Down and Out With A Whimper

Charlton were relegated tonight after losing 2-0 to Spurs at the Valley.

OK, so there’s the scandal of West Ham fielding allegedly inelligible players and being given the luckiest break of all football history by not being docked points when they would have done in any other situation and having a set of fans who inexplicably seem to think they have some divine right to be in the Premiership.

But have Charlton complained? Despite Wigan setting a pathetic precedent by whingeing their endangered little heads off about everybody else, all Charlton have complained about is their own performance.

I have a few worries about the season… I think Iain Dowie should have been given a better chance with this group of players – after all, he brought them in with a vision in mind. I’m concerned that for the first time, Charlton seem to have made a knee-jerk reaction with his firing, instead of showing faith. However, I think Alan Pardew is a very good man to have in his place, and maybe a season (or two) in the Championship is what he and the club need to truly begin working together. We saw what he’s capable of through the post-christmas revival, when we traditionally fall away disgustingly.

However, I’m still proud to be a Charlton supporter. I’m still proud at the honesty and dignity with which Pards has accepted the fate. We asked for it, gave survival our best short, nearly made it but lacked the quality to manage. Again, as with Saints being relegated in Rugby Union, maybe the ticket prices will go down a bit and I’ll be able to get along to see a game…