It's not the end just a trough in the continuation of the cycle of our club. Whilst this is the worst era I’ve ever realistically known following the club I’m sure it was a lot worse as older posters will probably testify to when we left the Valley. Back then there wasn’t the ease of mass communication amongst fans through the internet etc so I imagine it was a lot harder to unite let alone organise supporters into action which is testament to the remarkable achievement of all those involved...particularly considering what they were up against in the form of Greenwich Council as shown in Aliwibble's video posted the other day. And without that period of lows where we nearly ceased to exist we may never have realised or even appreciated the highs that followed.
Out of that adversity emerged Curbs and a rollercoaster ride culminating in our golden years in the top flight, signing internationals and narrowly missing out on Europe whilst competing against other clubs with vastly superior resources. Some complained of a staleness or lack of ambition and hunger towards the end of Curb’s tenure and whilst I disagree with that perhaps they had a point. All good things come to an end after all and without the required finances to replace a manager who was performing world class miracles with a manager with a world class reputation and track record or at least players to fit into that category there was always going to be an adjustment period after his departure.
Ok for a variety of reasons whether they be bad management at various levels or just not having the money to compete at the top level we find ourselves where we are. A dodgy decision against Fulham in the last minutes of our final season in the premiership aside things may have turned out different and perhaps we would now be eyeing up the fixture list and planning trips to Manchester, Liverpool and The Emirates whilst debating on here about if Pardew continued his good form would the ex palace hero ever be able to ever garner the same status as Curbishley in terms of club legend.
If the Zabeel takeover had materialised we may have been able to buy our way back into the prem and would have spent the summer discussing whether Micah Richards and Aaron Lennon will compliment each other on our right flank. At the same time whilst season ticket sales may be 16000 and growing many of us would be questioning how much of our club have we actually sold in terms of soul and sense of being Charlton.
Whilst I can’t remember a more sustained period of feeling thoroughly depressed with all things Charlton in my nigh on twenty years of following them I believe that our club has a certain kind of resilience and understated strength unique to us. The “plucky” family club as we have been patronised with for many a year are actually a lot more robust and determined than we are given credit for. The cycle will start again and the wrongs will be put right and we’ll emerge stronger and even hungrier than before.
Out of adversity will come triumph and the phoenix will rise from the flames. And we will one day again be able to look back on these dark days and tell the Chelsea and Arsenal “fans” at work and in the pub who grudgingly congratulate us on the previous nights victory that there is no other club in the world that we would want to be a part of.
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So what year shall I put us down to win the double? ;o)
Nice. A much needed dose of positivety in these dark times.
Up the Addicks.