Charlton are unbeaten in 2017 and no one in the EFL has scored more goals in this calendar year than Josh Magennis! Well, we haven’t had a lot to be proud about recently so why not take this opportunity? In all fairness, this was a very good Charlton performance by a team that appears to have its confidence back after another turbulent few months in SE7.

After conceding to a Jermaine Easter opener following a slip by the Big Friendly German, it all felt rather familiar at The Valley. However, this time our heads did not go down, the crowd didn’t turn and once we equalised in the 41st minute through Magennis, we actually started to play some decent football.

The Addicks were shooting towards The Covered End in the second half and we were fortunate enough to witness the best 45 minutes by Charlton at home this season. Other than Magennis, the stand out performance was from academy product Joe Aribo who set up Magennis for his second and provided another assist for Teixeira to slot home the third from close range. However, with the imminent departures of Konsa and Lookman on the horizon, it’ll be interesting to see how long Joe hangs around.

Magennis completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute after latching onto a pass from Crofts and finished with some aplomb; celebrating in front of an ecstatic (and surprised) North Stand.

Although not everyones cup of tea, a lot of credit has to go to new manager Karl Robinson who has clearly realised the huge work to be done to rebuild the relationship between the club and the fans. He ensured the whole team clapped all three stands (just like Matty Holland used to do…) following the final whistle and we also saw the first tunnel jump in a long time! Josh Magennis appearing twice as following his first jump, he forgot to re-collect his much deserved hat-trick match-ball! Just for a very brief second, it felt like we had got our Charlton back.

Let’s just hope Robinson is given the time and resources to build something positive at The Valley despite the hapless record of the current regime.

The Charlton Athletic 2015-2016 season will long be remembered, but for all the wrong reasons. Three managers, a toothless battle against relegation and continuing mass protests only tell a small part of the throughly depressing downfall of a famous old, once proud – now poisoned, football club in South East London.

The Duchâtelet regime has made the football club almost unrecognisable from the club I grew up supporting. The very thing that made Charlton Charlton has gone – the soul has been ripped away from the club and, unless there is radical change, is in very real danger of disappearing into the abyss for ever.

The miserable plight of Charlton has become increasingly well documented. The fallout from the Brighton match was well-covered by Football on Five, indeed both Chris Powell and Chris Iwelumo featured as guests; expressing their deep concern for the future of Charlton. Furthermore, a recent on-point and well articulated article by Barney Ronay in the Guardian highlighted the ignorant and arrogant destruction of Charlton by our classless and repugnant owner and CEO, Roland Duchâtelet and Katrien Meire.

Brighton and Blackpool fans join in the protests.

However, despite the ongoing tragedy, Saturday was a day to be proud of and will be memorable for the right reasons. Yet again, CARD did a superb job in organising a mass protest in which an estimated 6000 people took part. There were banners, balloons and beachballs and the game became a mere sideshow as the fans made their incandescent feelings towards the hapless board known once more. Moreover, the accompanying Brighton fans were absolutely brilliant. Thousands joined in the protest before the game and during the match could be heard singing anti-Roland songs. Some even joined the after-match protest to huge ovation and appreciation from the Addicks faithful.

As it stands, unless things change, I hold no hope at all for next season; time and time again the regime has proved itself clueless and incompetent and this shows no sign of changing.  There have been hopeful murmurs of Lennie Lawrence, Paul Elliot (and even David Beckham!); knights in white armour riding into SE7 to save us. However, until the Belgian contingent leave us the hell alone, I fear that next season may bring even darker times upon my beloved but beleaguered Charlton Athletic.

It’s the 94th minute, the last minute of injury time after a tempestuous match at the Valley. Some shocking refereeing decisions and a sensational 35 yard strike from Johann Gudmundsson have all added to a supercharged Valley atmosphere. Charlton play the ball out. Some neat and quick passing in midfield takes place, and then, all of a sudden, the ball is expertly played through to Igor Vetokele, Charlton’s leading goalscorer – who finds himself through on goal with only their keeper to beat. The Valley crowd rise to their feet in expectation as Igor bears down on the goal. Of all our players it is Igor who was born to take this chance and write his name in Charlton folklore. He HAS to take his chance. He HAS to score. He MUST score. HE…..

Blasts it into Row Z.

To be honest, I would have taken a point at half-time after a dismal first half display in which Callum Harriot was sent off for an awful tackle. Why a large proportion of the Valley faithful decided to clap him off, I have no idea – it really was stupid.

The Gudmundsson goal was brilliant. He had had a very poor first 45 minutes but came out a different player in the second. He had seemed short of confidence and his touch kept letting him down. However, if ever you needed a confidence booster, scoring a goal like this does the business! Earlier in the second half he had hit the bar with a sublime free kick and had been a constant threat on the left wing.

In the end, despite some very poor refereeing, a point was probably a fair(ish) result. We certainly did not deserve to lose the game. However, the memory of today’s match that haunts me is that last minute chance and seeing Igor collapse to his knees after he completely fluffed his lines. Indeed, cemented in my mind ever since is that feeling of what might have been…

Charlton’s unbeaten run at The Valley continued with a hard fought point against Sheffield Wednesday this afternoon. After a busy opening period in which both teams has good chances, ex-Real Madrid winger, Royston Drenthe, gave The Owls the lead after a strong run and classy finish from outside the box. Thankfully, Drenthe’s second half performance did not match his first and he was substituted in the 73rd minute.  Everytime Drenthe got the ball in the first half he looked dangerous and went past our players with ease. Jordan Cousins wasted Charlton’s best chance when he headed over in front of the 2000 or so travelling Wednesday fans, who had made the familiar journey down the M1.

It was three of those fans who caused a pretty big disturbance in the North Upper towards the end of the first half. They thought it was amusing to let the rest of the North Stand know where their loyalty lied and were marched out of the ground. However, as they made their way towards the concourse they were confronted by 100 or so angry Addicks who let them know exactly what they thought of our uninvited Northern guests… The police eventually turned up to help them on their not-so-merry way. It reminded me of a game back in the 90’s when the infamous Wednesday ‘Tango Man’ appeared in the North Stand during a cup game, although I’m sure if my memory serves me correctly, he was congratulating, not antagonising…

The fans that were kicked out missed what proved to be a very good second half for The Addicks. We went for Wednesday immediately after the whistle blew, and our pressure paid off in the 70th minute when unmarked substitute, Igor Vetokele, calmly stroked in what was (in mine and my Dad’s trusted opinion) a mistimed Rhoys Wiggins shot. Whatever the intention, the run that Wiggins made immediately beforehand was superb and justified an assist.

Both teams had chances to win, but a draw was probably a fair result. Charlton did look much better with Gudmundsson and Vetokele on the pitch, but our lack of striking options is a huge flaw in a promising squad. Vetokele is quality, but without him it’s hard to see where goals will come from. Watching Yann Kermorgant come on as a substitute for high-flying Bournemouth was a reminder of what we are missing and I’m looking forward to seeing what Roland and Bob can come up with in the transfer window. 23 points at this stage of the season is a significant achievement and with some quality additions our position may look even stronger at the end of the year. However, without further investment, points like today’s may become harder to secure as the season continues.