1000 Games in the Best League in the world or somewhere




Hate to keep harping on but by my reckoning our trip to Newcastle on Wednesday will be our 1000th game in the top league, First and Premier combined.

25 seasons in all, only 3 managers - which must be some sort of record by itself ( OK, its 4 if you count Jimmy Trotter in our relegation season of 56/57).

I reckon everyone is ignoring it on purpose. Remembering the way we celebrated in May 2000 as First Division Champions, with protechnics and cardboard hoardings thrown in. Thats right, we did it in style and duly lost to Ipswich 3-1. Not that celebrating anything is really a common experience where the Addicks are concerned. A cup, a League and a few promotions and thats about it. But if we wanted celebrations we would be supporting other ´bigger´teams of course. No, celebrations are not for us. And I expect if we tried any on Wednesday everything would go positively pear-shaped.

Speaking of bigger teams and celebrations, the bigger embarrasment that I have ever witnessed, albeit only on the box, was in 2002 when Real Madrid lost the Spanish cup final to Deportivo. As is common over here the cup final is very often played at the Madrid´s Berniebow, of course to Real´s advantage. As 2002 was Real´s centenary year they obviously wanted to ensure they celebrated the year with a victory over the provincial Deportivo. Much to my delight Deportivo went into an earlier 2 goal lead and refused to play along with the hosts. End result 2-1 to Deportivo and egg all over several faces. Priceless.