Monday 7 May 2007
Down but never beaten
Shit or bust today. A win otherwise I will be planning my trips home next winter around some new grounds - The KC Stadium, The Ricoh Arena, Home Park, Glanford Park.... maybe its not all bad?
Of course our Premiership status was not lost today, or by the illegal doings of those across the Thames, but by our our own inadequacies. As I have said on What was the score before, Curbs led us to the gate of despair, Dowie opened it up, and spent the companies money in doing so and Uncle Les took us into the deep darkeness. Pards instilled some belief and passion and dragged us back from the edge but the equipment he has is simply not good enough.
There were a few pivotal moments. Billy Davies turning the job down, Dowie finally looking like he had the team playing well but then abruptly getting the sack. Of course we will never know if he was good enough to keep us up, I have my doubts although it should be put on record that not all of his signings were crap.
Then to me the most heartwrenching was that Pards led us so tantalisingly close to escape. As NYA said the Man City game was probably the turning point. Yes, that day we did move out of the bottom three for the first time since September, but equally we demonstrated that we were not good enough. After the first 15 minutes City were there for the taking and I think Pards showed some negativity by not going for it in the last 20 minutes, when we were clearly on top.
We never played well again after that and have now not won for 5 games, whereas all around us, Wigan excluded, teams have risen to the occasion and picked up crucial wins. Wins at Man City and at home to Sheffield United would have given us a much stronger board to leap from today, perhaps made of oak and not cardboard.
It will be an emotional evening for those at The Valley, and those Addicks scattered around the globe. The Valley, where hope were born, a place where we have seen many tears before but have come back smiling and stronger.
A win will signify that the roller-coaster continues and needless to say, we have never known the easy way. Wear that red shirt with pride because we have been down before but never beaten.
Come on you Addicks! ¶ 11:12
Of course our Premiership status was not lost today, or by the illegal doings of those across the Thames, but by our our own inadequacies. As I have said on What was the score before, Curbs led us to the gate of despair, Dowie opened it up, and spent the companies money in doing so and Uncle Les took us into the deep darkeness. Pards instilled some belief and passion and dragged us back from the edge but the equipment he has is simply not good enough.
There were a few pivotal moments. Billy Davies turning the job down, Dowie finally looking like he had the team playing well but then abruptly getting the sack. Of course we will never know if he was good enough to keep us up, I have my doubts although it should be put on record that not all of his signings were crap.
Then to me the most heartwrenching was that Pards led us so tantalisingly close to escape. As NYA said the Man City game was probably the turning point. Yes, that day we did move out of the bottom three for the first time since September, but equally we demonstrated that we were not good enough. After the first 15 minutes City were there for the taking and I think Pards showed some negativity by not going for it in the last 20 minutes, when we were clearly on top.
We never played well again after that and have now not won for 5 games, whereas all around us, Wigan excluded, teams have risen to the occasion and picked up crucial wins. Wins at Man City and at home to Sheffield United would have given us a much stronger board to leap from today, perhaps made of oak and not cardboard.
It will be an emotional evening for those at The Valley, and those Addicks scattered around the globe. The Valley, where hope were born, a place where we have seen many tears before but have come back smiling and stronger.
A win will signify that the roller-coaster continues and needless to say, we have never known the easy way. Wear that red shirt with pride because we have been down before but never beaten.
Come on you Addicks! ¶ 11:12
