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Monday, February 05, 2007

Shades of '88

Nineteen years ago, on the 27th February 1988, back in the days of Lennie Lawrence, the old Division One and the sad Arthur Wait at Sainburys, we had a meagre 24 points from 28 games with just 12 games left. Next up was a visit to the Arse at Highbury and we were promptly washed away 4-0 by Merson, Adams and Rocastle. So we then had only 11 games left to save ourselves and of course, it all looked hopeless. In a 40 game season, 40 points was never enough.

But, and we don't know how Lennie did it, we turned it all around - in that 11 game run we only had 1 defeat, 0-2 away to Norwich, but with 4 victories over West Ham 3-0, Watford 1-0, Newcastle 2-0 and Southampton 1-0 and further draws against Derby, Oxford, Coventry, Everton, Spurs and a last-day 1-1 at Stamford Bridge gave us 18 points in that run and we finished on a credible 42 points. The last draw at Chelsea also meant that we avoided the Play-Offs on goal difference and pushed Chelsea themselves into the mire from which they were eventually relegated.

In that season we only had one person who could score, Garth Crooks, who got 10. OK, Alan Jones and Mark Stuart both had 6 and next up was Mark Reid with 4, all from the Penalty spot.

But back to the present. We were all getting bored and hoping for some excitement and now we have it in abundance. As everyone will know the Addicks, of late anyway, have not always enjoyed the last few months of the season. Curbs tried everything he knew but nothing worked, after March it was all downhill. Once again we're got just 12 games left so I looked at the last 12 results in all our last Premiership seasons, all 6 years.

In those 6 seasons over that 12 game spell, the most we're won is 4 games. And the most points we've earned from them was 15, both in season 2000/01. In the last 5 dire years we're tailed off once the 40 points was within reach and nothing Curbs could do could change that.

We can only hope that Pardew can galvanize the players into a different response over these last 12 games and the signs at the moment, with a daulting visit to Old Trafford on the horizon , are looking more promising than a month ago. But with the worst goal difference of any team in the Premiership and with a total of 5 visits to the North-West "Forbidden Zone" to come its vital that we get something from every game, even if its only that thing called Pride.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Alan Jones?.....Andy Jones, Nelse!

Pards the new Lennie?....he'll be a Charlton legend if he can do it!

That 1-1 at Chelsea - all those Chelsea supporters with their heads in their hands and close to tears. And the sheer feeling of elation as we escaped by the skin of our teeth.
But it was the 'never-say-die' spirit of the team that carried us through those final games in 87/88 - and if the present team are up for it in the same way, then we have a great chance this year!