Apr 12
Just as my son was, and I hope many of you were, tucking into a nice cold pint in the cold outside your favourite boozer, here in Bermuda we were entering a shelter in place order meaning we cannot leave our homes unless it is for essential services such as grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors, covid testing and vaccines.
We can exercise for an hour only within 1km of our homes, but only in two’s. Never understood that, when you can all sit in the kitchen indoors.
Bolton Wanderers have ended the loan spell prematurely of Marcus Maddison and the eccentric midfielder will return to the south.
Maddison has started just 4 matches for Bolton since his loan move there in January. One of those was on Saturday, but he was removed at half-time. He was also sent off on his debut
Saturday’s home game against Ipswich will be played at 12.30pm on the same day to avoid HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
One of the many things Thomas Sandgaard has done right is doff his cap to the club’s history, and Friday’s annoucement that in August they are to commemorate the 30 years since Alan Curbishley first became manager of the club by renaming the East Stand after him, is a wonderful acknowledgement to one of Charlton’s greats.
A proper result that.
Huge defensive effort, lots of second ball wins, and we were quick to get forward to create chances. All without that sense of inevitability at the end, although that last ten plus six add-ons did seem like a lifetime.
We were slow out of the gate though and had to thank Amos for keeping us on level terms in the early exchanges. One save from Wyke in particular prevented a sure goal. Pratley at fault, but this was not a trademark error-prone display.
It’s the baby-faced-other-half’s big birthday tomorrow. Don’t tell her I told you.
She got back from a quick trip to Sarasota today. I have her locked in the shed quarantining. Our Premier has taken a leaf out of Boris’ rule book and our guidelines are now as equally as confusing and they can’t find time or be bothered to update the government website. We think double shot vacinated, post two weeks, still means ‘mobile quarantining’ until you get your Bermuda arrival test result. The shed is comfy I just told her when I left a bag of mini-eggs outside her door.
This time of the season it is not about style and substance, it is about winning. The summer will be the time for Nigel Adkins to develop methods, systems and hopefully a missing identity, but for now it’s about keeping the season alive.
The performance was a little stodgy, and there was the occasional bit of routine sloppiness but overall we were more cohesive, tighter at the back and worthy winners.
Happy April 1st, plenty of wind up’s out there but Jason Euell’s promotion is not one of them. Congratulations Jase, well deserved.
During the last few months I wondered if Euell, who has been at the club this time around since 2013, would still be a feature at Sparrows Lane. He applied for the manager’s job at AFC Wimbledon in February before the Dons offered Mark Robinson the job permanently. There were also whispers that he was on Lee Bowyer’s summer wishlist too, that’s if he is allowed to rebuild the coaching infrastructure at St Andrews.
Our game next Tuesday at home to Lincoln City has been postponed due a Covid outbreak. The Imps were forced to close their training ground and had already called off their home game against MK Dons tomorrow.
That’s the third game we’ve seen postponed due to Covid, and none called off by us, despite some our own players contacting it. Interesting that their request coincides with a bad run of form.
Charlton club legend Derek Ufton has passed away peacefully at the grand age of 92.
Long before my time but a name synonymous with the history of our club playing between 1949/50 and 1959/60 seasons, making 277 appearances plus winning an England cap in 1953.
Liam Millar came on as a 70th minute substitute and crossed for Wolves prospect Theo Corbeanu to finish the rout of Bermuda 5-1 in last night’s first Group B CONCACAF World Cup qualifier.
It was a home game for the Canucks, but the game was held in Orlando due to Covid restrictions in Canada. It did not stop Canada’s best players travelling to Florida including Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and 7 others that play in Europe incluidng Millar, Cardiff’s Junior Joilett and hat trick hero Cyle Larin, who plays for Besiktas.
A year ago Charlton super fan Seb Lewis lost his young life to Covid-19. He was just 38.
Up until the suspension of games Seb had seen 1,076 Charlton games in a row, not missing a game for over 22 years. True Legend and truly missed from The Valley and every away end in the country.
I don’t know how many of you are on Twitter or have seen Nigel Adkins’ good morning messages, but as part of his raising money for Prostrate UK he is walking 11,000 steps a day and has been chronicling it with a a small video each morning.
For those with a early morning disposition of torpor or grumpiness then they are best avoided because Nigel is as chirpy and upbeat as can be.
32 years ago tonight there was a warm and expectant air circulating around the Woolwich Town Hall. Spring was around the corner and hundreds of Addicks including my brother and I were stood outside on the steps on Wellington Street pre-mobile phones and texting waiting on word of what was developing in the chamber inside.
💉 💪 I had my second Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 jab last week, three weeks after getting my first. So by Wednesday I should have 95% efficacy. That feels really good knowing that life can soon get back to normal, and that specifically means the abililty to go and see family and friends.
A fair number of people I know here were unwell after the 2nd shot, the impervious-other-half had flu symptoms and spent the day after hers in bed. I just had a nagging mild headache which dissapated the next morning. A sore arm from the first one is a seemingly popular complaint.
