57 Premiership appearances plus another 18 as sub. Seven starts in the cup plus another 2 as sub. Equals a grand total of 64 starting appearances plus 20 appearances as a sub.
A total of 6 goals scored. At Palace and St. James Park. At Middlesbrough and Portsmouth and a couple in the cup at Hillsbrough. But none at all at the Valley.
A total of 27 league starts at the Valley over three seasons but not a single goal to show for it. So you can understand Dennis that we're not too upset by your departure especially as you made it quite clear early on that Tier 1 football for yourself comes before the Addicks.
OK, your goals were good when they came. A cracker at Selhurst to give us a win in the last minute. Another at Fratton Park to give us our 5th away win on the trot, a record for us in the top-flight. And you got the first goal in our 3-0 rout at Middlesbrough in August 2005, voted performance of the week by sky, that was really the peak of Curbishley's reign. It all started to go wrong from there.
So have you been a success or a failure? Always ready to applaud the fans along with your mate Holland after games, it rankles that you can't, unlike Holland, face staying with us when the fizzies come to town.
And your on-off attempt at an escape seems to be in character. While HH, in contrast, as soon as the relegation was confirmed, actioned his get-out clause and jumped, you Dennis still seem to be dithering. Better sort it out before the weekend, 'cause on Sunday you're a year older and at 29 there's not so many years left.
So whats it to be Getafe, Auxerre or Galatasaray? With Getafe offering the best deal for the Addicks it was all supposed to be done and dusted last week but nothing's been heard for a week now.
Maybe you've having second thoughts, the money's not so good in Spain is it? Especially for little clubs and they don't much smaller than Getafe. Nice new little stadium but its a grotty area around there isn't it and the nearest beach is a good 4 hours away. And after Schuster has been prised away to become the next Real manager there's a new man in charge, your old friend the nice Michael Laudrup with his new attacking ideas. However, it doesn't take much imagination to see that if things don't work out under the new management the paying fans will start to show the traditional lack of Spanish patience, which is probably even more pronounced in the working class areas in the South of Madrid. Disposing of the Wimbledon style of play that has got the club where it is ( its now got two Tier 1 seasons under its belt) and a new right winger not pulling his weight in the tackle department wouldn't go down too well. Better get one of those tall SUV's, Dennis with the darkened windows.
And thinking back, Dennis, as a player you do seem to encapsulate and typify our short period in the Premier. At times we promised a lot but in the end we proved just a tad too fragil to stay there, just like yourself really.
