So another last away game and yet again Charlton's season nears its end with little of any real importance riding on a game in the north-west. Why do they always do this to us?
It's over and it has been over, bar the mathematics, for some time but now even the most pessimistic fans have to believe that the Reds ARE going up.
So that leaves one game at home to celebrate with trophies, medals, singers, ivory, apes and peacocks and one just one more away game with silly costumes and weekends in Blackpool
The one aim now will be to reach and surpass 100 points. We already have more than points than Norwich or Brighton managed but the ton up would be a good memory for the near 2000 Addicks making the trip.
Standing in our way are a dispirited and disunited Preston side. Manager Graham Westley came in mid-season and tried to get the players performing his way but they have not responded. And many Preston fans are not impressed with the new man. Is this ringing any bells? Now, in no way can you compare Sir Chris Powell with Westley, he of the anti-football and slapable smug fizogg but the parallels are there.
Westley is also one of the few managers to do a job on Charlton this season. We have lost other games but only at Stevenage did fans and players come away complaining of the cynical time-wasting, off the ball fouls and negative tactics.
No doubt he will try to get his new charges to do some of the same but this is perhaps a harder, meaner Charlton forged in the heat of 44 league one battles. We were well beaten in the league cup by what looked a very good Preston side the night we went top of the league back in September. But that was a long time ago. Charlton put five past a ramshackle PNE at the Valley and on Saturday the Champions will do what they have to do and win this game with some room to spare.
3 - 0 to the Londoners and joy for the travelling hordes dressed in double denim
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(...and no penalties please)
4-0 to the Addicks...Yann, Jackson, Stephens and Solly on the scoresheet.
Westley left Stevenage for Deepdale in January and has won just three of his 19 matches in charge of Preston, who are currently 15th in League One.
"Everybody wants success and the key is to know what it takes to get success," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"This playing squad hasn't got a clue what it takes to get success."
Westley, 44, added: "Every day I see standards that show me they haven't got a clue what winning is all about. That's going to be a thing of the past.
"We're going to see people raising the bar every day they come to work, people who are enthusiastic and privileged to be a part of what they're part of, and fighting with every ounce of sweat and blood in their body to make sure that we're a success."
Preston, who were relegated from the Championship last season, sacked Phil Brown in December with the club 10th in the table.
Since Westley's arrival, the Lilywhites have won three, drawn nine and lost seven of their 19 league matches.
At the start of April, Westley accused four of his players of leaking team news and tactics to Sheffield Wednesday before an eventual 2-0 defeat at Hillsborough.
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Westley, who won successive promotions from the Blue Square Bet Premier to League One with Stevenage, said he has been shocked by the "mediocrity" of standards at the club.
"It's been probably the most frustrating period of my entire managerial career," he continued. "I've never been used to winning so few games and I've never had to show so much compromise with a squad in my life.
"If I hadn't been as tolerant as I've been, our results wouldn't have gone in the slightly positive direction they've gone in.
"If they'd have seen the real me, we probably would have had a big fall-out and there could have been a real problem at the club.
"I've had to tread carefully around some of the most mediocre standards I've ever seen in my life.
"Those days are going to be behind us. We're going to be able to wipe the slate clean and do things in a professional, disciplined, organised, together and winning way.
"The nonsense will stop and I can't wait for it to stop because it's been a very difficult period.
"People don't know the half of it. If they did, I'm sure a few eyes would pop out of their heads."
Not staying over in Blackpool for the weekend as many others are by sounds of it. I think I'm still recovering from the two nights out in Bournemouth!
Reckon Hayes will score against his old club.
How nice not to really worry about the result.
3-0 to us.
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