There have been points where I wish we were a few places lower down the table even, because fighting against being relegated is more exciting than being somewhere in those 8-14 spots in the league, knowing by February-March or so that you're not going to go down, nor are you going to win anything. It does get a bit boring. The only thing you can hope for is a couple of upsets against big clubs. I wouldn't mind going down again
Be careful what you wish for. There were many Charlton fans who felt the same but believe me , be extremely happy with that 8 to 14 spot.
I agree with SLL, I dont miss the Premiership for any other reason than the odd freak result and to stop people where I live asking Charlton? What league are they in now......
That said I really envy sweeks Europe away days (nights), even the Anglo Italian ventures were fun back in the day....I want out of this league but would be happy with the Championship for a bit, when we went up in 1998 I remember a Swindon fan saying you'll soon get fed up loosing to 2-1 to dour Northen teams at home...I can do that in League One thank you
I agree with SLL, I dont miss the Premiership for any other reason than the odd freak result and to stop people where I live asking Charlton? What league are they in now......
That said I really envy sweeks Europe away days (nights), even the Anglo Italian ventures were fun back in the day....I want out of this league but would be happy with the Championship for a bit, when we went up in 1998 I remember a Swindon fan saying you'll soon get fed up loosing to 2-1 to dour Northen teams at home...I can do that in League One thank you
I've been fairly lucky in the sense that in the years of supporting Millwall rarely have we been mid-table obscurity...it's either on the rise & watching a team evolve....and then we watch it dissolve as we slump back down to the 3rd division!
The best periods of watching Millwall have been seeing a team take shape, youngsters progress, old heads showing the way and it developing & reaching a pinnacle moment - promotions/play off wins/fa cup final etc.
I suspect a lot of you are enjoying this season and the end of last, as you've watched a legend mould a team, it's starting to gel and get results. Only you can answer, but is it better watching your team do that & beat Huddersfield at home in a top of the table clash than turn up for Charlton v Liverpool, play defensive & try to get a draw & watch Liverpool turn you over 2-0?
Is it better watching this team grow over the next 2-4 years, battling for promotions, play-offs, etc in the championship or 5 years of finishing 9-16th in the prem?
Sparrows, apart from getting the money in, the prem ain't a whole lotta fun. For most clubs a win is a relief, and a loss is one step closer to some kind of financial/administrative/player revolt meltdown...too much stress. Unless you are a rich mans plaything (like Fulham?) the prem experience isn't all it's cracked up to be. West Broms strategy of not paying silly money, and not playing silly buggers is probably the way to go for most ordinary clubs.
Good to see someone admit it. From my view, looking outside in, it's not somewhere I'd like Millwall to be (cue laughter & hysterics). Of course, I'd love 2 years up there, just to tick a few grounds off the list, take a few thousand to the now soulless stadiums & liven things up a bit, see us possibly get a couple of freak results etc then come back down to a level we can compete at! As you say, for a club of our stature, & yours, most games become a fight for survival, trying to reach that magical 44 point mark then breathing a sigh of relief (providing it's not too late!) Paying exorbitant ticket prices, kick off times moved to suit tv, more diving, moaning, players coming & going etc.
Few Charlton mates loved it up there but admitted it lost it's spark and were quite looking forward to the Championship & even looked at the positive side of 1st division football and some real football again!
At the end of the day, you support Charlton & whoever is in that red shirt. You're not there to watch Rooney, Drogba, Silva et al.
exactly right - being in the prem for us was like going to Monte Carlo on holiday - if you're not a billionaire, there's little point but there's no doubt that for the first few years, it's exciting. It's when that excitement wears off and the reality kicks in that things become dull and hence the away attendances and sterile atmospheres. It's better to travel than arrive as they say and right now we're at the start of another journey whereas i think you're at the end of yours, albeita smaller one and on the way back home to league 1. Harsh but true.
Probably not a popular view but i would love a top ten prem breakaway and then closed shop. Dread the day we go back to the prem, With season targets of mid table finish 6th round cup, get a point off a big boy, even fighting relegation is more exciting than that
You could see the difference in quality between L1 and Prem when we played Spurs last year and on Saturday, obviously better quality of football but one thing I don't miss is watching the likes of Murphy, Duff, Defoe etc strolling round acting like they own the place.
The only enjoyable bits about the prem was beating the top teams, which rarely happened. Now we are doing well in league 1 it nearly reminds me of the years spent in division 1 then going up in 98. We had that small team mentality, real support with honest players. We got bored of the premiship wanted bit of excitment, maybe the europa league would lift us, never got it. Fulham have had that excitment now they are sitting in the same spot in the top league as we were. I think teams like fulham need to go down every once in a while. I think every team needs to go down. Just so they can appreciate what their team achieved and what possibilities are for them in the future. Bit radical maybe, and would probably end up ruining the lower leagues with a bunch of we are "massive" clubs, with we are "massive" players.
Getting to FA Cup (or even League Cup) final and getting in to Europe remain on my Charlton "to do" list. That's why I hope we do get back to Prem in next few years...
Beating Arsenal 4-2 at Highbury was great and Chelsea 4-2 at home I remember well also - we had a few good results to dine out on every season aprt from the last one. 2003-2004 we were the 4th best team in the Country until we lost Parker in the January window and we still beat Liverpool at Anfield and finished 7th which nowadays would usually get you a European place.
Admittedly it wasn't great the way we always fell away at the end, when we were safe and how badly we seemed to do in cup competitions but with a full Valley and some excellent players I wouldn't mind a reapeat spell up there.
Championship with occasional money grabbing expeditions to the prem would do for me. Then again, you always want to progress to the next level. Getting rid of the top 6 would be a start to making it worthwhile.
Blimey. Says a lot on how little Fulham fans remember when Charlton is a little game for them...weren't too long ago Fulham were playing the likes of Millwall in the lower divisions! .
Blimey. Says a lot on how little Fulham fans remember when Charlton is a little game for them...weren't too long ago Fulham were playing the likes of Millwall in the lower divisions! .
Spot on SLL. How soon they forget huh?! ;o)
To be fair to Sweek also, fair play for defending your club in a manner better than most!
Comments
That said I really envy sweeks Europe away days (nights), even the Anglo Italian ventures were fun back in the day....I want out of this league but would be happy with the Championship for a bit, when we went up in 1998 I remember a Swindon fan saying you'll soon get fed up loosing to 2-1 to dour Northen teams at home...I can do that in League One thank you
The best periods of watching Millwall have been seeing a team take shape, youngsters progress, old heads showing the way and it developing & reaching a pinnacle moment - promotions/play off wins/fa cup final etc.
I suspect a lot of you are enjoying this season and the end of last, as you've watched a legend mould a team, it's starting to gel and get results. Only you can answer, but is it better watching your team do that & beat Huddersfield at home in a top of the table clash than turn up for Charlton v Liverpool, play defensive & try to get a draw & watch Liverpool turn you over 2-0?
Is it better watching this team grow over the next 2-4 years, battling for promotions, play-offs, etc in the championship or 5 years of finishing 9-16th in the prem?
(& yes, I do envy those European away trips)
Admittedly it wasn't great the way we always fell away at the end, when we were safe and how badly we seemed to do in cup competitions but with a full Valley and some excellent players I wouldn't mind a reapeat spell up there.
We don't give a fck
We're Charlton Athletic and we're going up