Carlisle Preview

So was it a point gained or two lost? Parky seems to be happy with a point at Gillingham in what was a difficult away derby game with bad weather and a bumpy pitch to boot. But the stats on our recent goalscoring abilities continue to disappoint and now its 15 League One teams that have outscored us over the last eight games. And with only 2 wins and a massive 5 draws in those last eight our current form puts us down in 12th place, with a top six of Colchester, Southampton, Leeds, MK, Millwall and Norwich.

For Gods sake, Nels, give us some positives, you're souring me cafe. OK, if you need reassurance that things are simply going as planned, then it should be pointed out that, 5 of those 8 were against teams in the top nine and the others contained two draws with Pardews Saints plus a difficult away derby at Priestfield.

And to further set your mind at rest, after a mere 14 games out of 46, we've already played at 4 of the current six best home teams in the League ( Colchester, Leeds, Gillingham and Norwich) and now have a break of 4 months before we have to face another team in the current top nine home bankers with an unfortunate and horrendous four match sequence of visits to unbeaten at home Millwall and Huddersfield on March 13th and 27th, MK Dons on April 3rd and Southampton on April 10th.

In fact, Parky, I'm sorry to have to point out that that end of season away run coupled with successive closing season home games against Colchester, Norwich and Leeds all looks pretty tough to me so it seems even more vital that we press on and get some points now. And perhaps that was just Parky thinking behind his decision to go for an attacking 4-4-2 last weekend.

Anyway, we now face a gruelling away trip to 18th placed Carlisle, but with the comforting thought that despite last weekends win they are still 2nd to bottom over the last eight with only Wycombe behind them, with only 1 win during that run.


Full-time manager, at long last, for Carlisle is Greg Abbott, our third successive new boy, in charge since November last year at Brunton Park after two spells as caretaker manager. They eventually finished 20th last season in the last surviving place in the League One table but started the last day two points behind Northampton in 21st and needed a win over Millwall to have any chance of escaping relegation while their rivals, the Cobblers, faced a difficult away trip to Elland Rd.

The win was achieved 2-0 to move them to 50 points and leapfrog Northampton by a single point who meanwhile were losing 3-0 at Leeds.

Form

And there seems more of the same this season because before Saturday Carlisle were on a disastrous run of 7 games without a win and were the worst home team in League One and Abbott's job was reportedly on the line. That changed with an inspired 2-1 win last weekend over Southend and they also climbed three places in the table and are now in 18th spot with 14 points and with a home record of 2 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats. But there's still only one point that separates Carlisle from the drop zone and they are still in desperate straits.

Their only other home win was a 3-0 against hapless Tranmere back at the beginning of September that handed Tranmere their 5th straight defeat and all without scoring and it wasn't long before John Barnes paid the price. So what's the rest of their home record? Both Brentford 1-3 and Exeter 0-1 enjoyed early season wins at Brunton Park, as did Brighton 0-2 and Norwich 0-1 whilst Southampton could only draw 1-1 with a 96 minute equaliser from Jaidi.

Ex-Addicks

The only living connection I can find with the Addicks is the 32 year old Irishman, Ian Harte. OK, he never actually played for us but he was "On Trial" during the autumn of 2008 but wasn't offered a job. Not surprising with Kelly making such a good job of left-back so Harte, who spent 3 eventful years at Spanish La Liga club Levante with whom he was relegated and promoted again before being sent packing by Abel Resino, the man making such a mess of managing Atletico Madrid at the moment, and joined Carlisle - must be something in the water. Meanwhile, by the time you read this, Resino will probably be out of a job, bringing a smile, perhaps to Harte's lips. Sorry, he's gone already, sacked last week.

The Opposition
There's 28 year old defender, number 6 Peter Murphy from Dublin who won one Irish cap for a first half performance against Bolivia in 2007. But since Staunton ended his brief 18 month spell as Irish manager he's not been asked again and is now sitting on Carlisle's bench. And another one with Irish caps, and also with Premiership games for Middlesbro' under his belt, is the experienced 35 year old Graham Kavanagh.

There's a couple of ex-Chelski teenagers that had to go elsewhere to get work experience and we've meet goalie number 40, Lenny Pidgeley, before when he came on as a late sub for Chelski against us in the last away game at Stamford Bridge in May 2005 when a late disputed penalty gave them a 1-0 win. The other one is the exotically named 19 year old Tom Taiwo, a midfielder.

Then there's the much travelled Vincent Péricard a striker from Cameroon who has played Champions League football (once) for Juventus and who started his career at St. Etienne in France. He's also played Premier football for Stoke and Portsmouth and was signed two weeks ago.

And one of the clashes of the day will see old mates (!) Kelly Youga up against winger Kevan Hurst. Two years ago they both played for Scunthorpe while Kelly was on his 6 month loan and we'll see how much Kelly has learnt from his northern experience.

Who's The Dangerman
Harte it is that takes all the penalties and, surprisingly for a team that are the 21st top scorers in League One, he's got no less than 4 so far but out in front, at far as scoring is concerned, is the Scottish international with 6 caps, number nine Scott Dobie with 6 goals in total. Once a premiership player with West Brom - in one of the many seasons that they were relegated - he's returned to square one and Carlisle where he started as an apprentice in 1995.

But the Dangerman for me this week is newly arrived number 16 Vincent Pericard signed from Stoke two weeks ago. He's already scored on his home debut against Southend and alongside Dobie will pose a threat.

Whats Their Secret?
A very cautious team they've only scored 5 times during the first half in their 14 League games. And strangely only two of those goals were in their 6 home games and as a comparison the Addicks have netted 6 in the same period in our 7 away games.

In fact they are more successful on their travels away from Brunton Park with more goals scored and only 2 defeats in 7 games and with credible draws at both Leeds and Millwall.

History
We have a strange history at Carlisle with only two wins in a 2-6 record over the years (with 6 draws ) but with the only two wins coming in our promotion years of 1982 and 1986. And you won't need much reminding that on both occasions it was the 3 points won there that secured us the promotion. And it was on the 3rd May 1986 that we made our last visit to Brunton Park in what was one of our old bosses, the late Bob Stokoe, last home game in charge. This was nearly twenty years after he was sacked by us in September 1967 and he couldn't prevent his old charges from a 3-2 win after we had gone two goals down. Sadly as a consequence Carlisle were relegated.

Overall its 8-6 to the Addicks with 12 draws.

What are They Saying?
Striker Vincent Pericard on signing for the Cumbrians, "The manager knows I came here to work, score goals and get my career back on track," he told BBC Radio Cumbria. "I'm happy to make an impact, helping the team and the manager."

The Team
As we know Parky used an attack minded 4-4-2 last weekend at the Gills when we were all screaming for a return to 4-5-1. And he's rather shot himself in the foot because after our failure to score yet again ( thanks for the og Mr. Nutter) in the 1-1 draw he now has the difficult decision to make regarding the long trip to Carlisle.

Because in the game against Carlisle, which we surely have to win to stay in the top two, he feels that he has to use a 4-4-2 but clearly not one that didn't work last weekend.

There's a bit of a consensus that we shouldn't be knocking McLeod for missing the odd one or two but thats exactly how we behaved towards little Varney and it still sticks in my throat how he repaid the kindness by celebrating madly as the Derby last minute equaliser went in.

And a look around us in the table sees a veritable multitude of strikers who have got more than Deon. Leeds, Huddersfield and Southampton each have two strikers with more than 5. MK have Easter on 10 while Colchester have Lisbie on 8. Then there's Barnard, Jackson, Holt, Baker, Harris all on more than 5. OK, there's a lot of them that have scored from penalties but you get the point, we don't have a feared striker.

Parky will point to the fact that we have 10 players that have scored in the League, while all of Leeds, Colchester and MK only have 8 but the fact remains that its now 6 games since Deon scored and perhaps his hernia is troubling him more than we're told.

So will Parky wait till Northwich to try Mooney with a starting berth or will he try it this weekend because Deon could do with a break. And while we're about it, I'd really shake it up by playing Wagstaff from the off because all this doubling up on Sam is cramping his style and an unusual lineup will cause Carlisle a last minute inconvenient re-think and we can then bring a fresh Sam on in the second half.

So its a 4-4-2 with;

Elliot; Richardson, Dailly, Sodje, Youga; Sam, Semedo, Racon, Bailey; McLeod, Mooney.

Summary

A long trip to a ground where, apart from our promotion years, we haven't done well and against a team, and a manager, fighting for their lives. This won't be an easy game and that guy Péricard has me worried and it all looks like another score draw. But we've fallen 4 points behind Leeds now and, although Colchester have an even more uncomfortable game at MK Dons, Parky will know that our record of late badly needs improving.

A 2-1 away win then would fire up our promotion hopes but will we do it? 'Cause we will - Mooney and McLeod to score and Izzy to be yellow carded, and banned, again.

Gillingham Preview

Our eighth win of the season then, a number that equals our total for the whole of last season and put us back on top of the table, if only for a couple of days. But there's still only a two point gap back to that accursed Wimbledon reborn, MK Dons, still in third, and with that team we can't beat, Colchester, - now 8 games unbeaten and who have scored more and conceded less than we have - a further point behind.

And it could be that we'll need to see off both of them before the seasons end because steaming up fast are the Canaries, despite Mondays blip, now only 1 defeat in the last seven.


Its krbs v krbs this weekend in our first local derby against the Gills for 5 years although it'll be our first visit to the restyled KRBS Priestfield stadium. Its 14 years since the controversial Paul Scally bought the club in 1995 for the ridiculous sum of one pound and the Gills have enjoyed some success since then with a remodeled ground to boot. As for the management, they change pretty regularly down at Priestfield but manager at the moment is Mark Stimson who joined in November 2007 and like last weeks Lee Clarke, he's in charge of his first League club.

A local boy from Plaistow he succeeded in getting the Gills relegated from League One in his first season but somehow survived Scally's wrath ( ignoring the numerous caretakers, he's Scally's seventh full-time man in charge in 14 years) but got them back again at the first attempt ( its promotion or your head) via the Play-Off final. But it was a close run thing and just as sweat was becoming visible on Stimson's brow, a late minute headed goal from Simeon Jackson, from a Josh Wright corner, gave them a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury.

Form
Gillingham are currently slipping down the table and are in 16th with 14 points and if it wasn't for their home form they'd be in a bit of trouble with only one point away from home. So its at Priestfield where they are happiest and where they are ranked 5th best in League One home form with 4 wins, a draw and only a single defeat. And with fourteen goals scored at home means that only Norwich and Huddersfield have outscored them on their own patch. And whereas they have easily the worst away defence in League One conceding 18, three more than anybody else, at home its completely the opposite with only 4 conceded in 6 games.

So you wanna know who they beat. First was a celebration of their promotion from League Two with a 5-0 demolishing of Swindon on opening day which was followed by a sobering 1-0 defeat, their only League one at home so far, to away specialists Hartlepool. An easy 3-0 win over Exeter, a comfortable 2-0 over Millwall, an unlucky 1-1 with Norwich where the Canaries equalised in the 97th minute (what again!) and lastly a tough 3-2 win over Wycombe after the Wanderers had equalised twice.

So things are slowly getting tougher for the Gills and you can throw in there a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Norwich in the JPT just two weeks ago.

Ex-Addicks?
Goalie is, of course, our old boy, and he is now 38, Simon Royce. Playing most of his career at Southend before he came to the Valley, he spent his first one year stint with us in 1998/99 as understudy to Sasa Ilic. Eight of his nine appearances came in that season, his first being that memorable 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle, after we had been two goals down and heading for a depressing ninth straight defeat. Mark Bright and then a Martin Pringle poke in the last minute saved the day. He then played seven straight games which included our first victory over Liverpool for 40 years, the 1-0 at the Valley with a Keith Jones winner 20 minutes from time with Liverpool down to 10 men after Callagher had been ordered off for catching Pringle with his arm. He then returned in 2003/04 as reserve to Dean Kiely but only made one further appearance.

There's also the Gills club captain Barry Fuller who lead our reserves for a couple of years but failed to make the first team back in 2004/06 and they also have the "elegant" midfielder Rashid Yussuff, another recent recruit during the summer.

The Opposition
An eleven of completely non-household names, except for Fuller and Royce, of course, and there's nobody that springs to mind for analysis.

And to prove what I mean, Stimson's been out and about in the loan market mainly because leaky goals leads to desperate measures and he's found two new loan signings - Matt Fry, a 19 year old from West Ham in central defence ( now that's what I call desperate), and Scott Vernon, a striker from Colchester, both making their debuts last weekend at MK Dons although Vernon didn't last long, limping off with an ankle injury on 43 minutes and he's now been sent back to Colchester.

The Dangerman
Getting to double figures should be a strikers first aim of the season and there's already five of them in League One with more than 10 goals, including cup games. And while Deon is only halfway there on 5, over at Gillingham their number 10 is appropriately, already on 10 goals. He's the Jamaican, Simeon Jackson, who in this strange world, plays international football for Canada and has scored 7 League and 3 cup goals so far this season and follows his 21 last season. He may or may not have been on Parkys wish list during the summer but our own Chris Dickson definitely was on Stimsons. Dickson was the Gills top scorer for the season during his loan spell in 2007/08 and Stimson dreamed of having him alongside his Simeon but to no avail it seems.

Whats Their Secret?
After the bruising clash last weekend with Huddersfield it'll be a pleasant change to play Gillingham. The Terriers, you remember, are renowned for their fighting abilities and never say die spirit and there's still only three teams - Huddersfield, Bristol and Walsall - that have come from behind to win twice this season. Meanwhile the best thing to do against the Gills is to score first because they are one of only two teams in League One, along with Tranmere, that have won exactly nothing after going behind, even at home. Which is, of course, good news for the Addicks, as we have scored first 6 times in all.

History
Our only visit to the Priestfield in the last 28 years was an FA Cup 3rd Round tie in 2004 that saw the Gills score their biggest win over us, 3-2. Apart from that game all the others at Priestfield have been Third Division matches with most of them coming in the 1920's with us winning 4 of them against their 3 with 5 draws. We've won the last 3 League games at Priestfield and you have to go all the way back to 1929 to find the last time they beat us at their place.

Overall its a massive 12-3 to the Addicks but, perhaps due to the derby influence, there's been a huge number of drawn games, 9 in all.

Doing a Leicester?
After thirteen games Leicester had a record of 7 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats (to Millwall and Brighton); and were therefore three points behind us on 25 points.

What Are They Saying

An ominous, though fruitless, talk from Paul Lambert over at Carrow Rd before visiting Leeds, "We'll go there to try and win. We're playing really, really well at the moment and if we go there and play like we have been, then we'll be right in the game. We'll defend strongly but when we have it we'll go and play our game. We'll have a terrific following up there so I'm not going to go up there and look for a draw, I'm going to go there to try and win." Perhaps you should have gone for the draw, Paul.

The Team
The three points gained last weekend, using 4-4-2, will have pleased Parky although it was his defence winning all the plaudits and that may well cause him to return to his crowded midfield and his previous 4-5-1 for an away game that will be hotly contested.

And with Richardson, Dailly and Youga ever present is not hard to see that its our back four that are currently earning the points. Only 5 players have appeared at the back in our 13 League games and during that time only one of them, Llera, has been substituted.

Semedo is sure to be there in front of an unchanged defence while our reliable duo of Racon and Bailey are unlikely to have any doubts over their selection. While Racon has been subbed twice, late on at Leeds and against Exeter, skipper Bailey is the only midfielder/striker that has not been subbed in League games.

Wagstaff continues to threaten Sam but a starting berth will have to wait a while which leaves the only question mark this week over Shelvey, Burton and McLeod. The issue is one of formation. Does Parky continue with a shaky but attack orientated 4-4-2 or revert to his season long 4-5-1?

And while Parky clearly has no time for Pardews idea of strikers he also knows that there are no less than 13 League One teams that have outscored us over the last eight games and that's why, despite getting Mooney on loan, he's still running his eye over strikers. Another one, along with a midfielder, were included in a secret behind-closed-doors reserve friendly against a Glenn Hoddle team on Monday night. And it was one of the trialists - name unknown - who scored the first goal; "a visiting defender could only flick the ball into the path of one of the players on trial for Charlton, who raced clear to slot home." Sign him up, Parky.

So what's the team then? Will Parky listen to my advice that if we score first we'll win and use an attacking lineup with McLeod and Burton or will he see instead a grim, tight local derby where the rules are out the window and that could go either way.

For me its down to man management and he'll feel he owes something to Matt Spring for his first half performanace against Huddersfield and his acceptance at being subbed by Semedo while at the back of his mind will be the need to remind McLeod that removing your shirt and waving it to the crowd is liable to mean more time spent sitting down. Both these things will tempt Parky to include Spring in a 5 man midfield which would allow Bailey more time to attack.

So its;

Elliot; Richardson, Dailly, Sodje, Youga; Sam, Semedo, Racon, Spring, Bailey; Burton

Summary

It'll be a grim local derby with nothing in it. There's been draws a plenty between us and it could be down to a single goal but with our League record down there and with our away support driving us on, I'll go with a 2-0 away win.

Huddersfield Town Preview

After five games in 15 days, with Colchester steaming up behind, and issues over injuries and niggles all starting to surface leave Parky facing some difficult decisions this weekend. Another home game against Huddersfield gives him an opportunity to try new attacking options but will he use them?

This weeks visitor is Lee Clark, in his first managerial job since he joined the Terriers last December. He's still only 36, played at Newcastle for most of his career before he moved to then second division Sunderland in 1997. And, yes of course, you've recognised the year because he played in the side that reached the play-off final in May 1998 and we all know what happened next.

Condemned to play another year in the second it seems he wasn't a happy bunny because, despite being promoted to the Premiership in 1999 with a (then) league record of 105 points, he was spotted with some old mates among the Newcastle fans at the 1999 FA Cup Final shortly afterwards, wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "Sad Mackem Bastards". He was immediately dropped from the team, and never played for Sunderland again, moving to Fulham the same year.

Form
His team Huddersfield are currently 8th, seven points behind the Addicks with only 1 win ( and 4 defeats) from their 6 away games. On opening day they drew with 2-2 at Southend coming back from 2 goals down, then after 3 home wins in a row (including the 7-1 over Brighton) they suffered their first defeat 1-0 at Bristol to an 84th minute goal. They then lost to Newcastle 4-3 in the League Cup after going 3-1 in front before winning 3-2 at MK Dons this time after being 2-1 down. They then lost 3-1 at Millwall but kept going and scored a consolation goal 5 minutes from time.

But, after a boring goalless draw at home to lowly Stockport, their away form really hit a bad run with three games away from home on the run and all were lost. They went down 2-1 at Walsall with the winner coming 3 minutes from time, then 1-0 to Colchester again with a late winner in the 80 minute. A JPT game at Chesterfield was next and after being 3-1 down they hit back with 2 goals in injury time only to lose on penalties.

The Opposition

They clearly don't suffer foreigners up there in Huddersfield for the Terriers are a completely English squad with no foreigners on their books, except for the obligatory 4 Irishmen.

I can't find the name for it but there's definitely a Clarke fixation at the Galpharm Healthcare Stadium (!). Apart from the manager there's another three of them, two in the middle of the defence. Captain is number 5 Peter Clarke, ex of Premiership Everton and its rumoured, was offered a deal by the Addicks during the summer but turned us down to move to Huddersfield, and the name for that is idiotic. Alongside him there's number 6 Terrier stalwart Nathan Clarke, at the Town for eight years. Then there's his brother Tom, sadly for Clarke fans, out of the team.

Number 10 Robbie Simpson is a new boy bought in the summer from Coventry for a rumoured 300K. He joined Coventry in 2007, bought by Iain Dowie from Cambridge for a song and was proclaimed "a future star" by Dowie - where have we heard that before, and, of course, he's failed to score, so far, for the Terriers.

Dangerman
Seems that Clark likes the rotation idea with two strikers Simpson and Robinson playing away at Colchester in a backs to the wall formation but with Rhodes and Novak being preferred at home last weekend against Exeter. Nineteen year old Jordan Rhodes certainly enjoyed his break scoring three headed goals in 8 minutes against Exeter in the 4-0 win and he heads their scoring table with 8 League goals and eleven in total while they have in reserve another youngster the number nine, twenty year old , Theo Robinson on 5.

Whats Their Secret?

With only 1 win in their last 5 away games - and 4 defeats - they'll come to defend. But beware, only three teams have come from behind to win this season in the League One; Bristol, Walsall and Huddersfield, and the Terriers did it in their only away win, at MK Dons, winning 3-2 after going a goal behind. And they have also come from two goals behind at Southend and Chesterfield to get draws.

And Huddersfield are also the League One second highest scorers with 23 goals only one less than Norwich on 24.

What They Saying?
First there's a lone voice from the town supporting his manager while others are calling for his head. Oh and he doesn't appear to see the weekends game as "winnable".

And Clark himself wasn't too pleased with Towns' recent performance against Chesterfield in the JPT last week. "The cup tie went to penalties because we defended absolutely abysmally for their second and third goals. We can't be coming and dominating proceedings, certainly like we did in the early part of the game, and then giving goals away like we have - it's not conducive to winning football matches." Well, at least his spelling is spot on.

Meanwhile, while we comfortably used Plan B to beat Barnet in the JPT in the night's biggest win, Mr Grayson was not so happy up there in Leeds. He made 6 changes for the side that played us and although they managed to beat rock bottom Darlington 2-1 he seems far from pleased.

And as a warning of what's to come, Colchester manager Boothroyd, after Colchester's 1-0 win in Huddersfield's last League away game, "They came to spoil, played with a back five, and tried to counterattack. We overcame it and it wasn't a particularly good spectacle".

History
Its been 9 eventful years since we played Huddersfield in the same Division back in our Championship winning year 1999/2000 when in our usual Curbishley fashion we were limping towards the title - they won that game in April 1-0. And along with Norwich, Huddersfield are the team we've played the most, 35 seasons worth including our most memorial win the 7-6 in December '57.

Overall in the League its 31-25 to the Addicks with 14 draws with an impressive 21-9 with 5 draws at the Valley.

The Team
There's a number of tricky selection decisions to be made by Parky this weekend and at the back of his mind is the worrying statistic that he hasn't scored for three games, League that is. In defence he has to decide between the returning bravery of Sammy Sodje and the scoring threat of Miguel LLera. Against a team that are likely to have learnt from Oldham's example, if they needed any encouragement after their display at Colchester, and will come to defend, perhaps we should look towards scoring goals rather than defending.
Then there's the reported return from injury of Jose Semedo. He was instrumental in our first 6 wins and will surely replace the hard-working Spring.

Then there's the question mark being constantly raised over Jonjo? Should he be rested or given another go to impress while in front of him Burton has failed to add to his total over the last three games, as has McLeod, so is it time to try the different approach of our now fit number nine Leon McKenzie?

But no, I don't think so, too many changes could be throwing out the baby with the bath water so Parky will stick to two; Semedo and Sodje to return and the rest as is.

Elliot; Richardson, Dailly, Sonje, Youga; Sam, Semedo, Racon, Shelvey, Bailey; Burton

Summary

It'll be Oldham all over again with another team determined to get away with a point and they may play 5 at the back as they did against Colchester. We've conceded 5 of our 10 goals in the last 5 minutes of each half which suggests that our concentration drifts a bit which could be fatal against this lot who show true Yorkshire grit and keep going till the end and its worth remembering that everything seems to happen at the end of Huddersfield games as it did in 1957.

Meanwhile our record against the top half teams is pretty bad, 16th out of 24 with no wins in 4 games against Leeds, Colchester, Oldham and Norwich. This needs to be put right soon but the Terriers won't make it easy although they are also shit against the cream; only winning once at MK Dons whilst losing at Bristol, Colchester and Millwall.

So assuming that luck won't desert us a second week running ( conveniently forgetting Richardson's penalty area trip) and with our 21-9 home record against them its a home banker for me. 2-1 to the Addicks.

Oldham Athletic Preview

After last weeks nervous few days when we had began to think that our season was beginning to turn a tad sour with only one win in 5 games and a thumping defeat at Colchester we can now begin to relax with a win under our belts at last, albeit only over League Two Barnet.

And after harbouring a few doubts perhaps we should be suitably contrite and give credit where its due. Yes, its time to give a bit of applause to our man Parky who is gaining respect by the game. Four goals scored on Tuesday, for the second time this season, after going behind, was the tonic we all needed and comes in a game where Plan B was definitely used with 8 Academy players used in the 90 minutes as well as the first game this season when 2 of our out and out strikers have scored in one game.

It all goes to build everyones confidence in Parky and follows the point earned at Leeds where we clearly played football that could have won us the game and was obsolutely the correct response after the disappointing 3-0 defeat at Colchester and all at a time when injuries are starting to bite into the squad.

So on to this weeks villain. You may not have heard of him but take my word for it Oldham manager Dave Penney is extremely experienced. He's only been at Boundary Park since June joining from Darlington, where he's spent the last three years and his influence at Darlington should not be ignored as since he's left they have slumped big time and are currently rock bottom of League Two with just two points.

As for his best times they were when he was in charge at Doncaster, building them from a midtable Conference team into League One members because, like our last visitor, Exeter manager Paul Tisdale, he took them, with successive promotions, from the Conference to League One in 2 seasons, 2002/04 and all on astute dealings in the transfer market with little cash to throw around.

And if you've got a minute of two there's an in-depth look at Penney's career in an article by Hugo Steckelmacher which, although written in 2008, is still very interesting and will well give you cause to doubt the three points and it also includes a paragraph comparing the skills of Penney with our young upstart Parky.

Current Form
The Latics are currently 8th with 16 points. As for their away games, they've played five, 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats.
They won 2-1 at Orient, lost at Millwall 0-2, drew with Brentford 1-1, lost to Bristol 0-1, won at Southend 1-0. Not a bad record but only three teams ( the spanners among them with a single away goal) have scored less goals away from home.
But they are on a bit of a run and since that last minute 1-0 defeat away to Bristol Rovers on 12th Sept they haven't lost for 4 games, only conceding one goal in the process, in a run that has seen them inflict on Southend their first home defeat, something that even Leeds couldn't do.

Ex-Addicks?
We've had very little contacts with the northern Athletic and somehow it therefore seems appropriate that the only connection that turns up between us is the name of Iain Dowie. Monica managed them for just one year back in 2002/03 and somehow got them into the Division Two Play-Offs before heading south for the Palarse. Perhaps he should have stayed where he was for everyones sake.

The Opposition
Twenty-seven miles is all that separates Oldham from Leeds and perhaps last weekends fixture was good preparation for the game ahead. A settled back four, two of whom played previously with Leeds, with Lomax, Hazell, captain Gregan and Sheehan all having played the last four games. Now an aging 35 - the same as Christian Daily - Gregan is ex West Brom for whom he played in the Premiership in 2002/03 (he played at the Valley where he lost 1-0) and Sheehan is on loan from Leeds.

In fact, Parky won't have his work cut out figuring out their team as its been the same for the last 4 games with the exception of Lomax's migraine at half-time last week. He was replaced and if it was the first time he's had it I can sympathize. The first attack I had made me dash off to the docs straight away thinking I was having a brain hemorrhage, at which point the doctor coolly reached into his desk drawer, drew out a piece of paper and asked me "Is it like this ?" Yes, it was a jagged question mark.
Anyway, Penney's love is a classic 4-4-2 with Abbott and Parker up front with Shelvey look-alike Whitaker, 21 year old Furman who thinks he's going to the World Cup, 19 year old Alex Marrow, on loan from Blackburn, and, 10 goals last season, winger Chris Taylor in midfield.

DangerMan
Clearly a favorite with manager Penney, who paid Swansea 100k for him while he was manager at Darlington, is Pawel Abbott. Current top scorer, number nine Abbott is a Polish U-21 international thanks to his mum, and is on 4 goals, although it must be said, Pav, that two were from the penalty spot. Penney said after signing Abbott for the second time in June, "I'm delighted to get this deal done as we have ourselves a proven goalscorer - Pawel's goal ratio is excellent."

Whats Their Secret?

Ignoring Southampton, as we all can this season, only the bottom two point scorers, Wycombe and Tranmere, have scored fewer goals and as befits the third lowest scorers with 10, Oldham's away games are always tight with few goals, with only nine goals scored by both teams in the 5 games ( one goal every 50 minutes), only Leeds with a mean 8 and Millwall with seven are lower. So while Norwich home fans can experience a host of goals - 29 in 5 games - Oldham are the opposition nobody wants because only two teams have a better defence than them with their five away goals let in. But they do appear to have a weak spot too. Four of their 11 League goals conceded have come in the last 5 minutes including injury time and they also lost in the League Cup at Carlisle in the 89th minute.

Doing A Leicester?
Its neck and neck with 11 games played and Leicester had exactly the same points as the Addicks from exactly the same record, 7 wins, 3 draws, 1 defeat and had scored exactly the same number of goals.

What are They Saying?
Bristol Rovers manager Trollope was clearly impressed by the opposition after his 1-0 last minute win and said of Oldham, "The way they pressed the ball, their organisation and the work ethic was exceptional."
I know we shouldn't be doing it, but needs must. Pardew, after signing the exotic Papa Waigo from Florentina, still wants more and is after another loan striker. And he's suddenly become upset that about money, "It's disappointing that my phone hasn't been ringing. Maybe their efforts in the reserves or on the training ground need to improve. There are four or five who need to go out, either on loan or permanently. I don't want to see players sitting around earning money but not contributing."
As we learned last season searching among the other tables apart from the points gained one helps at times, and if I were Pardew I'd be more concerned about my defence because it must have passed his notice that looking at a points-lost table for League One Southampton are also rock bottom, having given away 4 victories while leading.

History

Twenty years spent together and we lead the Latics by an impressive 17-8 with 15 draws. But being Addicks it must be pointed out that there is a potiential banana skin as Oldham are one of 5 teams in League One that have never win at the Valley ( or Sainsburys for that matter). The record at home is 13 wins and 7 draws with a 1-0 win in Sept 1996 in our last game together when David Whyte, Whyte, Whyte scored with just 4 minutes left.

The Team

A couple of weeks ago we were the Divisions top scorers but after two goalless games both Norwich (on 23) and Colchester (21) have overtaken us and somehow I can't see the resolute Oldham allowing us a goalfest to catch up.

Injuries are also starting to appear amongst our ever-presents with Richardson and Burton joining Sam Lloyd and Jose Semedo on the treatment table. Scott Wagstaff was one of the stars on Tuesday and would appear to have pressed his claim for a place on the right wing if Sam remains unfit while behind him Chris Solly could also deputise for Frazier R at right-back.
One definitely missing is Sam Sodje away in Nigeria for their vital World Cup game against Mozambique, so Miguel Llera will return to defence alongside Dailly, as long as he's recovered from his virus, with Kelly Youga at left-back. It remains to be seem if the added pressure of Sodje behind him will improve Miguels game or not.

Semedo's continued absence with his pelvic injury is starting to look a bit ominous so expect Matt Spring to continue in midfield with Racon and Bailey.
Another issue concerns the attack. With Deon recovering from his broken nose and two strikers used on Tuesday will Parky be tempted to line up with 4-4-2 to counter Penney? Can't see it really and with Burton rested and Jonjo only getting 30 minutes on Tuesday we should see our usual 4-5-1.

Summary

Its a team that have forgotten how to score - in the League anyway - against an away team that thinks that goals are for sissies. The 3rd highest scorers against the 3rd lowest. A team that have never won at the Valley against a team that haven't lost there since March.

One goal could win it, if we can score it, with a repeat of David Whyte 86th minute goal in their vulnerable last 5 minutes but they'll come looking for a goalless draw so expect some serious tedium with that one goal every 50 minutes stat. An added worry is that high flying Frankie V forecast a draw back in the summer and that was before Penney's new "resolve" arrived at the club. A third game goalless for the Addicks?

No, to hell with stats; a 2-1 win.

Leeds United Preview

So we've beaten at last, concede more than we have previously this season and all without scoring. Three records broken on one night that illustrate we still have a long way to go, and add to that the news that Bristol's win at Southampton leaves them just a single point behind us.

So not a very good night but the omens were there to excuse us. We've never won in Colchester in the League and we've never beaten one of Boothroyd's physical teams but unfortunately for everyone the next game is probably the most difficult of any fixture, away at Leeds.

Parky's response to Tuesday was that it wasn't a 3-0 defeat. Well, we can all remember a 3-0 scoreline that wasn't fair on the play ( a 0-3 defeat to another bogey team, the spanners, at Sainburys in 1988 stands out) but judging from the fans reports on the game we looked jaded and couldn't response to the two quick goal first half goals. Parky has already said that all our mistakes came in one night and "we have to be careful not to overreact" but with only three centre-halfs and one off on international duty next week while another is clearly hesitant on 4 yellows, perhaps a change should be made in the middle of defence - especially as Sammy Sodje knows a little about the strengths of Leeds after his loan period there last season culminating in the Play-Off semi.

So on to Leeds and after more news about their controversial ownership in yesterdays guardian it seems that Ken Bates lied about his situation, doesn't own any shares and they are in fact owned by a Cayman Islands registered Fund with 10,000 shares and may possibly have never been properly ratified by the Football League. All adding to the thought that if you ever needed an example of football mismanagement, look no further than Leeds United.

After the glory years in the sixties under Revie when they changed their kit to all white to copy Madrid, they dreamed of more of the same in the new millenium. After 4 years under David O'Leary, never finishing outside the top 5 and a European Cup semi-final in 2001, the following season it all started to fall apart. Under Peter Ridsdale they had taken out loans totalling 60 million in anticipation of further Champions League income but in 2001/02 they only finished 5th and failed to qualify for the Champions League and O'Leary was sacked that summer as players were sold to pay back the debts. They dropped to 15th in 2002/03 under Terry Venables and then Peter Reid but the inevitable happened the following season.

So fast forward to today, and this is Leeds' third year in Tier Three and it looks like being the last. Dennis Wise was in charge during their relegation to Tier Three for the first time in their history in 2006/07 and then left for Newcastle the following January leaving Gary McAllister in charge for the remainder of 2007/08. He managed to get them into the Play-Off final despite the 15 point penalty but lost 1-0 to Doncaster. But the following season, a run of 5 defeats in a row, culminating in a 3-1 reverse at MK Dons and a slip to 9th place saw McAllister sacked and Grayson took over in December 2008 but he in turn failed again against Millwall in the Play-Off semi's.

Simon Grayson's second home game in charge back in January was his first defeat at Leeds, a 2-0 defeat to Carlisle, but they haven't lost since, in the league anyway, although a 1-1 draw in the Play-offs with Millwall and a 1-0 League Cup defeat to Liverpool do spoil the record. Grayson is yet another youngster - he's 39, although he does look older - learning his trade in Tier Three and it was him that got Blackpool back into Tier Two in 2007 and took them to their highest position for 36 years the following season before Leeds enticed him away in December 2008.

So 1st v 2nd should see the biggest crowd that the Addicks have played in front of this season. Capacity at Elland Rd is over 39,000 but strangely for a club doing so well their biggest gate, of 27,000, has been for the opening game against Exeter City. Since then gates have dropped and the average is only 23,000, down from last season.

Form

Unbeaten at home in the League since Doomsday, its the meanest defence against the most prolific attack in League One, although we are now equal with Colchester. Their home results have been; Exeter 2-1 on opening day, Tranmere 3-0, Stockport 2-0, Gillingham 4-1 and a 1-1 draw to their nemesis Carlisle, the last team to win in the League at Elland Rd. In the last three games, before Carlisle, they had 2-0 half-time leads while they lead Exeter and Carlisle 1-0 at half-time. They have also beaten Watford at Elland Rd in the League Cup although they had to win in extra time after Watford equalised with 3 minutes left.

And although they are currently on a run of 13 League games without defeat with eleven wins and two draws in that run, they have now failed to win either of their last two games at Elland Rd against Liverpool and Carlisle and according to Grayson didn't play very well at MK Dons last weekend.

Ex-Addicks
The only ex around this weekend for the opponents is Tresor Kandol who has returned to Leeds after loan spells last season at Millwall and the Addicks. But we are unlikely to see as he hasn't played at all this season and he's unlikely to even make the bench especially as Grayson apparently has trouble counting to seven.

Who Are Yeh?
The goalie responsible for the lack of goals and the unbeaten record is 32 year old Shane Peter Higgs. He saved a penalty in the 0-0 draw at Southend to preserve the draw. But the number one is Danish Casper Ankergren, twice winner of the Danish league with Brøndby and he could continue in goal as Higgs has a injury from the MK Dons game.

The lack of goals conceded has been down to a settled defence of Crowe, Kisnorbo, Bromby and Hughes and clearly Grayson knows his stuff because three of them, and the goalkeeper, are new men recruited during the summer.

Right-Back is ex-Arse and Palarse Jason Crowe whose move from Northampton caused Frazer Richardson to look for a new challenge. Another new boy is Aussie Patrick Kisnorbo bought from Leicester in June and yet another new signing is defender Leigh Bromby from the Blades. But both Crowe and Higgs were missing on Tuesday with a hamstring strain and thigh strain respectively and then they lost Bromby, off injured on 37 minutes against Carlisle, so there's a few question marks about the Leeds defence for this weekend.

Another summer signing is experienced Irish midfielder Michael Doyle bought from Coventry, the oldest, at 28, in a young midfield.

For while Grayson has gone for an experienced rearguard with an average age of 30, Leeds have a young midfield with Snodgrass, Howson and Johnson all in their early twenties with local Leeds boy Howson, aged 21, being the biggest influence, the youngest in the team and has been the captain until Naylor's return to the defence from injury on Tuesday.

The Dangerman
No surprises here for its obvious that Leeds' main man is their number nine from Ealing Jermaine Beckford. Another ex-Chelski starlet, he was released in 2003 without playing a game and moved to Wealdstone where 54 goals in 82 appearances took everyones attention, even from the Addicks.
Snapped up by Leeds in 2006 for a palty 35k and despite all that transfer talk he's still popular with the fans, and has been their Player of the Year for the last two years probably because of his goals, 34 all told last season. And he's got six already this season.

Whats Their Secret?
Like the boring old Leeds of the 60's, defence comes first and they have the meanest back four this side of the Premiership. The most clean sheets, five, in League One and only 7 goals conceded in 13 games, including cup games against Watford and Liverpool, and they take it to obsessive limits with not a single goal conceded in the first half of any game so far. Having bored the other team into a coma they then go for the jugular and have scored 6 of their 17 League goals in the last 10 minutes.

History

After 19 seasons together its a not very bright 21-11 to the Yorkshire lot with just 4 wins and 4 draws in our 19 games at Elland Rd. But since that dramatic Play-Off win we've been there 6 times and only lost twice with 3 draws and a win in 2002. Our last game was a 3-3 draw on the 8th May 2004 and in fact they have a bit of a soft spot for us as that was Leeds' last home game in the Premiership in a year in which they finished 2nd to bottom on 33 points with a massive goal difference of Minus 39. Hence the back to basics approach, I suppose.

And that was the year, just 5 years ago, when the Addicks finished highest ever in the Premier, 7th, the gooners went unbeaten and manure suffered nine defeats. How times change.

The Team
We have our very own ex this week with Frazer Richardson returning to Elland Rd after joining the Addicks during the summer. Born in Rotherham, he spent his youth at Leeds and had 9 years there and played for them in that very last Premier game in May 2004 against us. And we've already mentioned Sodje's time there last season and Parky, we'd like to see him start.

There is no news on the fitness of Jose Semedo but his holding role appears key to our team and we can only hope that he's fit in time. Parky's one for stability and will, in view of his comments, field his usual side with the only additional question mark being Llera.

Elliot; Richardson, Dailly, Sodje, Youga; Sam, Semedo, Racon, Shelvey, Bailey; Burton.

Summary

It would be nice to puncture their neat and tidy pristine first half stats with a goal and with their late surge usually producing goals we may have to. They too were upset on Tuesday, not only by injuries, but by one of their bogey teams, Carlisle, who have only lost 3 of their last 8 games at Elland Rd.
Carlisle used a five man midfield for most of the game to defend in numbers before bringing on an extra striker 20 minutes from the end which got them the point.

A draw looks the best we will be able to manage but I do remember a shock 2-0 win at Sheffield United back in March 2008 after conceding three at Blackpool in a 3-5 defeat the previous weekend. The truth is we won't rate it as a miracle even though 31 out of the 37 pundits on cafcpicks see a defeat.

Colchester United Preview

A bit of a stiff test ahead for the Addicks this week with two very difficult away games. We've never won at Colchester in the League and although we've only lost twice in our last six trips to Elland Rd after that Play-Off drama, Saturday will surely be the most difficult of the two.

And we enter what will be a revealing time for the Addicks with games against all of the other top 6 clubs over the next nine games. Not that our main rivals will have it easy either. Leeds had MK Dons last weekend, and follow that with a home game against Carlisle tomorrow - the last team to beat them at home in the League back in January. And then the Addicks come calling.

And whilst we return home for home games against Oldham and Huddersfield, Leeds have another couple of difficult successive away games at Bristol Rovers and then Millwall who disposed of them in last seasons Play-Off semis.

Anyway we start the difficult run against two of our bogeys, namely Colchester United and Aidy Boothroyd. After retiring from football aged 26 through injury, Boothroyd, still only 38, spent the following eight years coaching at Peterborough, West Brom and Leeds before becoming Watford's youngest ever manager at 34.

He then became only the 2nd manager in Watford's history to take them into the top flight when they won promotion to the Premier in 2006 after beating favorites Leeds 3-0 in the Play-Off final at Wembley. Their stay was short, however, and they were the only team to finish below us in 2007.

Times changes though and he's been out of a job since November last year when he left Watford "by mutual consent", Boothroyd became the U's manager on 2nd September and the combination of the two may be hard to beat.

Because his results against the Addicks are very impressive, from his point of view anyway. Four successive draws first in the Premier and then the fizzies and finally last season he achieved the double over us winning 1-0 at Vicarage Rd and 3-2 at the Valley.

And, of course, to level things up a bit we have our own ex's returning home. Parky had 3 successful years at Colchester between 2003-2006 taking them into Tier Two for the first time in their history and one of their most famous old boys is Mark Kinsella who signed on for the U's as a 17 year old. He stayed seven years, played 180 games apparently and 1998 was not his first win at Wembley, for he had won there previously with Colchester in the FA Trophy in 1992.

Form
Currently 5th with 15 points with 3 home wins over Yeovil 2-1, the Gills 2-1 and Hartlepool 2-0 and only one home defeat to Leeds 2-1 at the end of August. And since that game against Leeds and also since Boothroyds' arrival, are currently on a run of 4 games unbeaten.

Ex-Addicks
Number 20, is of course, Kevin Lisbie currently on loan from Ipswich. He's already got 23 goals for Colchester ( seven more than he got for us).

They also have the now 28 year old Kemal Izzet who left us for Colchester in 2001 without playing a game for the Addicks although he's been absence from the last two games after his sending off against Southampton.

Who Are Yeh

Number 18 Steven Gillespie is a 24 year Scouser whom Colchester splashed out their biggest ever fee - 400K - in the summer of 2008 after he'd scored 16 goals for Cheltenham in Tier 4.

They have four on-loan players and they'll all probably feature against the Addicks. Batth is a 19 year old centre-back on-loan from Wolves whilst another loanee is number 8 Irish U21 international 20 year old winger John-Joe O'Toole ex of Watford and the Blades both of whom he has played fizzy football.

They also have Nigerian striker Kayode Odejayi on a 3 month loan from Barnsley. He's tall, strong and will be a handful and was responsible for winning 2 penalties - Lisbie missed one and scored one in a game where he had to take three of them - on his debut against Hartlepool. He was called "unplayable" in the report on that game but Sammy Sodje will know all about him though, as they are both current Nigerian internationals.

The Dangerman

New striker Kayode Odejayi looks in worrying form but the rule of the ex's says that this weeks dangerman is quite clearly Kevin Lisbie. He was transferred to Ipswich from Colchester last season for 300k but it didn't work out and after just six goals all season is back at the U's on a season long loan where he's already equalled that total after 9 games. After his 10 years at the Valley and 176 games (108 as sub) he only managed 19 goals so he's obviously found his home at the U's for whom he's now got 23 in around 50 games.

Doing A Leicester?
Nine games in and Leeds had a meagre 17 points last season and were 4th. Leicester, meanwhile were top three points clear of Scunthorpe and had 22 points from 7 wins and a draw. But 9 games played is early days and the 2nd promotion spot would eventually go to the Posh, who after 9 games were in a distance ninth place.

History
The Addicks and Colchester clearly don't get on. Three times we have arrived in the same League together and each time one of us ups and leaves. Its as if we can't stand each other. Our two promotion seasons in 1974/75 and 1980-81, both of which we finished third in Tier Three, we did the leaving and then in 2007/08 the U's dropped out of Tier Two.

So only 3 seasons together make for a very short history and our league record at Layer Rd was not one to be proud of. Two previous Tier Three defeats, 3-0 in 1974 and 2-0 in 1981 in our promotion years was followed by a 2-2 draw in the fizzies in 2007 just two years ago.

And no surprise to see that there's only two players left from our team of two years ago - Jose and Lloyd Sam. The team was Weaver; Mills, McCarthy, Fortune, Powell; J Thomas (Reid 46), Semedo, Zheng, Ambrose; Todorov (Sam 72), Iwelumo (Varney 68) when we gave them a two goal start ( one from Kevin, of course) before Todorov and ZiZi scored. Twelve departures in 24 months and not surprisingly Reidie is the only one that I'd add to our current squad.

So no league wins but we have won there in the Cup, an 1-0 FA victory in 1984 and a previous League Cup 3-2 win in 1978. So overall its an embarrassing 4-3 to them with 2 draws.

But now, of course, we can forget our Layer Rd gremlins because the U's have moved to a brand stadium at Cuckoo Farm with a capacity of 10000.

The Team
An injured Jose meant a team change on Saturday after eight games unchanged. He was "almost fit" says Parky but wanted to save him for the important ones. Spring started and played the full 90, and amidst varying reports it would appear that he'll be unlucky to be sitting on the bench again against Colchester. And its all come a game too early for Matt as he'd love to show Aidy some style as, after working with him at Leeds, he was then one of Boothroyd's early signings at Watford.

So a return to our settled eleven then and with the added hope that Llera can avoid the dreaded 5th yellow before the Leeds game and before Sodje departs for international duty for the Oldham game. Perhaps Parky will surprise us and put Sammy in to start instead of Llera and use his knowledge of fellow Nigerian Odejayi.

Summary

A home team that has scored twice in three of their 4 home games - all won - against an away team that has scored 10 times in their 4 away games. The league's highest scorers with 20, against a team that has only scored 10 in their last 8.

But we've never won in Colchester in the League and Boothroyd hasn't lost to us in the 6 games that he's played against us and they are unbeaten since his arrival on September 2nd.

Its also another fixture where we can measure ourselves up against Leeds before the weekend for they are the only team to spoil the U's 100 per cent home record this season with that 2-1 win back in August. And while we continue to concede goals in the last 10 minutes, Leeds continue to do the opposite and have scored 6 of their 17 goals in the last 10 minutes.

So overall a 2-1 defeat here would not be a surprise but I have to go with a score draw with Lisbie getting a least one.

Exeter City Preview

First of all a big thank you very much must go to the seven directors participating in the 7 million investment to secure our finances for the remainder of the season. They are plc chairman Derek Chappell, club president and plc director Sir Maurice Hatter, football club chairman Richard Murray, deputy plc chairman Robert Whitehand, plc directors David Sumners and David White, and football company director David Hughes. And further news is that there'll be no sale and lease back of any of our assets and significantly the return of Richard Murray as plc chairman.

New investment is still being looked for but if Parky needed any reassurance of his immediate future then surely this is it. Whether any cash is available for new players is not mentioned but its a pity that it didn't happen earlier and not prevented the purchase of local boy, midfielder Jason Puncheon from Plymouth, currently on loan at MK Dons. Because at some point in the season our reliance on a scheme of filling any holes due to injury and suspension currently rests on Sodje, Spring, a misfiring McLeod and a variety of talented but unproven youngsters and may come unstuck in the winter mud.

So back to the football. Our unbeaten run continues at Norwich although not without a kick in the teeth to give away such a goal in the 93th minute. We knew that the last two games would be different to all the others and so it has proved with both Southampton and Norwich treating us more as equals than the other sides we have played. And it was surely a sign of the different abilities of both managers that Pardew sent his team out for a very strong first half (after a few choice words no doubt), while it was the new belief that new Norwich manager Lambert has given Norwich that caused them to keep fighting and to finish so strongly last Saturday. Or did we tire, as in the first game of the season - the only other time we have conceded two goals. And its worth pointing out that on both occasions, Parky has bought on attackers to get more goals rather that defenders to perserve the lead. Shame that in both games we failed to score again and instead did concede another goal, so will Parky bring on a defender/midfielder next time?

And although our good start to the season continues with a settled team and 20 points, perhaps any on-field luck just isn't on our side with goals disallowed, penalties not given and now fouls on keepers ignored. And our 9th game is against another midtable team. In fact of the eight teams we've faced, not one of them is in the current top 10. But after Exeter that's all going to change for our fixture list over the next nine games after the Grecians contains all the other five teams in the top six plus a tough away derby against ninth placed Gills. Colchester, Leeds and the Gills are all away with home games against Huddersfield, MK Dons and Bristol Rovers.

A good start is important to a teams confidence and gives a points base to build on but it's inevitable that changes will have to be made in those nine games when injuries and suspensions start to affect the team.

So its doubly vital that we get back to winning ways this weekend before we embark on that tough run. Manager at Exeter is Paul Tisdale, at 36 surely the youngest man in charge in League One. He's been there since June 2006 when Exeter were a Conference side and he lead them to the Play-Off final against Morecombe at Wembley in his first year where they lost 2-1. The following season, Tisdale again led them into play-offs and this time did even better with a 1-0 win against Cambridge United at Wembley on 18 May 2008 they won promotion back to the Football League after 5 years in the Conference. And a clear sign on the state of football in Exeter is that he is one of only four managers to have lead the Grecians to any sort of promotion.

And to add to his managerial status Tisdale then cemented his place as one of Exeter City's most successful managers ever by guiding the club to second place in their first season back in the Football League, in so doing becoming the first Exeter City manager to win successive promotions. Exeter are currently 15th with 9 points from 2 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats.

Form
Promoted teams always enjoy their first game in their new league and its not usually the best time to play them. We experienced this with Scunthorpe, Swansea and Wycombe over the last three years and Leeds had more of the same against Exeter on the opening day of the season.

They don't start tougher than an away game at Elland Rd, but despite Leeds renowned home record, and with only 10 men for the last 30 minutes, the Grecians held out until the 88th minute before the inevitable Beckford scored the winner in a 2-1 defeat.

After that, two home games against Norwich and the derby game with Yeovil both finished 1-1 before they travelled to Carlisle, in what must be the longest trip anywhere in the UK to play football, and won 1-0.

Their only real bad result then came at Gillingham where they lost 3-0 before an away draw with Orient 1-1. Last weekend they followed everyone's example and beat the hapless Tranmere - on a run of 6 straight defeats - at the smaller St. James Park 2-1, so as far as away games are concerned its one win, one draw and two defeats with only 3 goals scored and 6 conceded.

Ex-Addicks
Of course, they have Stuart Fleetwood, who played 68 minutes last weekend but, according to the terms of his season long loan, won't be allowed to play on Saturday.

Who Are Yeh
In goal is an 18 year old Swede, number 46 Oscar Jansson, on loan from Spurs. And at centre-back they have number 29 Troy Archibald-Henville, another 20 year Spurs "starlet" on loan since January. Troy was hailed as "terrific" by boss Paul Tisdale during his loan last season. And the only player that you could possibly have heard of is Marcus Stewart, ex striker of Ipswich and Sunderland, now 36 and has dropped into midfield.

And their fourth loanee is the 21 year old winger Craig Noone from Plymouth who scored on his debut at Orient with a 35 yarder from the left wing. They also have 19 year old Liam Sercombe in midfield.

The Dangerman

Number nine is local boy 31 year old Adam Stansfield now in his 4th season at Exeter and who finally got off the mark last weekend with two goals against Tranmere in only his second game back after injury since Easter and is now top scorer. He was also named in last weekends Football League Tier Three Team of the Week.

What's The Secret?
Exeter are a team of a heady mixture of youth and old age. Two 36 year olds, Alex Russell and Marcus Stewart, control the midfield whilst an 18 year old goalkeeper and a 20 year old Spurs starlet are loanees in defence whilst midfielder Liam Sercombe is still only 19 and another loanee, new winger Craig Noone, is only 21.

History
To tell the truth, Exeter don't really like coming to SE7. Eleven league visits, plus two cup ties, makes thirteen games with 10 defeats, 3 draws and no wins and 1927 was the last time they avoided defeat in a League game at the Valley. Since then they've been back 6 times, 4 defeats in the League, all in Tier 3, a 2-2 draw in the FA cup, in distance pre-war 1934, and a cup defeat last time we played in 2003.

Although having said that neither team can be said to travel well for in our eleven visits to Exeter we've only won once, a 5-2 tonking in 1929 if you can remember that far back. So overall then is 11-9 to the Addicks with 5 draws.

But don't get to confident with home advantage, Parky, you may recall that two teams came to the Valley last season never having won there - Barnsley and Doncaster - and you know what happened next.

What Are They Saying?

Manager Tisdale after their away draw at Orient two weeks ago, "It was a slightly different set-up with the winger (Noone) coming into the side so it took a bit of time to find our pattern. Craig Noone got a goal which gave us the point, but he made so much space for himself and contributed so much to our build-up play, I'm very pleased."
So pleased that he'll probably repeat the 4-5-1 format this Saturday expecially as he's without the non-playing Stuart Fleetwood.

Team
Unchanged for the ninth time? Seems like it and we can only enjoy the privilege of seeing eleven players who want to play for the club after hearing reports from the Fans Q and A last week.
A couple of comments from Cheltenham Addick on what Parky had to say make very revealing reading. Not only does he want players that want to play for Charlton first and foremost but at last gives a reason for our slide into Tier Three - too many players at the Valley for the money rather than the football. Obviously really, we could easily have guessed as much - but it's a new and refreshing side to Charlton that we have someone we comes out and says it in clear English.

Here's the eleven then:

Elliot; Richardson, Dailly, Llera, Youga; Sam, Semedo, Racon, Shelvey, Bailey; Burton.

Summary
Midtable or not Exeter have to be taken seriously. They have never won at the Valley, but they hadn't at Elland Rd either and in their first ever trip there for a League game on opening day in August they came close to grabbing a draw and stopping Leeds' home winning run which at that point was eleven straight wins.

And after winning promotion for the second year running, their confidence has only really been punctured by that 3-0 defeat at Gillingham and they will arrive at the Valley quite happy to be in midtable on nine points with only 3 defeats in 8 games and only a minus 3 goal difference.

So they will give us a game but after only 2 points from the last six, its time to get back on track. A 2-0 win for the Addicks and I don't care who scores them.

Norwich City Preview

Lets forget the guy above for a minute and spare a thought this morning for Phil Parkinson. On Saturday he'll make his third visit to Carrow Rd, Norwich in charge of Charlton Athletic. Eight months ago on January 13th the team travelled to East Anglia for an Third Round FA Cup replay with a record-breaking 18 winless games behind them. Eight of those were down to Pardew so this was Parky's eleventh game in charge but already his team had lost six and drawn 4 times in his first 10 games. All four away games under him had been lost including the fixture less than a month previous against Norwich with only a total of two goals scored in those four away games.

And after a 2-0 home defeat to Forest just 3 days ago and with that Leroy Lita goal giving Norwich their 1-0 win a month ago the prospects looked bleak. And if you had asked him for a forecast back then, he'd have told you that he would rather forget the Cup, losing against Norwich wasn't important, but breaking the losing run was vital if the Addicks were going to survive and he made six changes to the team that had lost three days before at home to Forest; and next Saturday's game away to Wednesday was vital.

But on a chilly East Anglian night it was a 6th minute Darren Ambrose goal from a through ball by Nicky Bailey that finally gave Parky his first win for the Addicks.

Will Parky allow himself a wry smile as the coach hurtles up the M11? Eight months in football is a long time but he can well remember the pressure and anguish he felt that night as he tried all he knew to break the run. His job was on the line, a new manager is expected to at least inspire a win and he was desperate for a result. But that was January and against all the odds he's still in charge and things had turned round dramatically. Top of the League with 6 wins so far ( just two less than the whole of last season) and unbeaten in 7 games, he knows that he'll walk into Carrow Rd a different man.

So what of Norwich today? Similar to the naming of our own likeable Les Reed, so to Bryan Gunn, goalkeeping legend with 390 games for Norwich behind him, was the goalkeeping coach when Charlton last came calling in January but when Glen Roeder was sacked the day after our win he was surprisingly handed the job as manager on 16th January, with no managerial experience behind him.

He won his first game 4-0 against Barnsley and the choice seemed inspirational but having got themselves 2 points clear of the relegation zone with a 1-1 draw at Birmingham in the last game in March a disastrous April and May with 5 defeats in 6 games spelled the end. If the Norwich board had any idea on the realities of football that relegation to Tier Three for the first time in 49 years should have been the end of the Bryan Gunn experiment but he stayed on and it just needed one league game in 2009/10 before he was sacked.

OK, it was 1-7 home hammering by little Colchester so perhaps no surprise really. And perhaps no surprise that the new manager, appointed just 5 days later, should be the very man responsible for the 7-1 defeat, Colchester manager Paul Lambert. The 40 year old Scot is most famous for his playing exploits with Borussia Dortmund in 1997 when they won the Champions League with a win over Juventus in the final. And if the name sounds familar to the Addicks then it should be because we've meet the man before in his first english managerial job.

League Cup Quarter Final at the Valley on Tuesday December 19th 2006 versus Wycombe Wanderers and he was the man in charge, masterminding our 1-0 defeat.

When he took over Norwich were 3rd from bottom with only a single point and he has moved them up to a midtable 14th with 8 points but, still, in this Division where its the bottom four that get the chop, they are only 2 points away from the relegation zone.

Form
As we said Norwich opened the season with that disastrous 7-1 defeat at home to Colchester with our Kevin getting a couple. Two away games followed where they drew 1-1 with Exeter before losing again to Brentford 2-1. They first win then was another new-manager inspired win, a 5-2 dispatch of Wycombe at home in Lambert's first game in charge and then they won again away at Hartlepool 2-0.

In between times in the League Cup there's been more goals as they scored 4 without reply at Yeovil before exiting at Carrow Rd 1-4 at the hands of a Reidie inspired Sunderland with the little fat one getting two of his own. And they also got revenge over Brentford in a 1-0 home win in the Johnstone's Paint thing.

So there's been goals galore with a total 31 goals scored in those 7 games and it was a bit of a surprise to see a 0-0 draw against Walsall last week, although it was their third clean sheet in a row, a sign perhaps of Lambert's desire to start at the back. And then came Lambert's first defeat, 2-1 on Tuesday at MK Dons after having gone in front.

Ex-Addicks

The nearest thing to the curse of an ex is Number 10 34 year old Jamie Cureton who played with Parky for three years at Reading and briefly joined him at Colchester when Parky was manager. He's played three times this season but has failed to score and was dropped to the bench for Tuesday's game.

Who Are Yeh?

Norwich have a couple of colourful defenders in right-back number 2 the ex-Liverpool Jon Otsemobor, most famous for the shooting in the buttocks incident in 2003, and at centre-half the Danish number 33 Jens Berthel Askou bought from Turkish club Kasımpaşa by that nice Mr Gunn during the summer.

Livewire winger Wes Hoolihan is someone that Pardew set his heart on in May 2008 but it never happened and he moved instead to Norwich and at the moment can't get a game.

And Tuesdays game leaves Lambert with some thinking to do. After three injuries he finished the game with three teenagers and two 20 year olds on the field. Midfielder Stephen Hughes was one of the injured and he was stretchered off in the 19th minute with full-back Adam Drury limping off 5 minutes later. Centre-half Michael Nelson was then injured as well in the second half. Whether all three will be fit to play on Satuday must be causing headaches for Lambert as he already has midfielders Jones and Gill out injured.

The Dangerman
Another of Gunn's signings for 400k is number nine and captain Grant Holt bought in from League Two Shrewsbury in July. After years spend in the Conference he found his level at Shrewsbury scoring 20 times last season. He's famous for his non-stop running and always scores on his debut ( except at Norwich ) and is top scorer with 5.

What's Their Secret?
The only secret I can find is that they play a left-winger cum striker on the left - number 16 Chris Martin - who likes to come inside and score goals with his right foot. He's done it twice now this season, the last time being his 16 second goal on Tuesday against MK Dons. He spent last season on loan at Luton and was their top scorer with 13 goals. Watch him, Frazer!

And Lambert seems to have sorted out the high scores with only 2 goals conceded in their last four games, and one of those a disputed penalty, so we may find goals hard to come by this weekend.

Who's Talking
In contrast to Parky, Lambert seems keen to use the loan window to bring new players in and inject some pace to get at defences. And he's also not too pleased with fitness levels at the club which may be important with only 5 days rest for his team.

Doing A Leicester?
Seven games in and Leicester had just won their 5th game 1-0 against Hartlepool and had 16 points, 3 less than the Addicks.

History
As mentioned our last visit was last January 13th in the FA Cup. Seven-One defeats are par for the course for a change of managers but so also is a defeat to Charlton. I've lost count how many times a defeat to us has been seen as life threatening and meant a sacking and this one meant the end for Glen Roeder and he was sacked the following day.

We have a good record against Norwich and have played them 70 times in the League, more times than anyone else in League One ( except Huddersfield, also on 70) and we've won there a credible 11 times, drawn 9 and lost 15 times. We came up with them from the old Second Division in 1986 and enjoyed top flight football for 4 years, only losing once in Norwich with the best result being a 3-1 win ( goals by Williams 2 and Mortimer) on October 1st 1988 when Norwich were top of the League. And since that win we have played there 8 times in the League and won 4 times, drawing 2 and losing only 2.

And more good news comes with the fact that we've beaten Norwich more times than anybody else in League One, 32 times out of 70 with 21 defeats and 17 draws.

The Team
Seven games unchanged has turned out to be a record start for Charlton and makes a pleasant change after last season when we used a massive 39 in the League. Parky was made to sweat a bit last weekend with injuries to Bailey and Racon but both started although it can't be too long before changes will have to be made.

On Tuesday we fielded a 4-4-2 in a reserve game against Ebbsfleet with Wagstaff and Holden on the wings with Spring and Stavrinou in the middle and it may be that these last two will be key to our success in the weeks to come. Spring played 12 games last season, the same as Semedo, while Racon only managed 19. With number 26 Alex Stavrinou celebrating his 19 birthday last Sunday it may not be long before he adds to his 2 hours spent in Charltons colours at Hereford.
As for now however its as you were with

Elliot; Richardson, Dailly, Llera, Youga; Sam, Semedo, Racon, Shelvey, Bailey; Burton.

Summary

This will be another stern test for Parky against a new manager and a team that have played three of the same teams at home that we have faced and all after his arrival at the club. They scored five against Wycombe, beat Brentford 1-0 in the JP Trophy and drew with Walsall 0-0 so not a bad comparison of results. But Parky will have had a full week to recover from dropping those points against Southampton whilst Norwich have had a hard game away at Milton Keynes on Monday. There's no reports of injuries from our camp whilst Lambert has his hands full not only searching the loan market but wondering who's going to be fit for Saturday.

We've also got an unblemished record away from home with three wins from 3 games, eight goals scored and only conceded once, at the Orient.

And Parky will be out to make it three wins in a row against the Canaries after seeing his team hit four against them at the Valley last May.

But it may be close and in their last 4 games they have only conceded twice so they will make scoring difficult but a win for the Addicks is on the cards, 2-1.

Southampton Preview

There's not many that would have predicted six straight games for the Addicks during this past summer of an errie, stony silence where the only background noise was the impatient gnashing of teeth. Is Parky pinching himself, I wonder? No, probably not, but I'm sure that after pocketing the best-start-to-a-season record, he's cursing his luck that game 12 ( and one that would equal that winning run of Curbs back in 2000) is against Leeds at Elland Rd. That's including the Norwich win, and, of course, assumes that we carry on winning.

And talking of Leeds, it seems that we are not the only ones in League One enjoying ourselves. Just when Leeds' fans were starting to feel comfortable in Tier Three along comes Simon Grayson to spoil everyones fun and gives the team a kick up the arse. They are now claiming all sorts of new club records because they have won all 8 games played this season (including Darlington and Watford in the League Cup) and since Carlisle's win at Elland Rd on January 10th claim to have won all 14 games played there. This, of course, conveniently ignores the most important game last season - their disappointing 1-1 home draw with Millwall in the Play-Offs in May that meant another year in the doldrums. (Perhaps that should the unofficial name for life in Tier Three). But help is at hand regarding their current winning run for no less than Liverpool arrive in a couple of weeks in the League Cup. And before we go there on October 3rd they also face Gillingham and their old nemesis, the unbeaten away from home, Carlisle.

Anyway back to the present. Next up for another home game are Southampton now owned by another foreign billionaire, the truckbuilder Herr Liebherr and managed by one Alan Pardew. What's a dull German doing taking over Southampton is a question that we can't answer, but as we all know Pardews' face by now we've included something that's bound to make Herr Liebherr's eyes water, a picture of one of his world famous trucks.

And talking of eyes watering, after failure to beat Burnley in the penultimate game of the season on 25 April 2009, which ended in a 2–2 draw, Southampton confirmed their relegation from the Fizzies. This also meant that they would start in League One (for the first time in 50 years) with minus 10 points, within six years of being FA Cup runners-up, UEFA Cup participants and the eighth placed team in the Premier League.

And this, of course, after the 23 April 2009 court ruling, where Southampton were handed a 10 point deduction, following their parent company going into administration.

But then along came their saviour. On On 8 July 2009 the administrators confirmed that the club had been sold to a buyer "owned and controlled" by German/Swiss businessman Markus Liebherr. The total amount he had paid has not been disclosed but it is believed to be around £13-15 Million.

Form

Six games in and the Saints are still suffering that well known relegation effect - a complete lack of confidence and a belief that you belong somewhere else. Rock bottom to start with and after four draws they still are, with minus 6 points and a huge 11 points away from safety and a massive 24 points behind the Addicks.

And just when you thought things couldn't get worse, it seems that the fates continue to conspire against them for they haven't been given the best of luck with their fixtures so far with four of their opening 6 games against teams currently in the top eight. An opening day 1-1 at home to the Spanners after going in front and they then had the misfortune of having to travel to face the top League One scorers, Huddersfield. Drawing 1-1 after 67 minutes they then let in 2 late goals and suffered a 3-1 defeat and then followed another away trip and another defeat, 1-0 at Swindon. Things have looked up a bit recently with a run of three unbeaten games with three straight draws - 1-1 at home to Brentford, another 1-1 at Stockport followed last weekend with a 0-0 home draw with Colchester.

With neither of Pardews two latest transfer window signings cleared to play and with striker Marek Saganowski off on international duty with Poland, the Saints just couldn't score against 10 men Colchester last weekend after Kemal Izzet had been sent off in the 36th minute, even from 11 shots on target. Clearly, Pardews luck is getting worse as Colchester went all out to impress new manager Adrian Boothroyd in his first game in charge.

Ex-Addicks?

The main one, of course, is Alan Pardew who you recall makes a habit of beating his old teams. After leaving Reading on 10th Sept 2003, and forced to accept the farce of a months "gardening leave", he took over at West Ham on 18th October with Trevor Brooking being responsible for a managerless Hammers against Reading on 13th Sept 2003. And Pardew was probably smiling to himself up there in the stand as non other than Christian Dailly rose to power home the only goal of the game from a Defoe corner in the 17th minute. Dailly captained the side in the return at the Madejski the following April but couldn't save the Hammers from a 2-0 defeat

August 2004 at Upton Park saw him again against his previous team and he win again 1-0 but lost once more on his return to Reading in March the following year when he lost 3-1. We can't forget the 4-0 win over West Ham at the Valley in 2007, followed by a 4-2 win over Reading last season all of which means that he's won all his home games against his prior clubs but lost 2 and drawn once away.

But are we going to give him a hard time? There's clearly Addicks who don't personally like him and blame him for a lot of our woes but all thats in the past and thankfully we have a man now who has done what Pardew couldn't do - force a change of attitude in a sinking team. The three newcomers in defence have a lot to do with that but perhaps we shouldn't forget that Pardew snatched our midfield duo of Semedo and Racon out of the unknown and all for 550K Euros as well as signing captain Nicky Bailey.

And in the Saints lineup there's also our old favorite Chris Perry, who was released by Monica in May 2006 much to everyone's disgust, who has been with the Saints since March 2008 and played 40 games last season. There's also our old loanee Graeme Murty who was signed during the summer but he's out with a serious knee injury sustained in the League Cup defeat against Birmingham.

Who Are Yeh?

Two exotic players were reportably brought in by Pardew during the transfer window but both needed international clearance. One was central defender Radhi Jaidi, an out of contract Tunisia international, ex of Birmingham and Bolton is 34 and the proud owner of 100 caps for his country. Sadly it seems that this move is not going to happen.

And both teams have acquired new number 9's. While we apparently have signed the enigmatic Leon McKenzie, the Saints have been displaying the 25 year old striker Papa Waigo N'Diaye from Senegal. He joins on loan from Serie A side Fiorentina until the end of the season, and his clearance was received on Tuesday. After his impressive 20 goals in two seasons with Serie B Cesena, his figures of 2 goals in 7 appearances for Serie A Fiorentina as well as his zero for Serie B Lecca in another 6, clearly havn't served to discourage Pardew, who admits he can't wait to see him in a Saints shirt. But, like McKenzie, its unknown if he is fit to play a full 90 as it seems he hasn't played at all this season.

Another foreigner is 30 year old number 4 Polish international Marek Saganowski whose footballing passport has almost run out of pages. Spells at Feyenoord and Hamburg as well as time in Portugal and France, he's also played 33 times for his country and is a firm favorite with the Saints fans. He plays left midfield, Parky.

And there's 18 year old Jacob Mellis, another of those young Chelski starlets that can't find a home at Stamford Bridge and have to be loaned out. JonJo will meet Jacob in midfield if they haven't already met.

What's Their Secret?
Leeds travel to unbeaten-at-home Southend (draws with Millwall and Huddersfield, 3-0 over Orient) so only a defeat for Leeds will make it the old curse of top v bottom. There's also the added banana skin of the Divisions second highest scorers with 15 versus the poorest with 4. But take care, Parky, for while they can't score, there are no less than 11 teams in the Doldrums who have conceded more than their 7 League goals and that includes high-flyers Huddersfield.

But one thing that Parky said last Monday may be significant. "Of course that first win against Wycombe Wanderers was an important one, and we've moved on from there. We've worked hard on the training ground at seeing games through, and to be really solid in our shape in the last 20 minutes of games, and the lads have taken that on board." Because if you look at Southampton's goals against column you'll notice perhaps that 7 of the 9 that they have conceded in their 8 games (League and Cup) have come in the last 23 minutes.

Dangerman?
Number 7 is Pardew's first Saints signing, 27 year old 6' 3" Rickie Lambert from Bristol Rovers, costing from 800k to 1m depending who you read. Lambert was last season's equal top League One scorer with Swindon's Simon Cox with 29 goals and he's already got 4 this season, three for the Saints. As West Brom paid 1.5M for Cox seems the Saints have the better deal.

Who's Talking?

Markus Liebher on buying the Saints said " I believe we have a superb opportunity to rebuild this great Club. Clearly, this will require resources, planning, hard work and patience. We will assemble a strong management team at every level of the Club (!). We will act rapidly, but also plan for the long term, because I am here for the long term. We should not expect instant success, but our fans, employees and other stakeholders can expect 100 per cent commitment from me and my team"

And after all that nonsense you've all dying to heard Pardews latest thoughts so we wouldn't disappoint. "I'm disappointed for the guys because we were good enough to win," said Pardew. "I thought Colchester defended superbly for long, long periods of the game, but chances still came our way thick and fast and we probably deserved the win. The team lacks a real athletic threat and a bit of pace but I can feel a little bit of nervousness about us too. We could have capitalised on them but we were too edgy."

Doing A Leicester
Leicester finished last season on 96 points, 7 points clear of the field, but after 6 games they only had 13 points from 4 wins, a draw and that defeat to the Spanners and due to their exploits in the League Cup and Johnstone Paints they were only in 5th place because everybody else had played a game more. And you'll be pleased to learn that the best they could manage all last season was a 5 win sequence in Nov/Dec.

But a word of caution. Its only September and while its tempting to expect the top three, the Addicks, Leeds and Huddersfield (top scorers with 17 goals) to finish the season in the same position, we should nevertheless expect some sticky times ahead. It has been known for the early pacemakers to sometimes fade away and the top three last year after 6 games were Oldham (finished 10th), Carlisle (20th) and Scunthorpe (6th).

History

Southampton are the first team this season that we have played with whom we have a negative history. Our first game with them in 1921 set the trend and ended up in a 0-6 away defeat and it'll be no surprise to learn that with their 103 goals scored in our 54 league games they join the select band of 15 teams that have scored over 100 goals against us. We recently shared 6 years together in the Premiership and after that memorable first 5-0 win at the Valley finished pretty even with 3 wins each and 6 draws before they were relegated in 2005.

Overall at the Valley, ignoring the one League cup game, its 11 wins, 9 draws and 7 defeats from 27 games but as we said overall its now good. We've won only a total of 17 games compared to their 23 out of 54, that's a losing record of 43%.

The Team
Our midfield trio of Semedo, Racon and Bailey will all be keen to show Pardew how far they have developed as a unit while Christian Dailly will also shake hands after their three years together at Upton Park. On form Lloyd Sam is another player that will relish another home game.

So unchanged yet again it seems. Sonje made the bench last weekend and Luke Holden made another appearance for the reserves on Tuesday against Dagenham so may join him on the bench. There's no team lineups for the reserve game but there was no mention of new man Leon McKenzie who has only played 5 minutes with Coventry this season so is probably not yet fit enough for Parky's liking.

Summary
Last season was 0-0 in this fixture and JonJo will remember the following clash at St Marys in April where he became the Addicks youngest scorer. But this, and the following game at Carrow Rd, won't be like the normal League One fare - its ex-fizzy teams squaring up to see who has recovered from relegation the best and the Saints may want to prove something. Whether they can or not is another matter.

But there's a lot of banana skins around this weekend; a losing history, the top v bottom curse, the second highest scorers against the lowest, an ex manager returning. All of which gives a sneeking impression that both leading teams may have to settle for a draw this weekend giving the chance to Huddersfield to close the gap if they can overcome Brentford at home.