Damp Squib at the Valley

Well I knew it was going to be a bad day at the Valley just as I got there.  I'd heard that there would be a new edition of the newly relaunched "Voice of the Valley" and purchased one without looking at it.  Only when I got inside the football ground did I look at it and discover that it's the same one that I had purchased at the Birmingham game on the 9th of February.  It does show you the effort that the club has to go to to produce a new copy at each and every home game.

I gave my copy away to a fellow supporter inside the ground so it didn't go to waste.  Incidentally, I asked the vendor how many they were selling.  He was rather coy in his answer but said that they were "doing all right".  I look forward to the next issue.

Well by the time I have published this you will all have read the account of the match on other blogs and the official site, so in line with my policy I will share a few thoughts and moments on what was not a great game by any account.

Good away support for Nottingham Forest

First, I enjoyed Chris Solly's free kick straight down the line.  Forest thought he would cross over to the left as he had previously done and where most of the players were lining up, but he played it straight down the field to a waiting and unmarked Scott Wagstaff.  I'm not sure if it was planned and Waggy failed to take advantage of the opportunity but I would like to see them try it again at another match.

Secondly, a fine display in the 87th minute by Leon Cort.  The robust defender is known for blocking, heading and kicking and not much else.  However, not only did he dribble with the ball but he also neatly dinked the Forest player.  Surely a candidate for Soccer AM's showboat section?  Keep it up Leon, with our midfield display yesterday we are going to need you !

Charlton lacked Fire !

Finally I have become a big fan of using Twitter to enhance and enrich my match day experience.  I am not really into following all and sundry but like those people who can add something useful.  Its good to get other peoples' perspective on things and get an instant assessment from others on things which I may have missed.  The red card incident involving Kermogant was a prime example which we in the West Stand along with many others missed what was going on but others did see and tweet about.  However, frustratingly I cannot get a 3G signal within the Valley and have to catch up after the game or rely on my trusty analogue radio.  Does anyone else have this problem and is there anything we can do about it?

I've been blogging for about six weeks now and intend to dedicate a post of my experiences but I do have to take my hat off to my fellow Charlton bloggers.  By the time I have posted this all the others will have had their match reports finely honed and up for hours.  I have a long way to go.