Returned from the match tonight, got the table up and just … gloated. Have you noticed that Barnsley, Birmingham and Doncaster have lost five in the last six? No wonder they’re all in trouble!
I said on the pre-match thread that, come 11pm, we would either be euphoric or in the depths of despair.........so, so happy that it is the former. And, what a relief too. I haven't felt as drained at the end of a match since the Wembley play off final.
When Deeney scored my heart sank and I actually apologised (only half jokingly) to my 30 year old son for making him an Addicks too. Come the end of the match, he thanked me for doing so - there are precious few better feelings than seeing Charlton win a key match at the valley, and under lights too.
Big up to the crowd too, especially the North Upper. It was rocking tonight and I feel we all played our part in getting the result we needed.
I really warmed to Jose Riga tonight. During the "lap of honour" he was very careful to clap all areas of the ground and the look on his face and his gestures told us just how much this meant to him too. If he stays, I like to think it will be because we have already got in his blood.
Not the time to talk too much about individual performances but the partnership of Solly and Wilson down the right, which we have all been yelling for, worked a treat. Take note, Mr Riga - we on Charlton Life know a thing or two also :-)
Also, not to re-open the managerial debate, but thanks must also go to Chrissie Powell for his part in our season. He worked tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult circumstances, maintained that huge integrity, and did his very best for us as he always has.
Now looking forward to Blackpool, and especially to a close season where we will hopefully see our best players rewarded with new contracts, and an exciting young squad bolstered with some quality signings. I want to be on the edge of my seat for different reasons next season, please Charlton. Let's challenge near the top rather than scrabble for points near the bottom.
Was sitting near the directors this evening. Katrien was sitting next to Murray and she was jumping, waving and singing along with the rest of us. At the final whistle you could tell she was genuinely happy and celebrating with us all.
Fantastic night. At 1-0 up I was as nervy as I can remember being at a game for years. I was fairly confident we'd stay up regardless, but was desperate for a win and something to cheer from a pretty dreadful season.
Once Jackson's goal went in I just knew we were going to do it. SO fitting for him to get that goal too.
I hope that's not the last time I see Diego Poyet play for Charlton. What a player he has the potential to be (and he's already pretty decent)!
One of those great nights where you leave the ground happy and proud of the players, management, and fellow fans.
This horrible season's over. I don't have to go to Blackpool this weekend. We are finishing above Millwall. I still get International Weekends free next season.
They're the main things running through my head tonight.
If SCP was still here I'm pretty sure I'd have been bouncing down the street with sheer elation, joy and pride at staying up combined with hope and excitement for next season.
Nonetheless very relieved, and delighted in particular for Jacko, but looking forward to a stress-free summer, the World Cup (without an underlying hatred and resentment of football as a sport which I think would've been the case if we'd gone down), and some time to forget about Charlton. Still don't agree with the Powell decision, would've backed him to do what JR has done with the run of fixtures we've had, I still wish he was our manager but it's all gone and done now.... a lot of passion has disappeared from inside me since he left but will approach next season with an open mind and hope that a team focused on Charlton youth will help to restore it.
And thoughts with the person in the East Stand and family and fingers crossed that they are healthy and recovered and back next season too.
I said before the season that I'd bite a hand off for 21st place and that is pretty much how it has panned out.
I am on record as being very much a Chris Powell man and very disappointed with the way he has been treated. That said Jose Riga deserves praise for holding the squad together and keeping them motivated in the aftermath of the departure of a popular manager and club legend.
I still have not yet found myself chanting "Jose Rigas's red and white army" or "Jose Riga baby" but now survival is ensured we start next season with a clean slate and see just what the new regime plans.
As regards the match the players certainly seemed to want it tonight none more so than little Callum Harriott as exemplified during the first half down in the SE corner of the Jimmy Seed end when 3 of their big lumps tried and failed to get the ball from him. A memorable moment of real commitment deservedly rewarded with two very good goals. Yes he makes the odd mistake but that goes with the territory of playing youngsters and we saw tonight what a difference confidence, support and being played in one's preferred position can make. We had 14 guys out there who played for the shirt and it is that which has given us that vital bit of daylight from the relegation trapdoor combined with other results going in our favour at vital times.
Delighted too that the skipper scored our vital second goal. I think he has also played a large part in holding the squad together.
Even the best efforts of the Highways Agency coning and closing the A2 thus lengthening my journey home when feeling distinctly knackered cannot dampen my mood tonight!
do you know what? i enjoyed that more than any win this season.
purely because Callum Harriott, one of "our own," a 19/20? year old new father shoved every single finger on his little tricky hands down every single throat of every single chump that decided to boo him when JR played him on the right wing.
the lad is a left winger not a right winger. he doesn't have the greatest football brain but he does have that 1 thing that NO-ONE else in our WHOLE SQUAD possesses.....the ability to make an opposition player look stupid. the amount of times he had two/three of their players chasing shadows was incredible tonight. let's not forget BOTH OF THOSE GOALS!!!!!!!
CALLUM STAND UP MY SON, YOU KEPT CHARLTON ATHLETIC IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
When Harriott nudged that wide to open up the space to smash home that first , the roar of relief , noise and ecstasy felt as close to anything we've had since that moment when Shaun Newton smashed the ball home against Ipswich in 1998
JJ and another Harriott rocket proved that us left footed players , just look soooooo much better than you ordinary right footers !!!!!!
The announcer at the end not realising we were safe because Brum hadn't finished and Charlton fans cheering the Brum result that helps the scum proves the freak show is still in town !
Anyway who cares for now , Riga worked his magic
Hopefully we can have a summer of decent recruitment and get ourselves a personality and be he team everyone hates cos we've out wadded them as we mix expensive signings in with our good uns before romping the league
For season 2014/15
0.25% Automatic promotion 1.75% Play-off Bants 30% 7th-12th 60% 13th-21st 8% The Big "R"
What a game: passion, grit, ups and downs, goals and terrible fouls by a physical bunch but we stuck at it and came through. The Charlton team, family and friends were terrific tonight (even better than the Cardiff night). I am so proud to be an addick! It feels so good but I am left with 2 thoughts tonight: the hope that the person having CPR is well; and secondly that Chris Powell knows how important he was in shaping this team and therefore keeping us up.
Don't know how many times I and others have begged for players to be played in their natural positions this season. First time I can remember especially since Riga has been here that we've played a right midfielder in right midfield and a left midfielder in left midfield and it paid off. More of the same next season please!
The best performance at home all season for me, Jacko & Diego can really make us tick in the middle of the park as well as breaking up the play when required. Jordan Cousins looks so much better more central then when out on the right.
Chris Solly with Lawrie Wilson in front of him breeds confidence and Harriot, once he chooses the simple option (like shotting) over step overs can offer us the pace to exploit teams. Morrison & Dervite make a solid defensive pairing and Morgan Fox looks mature for his years/games.
All in all there are genuine reasons for optimism next year provided we can find a goalscorer or two, playing on the best possible pitch and with financial security.
Its been a very difficult season and we have said farewell to a couple of heroes and thankfully a couple of pantomime villians along the way but as I left the Valley tonight with my 8 year old lad would I swap them for anyone else, its in the blood.
My thoughts to the chap in the East Stand and his family tonight.
It was one of those nights where I feel sorry for those who don't follow a football club, even more so armchair supporters whose idea of watching a game is going to the pub. I'm not ashamed to say I let out a few tears and although I'll still wait and see what happens before renewing my season ticket, tonight is what following Charlton is all about. Even more so than those of us with season tickets and who may do a few away games, that was for those at Doncaster, Derby, Brighton, etc.
Not a single network player got on the pitch today, I wonder if Roland has been noted that! Incredible effort put in by everyone, Harriott looked like he was drifting out of the game after his first goal, but his second was even better. Solly and Wilson worked well and is good enough for a Championship LB/LWB pairing as they read eachother very well
Great match, great finishes Wilson and Solly on the right side is what I've been telling my mates should be our right flank, the two lads didn't prove me wrong
Fair play to Watford though, the score makes it look comfortable but they certainly didn't turn up wearing their sandals, and Deeney's strike, cor that deserved to be an equalizer
Just got home to Ipswich and a quick glass of red to celebrate. A superb party tonight and some top individual performances as well as team effort. Solly superb, Fox top drawer, Poyet excellent - knocked off the ball a bit but I thought ref too lenient on Watford's physical stuff at times. Four superb goals and the coming of age of Callum Harriot. The lad has balls - he had a point to prove and did it superbly. For me, what made my night, other than the win and the staying up, was the Charlton support. Absolutely top drawer and my voice has gone now. Proud to be an Addick! COYR!
Very happy with the result. Great goals from Harriot and Johnnie Jackson. A nicely balanced team and some superb performances from Wilson and Poyet alongside commited performances from the whole team. Excellent noise from the north upper. Great night at the Valley. Very good to end the home season on a high note.
Well that was fun! For various reasons, only been able to get to 5 games this season, 3 at home - Brighton, QPR and tonight. I could have chosen worse.
Tonight had everything - atmosphere, trepidation, goals, villains, quality forward play (by the oppo, sadly), a sending off and even an over-excited numpty in the North Lower making a misguided attempt to get on the pitch at the end. Didn't even make it to the turf. Was it worth it, son?
Huge credit to the players - to come through this season, with all the rumours, upheaval, ludicrous contract situations, random sub-standard player arrivals etc and still get results is no mean achievement and says a lot about their character, and good to see the team spirit has clearly survived. Even Obika - on loan and 'only' a sub, not sulking but touching fists and geeing up the team when they came back on after half-time - liked that.
And fair play to Riga for getting the first sub exactly right and telling Jacko to push on a bit more when that change was made - paid almost immediate dividends and glad Obika was involved in the goal.
And I've finally decided that maybe the players actually do know more about this game than I do. 78th minute and I'm inwardly giving Cousins pelters for taking a quick free-kick when he should have stood over the ball for a few seconds. Passed it straight to Wilson, cross-field ball, Harriott finishes, game over and time to get the cigars out. Shows what I know.
Just hope everyone made it home ok - never good when you see a concentration of hi-vis jackets in the crowd.
Didn't follow the game, just decided to wait for the result of the game and the Birmingham game (kick-off was 1:45 am) but was lying awake from about 2:30. Refused to check the score during the game and fortunately didn't wake the missus when I finally saw we had won at about 3:45.
Very happy, pleased for all of you that have followed the team home and away during this difficult season as well as all the players and management.
Comments
Sometimes, just sometimes, life doesn't suck and it actually feels good to be an addick.
Returned from the match tonight, got the table up and just … gloated. Have you noticed that Barnsley, Birmingham and Doncaster have lost five in the last six? No wonder they’re all in trouble!
When Deeney scored my heart sank and I actually apologised (only half jokingly) to my 30 year old son for making him an Addicks too. Come the end of the match, he thanked me for doing so - there are precious few better feelings than seeing Charlton win a key match at the valley, and under lights too.
Big up to the crowd too, especially the North Upper. It was rocking tonight and I feel we all played our part in getting the result we needed.
I really warmed to Jose Riga tonight. During the "lap of honour" he was very careful to clap all areas of the ground and the look on his face and his gestures told us just how much this meant to him too. If he stays, I like to think it will be because we have already got in his blood.
Not the time to talk too much about individual performances but the partnership of Solly and Wilson down the right, which we have all been yelling for, worked a treat. Take note, Mr Riga - we on Charlton Life know a thing or two also :-)
Also, not to re-open the managerial debate, but thanks must also go to Chrissie Powell for his part in our season. He worked tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult circumstances, maintained that huge integrity, and did his very best for us as he always has.
Now looking forward to Blackpool, and especially to a close season where we will hopefully see our best players rewarded with new contracts, and an exciting young squad bolstered with some quality signings. I want to be on the edge of my seat for different reasons next season, please Charlton. Let's challenge near the top rather than scrabble for points near the bottom.
Come on you Addicks, together forever!!!!!
Once Jackson's goal went in I just knew we were going to do it. SO fitting for him to get that goal too.
I hope that's not the last time I see Diego Poyet play for Charlton. What a player he has the potential to be (and he's already pretty decent)!
One of those great nights where you leave the ground happy and proud of the players, management, and fellow fans.
I don't have to go to Blackpool this weekend.
We are finishing above Millwall.
I still get International Weekends free next season.
They're the main things running through my head tonight.
If SCP was still here I'm pretty sure I'd have been bouncing down the street with sheer elation, joy and pride at staying up combined with hope and excitement for next season.
Nonetheless very relieved, and delighted in particular for Jacko, but looking forward to a stress-free summer, the World Cup (without an underlying hatred and resentment of football as a sport which I think would've been the case if we'd gone down), and some time to forget about Charlton. Still don't agree with the Powell decision, would've backed him to do what JR has done with the run of fixtures we've had, I still wish he was our manager but it's all gone and done now.... a lot of passion has disappeared from inside me since he left but will approach next season with an open mind and hope that a team focused on Charlton youth will help to restore it.
And thoughts with the person in the East Stand and family and fingers crossed that they are healthy and recovered and back next season too.
I said before the season that I'd bite a hand off for 21st place and that is pretty much how it has panned out.
I am on record as being very much a Chris Powell man and very disappointed with the way he has been treated. That said Jose Riga deserves praise for holding the squad together and keeping them motivated in the aftermath of the departure of a popular manager and club legend.
I still have not yet found myself chanting "Jose Rigas's red and white army" or "Jose Riga baby" but now survival is ensured we start next season with a clean slate and see just what the new regime plans.
As regards the match the players certainly seemed to want it tonight none more so than little Callum Harriott as exemplified during the first half down in the SE corner of the Jimmy Seed end when 3 of their big lumps tried and failed to get the ball from him. A memorable moment of real commitment deservedly rewarded with two very good goals. Yes he makes the odd mistake but that goes with the territory of playing youngsters and we saw tonight what a difference confidence, support and being played in one's preferred position can make. We had 14 guys out there who played for the shirt and it is that which has given us that vital bit of daylight from the relegation trapdoor combined with other results going in our favour at vital times.
Delighted too that the skipper scored our vital second goal. I think he has also played a large part in holding the squad together.
Even the best efforts of the Highways Agency coning and closing the A2 thus lengthening my journey home when feeling distinctly knackered cannot dampen my mood tonight!
COYR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
purely because Callum Harriott, one of "our own," a 19/20? year old new father shoved every single finger on his little tricky hands down every single throat of every single chump that decided to boo him when JR played him on the right wing.
the lad is a left winger not a right winger. he doesn't have the greatest football brain but he does have that 1 thing that NO-ONE else in our WHOLE SQUAD possesses.....the ability to make an opposition player look stupid. the amount of times he had two/three of their players chasing shadows was incredible tonight. let's not forget BOTH OF THOSE GOALS!!!!!!!
CALLUM STAND UP MY SON, YOU KEPT CHARLTON ATHLETIC IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
When Harriott nudged that wide to open up the space to smash home that first , the roar of relief , noise and ecstasy felt as close to anything we've had since that moment when Shaun Newton smashed the ball home against Ipswich in 1998
JJ and another Harriott rocket proved that us left footed players , just look soooooo much better than you ordinary right footers !!!!!!
The announcer at the end not realising we were safe because Brum hadn't finished and Charlton fans cheering the Brum result that helps the scum proves the freak show is still in town !
Anyway who cares for now , Riga worked his magic
Hopefully we can have a summer of decent recruitment and get ourselves a personality and be he team everyone hates cos we've out wadded them as we mix expensive signings in with our good uns before romping the league
For season 2014/15
0.25% Automatic promotion 1.75% Play-off Bants 30% 7th-12th
60% 13th-21st 8% The Big "R"
It feels so good but I am left with 2 thoughts tonight: the hope that the person having CPR is well; and secondly that Chris Powell knows how important he was in shaping this team and therefore keeping us up.
Chris Solly with Lawrie Wilson in front of him breeds confidence and Harriot, once he chooses the simple option (like shotting) over step overs can offer us the pace to exploit teams. Morrison & Dervite make a solid defensive pairing and Morgan Fox looks mature for his years/games.
All in all there are genuine reasons for optimism next year provided we can find a goalscorer or two, playing on the best possible pitch and with financial security.
Its been a very difficult season and we have said farewell to a couple of heroes and thankfully a couple of pantomime villians along the way but as I left the Valley tonight with my 8 year old lad would I swap them for anyone else, its in the blood.
My thoughts to the chap in the East Stand and his family tonight.
Wilson and Solly on the right side is what I've been telling my mates should be our right flank, the two lads didn't prove me wrong
Fair play to Watford though, the score makes it look comfortable but they certainly didn't turn up wearing their sandals, and Deeney's strike, cor that deserved to be an equalizer
A superb party tonight and some top individual performances as well as team effort.
Solly superb, Fox top drawer, Poyet excellent - knocked off the ball a bit but I thought ref too lenient on Watford's physical stuff at times.
Four superb goals and the coming of age of Callum Harriot. The lad has balls - he had a point to prove and did it superbly.
For me, what made my night, other than the win and the staying up, was the Charlton support. Absolutely top drawer and my voice has gone now.
Proud to be an Addick!
COYR!
Luckily for us Harriot had no one to pass to for the first goal otherwise he wouldn't have scored, great finish for the third.
I predict an exciting summer ahead for us. Poyet needs to be tied down asap
To the east stander who had a heart attack I wish him all the best and hope he will be back in his seat come August.
COYRs We are staying up !
As always the views of away fans are always interesting... a lot want a British manager and more British type players...
Tonight had everything - atmosphere, trepidation, goals, villains, quality forward play (by the oppo, sadly), a sending off and even an over-excited numpty in the North Lower making a misguided attempt to get on the pitch at the end. Didn't even make it to the turf. Was it worth it, son?
Huge credit to the players - to come through this season, with all the rumours, upheaval, ludicrous contract situations, random sub-standard player arrivals etc and still get results is no mean achievement and says a lot about their character, and good to see the team spirit has clearly survived. Even Obika - on loan and 'only' a sub, not sulking but touching fists and geeing up the team when they came back on after half-time - liked that.
And fair play to Riga for getting the first sub exactly right and telling Jacko to push on a bit more when that change was made - paid almost immediate dividends and glad Obika was involved in the goal.
And I've finally decided that maybe the players actually do know more about this game than I do. 78th minute and I'm inwardly giving Cousins pelters for taking a quick free-kick when he should have stood over the ball for a few seconds. Passed it straight to Wilson, cross-field ball, Harriott finishes, game over and time to get the cigars out. Shows what I know.
Just hope everyone made it home ok - never good when you see a concentration of hi-vis jackets in the crowd.
I'm at a loss though. What can we fret about now?
made my morning
Very happy, pleased for all of you that have followed the team home and away during this difficult season as well as all the players and management.