Charlton Athletic Online

To Charlton matters: Yes, I have renewed both of my season tickets - have you? They are our club, whatever divison we play in, and they do need our support.  The funds that the club accrue up front from season ticket sales go a long way to pay for player wages in the lower leagues where TV money does not exist; it you want to see better players, buy your ticket as soon as possible if you can in these hard times. 

I love going to watch Charlton play; I always want them to win; and I get a massive buzz from them doing well! I'm proud to be a Charlton supporter, and my faith will not wane.  Having supported the club through thick and thin for over forty years, I will follow them down into the third division, this being the third time I have done so since I first attended The Valley in 1967. During my supporting tenure, we have had four seasons in the third tier, compared with twelve in the top division - that 's a pretty good balance in my opinion. I want them to get out of the league moving in the right direction, upwards, and put an end to this seemingly downward trend that started a few years back. Our support can only help.

The beginning of June marks the end of contracts for many players, and those without a club are free to look for other offers; with Charlton having a dozen or so players whose contracts are up, expect some action (finally) from the official website with news of plenty of goings, and maybe the odd signing as well. We bloggers have alll had our guess at who may be offered a new contract, and some of those offered may well have been turned down anyway, so I expect to see some firm news in the very near future. One player who does seem to be off soon is Josh Wright; out of contract, there was a very informative piece (not!) in one of this week's newspapers telling us that Josh was off because Charlton couldn't (or more likely wouldn't) be continuing to pay him his £1200 a week salary; what the article didn't say is that any player of any club has the option to leave if they are offered a contract at lower terms than those currently on. I guess the Addicks Board don't think Josh is worth £60 grand a year and nor do I!

Most of the action will be the result of Phil Parkinson's managerial decision-making, as no announcement of the end-of-season review into his stewardship has been forthcoming from the Board. I have no idea if the rumoured take-over exists, let alone will happen. You can read the views expressed and comments made a number of ways , and when did a categoric no (or yes) actually mean that in football anyway? If Charlton get new owners, then the Board will be congratulated, and thanked for all of their efforts. The Valley has seen some fantastic times over the last ten and twenty years, and if any of this success (because we have had a fair bit!) had been promised to us in the early seventies or eighties, we would have laughed. 

If the culmination of a new Board means having a new manager, then we need to get that decision right; if Parky is to continue, with or without changes in the Boardroom, then we have to accept that decision for what it is and continue with our support, for that is the only option we as fans have. Just as moving out of The Valley did not break my support for the club, nor has any appointment as manager even where I had severe reservations (Mullery, Craggs, Dowie (spit!), etc). Our club is bigger than any one man (or manager), and fans must recognise this.

We don't have much money to waste anymore, so anything spent has to accrue full value - both player and coach-wise; with the last of the Premiership earners off the wage bill soon, we can start to plan for next season with a firm budget and a winning strategy. If we can add the full support of those season ticket holders who have renewed, then all the better.

Up the Addicks!