The last home game of the 2005/2006 season will be one I remember for a long time. Starting off at the pub, then to The Valley to hear Amici Forever perform as part of the pre match entertainment.

Then surprisingly a lot of people in suits, I assumed at the time boardmembers, made a circle spanning from the half way line towards the covered end. Then Chairman Richard Murray started speaking on the mic about what a season it has been. Then the words that shocked every person in The Valley "the club regrets to announce that todays match will be the last home game for Alan Curbishley". No one could believe it. Thus starting the 'Super Alan's Red Army' 'Alan C's Red Army' and all the other Alan C chants.

Despite the bad result, Alan responded to the crowds chants of 'Alan give us a wave, Alan Alan give us a wave'. But a very moving thing happened in the final five minutes of the match. A little cluster of us in the J Block started the chant 'Stand up for the Curbishley' to which the whole of the North did. Then the normally non existant East and West stands stood up aswell. I think even some of the Blackburn fans stood up. A standing ovation for a great man.

The obligatory end of season lap of honour around the pitch with Curbs having most attention and then his final words of fairwell to the Valley faithful on the Mic was so emotional.

Alan thanks for the memories, you Legend.

A day to sadly remember, the last home game of Alan Curbishley's reign as Charlton boss. Not much to say about this match really, first half was pretty even between both sides but Blackburn broke the deficit from a long throw in 2 minutes before half time. A poor second half performance and an own goal from Chrissy Powell meant Alan's send off was not as good as it should have been.

Another pathetic performance not really worthy of any discussion. Myhre had a shocker and Bent scored our only goal, from the penalty spot. Doubt there is any chance for Uefa Cup now!

I knew it would be a good day when I arrived at The Valley. Walking to the newly renamed Bartrams bar, I thought I recognised this spikey haired blond footballer. It was none other than John Robinson! Legend! I had to shake his hand and greet him, to which he obliged with a smile! Wicked!

Dean Kiely's first match back at The Valley since his departure in January would have brought mixed feelings to him, and on their current run of great form, I am sure he thought he would walk away with three points.

All was going well for Pompey when in the 41st Minute, D'Alessandro unleashed a belter into the top left hand corner of the goal, leaving Myhre with no chance! Gutting for us fans.

Two first half injurys to Marcus Bent and Jonothan Spector meant we had to use up two substitutions with Jay Bothroyd and Osei Sankofa respectivily. Also Jerome Thomas was surprisingly replaced with Darren Ambrose at half time, this brought some well needed pace to the match.

It looked like we were down and out until the 72nd Minute. Darren Bent found himself with the ball at the edge of Pompey's area, he cut the ball inside and while we were all expecting a shot, he picked out Bryan Hughes who cooly slotted the ball into the back of the net! Amazing play, this was also when we were down to 10-men because Hermann was getting treatment on the sidelines. Seconds later Ambrose was at a one-on-one with Kiely who saved the attempted chip shot. Great effort!

5 minutes before the end of the match and who else can you call on to get you the win, Darren Bent. He outmuscled two defenders to let himself run on to the ball, maybe some thought he had put the ball too far infront of him, but his lethal finishing meant it went past Kiely into the back of the net for a Charlton win. An amazing match and what a way to lift our spirits!

UP THE ADDICKS

Well Well Well, it has just dawned on me that Tomorrows match against Pompey at The Valley is our penultimate home game of the season. To Be Honest that is really unbelieveable. What a season of ups and downs it has been. From extreme highs - Knocking Chelsea out of the Carling Cup, to extreme lows - being knocked out the FA Cup last Wednesday by Middlesbrough, this season will always be one to remember for me.

The time comes to say that I will see my beloved Addicks at least twice more this season at both home games against Pompey and Blackburn respectively. I would love to go to Old Trafford but money may be a problem. So I want to see two more home victories and us to reach 50 points! Come on you Addicks, lets not see this season fizzle out.

Todays performance was reminisent of Wednesday's cup exit. I was looking forward today, as I had not been to Craven Cottage before, and unfortunately it was a bad result. We started off well but went behind from a free kick that should have been saved but took Myhre by surprise and went in. But around 15 minutes later Jason Euell was the man to slot the ball home in a goalmouth scramble. Excellent. Then, just like at Boro, Darren Bent nearly scored seconds after. But all this excitment dulled down and Boa Morte got their second and what would be the winner. Second half the team just looked like they couldn't be bothered but right at the death Antti Niemi somehow kept out a hard struck volley from Marcus Bent and that was that. A 2-1 defeat, gutted. Oh well the Fulham SW6ers dance team cheered us up at half time!!

Monday's home game against Pompey will be a tough one!

What an amazing day, despite the result I was proud to be there! I really enjoyed the whole experience. For me the morning started at 11am at Pease Pottage services in Crawley where we picked up the Coach to Boro. It was wicked to see posters in the windows with 'Operation Riverside - Brighton' mounted! A couple of stops at services in Birchanger Green and Ferrybridge and it was cool to see other coaches stopping! We truely were invading the North of England!

Eventually we got to a place outside Tesside and all coaches got a police escort to the Riverside Stadium. It was wicked to see the convoy of coaches with coppers by the side! We got to the stadium and I have never heard so much noise! I got the drum in and had to go to the disabled area to drum it, wicked!! The crowd was amazing during the match and never stopped singing. It was great that the Charlton Board of Directors came on the pitch and applauded us before the match. As the players came out of the tunnel, loads of paper confetti was thrown throughout the charlton fans, it was amazing!

Despite the 4-2 scoreline, we all kept our heads up and it was great. When the goals from Boro went in (especially 3 and 4), the emotion felt throughout my body was immense. I really wanted to cry but I didn't. I cheered the players off the pitch and I drummed when we were all leaving the stadium to try and lift the fans spirits and tunes of Red Army rung around the concourses. Time FM asked for an interview which I really didn't want to do, but they were nice and it would be nice that I have been chosen for an interview.

On the coach on the way back loads of texts came in saying myself and Chris had been seen on the TV with the drum! It was a long journey back but a day that I will never forget! It made me proud that despite my drumming wasn't as good as around the Valley, I was still congratulated by a number of fans after. Cheers to you all. Well done fellow fans, despite the result you were all part of something that will be remembered for years!


Operation Riverside Convoy outside the stadium

A day that should have been ours was bitterly ended by defeat. A day that a lot of supporters had been looking forward to since tickets went on sale and I for one was one of those.
The atmosphere was brilliant, the drum rolling, the crowd singing and the fans taking it to the Boro faithful. And so we kicked off with Bent and Bartlett up front, Rommedahl Holland Hughes Kish midfielf, Hreidarsson Perry Spector Powell in defence.

We had two chances in the opening 5 to give us a deserved lead, with Bartlett's low header being tipped around the post by Schwarzer and Darren Bent's low shot once again being saved. Of course this rallied the crowd and we got much louder. Unfortunately minutes later Rochemback took an amazing free kick which went right past Myhre to give Boro the lead. The Charlton keeper should have got something on it. Gutted! But not to worry, a minute later we were equal with Bartlett flicking a ball on to Hughes to slot in! Once again after this we should have gone infront after another amazing save from Schwarzer to deny Darren Bent again.

10 minutes later and gastly defensive errors from us meant Boro went to score again. Our fans just couldn't believe it. You would have thought at half time the lads would have had a talking to and come out with their heads high but no, they played atrociously. It looked like we had no chance when in the 72nd Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink scored again. But minutes later we had scored again, through an own goal from Gareth Southgate. We were back in it, we might just take this to extra time!!

NO

2 minutes later some more shocking defending from the away side and Mark Viduka had scored a 4th and what would be the goal to secure the semis for them. Absolutely Gutted and a long journey home, but up the Addicks.

Crawley 11:00am and I'm ready and raring to go up to the Riverside to cheer on the super Red Army Charlton Athletic to a win (pleeeeeease). Come on guys and girls, lets get behind the lads, be the 12th man, join in with the drum and raise the roof!!!! COME ON YOU REDS!!!

Rumour has it in todays papers that replacements have been lined up by Chairman Richard Murray, if Curbs was to go this Summer. These are said to be Reading Manager Steve Coppell or Wolves Manager Glenn Hoddle.

It has also been said that if he didn't get the England job he could be tempted away by Newcastle.

I like the papers today as Yours Truely was in the News Of The World with comments about Curbs getting the England Job!

Another boring 0-0 draw. What can I really say about this match when it is 0-0. All I can say is though is that Darren Bent was dropped completely (hopefully just resting him for Wednesday) and into the starting team came Euell, Bothroyd and Spector. Marcus Bent missed a few good chances and we were the better team who should have come away with all 3 points. Oh well, bring on Boro!

My T-Shirt for Operation Riverside arrived this morning and that added to the news that we had sold out the extra allocation has got me really pshyched up now! Its amazing!
COME ON YOU ADDICKS

Today sees Talal El Karkouri join Al Gharafa in Qatar on Loan until the end of this season. It looks like his last match played for Charlton has been played, in the reserves on Monday at Ipswich. Sadly the player has stated he wants to leave which is a big disapointment, Talal is a damn good player!

News has just reached TalkCAFC that all tickets have now sold out. Charlton are in the Process of negotiating more tickets with Middlesbrough!

WHat a great response! UP THE ADDICKS!

27 Minutes is what it took yours truely to secure tickets for the biggest match in Charlton's past 5 years, and boy it will be worth it. Tickets went on sale today for the FA Cup Quarter Final replay against Middlesbrough, at The Riverside Stadium, at 10am and at the close of the ticket office at 8pm tonight, only around 1000 tickets remained.
What an amazing response from the fans, one of the biggest away days ever will be happening on April 12th and we can thank the backroom staff at the club for the opportunity. Originally one plane, one train and many coaches would be enough for the initial allocation of 1,500 tickets for the trip, but after much demand 4,800 tickets went on sale and another train and plane were ordered by the club!
Queues at The Valley roped around into the West Stand concourses and telephone queues were huge, it took 90 minutes to even get into the telephone queue and when connected, 27 minutes queuing!

It is going to be a great day so lets Sell Out the match and cheer the boys on to victory!

The Sky cameras were watching today as we took on our East London rivals West Ham at Upton Park. On the trip up after getting lagered up at Wetherspoons Victoria Station, we were greeted at Upton Park tube station, 16 stops on, by pissing rain and then warm sunshine. England has a wierd climate!

Coppers decided to surround us lot of livel Charlton fans, the fit copper that took Dave's details after the Spurs shenanigans was there as well as one that every time I turned around said 'Alrite mate how are you!?' (almost saying im gonna nick ya!)

Rommedahl was the only change to the squad. There wasn't really anything to comment on in this game. Chances came and went from Marcus, Darren, Holland. Amazing defending from Kishishev saved us the game and also a save from Myhre as the match faded away.

A draw was taken, although I was bitterly disapointed and drowned my sorrows waiting for my train home at Victoria after!!