I've just read that and didn't learn one thing about Charlton Athletic.
I've learnt that our manager is Johnnie Johnson
'The Opposition
Charlton are currently 14th in League One, 10 points behind Plymouth in the play-off places. They've won two of their previous five games, defeating Fleetwood in the league and MK Dons in this competition. In that run, they were defeated by Crewe in the league, knocked out of the FA Cup by Premier League side Norwich City, and held to a draw by Cheltenham.
The side is led by Johnnie Johnson, a former Charlton player and player-manager. Assisted by former Jamaica international Jason Euell, Johnson oversees a side featuring Wales full-back Chris Gunter, Northern Ireland forward Conor Washington, and FA Cup-winning captain, Ben Watson.'
Why just play the strongest team possible and reward the travelling masses with a win ,and the rest of us with a Wembley dream, 1-3 to the appy Addicks.
Superb preview. I had no idea they were called the Monkey Hangers but having been to Hartlepool a few times I can guess why.
When I got out of my car the first time, I remember thinking I must have stumbled on to the film set for a remake of Mad Max.
At least they have a Tory MP now so that will help them. Poor sods.
Hope they win. They need cheering up and this is all a waste of time anyway except for the previews of course.
We will lose on penalties after a tortuous display of ineptitude in sub-zero temperatures.
During the Napoleonic Wars there was a storm and a frigate got sunk off the Hartlepool coast - A monkey that had been on the ship made it to shore, but because the locals had never seen one before - They thought it was a French Spy so hung it.
Strongest team possible really. Play offs are a bridge too far even if we have a great run. Can't see the teams up there completely capatitulating so unless we are concerned about relegation (which we are not are we??)then play the strongest team possible.
As long as nobody needs to recover from Saturday, there's no reason to rest players when Sky have ensured a decent gap before our next league game anyway. It's only up front where I would imagine players might need managing, Conor because he's coming back from an injury, Mason because he's a kid and Chuks because he's Chuks. I imagine Leko will start alongside one of them.
Pools are a strange side, tepid in the league but red hot in cup competitions so we can't be complacent, or think that a much weakened side will still do the job.
Competition: Papa John's Trophy Quarter Final Opposition: Hartlepool United Location: The Suit Direct Stadium (Victoria Park)
Introduction
14th in League One. Out of the FA Cup. 13 points from the playoffs. An occasional nervous glance over the shoulder at the bottom four. We've already lost as many games as we did last season, where we missed out on the playoffs on goal difference. Even some of the more optimistic fans are wanting the season to be over, planning the clear out and highlighting positions to strengthen in the summer.
But wait a minute... what's that twinkling light in the gloomy skies of 2021/22? ... A cup quarter final..! Turn those frowns upside down and jump on the good ship HMS Piss the PJT, all the way to Hartlepool.
With Wembley just 2 wins away, we should field a strong side for this one. There's a 6 day gap before the next league game, and plenty of time for rest.
Papa John's Trophy Quarter Finals:
Tuesday 25th January
Wigan vs Arsenal u-21 Rotherham vs Cambridge Hartlepool vs Charlton Sutton vs Harrogate
The Opposition
Hartlepool United
Nickname - Monkey Hangers Formed - 1908 Current League Position - 16th (English League Two) Manager - Graeme Lee Captain - Nicky Featherstone Top Goalscorer - Matty Daly* (7 goals), Mark Cullen (6 goals)
Manager Lee was left bemoaning a lack of finishers at the club following their 1-1 draw on Saturday. In fact they've only won 1 league game in the last 3 months. During this time, they've been performing miracles in the knockout round of cups.
In the FA Cup, they've knocked out League One Lincoln and Wycombe, before dispatching Championship Blackpool in the Third Round. They've been rewarded with a 4th round tie at S***urst Park. In the PJT they've beaten Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton to set up Tuesday's night game with us.
The Hartlepool squad contains one former Addick. Winger Jordan Cook signed for Charlton in the summer of 2012, making just 10 league appearances in his 2 season, before moving on to Walsall and has spent his career in the lower leagues.
*Matty Daly had scored 5 goals in the PJT for Hartlepool this year, but was recalled by parent club Huddersfield last week, to be sent out to Bradford instead.
Team News
With usual PJT stopper Nathan Harness going out on loan to Dulwich Hamlet, McGillivray may start in goal after missing a couple of recent games.
Loanee Juan Castillo won't join his new teammates in training until Monday, so its unlikely he will start this one, but may be good for a place on the bench.
With a large squad and 5 subs available on the night, I'm more clueless than ever on this one. Gilbey, Purrington and Leko should come in after only making the bench on Saturday. Sam Lavelle has played twice for the under 23s so it would make sense for him to continue his recovery and return in this one, but not sure how that effects the balance of the back 3.
Other than that, the only 2 players I would be very surprised to see start are Aneke and Inniss.
My predicted team:
Prediction
3-1 to Charlton and the unexpected excitement of a semi.
Please let that be an innocent faux pas!!, in my head it is and now I’m chuckling like a little kid!!!
So it seems like Lavelle is unlikely to be involved. Jacko calls out players who have played every minute for him, I think the only one is Dobson (who will almost certainly be rested), and then Famewo, Clare and Lee have played a lot (I think Lee had played every minute until Saturday) so expect them to be rested from the start at least.
I can't see Chuks and Inniss playing two games in four days. Probably the same with young Burstow.
Here's what I'm thinking the team will be: .....................Henderson ......Matthews......Pearce(C)......Gunter .......................Watson Leko........Gilbey.......Morgan......Purrington ..............Davison.......Washington
So it seems like Lavelle is unlikely to be involved. Jacko calls out players who have played every minute for him, I think the only one is Dobson (who will almost certainly be rested), and then Famewo, Clare and Lee have played a lot (I think Lee had played every minute until Saturday) so expect them to be rested from the start at least.
I can't see Chuks and Inniss playing two games in four days. Probably the same with young Burstow.
Here's what I'm thinking the team will be: .....................Henderson ......Matthews......Pearce(C)......Gunter .......................Watson Leko........Gilbey.......Morgan......Purrington ..............Davison.......Washington
I think that we may lose this game if we leave omit too many first teamers. Although I imagine that Inniss, DJ, Lee and Aneke will either be on the bench or sit this one out entirely, I hope we don't make wholesale changes and I'd prefer not to see Gunter and Watson treading the boards. Although Hartlepool have only won only one game in the last 12 in the league, their home league form has been good - won 7 and lost only 2 - whilst their cup form has been excellent. In contrast, we've only managed 3 wins in 13 away from home.
As @CAFCTrev says, it would be interesting to see what sort of attendance we would get for a home semi-final if we managed to win this tie. I remember that practically everyone ignored the Full Members Cup in 1987 until we played Norwich in the semi-final at Selhurst Park. That game attracted a gate of around 5,500 which, sadly, was similar to the average for midweek games in that top flight season (our overall average for the season was just under 10,000, despite six London derbies and visits from the big northern teams). I suspect that, with attractive ticket pricing and a bit of hype (and there'd be no shortage of that), a semi-final at The Valley would now draw a respectable five figure crowd.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Hartlepool since their supporters turned up at The Valley in fancy dress for the final games of the season in 2011 and 2012. I thought I was hallucinating when I came out of my mum's in Valiant House shortly before kick off to be met with hundreds of Smurfs heading to the Jimmy Seed entrance. They came as Oompa Loompas the following year. I also admired the town's sense of humour in electing H'angus the Monkey as mayor for three consecutive terms - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-tees-22375328
Hopefully we can see The Pools off tomorrow night and they can take their frustration out on Palace when they meet in the FA Cup.
So it seems like Lavelle is unlikely to be involved. Jacko calls out players who have played every minute for him, I think the only one is Dobson (who will almost certainly be rested), and then Famewo, Clare and Lee have played a lot (I think Lee had played every minute until Saturday) so expect them to be rested from the start at least.
I can't see Chuks and Inniss playing two games in four days. Probably the same with young Burstow.
Here's what I'm thinking the team will be: .....................Henderson ......Matthews......Pearce(C)......Gunter .......................Watson Leko........Gilbey.......Morgan......Purrington ..............Davison.......Washington
So it seems like Lavelle is unlikely to be involved. Jacko calls out players who have played every minute for him, I think the only one is Dobson (who will almost certainly be rested), and then Famewo, Clare and Lee have played a lot (I think Lee had played every minute until Saturday) so expect them to be rested from the start at least.
I can't see Chuks and Inniss playing two games in four days. Probably the same with young Burstow.
Here's what I'm thinking the team will be: .....................Henderson ......Matthews......Pearce(C)......Gunter .......................Watson Leko........Gilbey.......Morgan......Purrington ..............Davison.......Washington
Well, 295 miles from SW Wales, and we got here yesterday in time for a bit of a sunset (only sunshine in the country apparently - it just appeared south of Middlesbrough). Now for a day in the RN museum, a bit of wandering the coastline, and fish and chips, before sampling the huge cup tie atmosphere! (and ground number 79).
Comments
'The Opposition
Hendo
Lavelle, Pearce, Elerewe
Matthews, Morgan, Watson, Lee, Purrington
Washington, Leko.
A £10 on Charlton winning the EFL trophy will reward you with a £65 return on sky bet.
We are unbeaten at Wembley for at least over 30 years (I think)
Pools are a strange side, tepid in the league but red hot in cup competitions so we can't be complacent, or think that a much weakened side will still do the job.
So it seems like Lavelle is unlikely to be involved. Jacko calls out players who have played every minute for him, I think the only one is Dobson (who will almost certainly be rested), and then Famewo, Clare and Lee have played a lot (I think Lee had played every minute until Saturday) so expect them to be rested from the start at least.
I can't see Chuks and Inniss playing two games in four days. Probably the same with young Burstow.
Here's what I'm thinking the team will be:
.....................Henderson
......Matthews......Pearce(C)......Gunter
.......................Watson
Leko........Gilbey.......Morgan......Purrington
..............Davison.......Washington
Bench: Harvey, Elerewe, Henry, Lee, Blackett-Taylor, Kirk, Burstow
As @CAFCTrev says, it would be interesting to see what sort of attendance we would get for a home semi-final if we managed to win this tie. I remember that practically everyone ignored the Full Members Cup in 1987 until we played Norwich in the semi-final at Selhurst Park. That game attracted a gate of around 5,500 which, sadly, was similar to the average for midweek games in that top flight season (our overall average for the season was just under 10,000, despite six London derbies and visits from the big northern teams). I suspect that, with attractive ticket pricing and a bit of hype (and there'd be no shortage of that), a semi-final at The Valley would now draw a respectable five figure crowd.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Hartlepool since their supporters turned up at The Valley in fancy dress for the final games of the season in 2011 and 2012. I thought I was hallucinating when I came out of my mum's in Valiant House shortly before kick off to be met with hundreds of Smurfs heading to the Jimmy Seed entrance. They came as Oompa Loompas the following year. I also admired the town's sense of humour in electing H'angus the Monkey as mayor for three consecutive terms - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-tees-22375328
Hopefully we can see The Pools off tomorrow night and they can take their frustration out on Palace when they meet in the FA Cup.
He definitely needs game time so hopefully it'll be a good move for him.
Terrific fans. Great effort on their part.
Should our away following dress as monkeys to return the compliment or could history repeat itself in a tragic and violent way ?
Bad times