The thing that's struck me is how even this league has looked, there are no great teams and no poor teams in this division. Which explains the number of draws we've got
Poor tactically yesterday, if you play 4-5-1 you need pace in midfield to give support to the lone striker, but instead we had the slowest central midfield in the division, with bizarrely Foley playing as an attacking midfielder
Can't complain about the referee, I thought the penalty and red card were correct decision. Lennon does get booked too often, he has a tendency to lunge in.
The concourse areas were dangerously overcrowded, as Oxford only opened up a small section of the space below the stand, and didn't open the vomitory nearest the centre of the stand. As a result it took ages to get out as well...
Great pubs in Oxford, I was on the last train home (23:01)!
Haven't been to Oxford since Morse was a constable. As usual the social side was 90% of the match-day experience. Travelled on the CARD coach from Charlton - very pleasant, and expertly run by our delightful 84 years-young lady steward. Got back home to SE18 at 19.40 - easy-peasy. We had left SE7 at 11.00 and arrived at 13.45 - the club coach was not due to leave Charlton until 11.55 so Gawd knows what time they got to the game.
The Rustler and his coaching mates are mice. This is a talented group - just turn them loose, for crying out loud. Maginnis was so remote from his colleagues he was getting the ball by post. The table might be tight but all those points lost by timidity are lost forever. If we get caught out once in a while - which we were today anyway - then so be it, but at least we might get some better football and who knows, maybe even some excitement. Paddy Bauer striding forward and getting things moving - now that's a real footballer trying to play proper football.
You might join Fanny in the knitting club, GlassHalfFull. May I remind you about Oxford away - Boxing Day, 1980. The Manor Ground, this alley at Headington that opened to corrugated fences, barns, old stands, all ramshackle and lovely.
"Derek Hales is a wanker... Derek Hales is a wanker" - those were the strains from the punters in the scratching shed. Killer was 40 yards out. He swivelled, and hammered this ballistic shot - at them. The crossbar wobbled. That shut the bastards up.
We lost 1-0. It was the end of our glorious run of 17 unbeaten games. We were OUTRAGED. How DARE they!
That was a fantastic season in the Third. Away at Chester, the old Sealand Road ground, lost 4-1 - completely over-run - and our players changed trains at Crewe on the way back. In the station buffet: kipper ties, mullet hairdos, jackets rolled up over shirt sleeves. And slightly apart - Lawrie Madden, superb Marxist, in tweed jacket with leather patches on elbows.
We wobbled at Easter and went up with Rotherham and Barnsley. !981: Nicky Johns, Steve Gritt, Lawrie Madden, Phil Warman, Les Berry, Paddy Powell, Martin Robinson - and the brilliant Paul Walsh.
Until very recently there was graffiti on a wall in Greenwich. These spare, declamatory words:
KILLER HALES IS GOD
VF - a most evocative story. My sole Oxford memory is from 21 Dec 68 - we won 1-0 with a late Alan Campbell goal. Coming home Eddie Firmani was waiting at the end of the platform at Paddington, and had a kindly word for us as we walked past him. The team was Wright Curtis Kinsey Campbell Went Reeves Gregory Booth Tees Moore Peacock, shy only of an injured Treacy from the team that produced some epic performances that season.
Haven't been to Oxford since Morse was a constable. As usual the social side was 90% of the match-day experience. Travelled on the CARD coach from Charlton - very pleasant, and expertly run by our delightful 84 years-young lady steward. Got back home to SE18 at 19.40 - easy-peasy. We had left SE7 at 11.00 and arrived at 13.45 - the club coach was not due to leave Charlton until 11.55 so Gawd knows what time they got to the game.
The Rustler and his coaching mates are mice. This is a talented group - just turn them loose, for crying out loud. Maginnis was so remote from his colleagues he was getting the ball by post. The table might be tight but all those points lost by timidity are lost forever. If we get caught out once in a while - which we were today anyway - then so be it, but at least we might get some better football and who knows, maybe even some excitement. Paddy Bauer striding forward and getting things moving - now that's a real footballer trying to play proper football.
Great post GHF. I admit I am part of your social circle and that if it was not for the social side I would have given up already this season. RS is so slow to make substitutions that it is barely worth bothering, and playing just one up front, when have we ever been so negative? Poor Josh was unlucky to have their keeper make a brilliant save to deny him the goal he deserves for having to work alone most of the match. Great to see Bauer again after so long, he makes a difference, and would be even better to see him alongside Tex at the back. Though it's not defence that's the problem, there's no creativity in midfield and we rarely look like scoring. We can't hold onto a lead and the only surprise yesterday was that we didn't throw it away completely like we did against Wimbledon last week. Come on Slade, you've signed forwards, use them!
Interesting that Curbs said on the football show last night that he couldn't offer any comfort to fans and that the owners of the club have decisions to make. There's only one they need to make, SELL UP, NOW!
terrific sentiment .. BUT is there a queue of buyers or even a queue of one ? .. until we improve in footballing terms there will be little or no interest in buying a failing club for a price that would be acceptable to Duchatelet .. we MUST just keep hoping that on field performances keep improving enough to inject some interest from a VERY rich man/group .. and nowadays only VERY rich people are interested in buying a football club
I doubt there would be a queue Lincs, but think there would still be one or two. I do fear that if we keep on playing like this and losing even more fans then no-one will touch us with a barge pole. RD won't care as he can sell the land to developers. I do fear we may lose our club forever at this rate.
Or is it Pavel Novak.? Total donkey in the RoJo mould.
I only remember Pawel Abbot putting in a shift / playing one decent game and that was when there was a scout in the stands and he was playing for a move back to Poland. A bit like Darren Ambrose, near the end of his time at Charlton, who always played better against Ipswich, because he wanted to move there.
The thing that's struck me is how even this league has looked, there are no great teams and no poor teams in this division. Which explains the number of draws we've got
Poor tactically yesterday, if you play 4-5-1 you need pace in midfield to give support to the lone striker, but instead we had the slowest central midfield in the division, with bizarrely Foley playing as an attacking midfielder
Can't complain about the referee, I thought the penalty and red card were correct decision. Lennon does get booked too often, he has a tendency to lunge in.
The concourse areas were dangerously overcrowded, as Oxford only opened up a small section of the space below the stand, and didn't open the vomitory nearest the centre of the stand. As a result it took ages to get out as well...
Great pubs in Oxford, I was on the last train home (23:01)!
Yeah stewards were just basically jobsworth cunts yesterday. Checking tickets when you are nearly at your seat ffs. Never mind.
The thing that's struck me is how even this league has looked, there are no great teams and no poor teams in this division. Which explains the number of draws we've got
Poor tactically yesterday, if you play 4-5-1 you need pace in midfield to give support to the lone striker, but instead we had the slowest central midfield in the division, with bizarrely Foley playing as an attacking midfielder
Can't complain about the referee, I thought the penalty and red card were correct decision. Lennon does get booked too often, he has a tendency to lunge in.
The concourse areas were dangerously overcrowded, as Oxford only opened up a small section of the space below the stand, and didn't open the vomitory nearest the centre of the stand. As a result it took ages to get out as well...
Great pubs in Oxford, I was on the last train home (23:01)!
Yeah stewards were just basically jobsworth cunts yesterday. Checking tickets when you are nearly at your seat ffs. Never mind.
They were ridiculous, checking people as they left the concourse scrum at half time just added to the massive bottleneck. And it's not as if I was going in the "correct" entrance anyway as it was shut!
Haven't been to Oxford since Morse was a constable. As usual the social side was 90% of the match-day experience. Travelled on the CARD coach from Charlton - very pleasant, and expertly run by our delightful 84 years-young lady steward. Got back home to SE18 at 19.40 - easy-peasy. We had left SE7 at 11.00 and arrived at 13.45 - the club coach was not due to leave Charlton until 11.55 so Gawd knows what time they got to the game.
The Rustler and his coaching mates are mice. This is a talented group - just turn them loose, for crying out loud. Maginnis was so remote from his colleagues he was getting the ball by post. The table might be tight but all those points lost by timidity are lost forever. If we get caught out once in a while - which we were today anyway - then so be it, but at least we might get some better football and who knows, maybe even some excitement. Paddy Bauer striding forward and getting things moving - now that's a real footballer trying to play proper football.
You might join Fanny in the knitting club, GlassHalfFull. May I remind you about Oxford away - Boxing Day, 1980. The Manor Ground, this alley at Headington that opened to corrugated fences, barns, old stands, all ramshackle and lovely.
"Derek Hales is a wanker... Derek Hales is a wanker" - those were the strains from the punters in the scratching shed. Killer was 40 yards out. He swivelled, and hammered this ballistic shot - at them. The crossbar wobbled. That shut the bastards up.
We lost 1-0. It was the end of our glorious run of 17 unbeaten games. We were OUTRAGED. How DARE they!
That was a fantastic season in the Third. Away at Chester, the old Sealand Road ground, lost 4-1 - completely over-run - and our players changed trains at Crewe on the way back. In the station buffet: kipper ties, mullet hairdos, jackets rolled up over shirt sleeves. And slightly apart - Lawrie Madden, superb Marxist, in tweed jacket with leather patches on elbows.
We wobbled at Easter and went up with Rotherham and Barnsley. !981: Nicky Johns, Steve Gritt, Lawrie Madden, Phil Warman, Les Berry, Paddy Powell, Martin Robinson - and the brilliant Paul Walsh.
Until very recently there was graffiti on a wall in Greenwich. These spare, declamatory words:
KILLER HALES IS GOD
Join Fanny in the knitting club ?
What the feck is that about, Viewfinder ?
I MAY have sewn on the odd button or two in my time but anything more complicated than that, never.
Or are you merely calling me an old nit ?
(BTW, the lovely "young" lady steward that GHF refers to is also a Jean but not this one)
Wasn't very impressed with Oxford's crowd and their stewarding terrible with clearly too many away fans in the area provided.
The Oxford stewards seemed to me to be doing a decent job....the problem was our own selfish fans who insisted on "sitting where you want".
Yesterday was awful for me as I had my 10 year old Daughter with me. We were in row BB and had all that standing and jostling with the stewards in front of us. She was scared and crying and the stewards could see this, asked if she was ok and subsequently moved us to the front.
Unfortunately, at the front we sat next to some teenage fans who were clearly frustrated (as much as everyone) at the way we were playing. Just shouting out the same inane rubbish using every expletive possible in front of many young fans isn't going to help matters at all. Then slamming the seats in time to the singing or just in frustration really grinds away at you too. My little girl was paying no attention to the match as she just didn't want to be there....she didn't celebrate the goal and Jacko is/was her favourite player!
Now my daughter never wants to go to a match again......thanks guys, thanks a lot, hope you enjoyed it.
I feel for you. I too had my 9 year old daughter with me. Her first away game. I spent the whole of last week worrying about the whole 'stand up, sit down' routine. We got lucky. We were in row J and we had decent people around us and everyone in front of us sat down. Some youngish lads were next to us and they did keep standing up blocking the view of an elderly couple behind them but they were ok, they did sit down every time I asked them to and then went elsewhere in the second half. I do understand why people stand up but if no one is standing up in front of you and you have kids or elderly behind you then some respect really needs to be shown.
Something needs to change. What sort of country are we if lots of parents won't take kids to away matches. Why can't there be 100 seats for families etc... at away grounds. As it stands if you get seats right in the middle of the standing contingent what chance have kids got to watch the game.
Terracing was always superior to seats for being able to get a good view and not having to stand next to 'yobs'. You could stand where you wanted and properly policed it is perfectly safe. I long for the day when 'safe standing' areas are in all football grounds.
The thing that's struck me is how even this league has looked, there are no great teams and no poor teams in this division. Which explains the number of draws we've got
Poor tactically yesterday, if you play 4-5-1 you need pace in midfield to give support to the lone striker, but instead we had the slowest central midfield in the division, with bizarrely Foley playing as an attacking midfielder
Can't complain about the referee, I thought the penalty and red card were correct decision. Lennon does get booked too often, he has a tendency to lunge in.
The concourse areas were dangerously overcrowded, as Oxford only opened up a small section of the space below the stand, and didn't open the vomitory nearest the centre of the stand. As a result it took ages to get out as well...
Great pubs in Oxford, I was on the last train home (23:01)!
Yeah stewards were just basically jobsworth cunts yesterday. Checking tickets when you are nearly at your seat ffs. Never mind.
They were ridiculous, checking people as they left the concourse scrum at half time just added to the massive bottleneck. And it's not as if I was going in the "correct" entrance anyway as it was shut!
I spoke with a steward at half time regarding the bottleneck and was told it's nothing to do with the stewards, it's down to Senior management.
You would of thought that the club could have managed the situation a bit better. Let's hope the Head steward will report back to the senior management team and find a better way to handle a large crowd in the future.
The thing that's struck me is how even this league has looked, there are no great teams and no poor teams in this division. Which explains the number of draws we've got
Poor tactically yesterday, if you play 4-5-1 you need pace in midfield to give support to the lone striker, but instead we had the slowest central midfield in the division, with bizarrely Foley playing as an attacking midfielder
Can't complain about the referee, I thought the penalty and red card were correct decision. Lennon does get booked too often, he has a tendency to lunge in.
The concourse areas were dangerously overcrowded, as Oxford only opened up a small section of the space below the stand, and didn't open the vomitory nearest the centre of the stand. As a result it took ages to get out as well...
Great pubs in Oxford, I was on the last train home (23:01)!
Yeah stewards were just basically jobsworth cunts yesterday. Checking tickets when you are nearly at your seat ffs. Never mind.
They were ridiculous, checking people as they left the concourse scrum at half time just added to the massive bottleneck. And it's not as if I was going in the "correct" entrance anyway as it was shut!
I spoke with a steward at half time regarding the bottleneck and was told it's nothing to do with the stewards, it's down to Senior management.
You would of thought that the club could have managed the situation a bit better. Let's hope the Head steward will report back to the senior management team and find a better way to handle a large crowd in the future.
They were only doing their job of course, but checking the fans returning to their seats at half time just added to the problem, especially as the already narrow entrance was halved by having 2 hefty stewards in the way!
Wasn't very impressed with Oxford's crowd and their stewarding terrible with clearly too many away fans in the area provided.
The Oxford stewards seemed to me to be doing a decent job....the problem was our own selfish fans who insisted on "sitting where you want".
Yesterday was awful for me as I had my 10 year old Daughter with me. We were in row BB and had all that standing and jostling with the stewards in front of us. She was scared and crying and the stewards could see this, asked if she was ok and subsequently moved us to the front.
Unfortunately, at the front we sat next to some teenage fans who were clearly frustrated (as much as everyone) at the way we were playing. Just shouting out the same inane rubbish using every expletive possible in front of many young fans isn't going to help matters at all. Then slamming the seats in time to the singing or just in frustration really grinds away at you too. My little girl was paying no attention to the match as she just didn't want to be there....she didn't celebrate the goal and Jacko is/was her favourite player!
Now my daughter never wants to go to a match again......thanks guys, thanks a lot, hope you enjoyed it.
I feel for you. I too had my 9 year old daughter with me. Her first away game. I spent the whole of last week worrying about the whole 'stand up, sit down' routine. We got lucky. We were in row J and we had decent people around us and everyone in front of us sat down. Some youngish lads were next to us and they did keep standing up blocking the view of an elderly couple behind them but they were ok, they did sit down every time I asked them to and then went elsewhere in the second half. I do understand why people stand up but if no one is standing up in front of you and you have kids or elderly behind you then some respect really needs to be shown.
Something needs to change. What sort of country are we if lots of parents won't take kids to away matches. Why can't there be 100 seats for families etc... at away grounds. As it stands if you get seats right in the middle of the standing contingent what chance have kids got to watch the game.
Terracing was always superior to seats for being able to get a good view and not having to stand next to 'yobs'. You could stand where you wanted and properly policed it is perfectly safe. I long for the day when 'safe standing' areas are in all football grounds.
Some good points made, 25May98.
I previously mentioned the 2 fans in our group who would need to be seated yesterday & fortunately, they too "got lucky".
The problem is popular matches where we are likely to sell out our allocation , hence the opportunity to move to another seat is precluded.
This will happen at Millwall, possibly Gillingham , Southend & Wimbledon so IMHO, these are the ones to avoid if you're concerned about the above issue.
We're "treating" our 2 eldest grandkids( 12 & 9) to an away day at Port Vale which falls in half term for them , with a overnighter to boot ( How can 2 kids be so lucky !!!!) I'm pretty certain there won't be a standing problem there midweek.....
However, the signage local to Burslem could be a concern.
Oh dear, @Viewfinder, I fear that your chances of a nice sweater are now fading fast .... ;-(
As a small consolation may I present a vignette from the 1968 Oxford game. We've spoken before about the frail, Lowryesque figure of Matt Tees, his fragile frame collapsing under a challenge like a deckchair in a gale. Picture in contrast the robust Ron Atkinson, thundering tirelessly about Oxford's midfield on gargantuan, bright pink legs topped by the skimpiest pair of shorts ever, actually a sight I would prefer to stop remembering (if only to leave room to recall what I did earlier this morning). Charlton Life - the forum that brings you Ron Atkinson's thighs .... many apologies for the digression.
Started early when we literally couldn't get on the packed 11.20 from paddington. Had to take a detour changing at Reading. Obviously as a Charlton fan it's always great to take an extra train and see another station for 20 minutes or so, but it did cut the pre-match drinking time a bit. After that got on the painfully slow number 5 bus from Oxford city centre, which stops every 20 yards to pick up another old lady, then circles interminably around the Blackbird Leys area for what seems like hours, then drops you off, 8 minutes after the kick-off just a short walk away from the Kassam. Security guard with a ridiculously over-inflated opinion of himself and his job then stops us from entering the turnstiles, before playing with his walky-talky for a bit, and finally letting us in after a comprehensive bag check. Finally enter the stand only to stand on the stairs for the next 20 minutes while the stewards bellow contradictory instructions at us from all sides. One of them tells me to 'just squeeze in' to a row of seats off the stairs. When I tell him I'd rather not stand directly in front of a middle-aged man I assume is there to watch the game he starts barking at me not to 'get clever' with him. Finally, the five of us manage to get put in a row of seats together in time to 'enjoy' the last 15 minutes of the 1st half, attempting to strike a bodily compromise between the demands of the 'siddarn' brigade, and the overexcited teenagers in the row in front. Go to get a drink at half time and miss the charlton goal. Return to the stand covered in celebratory beer in time to see us give away a ridculously easy breakaway goal then play out the rest of a pathetic performance. Good night out in Oxford though. Slade is an idiot. Roland out.
Overall: A point away from home has to be seen as a good thing but we do need to start winning at home to derive maximum benefit!
We lined up effectively 4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1 if you prefer. We attacked from the kick off and won a couple of corners which came to nothing. In the fourth minute what, in my view, proved to be the match defining moment occurred when Rudd made a splendid reflex save to keep out what looked a certain goal from an Oxford header. To have gone 1-0 down at that point when set up as we were would have been catastrophic.
The remainder of the first half was eminently forgettable. The odd flash from Lookman although he seemed to try to take on one man too many sometimes. An Oxford breakaway when he was dispossessed could have led to an Oxford goal but fortunately the defence got back to cover. Big Josh battled manfully on his own but received little or no support from the midfield. More grist to the mill for the 'Jacko's legs have gone' merchants. I've mentioned Rudd's save but stand out Charlton player for me otherwise was Fred Ulvestad the one midfielder to demonstrate at least a modicum of penetration and attacking intent alongside his defensive duties.
Second half was more of the same until RICKYYYYYYYY! replaced a tiring Lookman, easy to forget he is still only 18, and we livened up in attacking intent considerably. A speculative cross was punched away in salmon leaping fashion by an Oxford defender (? Raglan) in the penalty box and Captain Fantastic duly put it away. At that point we got our hopes up for all 3 points but Oxford hit back and Maguire finished clinically to make it 1-1. We pushed forward some more and Eastwood in the Oxford goal made a reflex save to push a Magennis header against the bar and deny us the win.
My first visit to the Kassam Stadium and it is a functional if characterless stadium like all modern stadia of its type. The stewards were friendly enough but whoever allocated just one exit to well over 1,000 Charlton fans at halftime needs a brain transplant. Had we been Millwall fans there would have been a riot in the resulting crush. As it was there were a few raised voices and near flashpoints that I witnessed all because of this poor stadium management.
EDIT: On rereading I give the impression that our goal came after RICKY!!!!!!!!!!!! came on. In fact it was before and Brussel then brought him on as what I thought was the right substitution at the time although others will disagree.
Slade's football is shite. He's reactive not proactive. Make a positive change at 1-0 and we could kill the game. Instead..
Also strange scenes near where I was standing. One obviously pro-CARD supporter having a row with a bloke standing behind him for a good 20 mins. The bloke behind was obviously very upset that people were singing nasty songs about Roland and at one stage appeared to shout 'shut up' during an extremely loud rendition of 'just sell the club'. Clown.
Is irt the same idiof on the 19.01 home
Probably mate, we drove though. What was he saying?
With the bus from the station/centre, the key was to get off before it started that loop of Blackbird Leys. Follow the locals through the backstreets...
Oxford had a few breakaways, they were always going to score from one of them.
Started early when we literally couldn't get on the packed 11.20 from paddington. Had to take a detour changing at Reading. Obviously as a Charlton fan it's always great to take an extra train and see another station for 20 minutes or so, but it did cut the pre-match drinking time a bit. After that got on the painfully slow number 5 bus from Oxford city centre, which stops every 20 yards to pick up another old lady, then circles interminably around the Blackbird Leys area for what seems like hours, then drops you off, 8 minutes after the kick-off just a short walk away from the Kassam. Security guard with a ridiculously over-inflated opinion of himself and his job then stops us from entering the turnstiles, before playing with his walky-talky for a bit, and finally letting us in after a comprehensive bag check. Finally enter the stand only to stand on the stairs for the next 20 minutes while the stewards bellow contradictory instructions at us from all sides. One of them tells me to 'just squeeze in' to a row of seats off the stairs. When I tell him I'd rather not stand directly in front of a middle-aged man I assume is there to watch the game he starts barking at me not to 'get clever' with him. Finally, the five of us manage to get put in a row of seats together in time to 'enjoy' the last 15 minutes of the 1st half, attempting to strike a bodily compromise between the demands of the 'siddarn' brigade, and the overexcited teenagers in the row in front. Go to get a drink at half time and miss the charlton goal. Return to the stand covered in celebratory beer in time to see us give away a ridculously easy breakaway goal then play out the rest of a pathetic performance. Good night out in Oxford though. Slade is an idiot. Roland out.
Glad your night out made up for the miserable day you had. The checking to get in was not consistent. I had a hand bag and bag which were just looked into not searched but the young man in our group had to take everything out of his pockets and all was throughly checked. Guess I look too old and pathetic to be seen as any threat.
Haven't been to Oxford since Morse was a constable. As usual the social side was 90% of the match-day experience. Travelled on the CARD coach from Charlton - very pleasant, and expertly run by our delightful 84 years-young lady steward. Got back home to SE18 at 19.40 - easy-peasy. We had left SE7 at 11.00 and arrived at 13.45 - the club coach was not due to leave Charlton until 11.55 so Gawd knows what time they got to the game.
The Rustler and his coaching mates are mice. This is a talented group - just turn them loose, for crying out loud. Maginnis was so remote from his colleagues he was getting the ball by post. The table might be tight but all those points lost by timidity are lost forever. If we get caught out once in a while - which we were today anyway - then so be it, but at least we might get some better football and who knows, maybe even some excitement. Paddy Bauer striding forward and getting things moving - now that's a real footballer trying to play proper football.
Great post GHF. I admit I am part of your social circle and that if it was not for the social side I would have given up already this season. RS is so slow to make substitutions that it is barely worth bothering, and playing just one up front, when have we ever been so negative? Poor Josh was unlucky to have their keeper make a brilliant save to deny him the goal he deserves for having to work alone most of the match. Great to see Bauer again after so long, he makes a difference, and would be even better to see him alongside Tex at the back. Though it's not defence that's the problem, there's no creativity in midfield and we rarely look like scoring. We can't hold onto a lead and the only surprise yesterday was that we didn't throw it away completely like we did against Wimbledon last week. Come on Slade, you've signed forwards, use them!
Interesting that Curbs said on the football show last night that he couldn't offer any comfort to fans and that the owners of the club have decisions to make. There's only one they need to make, SELL UP, NOW!
terrific sentiment .. BUT is there a queue of buyers or even a queue of one ? .. until we improve in footballing terms there will be little or no interest in buying a failing club for a price that would be acceptable to Duchatelet .. we MUST just keep hoping that on field performances keep improving enough to inject some interest from a VERY rich man/group .. and nowadays only VERY rich people are interested in buying a football club
I doubt there would be a queue Lincs, but think there would still be one or two. I do fear that if we keep on playing like this and losing even more fans then no-one will touch us with a barge pole. RD won't care as he can sell the land to developers. I do fear we may lose our club forever at this rate.
Haven't been to Oxford since Morse was a constable. As usual the social side was 90% of the match-day experience. Travelled on the CARD coach from Charlton - very pleasant, and expertly run by our delightful 84 years-young lady steward. Got back home to SE18 at 19.40 - easy-peasy. We had left SE7 at 11.00 and arrived at 13.45 - the club coach was not due to leave Charlton until 11.55 so Gawd knows what time they got to the game.
The Rustler and his coaching mates are mice. This is a talented group - just turn them loose, for crying out loud. Maginnis was so remote from his colleagues he was getting the ball by post. The table might be tight but all those points lost by timidity are lost forever. If we get caught out once in a while - which we were today anyway - then so be it, but at least we might get some better football and who knows, maybe even some excitement. Paddy Bauer striding forward and getting things moving - now that's a real footballer trying to play proper football.
Great post GHF. I admit I am part of your social circle and that if it was not for the social side I would have given up already this season. RS is so slow to make substitutions that it is barely worth bothering, and playing just one up front, when have we ever been so negative? Poor Josh was unlucky to have their keeper make a brilliant save to deny him the goal he deserves for having to work alone most of the match. Great to see Bauer again after so long, he makes a difference, and would be even better to see him alongside Tex at the back. Though it's not defence that's the problem, there's no creativity in midfield and we rarely look like scoring. We can't hold onto a lead and the only surprise yesterday was that we didn't throw it away completely like we did against Wimbledon last week. Come on Slade, you've signed forwards, use them!
Interesting that Curbs said on the football show last night that he couldn't offer any comfort to fans and that the owners of the club have decisions to make. There's only one they need to make, SELL UP, NOW!
terrific sentiment .. BUT is there a queue of buyers or even a queue of one ? .. until we improve in footballing terms there will be little or no interest in buying a failing club for a price that would be acceptable to Duchatelet .. we MUST just keep hoping that on field performances keep improving enough to inject some interest from a VERY rich man/group .. and nowadays only VERY rich people are interested in buying a football club
I doubt there would be a queue Lincs, but think there would still be one or two. I do fear that if we keep on playing like this and losing even more fans then no-one will touch us with a barge pole. RD won't care as he can sell the land to developers. I do fear we may lose our club forever at this rate.
you're really emphasising my point .. it is the on field success or failure that will determine the club's future .. more success = more value/equity in the club and, as I surmised above, Duchatelet will not sell until the price is right .. we MUST keep a bit of faith in the club as it stands at present, as odious as Duchatelet may be and as incompetent as is Meire .. Yesterday we had the ridiculous situation of the 'away fans', the pissed mob which can sometimes be persuaded to travel a few miles outside the M25 chanting 'Roland is a cunt' .. 'save our club, our famous football club' .. just after we had scored .. w t f is that all about .. how is that encouraging the team, motivating the team on the field ? .. the best way to get of Duchatelet is to achieve on field success and encourage potential buyers .. otherwise, as you suggest, the club might be driven into the ground ..
Sat in with the Oxford just near our travelling support - masses of room, no trouble, great playing surface (shame about the football played on it). Reminded me of Carlisle with no stand behind one goal. Superb real ale at half time, great pies... shame about our schizophrenic manager and his ultra-conservative set up - though by the second half we were like the home team with them playing on the break. Best car park I've spent quality time in since the M25. Floodgates had better open Tuesday night though. COYR.
The flaw in that Lincs is that though started by "the 'away fans', the pissed mob which can sometimes be persuaded to travel a few miles outside the M25", it was taken up by nearly all the away end, the 'sell our club' chant reflects the majority view of those who were there. It had zero impact on the players wheras giving the ball away in midfield that led to the goal did.
The game was similar to many this season. Slade sets us up in a negative manner and despite every game being winnable this season, Slade is too scared to go for it.
We really could have had 8 out of 9 wins, not Bury.
There's 3 points for a win and only 1 for a draw, so we'd be no worse off winning 1 and losing 2, rather than 3 draws.
A point a game will get you relegated Slade, ffs be more positive and ok if it isn't working have a rethink.
Powell was too negative (still love him), but Slade's worse.
If I'm correct we now have 3 home league games, Oldham, Rochdale & Coventry.
Magennis is a tremendously good player: wins all the headers, runs to receive, plays superbly on the ground - and sprints at defenders to block. He takes our attacking throw-ins, hurls long in to the box - yet, that's the wrong way around. Magennis should be at the end of these balls, all muscular and sharp, creating havoc in the box where it hurts.
Ricky Holmes is also superb. Look at that run against Wimbledon. He seized possession from our retreating defence, zig-zagged through the opponents, got in to the box and shot. Despite all his academy training at Sparrows Lane, Diego Poyet never did that.
Both Magennis and Holmes have a bloodthirsty attacking spirit - they go for the jugular - which is absolutely vital. It's essential. For years we have shuffled sideways like crabs, pussy-footing passes back to the man who passed to him in the first place. All that geologically slow, pointless, self-defeating fear. These two are a shot of adrenalin in our team.
Every professional club has a Lookman. Tricky and peripheral - like Harriott before him; The Valley swoons at a step-over. The difference is that Lookman is planets below Zaha and Bolasie - which is partly why they are in the Prem and we are facing Rochdale.
Guts, intelligence, spark and gamble. Magennis and Holmes are brimming and bubbling. They are bloody good for us.
Arry Addick you were moved in front of me, the lads you are referring to, were fine, they didn't direct any abuse to you or your daughter,whilst I appreciate she may have felt intimidated there was no malice what so ever.This is one of the m ore local games and was always going to be a sellout in the away end,I don't think J Block was trying to be funny, it is football and it happens my son has been going home and away since he was 5 and he got used to it. We had some old bloke behind us moaning about us standing up as we had a few chances, the people around us were all standing when we got close to there box not continuously.I said to him instead of moaning why don't you sit in the row in front of us where there were 5 or 6 empty seats what would have been sensible as he would have had a clear view, but it was easier to sit and moan.
Not a very convincing penalty from JJ. And he's missed a few lately. Anyone else in this side any good at penalty taking?
Looked good enough to me.
Ajose was the penalty taker at Swindon last season.
Not sure I agree with you on that one, Henry.
JJ has developed the habit of hitting penalties straight down the middle recently. Any goalkeeper who has done his homework (or had it done for him) would surely know that. And watch this one again - if the Oxford goalie had simply stood still he would have swallowed the ball1
Not a very convincing penalty from JJ. And he's missed a few lately. Anyone else in this side any good at penalty taking?
Looked good enough to me.
Ajose was the penalty taker at Swindon last season.
Holmes and Novak also took them for Northampton and Chesterfield last season. However, with both of them and Ajose off the field, I suppose Jacko was next in line (although Lookman looked interested in taking it after the penalty was awarded).
Comments
Poor tactically yesterday, if you play 4-5-1 you need pace in midfield to give support to the lone striker, but instead we had the slowest central midfield in the division, with bizarrely Foley playing as an attacking midfielder
Can't complain about the referee, I thought the penalty and red card were correct decision. Lennon does get booked too often, he has a tendency to lunge in.
The concourse areas were dangerously overcrowded, as Oxford only opened up a small section of the space below the stand, and didn't open the vomitory nearest the centre of the stand. As a result it took ages to get out as well...
Great pubs in Oxford, I was on the last train home (23:01)!
What the feck is that about, Viewfinder ?
I MAY have sewn on the odd button or two in my time but anything more complicated than that, never.
Or are you merely calling me an old nit ?
(BTW, the lovely "young" lady steward that GHF refers to is also a Jean but not this one)
Something needs to change. What sort of country are we if lots of parents won't take kids to away matches. Why can't there be 100 seats for families etc... at away grounds. As it stands if you get seats right in the middle of the standing contingent what chance have kids got to watch the game.
Terracing was always superior to seats for being able to get a good view and not having to stand next to 'yobs'. You could stand where you wanted and properly policed it is perfectly safe. I long for the day when 'safe standing' areas are in all football grounds.
You would of thought that the club could have managed the situation a bit better. Let's hope the Head steward will report back to the senior management team and find a better way to handle a large crowd in the future.
I previously mentioned the 2 fans in our group who would need to be seated yesterday & fortunately, they too "got lucky".
The problem is popular matches where we are likely to sell out our allocation , hence the opportunity to move to another seat is precluded.
This will happen at Millwall, possibly Gillingham , Southend & Wimbledon so IMHO, these are the ones to avoid if you're concerned about the above issue.
We're "treating" our 2 eldest grandkids( 12 & 9) to an away day at Port Vale which falls in half term for them , with a overnighter to boot ( How can 2 kids be so lucky !!!!) I'm pretty certain there won't be a standing problem there midweek.....
However, the signage local to Burslem could be a concern.
"Alton Towers, 2 miles "
Oh dear, @Viewfinder, I fear that your chances of a nice sweater are now fading fast .... ;-(
As a small consolation may I present a vignette from the 1968 Oxford game. We've spoken before about the frail, Lowryesque figure of Matt Tees, his fragile frame collapsing under a challenge like a deckchair in a gale. Picture in contrast the robust Ron Atkinson, thundering tirelessly about Oxford's midfield on gargantuan, bright pink legs topped by the skimpiest pair of shorts ever, actually a sight I would prefer to stop remembering (if only to leave room to recall what I did earlier this morning). Charlton Life - the forum that brings you Ron Atkinson's thighs .... many apologies for the digression.
Started early when we literally couldn't get on the packed 11.20 from paddington. Had to take a detour changing at Reading. Obviously as a Charlton fan it's always great to take an extra train and see another station for 20 minutes or so, but it did cut the pre-match drinking time a bit. After that got on the painfully slow number 5 bus from Oxford city centre, which stops every 20 yards to pick up another old lady, then circles interminably around the Blackbird Leys area for what seems like hours, then drops you off, 8 minutes after the kick-off just a short walk away from the Kassam. Security guard with a ridiculously over-inflated opinion of himself and his job then stops us from entering the turnstiles, before playing with his walky-talky for a bit, and finally letting us in after a comprehensive bag check. Finally enter the stand only to stand on the stairs for the next 20 minutes while the stewards bellow contradictory instructions at us from all sides. One of them tells me to 'just squeeze in' to a row of seats off the stairs. When I tell him I'd rather not stand directly in front of a middle-aged man I assume is there to watch the game he starts barking at me not to 'get clever' with him. Finally, the five of us manage to get put in a row of seats together in time to 'enjoy' the last 15 minutes of the 1st half, attempting to strike a bodily compromise between the demands of the 'siddarn' brigade, and the overexcited teenagers in the row in front. Go to get a drink at half time and miss the charlton goal. Return to the stand covered in celebratory beer in time to see us give away a ridculously easy breakaway goal then play out the rest of a pathetic performance. Good night out in Oxford though. Slade is an idiot. Roland out.
Overall: A point away from home has to be seen as a good thing but we do need to start winning at home to derive maximum benefit!
We lined up effectively 4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1 if you prefer. We attacked from the kick off and won a couple of corners which came to nothing. In the fourth minute what, in my view, proved to be the match defining moment occurred when Rudd made a splendid reflex save to keep out what looked a certain goal from an Oxford header. To have gone 1-0 down at that point when set up as we were would have been catastrophic.
The remainder of the first half was eminently forgettable. The odd flash from Lookman although he seemed to try to take on one man too many sometimes. An Oxford breakaway when he was dispossessed could have led to an Oxford goal but fortunately the defence got back to cover. Big Josh battled manfully on his own but received little or no support from the midfield. More grist to the mill for the 'Jacko's legs have gone' merchants. I've mentioned Rudd's save but stand out Charlton player for me otherwise was Fred Ulvestad the one midfielder to demonstrate at least a modicum of penetration and attacking intent alongside his defensive duties.
Second half was more of the same until RICKYYYYYYYY! replaced a tiring Lookman, easy to forget he is still only 18, and we livened up in attacking intent considerably. A speculative cross was punched away in salmon leaping fashion by an Oxford defender (? Raglan) in the penalty box and Captain Fantastic duly put it away. At that point we got our hopes up for all 3 points but Oxford hit back and Maguire finished clinically to make it 1-1. We pushed forward some more and Eastwood in the Oxford goal made a reflex save to push a Magennis header against the bar and deny us the win.
My first visit to the Kassam Stadium and it is a functional if characterless stadium like all modern stadia of its type. The stewards were friendly enough but whoever allocated just one exit to well over 1,000 Charlton fans at halftime needs a brain transplant. Had we been Millwall fans there would have been a riot in the resulting crush. As it was there were a few raised voices and near flashpoints that I witnessed all because of this poor stadium management.
EDIT: On rereading I give the impression that our goal came after RICKY!!!!!!!!!!!! came on. In fact it was before and Brussel then brought him on as what I thought was the right substitution at the time although others will disagree.
Oxford had a few breakaways, they were always going to score from one of them.
Yesterday we had the ridiculous situation of the 'away fans', the pissed mob which can sometimes be persuaded to travel a few miles outside the M25 chanting 'Roland is a cunt' .. 'save our club, our famous football club' .. just after we had scored .. w t f is that all about .. how is that encouraging the team, motivating the team on the field ? .. the best way to get of Duchatelet is to achieve on field success and encourage potential buyers .. otherwise, as you suggest, the club might be driven into the ground ..
"the 'away fans', the pissed mob which can sometimes be persuaded to travel a few miles outside the M25", it was taken up by nearly all the away end, the 'sell our club' chant reflects the majority view of those who were there. It had zero impact on the players wheras giving the ball away in midfield that led to the goal did.
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/14763425.VIDEO__Highlights_from_Oxford_United_s_draw_with_Charlton_Athletic/
Not a very convincing penalty from JJ. And he's missed a few lately. Anyone else in this side any good at penalty taking?
Ajose was the penalty taker at Swindon last season.
We really could have had 8 out of 9 wins, not Bury.
There's 3 points for a win and only 1 for a draw, so we'd be no worse off winning 1 and losing 2, rather than 3 draws.
A point a game will get you relegated Slade, ffs be more positive and ok if it isn't working have a rethink.
Powell was too negative (still love him), but Slade's worse.
If I'm correct we now have 3 home league games, Oldham, Rochdale & Coventry.
We should win all 3, but 7 points is a minimum.
If we get 7/9 we'll be in or near the top 6.
Ricky Holmes is also superb. Look at that run against Wimbledon. He seized possession from our retreating defence, zig-zagged through the opponents, got in to the box and shot. Despite all his academy training at Sparrows Lane, Diego Poyet never did that.
Both Magennis and Holmes have a bloodthirsty attacking spirit - they go for the jugular - which is absolutely vital. It's essential. For years we have shuffled sideways like crabs, pussy-footing passes back to the man who passed to him in the first place. All that geologically slow, pointless, self-defeating fear. These two are a shot of adrenalin in our team.
Every professional club has a Lookman. Tricky and peripheral - like Harriott before him; The Valley swoons at a step-over. The difference is that Lookman is planets below Zaha and Bolasie - which is partly why they are in the Prem and we are facing Rochdale.
Guts, intelligence, spark and gamble. Magennis and Holmes are brimming and bubbling. They are bloody good for us.
JJ has developed the habit of hitting penalties straight down the middle recently. Any goalkeeper who has done his homework (or had it done for him) would surely know that. And watch this one again - if the Oxford goalie had simply stood still he would have swallowed the ball1