage of better status but clubs that have believed and aspired to greater things have achieved their goal also.
I agree whole heartedly with StrikerFirmani nothing is written in stone. I'd hate to think that there are rightful places within certain divisions for certain teams.
Think a few Spurs fans might argue that!
I was having lunch with my daughter today who is just up at Uni remebering when I used to drive her down to the closed Valley as a small baby to get her off to sleep
as she always slept in the car seat. Looking over the work to get us back there in 92, that had been delayed (we were heading to Upton Park) , who would have guessed what was to follow,even with Oggy's Rose Tinteds I wouldn't have dared to imagine both how well we would do or how quickly we would fall.
Can we rise again , I hope we can, its critical we get off to a good start next year and this close season much has to be done on the playing side to clear out
all those that are not commited to the cause.
end of the day we are a middle of the road Division Two club... we will have ups and downs on that status but we are thereabouts on average... we fully deserve our (hopefully brief) stay in Division Three but on balance we should be headed back to our level asap
And that's exactly my point. We're going to have a very, very good League One squad next season. Probably with some Premiership experience, certainly with some top-Championship experience and un-arguably with some of the best youngsters in the division. That gives us a great chance to get back, within one season, to where we "should" be.
And, with a promotion-winning season next season, which real fan would bet against us having a crack at a Premiership place the following season?
THAT is why I'm signing up for next season's ST as soon as possible and joining Valley Gold. Anyone else care to join?
i beg to differ on this opinion....
of todays team , i'm pretty sure only elliot, youga and sam will be left maybe one or two others at best
I'm not sure I agree with you that Butterfield, Hudson, Ward, Racon, Zheng, Shelvey, Bailey AND Kandol will all go in the Summer.
Not only do none of us actually know - but most of the players won't know either yet.
You might as well bet on the weather for the next match.
You've more chance of calling it right.
;o)
That said, tier three is not our 'natural level'. We have spent very few years there and I don't think we will spend more than a season there this time, either.
But then, as I have said elsewhere, I'm actually one of life's eternal optimists (which Oggy may be surprised to hear!) I've never believed in the notion that it's 'the hope that kills us'. It's actually hope that keeps us alive and makes us reborn everytime Saturday comes around...
lol .... but you're dead right, Nigel!
Of course it's all about hope ...... you don't book a holiday, then spend the month before you go - moaning that you expect it will rain everyday.
It's been a shit season. But having a 'glass half full' mentality has not made it quite so painful for me to bear.
Meaning I could stay cheerier for longer.
And you get to appreciate the positives when you look for them.
;o)
I think in the modern game every club will over the long term find a level which is equal to it's financial means - funds from fans and directors. A "big club" is one which has big support. I can see Leeds back in the premiership in the next few years and Forest will be back in the Championship if they stutter this term. I think this is more important than the historical perspective.
Finances are not the only driver of sucess or otherwise - clubs bat above their weight for a while (as we did) if they have a good manager or for other reasons but these are transigent - the finances tell in the long term.
We as fans can help to support the club by renewing our season tickets ASAP so the board know what they have to spend on next years squad. Charlton will find their level in the next few years dependent on our support (and the directors continued financial support). I think 10-12,000 season ticket sales = a promotion chasing season - less and we will stay and deserve to stay in league one and possibly league two for the forseeable future.
wrong , went to dubai 2 weeks back and i knew it would rain ,(been there 6 times and it's rained on 5 of them) shock horror it rained !! first time in years it's rained there in march and april FACT!! my wife said ' i bet you're happy now ' and i said 'no i'm just right again' ;-)
I make you spot on with maybe one of Racon/Shelvey too.
Who did we play regularly at The Valley in those days?
I'll tell you, amongst others, the clubs I regularly remember seeing:
Cardiff City,
Portsmouth
Blackpool
Birmingham
Wolves
Derby
Bolton
Blackburn
Middlesborough
Huddersfield
Aston Villa
..... who had all previously had lengthy spells relatively recently in the top tier First Division.
As had, of course, Charlton themselves.
All these famous old clubs had lost what they saw as their 'rightful' place in the top league.
The pendulum had swung, and they'd been replaced by clubs like Forest, Leeds, Southampton, Coventry, Burnley, Ipswich, etc
Back in the late 70's in old Division 2, we'd played (and beaten) Chelsea, Spurs and missed playing Man Utd by just one season.
The pendulum swings.
Of my original list, only Cardiff, Blackpool and Huddersfield have yet to make it back to the top flight.
All the others are either current Premier clubs or have had decent spells back.
But back in the late 60's, most of those clubs were in decline and you wouldn't have foreseen that they would regain their' rightful' place in the top league in years to come.
Yes, maybe based on us being a 2nd tier club more than any other tier to date.
But history doesn't stand still, and if we spend the next 50 years in tier 3 would that then be called our natural level?
Why limit ourselves by being content to see our club at some level where we supposedly belong.
The ressurection of CAFC starts in August, baby, yehhhhhhh.....
Lol, Ooh Aah.
Despite your happy disposition, you're still married .... your missus isn't Curbs by any chance ?
;o)
I tend to take the realistic position, that is, Charlton are in the position they are in because of the football they play. I don't actually believe we "belong" anywhere. The points do not lie.
No team doesn't/does deserve to get relegated anymore than they belong to the league they play in. Perhaps this idea of "belonging" has been instrumental in our failure. The board ended up treating our place in the premier league like a poker game, betting too highly on a bad hand.
Ironically, as we get relegated, I watch the best side I've seen for four years, most of who were there all the time anyway.
There are some miserablists on here who think that's an extremely rose-tinted expectation, Sixer!
i'll ask him if he'd ever comeback to an old flame