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The day after the first day of 2024

Tuesday 2 January 2024

So yesterday’s result will have provided some relief and cheer for us Addicks. Oops no that was what I’d written and hoped for before kick off yesterday, clearly things did not go quite so well! In essence a game where the team competed but lacked some quality to take something from what looked like an Oxford side who didn’t start either half with much confidence. Unfortunately a lot of sides in League One will be relishing the final ten minutes of a game against Charlton!
Enough will have been said on the game across social media, Charlton TV and our own WhatsApp Group so I’ll dwell no further.
We can all now look towards Port Vale away on Saturday next.
Michael Appleton’s position has had its fair share of attention on social media and he will need a good run of results now to keep even more negative views surfacing and placing him, the team, the club’s owners and our fan base under even more pressure.
If this transfer window produces a few good signings and, perhaps more importantly, we are able to retain our soon to be out of contract George Dobson and Corey Blackett-Taylor, then Michael Appleton will need to get his squad performing far better than in recent weeks.
Whilst today is still a holiday for many in Scotland it is like any other day for me now I’m retired.
Today after doing my best to erase the memories of yesterday’s defeat I have turned my attention to New Year Resolutions. Following my beloved Charlton Athletic is a big part of my life so should one of my New Year Resolutions be about how I follow the team? Do I have room on my list along with ‘Lose weight, improve my golf handicap, (get a golf handicap!), complete my Spanish course on Duolingo, complete two long distance walks and keep my wife sane when she retires in May!’?
As a football fan I have to constantly remind myself that my emotions are being played by the teams I support. In my case it is both Charlton Athletic and Dunfermline Athletic. I have no control over what happens to these teams on a day to day basis though I am deeply affected by what is happening around and about them. Fans might feel that being at a game and supporting their team does help and of course in some ways it does. My financial contribution to the club in purchasing Valley Pass and an International Pass in recent seasons, buying merchandise and attending at least a few games a season does help the club. I hope being a member of CAST also helps in some way. There are some fans who must truly believe that the comments they make on social media or at a game can influence how things unfold. That is really only ever the case when there are many voices with the same or similar opinion. So I don’t think there is anything I can do that will produce a better outcome for the teams I support, unless of course I win the lottery and can put a few £ millions the way of the club! That seems most unlikely, not least because I don’t play the lottery! My occasional purchase of a scratch card with the hope of finding a winning card for £100,000 (or even £5!) has yet to produce any level of profit!
I am, however, going to keep May 18th free in my diary as I will add a New Year resolution of ‘If Charlton get to Wembley this season, I will be there!’ Did I mention I am an optimist?
Of course May 18th also happens to be my wedding anniversary and I might find myself in deep trouble if Marianne discovers I have chosen Wembley over a whole day in her company! She still hasn’t allowed me to forget how I took myself off on a yoga retreat in Spain two years ago on her birthday!
This afternoon the mighty Pars play hosts to top of the table Raith Rovers. Last time these sides met Rovers dumped Dunfermline out of the Scottish Cup with some ease so it is going to be a difficult tasks for my other team to get a good result. I will remain optimistic though and at least it will take my mind off Charlton for a while!