Oppos View – Charlton Part 2

We appealed for Charlton fans to get in touch and five responded, so in part two, here are the views of 3 fans

A bit about you:

Name:  Steve Walkington

Current home town:   Bexleyheath         Birthplace:  Erith, Kent

How long have you supported your team?  Since the late 70’s – my 1st game was against West Ham United in December 1979. A 1 nil win thanks to a goal from Steve Gritt

Overview of your club:   Charlton have had a turbulent time with relegation from both the Premier League & Championship until last season where we ended a run of 7 seasons of finishing lower than the season before to get promoted as champions.

Favourite thing about your home ground: When we get a good crowd that gets behind the team it is a great atmosphere and quite a formidable place. It is quite easy to get to and good views.

Favourite match played by your team & why:  I think it can only be the 1998 1st division playoff final v Sunderland at Wembley. It was a ding dong game ending 4 all with Charlton coming out winners 8-7 on penalties to take us into the premier league for the 1st time.

Favourite player of all time who played for your club: for me it is either Clive Mendonca

About our forthcoming match against you:   This will be a good game. Leicester will be favourites as we have only just come back up but we will give you a good game, the crowd will be up for it. It could be tricky but we could definitely surprise you. There is also the added edge that Paul Konchesky is coming back to The Valley and obviously Sir Chris Powell a legend at both clubs here.

Your favourite current player in your squad and why? I think this is quite hard to choose as last season we almost started with a brand new squad from top to bottom who have all been great players & contributed to where we are. For me it would be either Yann Kermogant (who isn’t a favourite at Leicester) but gave his all to Charlton’s cause or our captain Johnnie Jackson who we miss big time when he isn’t playing.

Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Our new winger Salim Kerkar is looking good.

Player in our squad you most fear and why? Jermaine Beckford can always score but Vardy may well be the one to watch out for.

Up and coming prospect in your squad? Chris Solly – 2 good seasons at right back and getting better

Where do you think you’ll finish this season? I would obviously love promotion or play offs but this year would in the grand scheme of things be better if we had a solid year with mid to higher finish around 9th or 10th would be a good season.

How do you think you’ll do against us? I think we could sneak a win on Tuesday but you will be above us come the end of the season. If we finish above you we could be promoted!

Chris Powell was an absolute legend at LCFC for his work as a coach, mentor, on the pitch and his community and fan based focus and attitude, what are your thoughts of the man?  I think you have already said it. And absolute legend and a thoroughly decent man!

Any other comments  Good luck for the season to LCFC but not on Tuesday or in February 2013

And on to the views of a fourth fan

A bit about you:

Name: Colin Sams 

Current home town: Bexleyheath Kent              Birthplace: Erith Kent

How long have you supported your team? 46 years 

Overview of your club:

Favourite thing about your home ground: Fact we nearly lost it, and fan power got it back 

Favourite match played by your team & why: As to be play off final v Sunderland, do I need to say why 

Favourite player of all time who played for your club: As to be Allan Simonson I know he was only with us for a short time but to see a world class player play for my team was fantastic 

About our forthcoming match against you:

Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Wiggins, best left back outside the prem, really pleased we held onto him in the summer. Also Dale Stephens when he is pulling the strings in midfield we look a better team. 

Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Of course Bradley Wright Phillips you have to worried about goalscorers, but I am sure Yann will want to do his bit as well  

Player in our squad you most fear and why? Don’t really know who is at your club this season, so I think it’s a tough game against a team who are being tipped to win the league, so all the players  

Up and coming prospect in your squad? Like Jordon Cook who we signed from Sunderland     

Where do you think you’ll finish this season? There is still talk of a couple new players coming in but as it stands now I would say around 13th

How do you think you’ll do against us?  The fixture machine not been kind to us, with Birmingham away and LCFC at home, we would take another point.  

Chris Powell was an absolute legend at LCFC for his work as a coach, mentor, on the pitch and his community and fan based focus and attitude, what are your thoughts of the man?  Powell can’t do no wrong at Charlton, he has been backed by the board and brought in some excellent players last season, this season is a big season for him as well. Think a lot of teams will want to see how he copes at a higher level, if he does well you can see him getting mentioned when the big jobs come up.

Any other comments?  We are delighted to be back in the championship, we have had a very bad few years on and off the pitch but now hopefully we are on the way back. We brought well and players like Morrison, Wiggins, Stephens and of course Yann are all going to get better playing against better teams. Happy days are back at The Valley.

Leicester I believe will be in the top 6 come end of season , top 2 is tough but you have a chance and you will be there at the end when it counts.

And finally the views of a fifth fan

A bit about you:

Name: Martin Vallis

Current home town: Bayswater, West London    Birthplace: Crayford,Kkent

How long have you supported your team? 40 years (scary ain't it)
 
Overview of your club: Well if i plagiarise, a well known charlton blog, dr kish, " over one hundred years and all we've chuffing won is one cup, nearly got a seat on the council and that's why we're all in therapy"

Favourite thing about your home ground: Our signature song " the red red robin " always brings a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat, people argue it doesn't intimidate the opponents, i hope we do that on the pitch.

Favourite match played by your team & why: Do you really have to ask, doesn't the world of football know? 1998 play off final at wembley against sunderland 4-4 aet, 7-6 on penalties, what a day and we finally won something in my life time!

Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Ray Treacy

About our forthcoming match against you: I think there will be a lot of pressure on you to deliver this season, are you strong enough to take it?

Your favourite current player in your squad and why? One you let get away, yann kermagent, he was brilliant for us all last season and takes a mean free kick and i really hope he shows you what you're missing, he's our cantona!

Player in your squad we should most fear and why? as above

Player in our squad you most fear and why? The curse of the returning player, paul konchesky, probably score a hat trick, I really rated paul as a player when he was with us, sadly for you, you've probably got only a shadow of the former player he was?

Up and coming prospect in your squad? Definitely chris solly, won player of the season, he was solid and consistent throughout the season, fantastic performance.

Where do you think you’ll finish this season? I hope the top half of the table but in truth i'd be happy just to stay up comfortably

How do you think you’ll do against us? well my heart says we'll win but my head say a draw (damn head, stop it)

Chris Powell was an absolute legend at LCFC for his work as a coach, mentor, on the pitch and his community and fan based focus and attitude, what are your thoughts of the man? If he was a legend with you, then he has to be superlegendman to us, he's loved by us all. but it did come as a complete shock when he was appointed, i don't think anyone saw that coming.  my only fear is that if things don't go well in the season that he'll be sacked by the suits and he doesn't deserve that, regardless of results.

Any other comments I wish you all the best for the coming season and for someone to find that spoof song about Kermagent and burn it, very cruel but funny.