The FA Cup - 1st Round ProperSouthend United vs Charlton AthleticSaturday 2nd November 2024 - 3pm Kick-OffReferee: Darren DrysdaleIntroductionIts that time of the year again which makes many a Charlton Lifer shake with nerves, and no I dont mean the creation of the January Transfer Window thread. Instead its the yearly return of the FA Cup, many Charlton fan regards it as a brief return, a distraction that happens on very rare occasions, like the form of Scott Fraser - After all, our history is littered with cupsets; Dag & Red (NOO!!), Northwich Victoria (STOP IT!!)... Cray Valley Paper Mills (WHYYYY!!) - Will this weekend be another match cosigned to the unwanted history books, stored in the deepest darkest regions of Life Towers... Will anyone be surprised?
The OppositionName: Southend United - Manager: Kevin MaherGround: Roots HallLeague: National LeagueStanding in our way this weekend, is a new Non-League team; Southend United, who have had their own struggles just to get to this stage of the competition. On the pitch its been simple, they've had to win just a single game in the FA Cup, which came against fellow league side: Eastleigh, a 1-0 victory putting the Shrimpers into the First Round of the FA Cup, for the first time since their relegation from the Football League in 2023.
In the League they sit 14th, just four points from the Play-Offs, so they could yet make a speedy return to the EFL under Kevin Maher who played over 300-games whilst at the club - Its off the pitch where their problems have been, with various financial and ownership difficulties putting the historic club at risk of even existing, with various winding up orders making any takeover a challenging business... No one wants to see a Football club die, and thankfully that doesnt seem to be the case with Southend, on 19th July 2024, their takeover was completed, a consortium of members, all aiming to drag Southend (who had been in the Football League since 1920), back to where they belong.
Naturally all eyes will be on one Striker this coming Saturday, who has been getting involved more and more of late, playing 90mins last weekend against Tamworth; Macauley Bonne has yet to score this season, so we all know what that means - Southend themselves will be looking to reach the Second Round Proper, for the first time since 2019, not the worst opponents standing in their way for a "Giant-Killing", something that I'm sure will give everyone a boost at Roots Hall, am sure they could do with it!!
Charlton Team NewsOne player who I'm sure will be disappointed to miss out this weekend is Daniel Kanu, the young Striker spent a short loan period at Roots Hall last season, scoring four goals in a single game against Solihull Moors, and would surely have been delighted to face some familiar faces... However its likely that Daniel will remain out with an injury.
In terms of the squad selection, we could well see a bit of a hybrid team to the one that faced Chelsea U21s on Tuesday night, with some first teamers coming back into the squad to ensure a level of match fitness remains - The likes of Ashley Maynard-Brewer, and Terry Taylor who both impressed in the EFL Trophy, could keep their places, along with Miles Leaburn who'll be looking to add to his tally after getting off the mark in front of goal against his previous Employers - Elsewhere and there might be more minutes for Danny Hylton, who showed a decent degree of experience and Kaheim Dixon who'll want to improve in that particular field.
Maynard-Brewer
Edmonds-Green - A.Mitchell - Gillesphey - Small
Coventry - Taylor
Anderson - A.Campbell
Leaburn - T.Campbell
Substitutes Bench: Reid - Z.Mitchell - Edwards - Docherty - Berry - Edun - Dixon - Hylton - Godden
Comments
No dramas like against
Dagenham and Redbridge
Northwich Victoria
CVPM
Just a straight forward win for the mighty Addicks.
And no goal for the useless prick Bonne.
There I've said it.
I don't think it will be easy and would like to see Godden alongside Leaburn and Campbell out wide, although I expect Nathan Jones will stick with the same formation.
FA Cup replays to be scrapped from the first round onwards in 2024-25 - BBC Sport
Leaburn, Berry and Hylton to score.
Maynard-Brewer
Assimwe
Z.Mitchell
Gillesphey
Small
Coventry
Anderson
Berry
Dixon
Leaburn
T.Campbell
Substitutes Bench: Mannion, Edmonds-Green, Edwards, Taylor, A.Campbell, Godden, Hylton
Mannion
REG Mitchell Gillesphey Edwards
Taylor Coventry
Anderson T.Campbell
Leaburn Godden
1) 4 excellent saves on Tuesday (inc 1 double save).
2)NJ has not given him a chance until last Tuesday, despite the pointless dead games at the end of last season when he could have easily tried AMB instead of Istead. Then he did the illogical thing of retaining the keeper he hadn't tried.
3)He didn't look like a stick insect on Tuesday
Asiimwe, Mitchell, Mitchell , Edwards
Campbell Taylor, Coventry Small
Leaburn, Godden