It genuinely staggers me that some fans can't see how big the job Lee Bowyer has done in the last 15-16 months or so whatever it is. It really reminds me of the late 80's when Lennie Lawrence would defy the odds every year.
Maybe you had to be sitting on the coach at 2am on the way back from Blackpool away two seasons ago having lost 0-1 season all but over with 3 months of the season to play. Maybe you had to see those lows first hand amongst many others we saw during our 3 year stint in League One to appreciate the work Bowyer has done in the last 15-16 months but i'm not even sure I can put into words what Bowyer has done for us. We owe Bowyer big time for last season. I'd love someone like grapevine to put into words just what Bowyer has done for the club.
Exactly who are all these fans who can’t see what a great job LB has done? I haven’t seen any evidence that there more than one or two at the most.....one of whom posted earlier today and was rounded on immediately by several of us. I honestly have seen no other evidence of such an opinion expressed on here or anywhere else come to that?
I didn't say people weren't saying Bowyer hasn't done a great job I doubt you could find any Charlton fan of that opinion.
I realize lots of new posts occur very quickly on this thread and it's hard to keep up but there are a few posters not many but a handful yes that have either posted here or on another thread to say that Bowyer only got the team promoted and that was the expectation anyway. I'm just of the opinion that I think Bowyer has done far more than that and aside from winning the league don't think there's anything else he could have done this year really and would probably need someone like grapevine to really put it across.
Under H.R.Owen Plc there are a few other Directors with familiar names.. Robin Tan U-Peng Tan Veh Ken Choo
This was mentioned to me a few months back about the owner of HR Owen being interested (I googled and I’m certain it wasn’t this fella who I ended up with but must have been him who was being referred to) but was finding it difficult to deal with The Helmet
I know it's been said an million times before, but what an absolute shambles. The job Bowyer has done... for the single season performance he's just had - well... it's got to be up there with anything Seed, Lawrence, Curbs, or Powell ever achieved... the best managers this club has ever know.
Winning promotion on a shoe string.
Playing good quality football the likes of which we didn't really see even under Powell and only a few times under Curbs
Turning supporter apathy in August into one of the largest, noisiest, most united turnouts ever by our supporters at Wembley 9 months later.
I mean, I honestly don't know what more he could have done. Yet here we are, at the 11th hour, and things are merely "beginning to move in the right direction". And it's not even as if it appears a difficult deal to do - Bowyer really, truly wants to stay FFS!
It beggars belief, it really does.
Don’t be silly, can’t put in the sand breathe as some of those.
We didn’t pay a fee for anyone but let’s be honest we still had a very good squad for the third tier. Don’t get me wrong, he done an outstanding job but all we did was win promotion from the third tier. Of course we need to keep him but I think his achievements are slightly exaggerated, mostly because of the shit over the last few years.
Tell me a single, standalone season where any of those mangers achieved significantly more than Bowyer did last year in less favourable circumstances?
Who ever got promoted without a good squad? Powell and Curbs certainly had very good squads. And lets not forget who assembled that very good squad and who identified and attracted those players despite having no money for fees. Curbs and Powell were both backed in the transfer market during their most successful years to an extent Bowyer can only dream of.
Lennie Lawrence is the main comparison for me, getting us up despite the turmoil of the leaving the Valley. Ok, it was a division higher, but promotion is promotion.
What Bowyer has done this year is 100% comparable with some of the best managerial achievements to happen at Charlton. I don't think it's at all an exaggeration to say that.
Lawrence was backed in the transfer market.
In the close season before the start of the 85/86 season he was given the resources to bring in John Humprey, Steve Thomson, John Pearson, George Shipley, Mark Reid, and John Pender. Compared to previous close seasons this represented a huge outlay on new players. Later on in the season Jim Melrose was added to give a final push to promotion. Lawrence chose well and promotion was achieved. The sting in the tail was leaving the Valley for Selhurst Park.
Think Mike Bailey should be mentioned as well.
In some ways 1980/81 is the most similar to last season in that he revived us from being relegated with record low points to a promotion campaign. The only player brought in was Terry Naylor from Spurs midway through the season.
I know it's been said an million times before, but what an absolute shambles. The job Bowyer has done... for the single season performance he's just had - well... it's got to be up there with anything Seed, Lawrence, Curbs, or Powell ever achieved... the best managers this club has ever know.
Winning promotion on a shoe string.
Playing good quality football the likes of which we didn't really see even under Powell and only a few times under Curbs
Turning supporter apathy in August into one of the largest, noisiest, most united turnouts ever by our supporters at Wembley 9 months later.
I mean, I honestly don't know what more he could have done. Yet here we are, at the 11th hour, and things are merely "beginning to move in the right direction". And it's not even as if it appears a difficult deal to do - Bowyer really, truly wants to stay FFS!
It beggars belief, it really does.
Don’t be silly, can’t put in the sand breathe as some of those.
We didn’t pay a fee for anyone but let’s be honest we still had a very good squad for the third tier. Don’t get me wrong, he done an outstanding job but all we did was win promotion from the third tier. Of course we need to keep him but I think his achievements are slightly exaggerated, mostly because of the shit over the last few years.
Tell me a single, standalone season where any of those mangers achieved significantly more than Bowyer did last year in less favourable circumstances?
Who ever got promoted without a good squad? Powell and Curbs certainly had very good squads. And lets not forget who assembled that very good squad and who identified and attracted those players despite having no money for fees. Curbs and Powell were both backed in the transfer market during their most successful years to an extent Bowyer can only dream of.
Lennie Lawrence is the main comparison for me, getting us up despite the turmoil of the leaving the Valley. Ok, it was a division higher, but promotion is promotion.
What Bowyer has done this year is 100% comparable with some of the best managerial achievements to happen at Charlton. I don't think it's at all an exaggeration to say that.
Lawrence was backed in the transfer market.
In the close season before the start of the 85/86 season he was given the resources to bring in John Humprey, Steve Thomson, John Pearson, George Shipley, Mark Reid, and John Pender. Compared to previous close seasons this represented a huge outlay on new players. Later on in the season Jim Melrose was added to give a final push to promotion. Lawrence chose well and promotion was achieved. The sting in the tail was leaving the Valley for Selhurst Park.
Think Mike Bailey should be mentioned as well.
In some ways 1980/81 is the most similar to last season in that he revived us from being relegated with record low points to a promotion campaign. The only player brought in was Terry Naylor from Spurs midway through the season.
Bailey is a better comparison.
Both were assistants who stepped up, both finished third....Oh hang on a minute. Bailey left in the summer after promotion when not given the contract he wanted.
I know it's been said an million times before, but what an absolute shambles. The job Bowyer has done... for the single season performance he's just had - well... it's got to be up there with anything Seed, Lawrence, Curbs, or Powell ever achieved... the best managers this club has ever know.
Winning promotion on a shoe string.
Playing good quality football the likes of which we didn't really see even under Powell and only a few times under Curbs
Turning supporter apathy in August into one of the largest, noisiest, most united turnouts ever by our supporters at Wembley 9 months later.
I mean, I honestly don't know what more he could have done. Yet here we are, at the 11th hour, and things are merely "beginning to move in the right direction". And it's not even as if it appears a difficult deal to do - Bowyer really, truly wants to stay FFS!
It beggars belief, it really does.
Don’t be silly, can’t put in the sand breathe as some of those.
We didn’t pay a fee for anyone but let’s be honest we still had a very good squad for the third tier. Don’t get me wrong, he done an outstanding job but all we did was win promotion from the third tier. Of course we need to keep him but I think his achievements are slightly exaggerated, mostly because of the shit over the last few years.
Tell me a single, standalone season where any of those mangers achieved significantly more than Bowyer did last year in less favourable circumstances?
Who ever got promoted without a good squad? Powell and Curbs certainly had very good squads. And lets not forget who assembled that very good squad and who identified and attracted those players despite having no money for fees. Curbs and Powell were both backed in the transfer market during their most successful years to an extent Bowyer can only dream of.
Lennie Lawrence is the main comparison for me, getting us up despite the turmoil of the leaving the Valley. Ok, it was a division higher, but promotion is promotion.
What Bowyer has done this year is 100% comparable with some of the best managerial achievements to happen at Charlton. I don't think it's at all an exaggeration to say that.
Lawrence was backed in the transfer market.
In the close season before the start of the 85/86 season he was given the resources to bring in John Humprey, Steve Thomson, John Pearson, George Shipley, Mark Reid, and John Pender. Compared to previous close seasons this represented a huge outlay on new players. Later on in the season Jim Melrose was added to give a final push to promotion. Lawrence chose well and promotion was achieved. The sting in the tail was leaving the Valley for Selhurst Park.
Think Mike Bailey should be mentioned as well.
In some ways 1980/81 is the most similar to last season in that he revived us from being relegated with record low points to a promotion campaign. The only player brought in was Terry Naylor from Spurs midway through the season.
Bailey is a better comparison.
Both were assistants who stepped up, both finished third....Oh hang on a minute. Bailey left in the summer after promotion when not given the contract he wanted.
Though on a positive note under Mullery we did stay up, finishing 13th, sandwiched between Chelsea and Cambridge! And 2 places above Palace
I know it's been said an million times before, but what an absolute shambles. The job Bowyer has done... for the single season performance he's just had - well... it's got to be up there with anything Seed, Lawrence, Curbs, or Powell ever achieved... the best managers this club has ever know.
Winning promotion on a shoe string.
Playing good quality football the likes of which we didn't really see even under Powell and only a few times under Curbs
Turning supporter apathy in August into one of the largest, noisiest, most united turnouts ever by our supporters at Wembley 9 months later.
I mean, I honestly don't know what more he could have done. Yet here we are, at the 11th hour, and things are merely "beginning to move in the right direction". And it's not even as if it appears a difficult deal to do - Bowyer really, truly wants to stay FFS!
It beggars belief, it really does.
Don’t be silly, can’t put in the sand breathe as some of those.
We didn’t pay a fee for anyone but let’s be honest we still had a very good squad for the third tier. Don’t get me wrong, he done an outstanding job but all we did was win promotion from the third tier. Of course we need to keep him but I think his achievements are slightly exaggerated, mostly because of the shit over the last few years.
Tell me a single, standalone season where any of those mangers achieved significantly more than Bowyer did last year in less favourable circumstances?
Who ever got promoted without a good squad? Powell and Curbs certainly had very good squads. And lets not forget who assembled that very good squad and who identified and attracted those players despite having no money for fees. Curbs and Powell were both backed in the transfer market during their most successful years to an extent Bowyer can only dream of.
Lennie Lawrence is the main comparison for me, getting us up despite the turmoil of the leaving the Valley. Ok, it was a division higher, but promotion is promotion.
What Bowyer has done this year is 100% comparable with some of the best managerial achievements to happen at Charlton. I don't think it's at all an exaggeration to say that.
Lawrence was backed in the transfer market.
In the close season before the start of the 85/86 season he was given the resources to bring in John Humprey, Steve Thomson, John Pearson, George Shipley, Mark Reid, and John Pender. Compared to previous close seasons this represented a huge outlay on new players. Later on in the season Jim Melrose was added to give a final push to promotion. Lawrence chose well and promotion was achieved. The sting in the tail was leaving the Valley for Selhurst Park.
Think Mike Bailey should be mentioned as well.
In some ways 1980/81 is the most similar to last season in that he revived us from being relegated with record low points to a promotion campaign. The only player brought in was Terry Naylor from Spurs midway through the season.
Bailey is a better comparison.
Both were assistants who stepped up, both finished third....Oh hang on a minute. Bailey left in the summer after promotion when not given the contract he wanted.
...and what a wonderful replacement. Not.
Some of the worst football I have seen by Charlton the season after Bailey left.
Yes Bowyer did a superb job. But it is important to get it in perspective, in L1 even under Roland we were still a big fish.
The Championship is a massive step up though, without a takeover 4th bottom will be a great achievement
Despite Cafc being a big fish in League 1, it was a fantastic achievement for Bowyer to reel in the other slippery contenders last season. Having trawled through the record books it was one of the best clamaxes to a season for years and all Charlton fins had a whale of a time at Wembley despite being squashed like sardines waiting for the train afterwards.
Roachdale and Scunny may be minnows but needed to be battered for us to take our Plaice in the fry-offs. Roeland Is a basket case and only Parker from the Gills was added in the window.
For Lee Bowyer to hook the big whopper Sarr at HT after his bait pass went in the net took courage.
Today feels like a pivotal moment in our summer so in true oohaah fashion...
1% Aussies take over and Bowyer signs 5% Dalman takes over and Bowyer signs 14% Roland stays and Bowyer signs 80% Roland stays and Bowyer’s off
The Duckworth OohAah percentage method of today’s likely scoop revealer:
WIOTOS 0% Seed 1% Airman Brown 3% Paul Abbabanana 5% Gieseppe Muro 9% Creepy Cawley 12% Complete random on Twitter 20% Peter ‘Scoop’ Burrows via Clubcall 22% Team Doucher 28%
Hands up who used to dial Clubcall from their office phone?
Today feels like a pivotal moment in our summer so in true oohaah fashion...
1% Aussies take over and Bowyer signs 5% Dalman takes over and Bowyer signs 14% Roland stays and Bowyer signs 80% Roland stays and Bowyer’s off
The Duckworth OohAah percentage method of today’s likely scoop revealer:
WIOTOS 0% Seed 1% Airman Brown 3% Paul Abbabanana 5% Gieseppe Muro 9% Creepy Cawley 12% Complete random on Twitter 20% Peter ‘Scoop’ Burrows via Clubcall 22% Team Doucher 28%
Hands up who used to dial Clubcall from their office phone?
Today feels like a pivotal moment in our summer so in true oohaah fashion...
1% Aussies take over and Bowyer signs 5% Dalman takes over and Bowyer signs 14% Roland stays and Bowyer signs 80% Roland stays and Bowyer’s off
The Duckworth OohAah percentage method of today’s likely scoop revealer:
WIOTOS 0% Seed 1% Airman Brown 3% Paul Abbabanana 5% Gieseppe Muro 9% Creepy Cawley 12% Complete random on Twitter 20% Peter ‘Scoop’ Burrows via Clubcall 22% Team Doucher 28%
Hands up who used to dial Clubcall from their office phone?
0898121146
I just rang this number and an answer phone said the surgery is closed till Monday.
I know it's been said an million times before, but what an absolute shambles. The job Bowyer has done... for the single season performance he's just had - well... it's got to be up there with anything Seed, Lawrence, Curbs, or Powell ever achieved... the best managers this club has ever know.
Winning promotion on a shoe string.
Playing good quality football the likes of which we didn't really see even under Powell and only a few times under Curbs
Turning supporter apathy in August into one of the largest, noisiest, most united turnouts ever by our supporters at Wembley 9 months later.
I mean, I honestly don't know what more he could have done. Yet here we are, at the 11th hour, and things are merely "beginning to move in the right direction". And it's not even as if it appears a difficult deal to do - Bowyer really, truly wants to stay FFS!
It beggars belief, it really does.
Don’t be silly, can’t put in the sand breathe as some of those.
We didn’t pay a fee for anyone but let’s be honest we still had a very good squad for the third tier. Don’t get me wrong, he done an outstanding job but all we did was win promotion from the third tier. Of course we need to keep him but I think his achievements are slightly exaggerated, mostly because of the shit over the last few years.
Tell me a single, standalone season where any of those mangers achieved significantly more than Bowyer did last year in less favourable circumstances?
Who ever got promoted without a good squad? Powell and Curbs certainly had very good squads. And lets not forget who assembled that very good squad and who identified and attracted those players despite having no money for fees. Curbs and Powell were both backed in the transfer market during their most successful years to an extent Bowyer can only dream of.
Lennie Lawrence is the main comparison for me, getting us up despite the turmoil of the leaving the Valley. Ok, it was a division higher, but promotion is promotion.
What Bowyer has done this year is 100% comparable with some of the best managerial achievements to happen at Charlton. I don't think it's at all an exaggeration to say that.
I think Powell's season in the Championship was fantastic, just missing out on the play offs was a tremendous achievement and no, you are wrong he wasn't really backed that season.
It's just my opinion and probably not completely shared. I am not saying Bowyer hasn't done a very good job. He has turned the place around, produced a team you want to pay to watch and all on a limited budget. But in the third division that budget was sufficient and we should have finished top 6 with the players we had. In terms of recruitment he deserves credit but more to Gallen IMO.
I don't want this to distract from the contract/takeover issues anyway, I desperately want Lee to stay and Roland to get lost like everyone else.
I know it's been said an million times before, but what an absolute shambles. The job Bowyer has done... for the single season performance he's just had - well... it's got to be up there with anything Seed, Lawrence, Curbs, or Powell ever achieved... the best managers this club has ever know.
Winning promotion on a shoe string.
Playing good quality football the likes of which we didn't really see even under Powell and only a few times under Curbs
Turning supporter apathy in August into one of the largest, noisiest, most united turnouts ever by our supporters at Wembley 9 months later.
I mean, I honestly don't know what more he could have done. Yet here we are, at the 11th hour, and things are merely "beginning to move in the right direction". And it's not even as if it appears a difficult deal to do - Bowyer really, truly wants to stay FFS!
It beggars belief, it really does.
Don’t be silly, can’t put in the sand breathe as some of those.
We didn’t pay a fee for anyone but let’s be honest we still had a very good squad for the third tier. Don’t get me wrong, he done an outstanding job but all we did was win promotion from the third tier. Of course we need to keep him but I think his achievements are slightly exaggerated, mostly because of the shit over the last few years.
Tell me a single, standalone season where any of those mangers achieved significantly more than Bowyer did last year in less favourable circumstances?
Who ever got promoted without a good squad? Powell and Curbs certainly had very good squads. And lets not forget who assembled that very good squad and who identified and attracted those players despite having no money for fees. Curbs and Powell were both backed in the transfer market during their most successful years to an extent Bowyer can only dream of.
Lennie Lawrence is the main comparison for me, getting us up despite the turmoil of the leaving the Valley. Ok, it was a division higher, but promotion is promotion.
What Bowyer has done this year is 100% comparable with some of the best managerial achievements to happen at Charlton. I don't think it's at all an exaggeration to say that.
Lawrence was backed in the transfer market.
In the close season before the start of the 85/86 season he was given the resources to bring in John Humprey, Steve Thomson, John Pearson, George Shipley, Mark Reid, and John Pender. Compared to previous close seasons this represented a huge outlay on new players. Later on in the season Jim Melrose was added to give a final push to promotion. Lawrence chose well and promotion was achieved. The sting in the tail was leaving the Valley for Selhurst Park.
Think Mike Bailey should be mentioned as well.
In some ways 1980/81 is the most similar to last season in that he revived us from being relegated with record low points to a promotion campaign. The only player brought in was Terry Naylor from Spurs midway through the season.
Bailey is a better comparison.
Both were assistants who stepped up, both finished third....Oh hang on a minute. Bailey left in the summer after promotion when not given the contract he wanted.
Hush your mouth !
Unfortunately for fans this is the story of CAFC since the beginning of our famous old club. Even in the 1920's we had to let a star player go to Fulham(from memory !) to make ends meet. This and other information is on show in the Museum where a nice chap called Ben and other good folk hang out.
Bowyer attracted three players to the club that were heavily subsidised by their own clubs or former clubs. Not sure many managers could have done that. What he did was alongside our better players, he injected quality well above the league. If you want to go on budgets, you can't ignore that we had players on Championship wages. Imagine what Igor's £7.5k a week would have got us.
Allied to that, we played football that was actually a joy to watch at times. And he tried to win games which his record shows so clearly. I think when we talk of Bowyer, we also have to mention his team around him, but to underestimate the job they have done is quite frankly ridiculous.
Bowyer attracted three players to the club that were heavily subsidised by their own clubs or former clubs. Not sure many managers could have done that. What he did was alongside our better players, he injected quality well above the league. If you want to go on budgets, you can't ignore that we had players on Championship wages. Imagine what Igor's £7.5k a week would have got us.
Allied to that, we played football that was actually a joy to watch at times. And he tried to win games which his record shows so clearly. I think when we talk of Bowyer, we also have to mention his team around him, but to underestimate the job they have done is quite frankly ridiculous.
I agree. In 2011 when Powell built his squad all of the legacy contracts had expired and he was able to build an excellent L1 squad.
I know it's been said an million times before, but what an absolute shambles. The job Bowyer has done... for the single season performance he's just had - well... it's got to be up there with anything Seed, Lawrence, Curbs, or Powell ever achieved... the best managers this club has ever know.
Winning promotion on a shoe string.
Playing good quality football the likes of which we didn't really see even under Powell and only a few times under Curbs
Turning supporter apathy in August into one of the largest, noisiest, most united turnouts ever by our supporters at Wembley 9 months later.
I mean, I honestly don't know what more he could have done. Yet here we are, at the 11th hour, and things are merely "beginning to move in the right direction". And it's not even as if it appears a difficult deal to do - Bowyer really, truly wants to stay FFS!
It beggars belief, it really does.
Don’t be silly, can’t put in the sand breathe as some of those.
We didn’t pay a fee for anyone but let’s be honest we still had a very good squad for the third tier. Don’t get me wrong, he done an outstanding job but all we did was win promotion from the third tier. Of course we need to keep him but I think his achievements are slightly exaggerated, mostly because of the shit over the last few years.
Tell me a single, standalone season where any of those mangers achieved significantly more than Bowyer did last year in less favourable circumstances?
Who ever got promoted without a good squad? Powell and Curbs certainly had very good squads. And lets not forget who assembled that very good squad and who identified and attracted those players despite having no money for fees. Curbs and Powell were both backed in the transfer market during their most successful years to an extent Bowyer can only dream of.
Lennie Lawrence is the main comparison for me, getting us up despite the turmoil of the leaving the Valley. Ok, it was a division higher, but promotion is promotion.
What Bowyer has done this year is 100% comparable with some of the best managerial achievements to happen at Charlton. I don't think it's at all an exaggeration to say that.
I think Powell's season in the Championship was fantastic, just missing out on the play offs was a tremendous achievement and no, you are wrong he wasn't really backed that season.
It's just my opinion and probably not completely shared. I am not saying Bowyer hasn't done a very good job. He has turned the place around, produced a team you want to pay to watch and all on a limited budget. But in the third division that budget was sufficient and we should have finished top 6 with the players we had. In terms of recruitment he deserves credit but more to Gallen IMO.
I don't want this to distract from the contract/takeover issues anyway, I desperately want Lee to stay and Roland to get lost like everyone else.
Easier to get it wrong though. Slade and Robinson were able spend fees on players yet their football was worse and neither got us promoted.
As well as winning promotion Bowyer also helped to improve several players. When did a manager last do that?
@cafcfan1990 Powell was backed in League 1 but not in the Championship because Cash, stopped the cash !
I think you are underestimating Lee Bowyer skills in man management and his utter belief that we would reach our goal of promotion. Chris Powell like Lee had man management skills but unlike Bowyer didn't have the utter belief once the money stopped in the Championship. He still did a good job but his comments at the start of his last season was of a man resigned to us struggling. His optimistic approach had disappeared, this was six months before Duchatelet tenure started. I don't blame him and have plenty of platonic man love for him. The shite he had to endure under the last year of Jimenez and Co and his time under Duchatelet when encouraged to play a goalie who couldn't catch a ball would have broken many a manager.
Bowyer motivated the short contract players, the out of contract players, the loan players and every man jack of them plus even convinced the #not a penny more, to spend ponds on visits to the valley for end of season games against Donny and the wonderful day at Wembley. Add his tactical nous and even getting Pratley and Parker to put in performances at the business end of the season. A miracle worker but I understand in football we need to temper that in case he walks. Then he just becomes a guy who was in the right place at the right time when Robinson left and just got Charlton promoted as you would expect after a year in charge.
I'm in the miracle worker camp, Lee will have to achieve another miracle by keeping us in the champ if he stays. (Unless new owners give him a budget commensurate with a Championship side)
I agree with a lot of what you are saying. You emphasied my point about Powell, we finished just outside the play offs on a League 1 budget, I think that is a better achievement than Bowyer's last year.
I just feel he has done a brilliant job, but miracle worker is a step too far. That will change if he keeps us in the Champ under Roland though. Hope it doesn't come to that.
I agree with a lot of what you are saying. You emphasied my point about Powell, we finished just outside the play offs on a League 1 budget, I think that is a better achievement than Bowyer's last year.
I just feel he has done a brilliant job, but miracle worker is a step too far. That will change if he keeps us in the Champ under Roland though. Hope it doesn't come to that.
The gulf in the Championship is much bigger now.
I think LB has done an excellent job and he's got us playing well in difficult times. Massive loss if we lose him.
I'd like to see him try to take us up against the odds. He strikes me as an against the odds type of manager. The odds can't be as ridiculous as Roland is keen to make them though - he has to have half a chance!
Comments
The Championship is a massive step up though, without a takeover 4th bottom will be a great achievement
In some ways 1980/81 is the most similar to last season in that he revived us from being relegated with record low points to a promotion campaign. The only player brought in was Terry Naylor from Spurs midway through the season.
Both were assistants who stepped up, both finished third....Oh hang on a minute. Bailey left in the summer after promotion when not given the contract he wanted.
Some of the worst football I have seen by Charlton the season after Bailey left.
Roachdale and Scunny may be minnows but needed to be battered for us to take our Plaice in the fry-offs.
Roeland Is a basket case and only Parker from the Gills was added in the window.
For Lee Bowyer to hook the big whopper Sarr at HT after his bait pass went in the net took courage.
Now back to the sole of Charlton.
"So Lee, any comment on what looks to be a tough opening fixture for Charlton away at Sheffield Wednesday?"
"Nothing to do with me Creepy".
It's just my opinion and probably not completely shared. I am not saying Bowyer hasn't done a very good job. He has turned the place around, produced a team you want to pay to watch and all on a limited budget. But in the third division that budget was sufficient and we should have finished top 6 with the players we had. In terms of recruitment he deserves credit but more to Gallen IMO.
I don't want this to distract from the contract/takeover issues anyway, I desperately want Lee to stay and Roland to get lost like everyone else.
Unfortunately for fans this is the story of CAFC since the beginning of our famous old club. Even in the 1920's we had to let a star player go to Fulham(from memory !) to make ends meet.
This and other information is on show in the Museum where a nice chap called Ben and other good folk hang out.
Allied to that, we played football that was actually a joy to watch at times. And he tried to win games which his record shows so clearly. I think when we talk of Bowyer, we also have to mention his team around him, but to underestimate the job they have done is quite frankly ridiculous.
As well as winning promotion Bowyer also helped to improve several players. When did a manager last do that?
Takeover announced here on page 1815, just after the historical fact post for the battle of Waterloo.
Powell was backed in League 1 but not in the Championship because Cash, stopped the cash !
I think you are underestimating Lee Bowyer skills in man management and his utter belief that we would reach our goal of promotion. Chris Powell like Lee had man management skills but unlike Bowyer didn't have the utter belief once the money stopped in the Championship. He still did a good job but his comments at the start of his last season was of a man resigned to us struggling. His optimistic approach had disappeared, this was six months before Duchatelet tenure started. I don't blame him and have plenty of platonic man love for him. The shite he had to endure under the last year of Jimenez and Co and his time under Duchatelet when encouraged to play a goalie who couldn't catch a ball would have broken many a manager.
Bowyer motivated the short contract players, the out of contract players, the loan players and every man jack of them plus even convinced the #not a penny more, to spend ponds on visits to the valley for end of season games against Donny and the wonderful day at Wembley. Add his tactical nous and even getting Pratley and Parker to put in performances at the business end of the season. A miracle worker but I understand in football we need to temper that in case he walks. Then he just becomes a guy who was in the right place at the right time when Robinson left and just got Charlton promoted as you would expect after a year in charge.
I'm in the miracle worker camp, Lee will have to achieve another miracle by keeping us in the champ if he stays. (Unless new owners give him a budget commensurate with a Championship side)
I just feel he has done a brilliant job, but miracle worker is a step too far. That will change if he keeps us in the Champ under Roland though. Hope it doesn't come to that.
I think LB has done an excellent job and he's got us playing well in difficult times. Massive loss if we lose him.