Charlton Athletic v Burnley
Saturday 7 May 2016 … 12:30pm Kick-Off
Referee: Roger East
IntroductionHere we are once more… The final game of the season is upon us once more and just like twelve months ago it appears as though Charlton will be playing hosts to the Champions of the Championship…
Don’t get me wrong, take nothing away from
Burnley, the table doesn’t lie and that simple piece of information says that our final opponents this Saturday are the best side in the Division, whilst their hosts are the third worst team in the Division which is why this will be our last Championship appearance in 2016.
We can only hope that it will return in 2017.
Story of the SeasonThe Football League have confirmed that the Championship trophy will not be presented following the conclusion of the match this Saturday so having already covered a Burnley Match Preview I see no point in mentioning our opponents…
- August: The season began with so much hope, players coming in from top European sides and two wins against two sides relegated from the Premier League and we thought it would be our year.
- September: One draw was all we managed as injuries started to impact our season, relying on the youth of Mikhail Kennedy and Karlan Ahearne-Grant was never going to end well.
- October: Once again we only managed the one draw (Fulham), we lost the majority of our matches by the same score line (3-0) and our latest Manager was gone, bye Guy!!
- November: Wins against Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City reignited hope; Ademola Lookman burst on to the scene and for that we only have the Interim one to thank.
- December: We knew we were in deep trouble when twice we threw away 2-0 leads against Brighton and Bolton, another youngster: Harry Lennon saved our Christmas earning us a point at Bristol City.
- January: Look away now; just forget this month in the Footballing season of 2015/16 ever happened… Oh hang on, Jose Riga returned and the not very Interim Manager left the club in a laundry basket.
- February: Hope which returned with victory at the end of January was quickly extinguished with just a sole point, a man from Brittany returned with Reading to show why he should never have left.
- March: For the first time in three months we finally won a match, we won two including a rare victory not just in front of the SKY cameras yet against Middlesbrough… Begin the protests.
- April: Hello League One my old friend… We managed another two wins for yet another month yet our issues this season have been the inability to score and boy was it proven in April.
- May: Jordan Cousins voted Player of the Season, this Saturday afternoon another chapter of the Charlton Athletic story will be complete.
Charlton Team NewsJust before 3pm this Saturday the season will be over, instead of kick off at this time, the last ball will have been kicked… the players will depart on their holidays and many Charlton fans will be left wondering who they’ll see at the Valley next season.
It has been rumoured whether Stephen Henderson is injured or not yet the man himself confirmed that the story was true although regardless; Nick Pope is the future so will be the man in between the sticks this Saturday.
With question marks around the futures of our most loyal players, you’d hope that Chris Solly is fit to play this weekend, if he does leave the Valley this summer it wouldn’t be fitting for a player of his stature to leave via the back door... As already mentioned injuries have been the story of our season and reading reports from Leeds last weekend, it makes you wonder where we’d be had Ahmed Kashi remained fit…?
Sadly it wasn’t to be for our Algerian yet hopefully we’ll see him one last time.
Pope
Solly … Teixeira … Diarra … Fox
Gudmundsson … Jackson … Kashi … Cousins
Lookman … Harriott
Substitutes Bench: Mitov … Motta… Fanni … Lapslie … Bergdich … Makienok … Vetokele
Comments
As this is final preview of the season would just like to thank everyone for reading my posts throughout the year, to be honest when Stubley confirmed that he wouldn’t be continuing with the previews this season I don’t think that either myself or AFKA expected that I’d do a write up for all but three games.
So having written 46 match previews this season (Don’t worry Jean I hold only a small grudge that you beat me to the Lifetime achievement award), I once again confirm that I’m no journalist so apologise for my style of writing, I acknowledge that I do waffle a bit although that doesn’t help that I refuse to proof read.
Going into next season I do hope to continue doing this role for CharltonLife yet with relegation to League One confirmed we’ll have to see whether a man of my talents should drop down the Divisions (based on my ability to predict results the answer to that question is a resounding YES!!)… Although on a serious note due to personal commitments I may miss the start of next season, yet will have a chat with AFKA about that.
Naturally I will be posting throughout the summer yet as your Match Previewer just want to wish everyone a great summer, and I’ll see you all in August for (possibly) the first game of the season.
So your all getting a treat
Solly … Teixeira … Diarra … Fox
Gudmundsson … Jackson … Kashi … Cousins
Lookman … Harriott
Substitutes Bench: Mitov … Solly … Fanni … Lapslie … Bergdich … Makienok … Vetokele
2 Solly's?
Wouldnt be right if I didnt make a mistake in my last preview of the season.
........oh and I reckon we'll win
Just before 3pm this Saturday the season will be over, instead of kick off at this time, the last ball will have been kicked… between the sticks this Saturday.
Not if the protests go to plan. I'm at a barbecue at 7pm. Told them I might be late.
Like all good Sarf London gangster films.
Il come on board to be Roger East, as a prem our officials won,t have a clue what he looks like. That's just another three wanted ! Volunteers .
I'd have thought Motta might feature on the bench instead of Solly II. Surprised though to see Fanni play at right back last week and wonder if Motta has a strategic injury.
The level of disclosure on injuries this season has been pretty poor. I know that full disclosure of who is fit and who isn't just before a game may not be sensible as it may help the opposition set themselves up but a bit more on longer term injuries and more updates would have been good.
I think we will probably win 3-1.
I really enjoy reading these, even when they turn up late, or sometimes not much at all, or full of mistakes, or whatever.
Like all of us, I think you should use the summer to get away, think, see what offers come in, and then make your decision whether to continue. It should be noted that this is only your first season in the first team, and I think there's a lot of potential for growth (insert joke about nowhere to go but up).
Seriously though, thank you so much FA for these. I really enjoy them, and I think you're too hard on yourself, you're a very solid writer. I can only imagine the amount of time and energy these require, so please know that they're valued.
I predict we'll get a right 'tonking' and go down 1-3, with Ademola scoring for us, in what will be his last game before being sold on, and that'll bring the curtain down on a very wasted, unnecessary and acrimonious relegation season.
I would like to thank all of you for following the match threads this season, at times they have been difficult to keep doing, and I thank those, @sethplum especially, that have stood in for me when I've been unable to complete them due to health reasons or unavailability.
I'm hoping that there will be changes throughout the summer, either in strategy or ownership, so that I can come back next season refreshed and raring to go, but for now thanks for following the threads and have a great summer and see you, hopefully, in August.
Cheers
RedM
Hopefully your Health improves over the summer so we get to see you having to skip less!!
Bring on the protests!!!