I'm Sorry But No Way Did They Deserve To Go Through To The Next Round !

An unbelievable turn of events saw John and Edward through to the next round ! Has the world gone mad ? What was Simon Cowell thinking of ? What a strange selection ! They were way off target with a performance that was well below par. They've managed to elbow an opponent out of the running !

I understand they're performing live from Southampton on Wednesday !

The shame ! The embarrassment ! I don't know if I can ever watch it again !

Can The Coach Take The Strain ?

Yes, the coach will be under pressure as Charlton's nationwide tv tour starts this weekend. The lads are travelling the length of the country. It'd be a shame if they retruned to S.E. 7 with nothing to show for it. That won't happen of course will it !

Two televised cup matches offer us the opportunity to watch the fun from our own sitting rooms. I'll not be off to Northwich or Southampton. Sadly, finances and commitments dictate otherwise. At least I can still see them and let's face it, it's not a bad time to miss games !

Following a busy week I'm not aware if Mooney is allowed to play on Sunday or not. I hope he is or else it's left to McLeod to see if he score at non-league level.........God help us !

All in all a chance for a few squad players to come to the fore. I'm really not fussed about the paint thingy but would like to see us progress in the F.A. cup so let's hope for a convincing win that restores some confidence ahead of the all important M.K.Dons clash.

Come On You Reds !

Carlisle Best

Cricketer Carlisle Best - he's probably more likely to score a goal than our strikers !

That should read be Carlisle Better to be grammatically correct but you get my point which is more than our boys managed yesterday. It sounded like an apt timed horror show for Halloween.

One thing I've learned in recent weeks is that you can never second guess Parky. I felt sure that Shelvey would be restored to the starting line up. Sadly this wasn't the case. Blind faith or optimism saw McLeod retain his starting berth. Sadly all to no avail. Clearly he's not up to starting and should, at best, come off the bench if needed.

I think we'll draw a veil over this game as there doesn't seem to be anything good to have come from it.

Parky now has the opportunity of two cup games to try something different. That for me should mean a return for Shelvey with Mooney playing in the lone striker role. This should be tried in the FA cup match at least. I don't care about the JP trophy other than the shame of being beaten by a team that Pardew manages.

Much as we've been bitten by loanees before I'd like to see Parky get at least one more loan striker in if he can. Not least because Burton needs an op and McLeod is a booking away from a ban.

It's not quite a crisis yet but we need to rediscover the form from earlier in the season. The next league match, against the Dons, is going to be of vital imortance.

Shake You Down or Take You Down ?

Quite what made Gregory Abbott abandon his successful music career to manage Carlisle is unknown. However, he does seem more likely to take them down rather than shake them ! Incidentally that is one of my favourite tracks.

What to make of this weekend's fixture then ? Well, both sides are experiencing problems. Ours are more concerned with matters on the pitch whereas for Carlisle it's off the pitch. The owner and Chief Exec, who are one and the same incidentally, has just packed it all in. How much that'll affect the players in unknown. I assume it would worry Gregory who, although could return to his singing, must feel a little less secure.

Suddenly we face a couple of long term injuries. A real shame for us and the lad himself that Elliott should suffer a long term injury. He's been very impressive this season. He clearly enjoys playing for CAFC and is as passionate as any fan, which of course he is himself.

A big decision, one of many, for Parky as to whether to play Randolph. I'm not able to offer an opinion not having seen either him nor Ikeme play of late.

A further dilemma at right back. Richardson is very doubtful and Solly is out for many months. I'm very much against switching Youga to right back. I recall Villa playing Luke Young at left back last season and whilst he did fine it didn't make sense to me. Why weaken two areas of your defence especially when as in our case we'll be playing a different keeper.

This is a game I felt we'd win comfortably before the injuries hit. However, I still feel we should win but it's where the goal or goals are going to come from that's the issue.

I'd restore a fresh Shelvey in a 4-5-1. I'd also start with Mooney. I appreciate Burton and think he's best in this formation but clearly he's struggling.....he needs that operation pronto ! McLeod continues to frustrate. I appreciate he has a good work ethic and is fast but there's no subsitute for skill and the ability to find the back of the net. In addtion, the continual diving and silly bookings only add fuel to the fire. McLeod has spent most of his career at this level and below and it's telling that he's regularly booed by the oppo fans who clearly recall his dives. I'd keep him on the bench in the hope that he could do something late in the game as other tire. That seems the best way with him. 

Overall though I don't really care where our goals come from as long as we win. Let's hope we get that.

Good luck to Ketts and everyone else making the long trip up North. For that effort alone you deserve to be rewarded with all 3 points !

Come on you Reds !

David Shepherd R.I.P

The Trademark Shep " Nelson "

A Typically Cheerful David Shepherd

Very sad news today with the passing of one of cricket's greatest umpires, David Shepherd. The game has lost one of its finest characters.

Shepherd was born in Bideford in 1940 and had a very successful playing career with Gloucestershire. He was a hard hitting batsman. I recall him making a winning hundred in a one day against Kent at Maidstone in the mid to late seventies.

He never left his roots and lived in Instow helping to run the family post office with his brother, Bill. He was president of the splendid North Devon cricket club. I had the pleasure of watching him umpire a game there against a Lashings side a couple of years ago.

He always seemed to have time for everyone and was widely respected by players and fellow umpires alike.

Shepherd was of course famous for his hopping on one leg supersitiously whenever the score was on 111 or multiples thereof. When umpiring, tea would often be announced with the cry of " tea gentlemen, a Devon cream tea with a Hockings ice cream ! ". I can testify to that being a great combination !

Sport in general today seems to have fewer characters which makes David Shepherd's passing an even bigger loss. He leaves behind many wonderful memories and a game much richer for his involvement, and I thank him for that.

Raison D'etre

I wonder if they sell this by the gill ?

There you have it, a one all draw and most Addicks seem to think that's a fair result. For the Gills it seems that their raison d'etre is put on hold. I suspect that they spent the rest of the weekend gathering old cardboard boxes and cutting up newspapers in preparation for their hibernation only to re-appear in late March.

I did say that I felt that given the conditions it might come down to one mistake from a player and of course it so nearly did. Nutter's wonderful own goal looked to have sealed the points for us. Of course we were to be undone by Jackson's well taken goal.

The starting line up and formation was as widely predicted. Sadly it didn't work. Was it wrong to start this way ? May be not. It's always a thin line between success and failure. Had we got a penalty and McLeod not missed a good chance as I'm led to believe he did, it could all have been so different.

If we had a genuine goalscorer a la Jackson or MK Dons Easter for example, we'd be doing so much better. Mooney seems to be shaping up well and it may be time to give him a go from the start. I think 4-5-1 with a return for Shelvey would be the way to go for next week's sortie to Carlisle.

We need to get Burton's hernia done. I realise it's not a good time but it does seem to be hampering him and he's not the player he was at the start of the season. Mooney should be given the chance to chance to start. Whether he can operate in a 4-5-1 I'm not sure but it's got to be worth giving it a go.

With Norwich and Colchester closing in on us all the time, every game becomes vital and gaining maximum points even more so.

As ever a lot for Parky to think about this week. He's not been afraid to ring the changes and has shown to be flexible of late. Let's hope he gets it right.

Love Don't Live Here Anymore

There seems to be a lot of angst amongst the Gills fans towards us. Not sure why, didn't we help them out some years ago with fund raising and attending one or two of their games ? It seems the manager and chairman are at the forefront of this. Hey ho, no matter, I've nothing against the club personally.

In goal of course is Simon Royce. Funny things you never knew but Wikipedia has just confirmed that his mum, Rose, had a hit in the seventies with " Love Don't Live Here Anymore ". I wasn't sure about that, infact, at first I was afraid, then I was petrified.......but then who can doubt Wikipedia eh ? Funny what you can DISCOver !

I always liked Simon when he was at Charlton and thought he did us proud. He seemd only to play when Ilic was injured but he kept several clean sheets. However, Ilic always got back into the side. Curbs, I think later admitted he'd been too loyal to Ilic who, if we're honest, was a one season wonder.

I note that several ex-haddocks are amongst the Gillingham squad. It all adds a bit of interest to an already spicy game.

Leaving aside my views on McLeod, I think Parky needs to go 4-4-2 again this week. With that in mind, I suspect he'll keep the same starting eleven as last week save for Semedo coming in for Spring. Hats off to Spring by the way, he always gives of his best and never seems to complain.......very much the team player that Parky seems to favour.

I believe that this is one game that Gillingham definitiely want to win and so with 4-4-2 we should be matching them up as we will, of course, on the shirt sponsor front ! I'd think about going to 4-5-1 against Carlisle ( allowing a fresh Shelvey to return ), a game we really ought to win.

Sadly, I'm not going today. My sporting action will be watching Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks. Suspensions and injuries for the Saints make this a closer game than it might otherwise have been.

I digress, back to CAFC.....today's game will be played in difficult conditions and so it may come down to a mistake or slip somewhere. Let's just hope that it's not someone in a red shirt that makes it !

Come On You Reds !