The final curtain
Even the tireless Paul May did not make it to Manchester today to see what Lauro had earlier predicted as 'a routine win' for the Salford Red Sox. The scale of the defeat was disappointing, although I had predicted 4-1 in our pub competition. Inquests are fruitless as we shall have a new manager and a reconstructed squad next season.
We finished up two places lower but with one point more than last season. Leaving aside our relegation season, there is a consistency about many of our Premiership performances: we have now occupied the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th spots. We came 9th in our first season after automatic promotion when we were something of a surprise package and 7th in our best season, although even then a failure to win in the last match against Southampton could have seen us in the lower half of the table.
After a season which started with so much promise and ended with so much disappointment, are there are any good memories? Here are mine:
1. The 2-1 away victory at West Brom. In the first half we played as well as I have seen a Charlton team play for many a year, fluent passing, controlling the game. Things turned sour the next week when we lost at home to Spurs. As Valley View has pointed out, this led Curbs to stop playing expansive football and revert to a more cautious game.
2. Beating Chelsea away in the Carling Cup. I know that Mourinho claims that we didn't win, but it felt good at the time.
3. Beating the Irons 2-0 at home on New Year's Eve, a result that looks even better in retrospect.
4. The 2-0 home win against Liverpool. 'I was so looking forward to tonight', moaned a London Scouser at the station afterwards.
4. Beating Brentford 3-1 at home in the FA Cup. I know they are only League 1, but they were so cocky beforehand about how they were going to win.
5. Winning the women's league cup. Not a big deal for many people, but we were surrounded by cocky Gooners expecting an easy win who were soon deflated.
6. The 3-1 win against Newcastle which was one of our best performances in the second half of the season.
7. Having a 20+ goals a season striker back at The Valley in Darren Bent.
Not much of a list, I know, but there's always next season to look forward to. And I have tomorrow night to enjoy when the Brakes take on Barwell at the Bescot Stadium in the final of the Polymac Services League Cup which should hopefully see the silverware heading back to Leamington.
We finished up two places lower but with one point more than last season. Leaving aside our relegation season, there is a consistency about many of our Premiership performances: we have now occupied the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th spots. We came 9th in our first season after automatic promotion when we were something of a surprise package and 7th in our best season, although even then a failure to win in the last match against Southampton could have seen us in the lower half of the table.
After a season which started with so much promise and ended with so much disappointment, are there are any good memories? Here are mine:
1. The 2-1 away victory at West Brom. In the first half we played as well as I have seen a Charlton team play for many a year, fluent passing, controlling the game. Things turned sour the next week when we lost at home to Spurs. As Valley View has pointed out, this led Curbs to stop playing expansive football and revert to a more cautious game.
2. Beating Chelsea away in the Carling Cup. I know that Mourinho claims that we didn't win, but it felt good at the time.
3. Beating the Irons 2-0 at home on New Year's Eve, a result that looks even better in retrospect.
4. The 2-0 home win against Liverpool. 'I was so looking forward to tonight', moaned a London Scouser at the station afterwards.
4. Beating Brentford 3-1 at home in the FA Cup. I know they are only League 1, but they were so cocky beforehand about how they were going to win.
5. Winning the women's league cup. Not a big deal for many people, but we were surrounded by cocky Gooners expecting an easy win who were soon deflated.
6. The 3-1 win against Newcastle which was one of our best performances in the second half of the season.
7. Having a 20+ goals a season striker back at The Valley in Darren Bent.
Not much of a list, I know, but there's always next season to look forward to. And I have tomorrow night to enjoy when the Brakes take on Barwell at the Bescot Stadium in the final of the Polymac Services League Cup which should hopefully see the silverware heading back to Leamington.
posted by Wyn Grant at 7:16 PM
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