Relegation Dogfight Thread

[Bartonyellow]

This dogfight could be just that - a dogfight.
Loads of us in it.
Up to mid table.
We are right in it. Especially since reading won last night.
I could not call it.
We have Carlisle Tuesday at home - that could be a must win if we lose Saturday.

 

[E10rifle]

EricSabin you bring the popcorn, Gassy get the crisps & dips, I’ll bring the booze.

 

[leedsvaliant]

The 3 at the back must be the vogue thing to do on all of these coaching courses for this new generation of managers and DOFs as Shrewsbury recruited for it too. Injuries to the only wing backs in the squad didn't help. Looks like Hurst is taking us back to a back 4, but we now have 6 central defenders in the squad, with the only full back being Benning who was surplus to requirements at Vale. To be fair he's played well this month.

It also speaks volumes of our summer recruitment that our starting lineup on Saturday consisted of 7 players that we had last season, Benning as he was the only full back, Feeney as a makeshift right back until we can get Bennett fit, Pierre who signed mid season on a free and Taylor Perry who once our new loanee from Brighton is up to speed is probably going to be the one to make way. We had 6 loanees in the summer, 4 have gone back having barely played a game and the other 2 didn't even make the match day squad Saturday, as well as Mata who we paid money for in August and had to wait weeks for his work permit.

I still think we'll have enough to stay out of trouble, Hurst should make us harder to beat. The worry is what will happen to Cotterill's players come the summer when most are out of contract and we're still trying to cut costs. I think we're all lucky that there are so many teams still involved in this.

It's madness isn't it? I think it's because, and I'm putting this politely, a lot of the management within clubs is made up of ex footballers who are not renowned for being the sharpest tool in the shed. Hence you get a lot of poor decision making and a lack of foresight.

 

[EricSabin]

EricSabin you bring the popcorn, Gassy get the crisps & dips, I’ll bring the booze.

Deal.

 

[thewwfc]

Still plenty of teams left in this, but I think you can write off anyone who's safely reached 40 points by this stage, barring a ridiculous collapse.

Reading look to be on an upward trajectory if you check their form, Charlton and Vale less so.

With their games in hand, Chelts have still got something of a chance, but it'll be tough - they've got a fucker of a run in March.

 

[Si Robin]

We're just concentrating on February for now.

 

[CTFCfan99]

I was quite down on us after last week's poor performance, but the way we responded today gives me hope again. Looking forward to Blackpool on Tuesday - we always seem to play well under the lights at home.

 

[folletto]

We’re in big trouble. Captain Dobson now being let go as well after CBT our main creative threat has gone. We don’t look like scoring at all

 

[leedsvaliant]

If Charlton go down I genuinely give up with football. It literally makes no sense.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We showed a bit more fight today and to be honest looker better than Stevenage for a lot of the game but we desperately need a manager in to sort our horrific defending. We can't keep conceding these ridiculous goals and expect to win matches.

 

[folletto]

If Charlton go down I genuinely give up with football. It literally makes no sense.

We’re throwing money at it but not correctly. We’ve decided in January to go all out on a system without wingers, despite our best player being a winger. We don’t have good enough wingbacks to play the system we’ve decided upon and it’s backfiring

 

[Bobbin']

There isn’t a manager alive that keeps this lot up.

It will take a miracle.

The first time in our 119 year history playing in the 4th tier, how miserable.

 

[leedsvaliant]

There isn’t a manager alive that keeps this lot up.

It will take a miracle.

The first time in our 119 year history playing in the 4th tier, how miserable.

We've done it a few times mate. It's not all bad...some great away days and you'd be a huge club in that league. Even we were seen as a big club in that league.

 

[valefan16]

We've done it a few times mate. It's not all bad...some great away days and you'd be a huge club in that league. Even we were seen as a big club in that league.

The novelty for our first relegation down there in my lifetime in 2008 wore off as we was losing our first home game 0-2 to Accrington.

 

[codaplenty]

A real blow losing yesterday as I fancied Fleetwood to get something out of it. Reading next who are in good form and then the Tykes. 3 points from these 2 games would be excellent, more like 1
Look on the positives, we have been playing decent in the last few games both matches at home, shite Fleetwood weather which we are used to and still plenty to play for - how's my optimism doing !

 

[Bartonyellow]

Huge win for us yesterday - if we can beat Carlisle Tuesday night at home then we give ourselves every chance.
It will go to the last day I’m sure - as we are all so inconsistent.

 

[Pompeyblueboy]

We've done it a few times mate. It's not all bad...some great away days and you'd be a huge club in that league. Even we were seen as a big club in that league.

You can hardly compare PV to Charlton. Charlton getting relegated to Div 2 is like Man U getting relegated to the Championship. PV will blend in well though

 

[Bartonyellow]

You can hardly compare PV to Charlton. Charlton getting relegated to Div 2 is like Man U getting relegated to the Championship. PV will blend in well though

Charlton are no bigger than Bradford who have been down there for years.
Notts county too are a decent sized club with good history.
Charlton, if they do go down will be surrounded by some good teams with large fanbases - Swindon, Walsall, Stockport, to name but 3 although the latter might go up.

 

[Pompeyblueboy]

Charlton are no bigger than Bradford who have been down there for years.
Notts county too are a decent sized club with good history.
Charlton, if they do go down will be surrounded by some good teams with large fanbases - Swindon, Walsall, Stockport, to name but 3 although the latter might go up.

None of those clubs can be compared with Charlton
No disrespect but a Burton fan who hasn't got a clue about history. Its so disrespectful comparing Charlton to those other little clubs you've mentioned.

Remember history is forever.

Charlton Athletic FC - short history and facts

www.footballhistory.org

 

[Gassy]

If we're not careful, we might just get dragged into this. We've been atrocious the past few games.

We are incapable of beating anyone below us, or anyone who plays a physical/direct game

 

[thewwfc]

If we're not careful, we might just get dragged into this. We've been atrocious the past few games.

We are incapable of beating anyone below us, or anyone who plays a physical/direct game

I can’t believe for a moment that you’re not going to scrape 8-10 points between now and the end of the season.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Charlton are no bigger than Bradford who have been down there for years.
Notts county too are a decent sized club with good history.
Charlton, if they do go down will be surrounded by some good teams with large fanbases - Swindon, Walsall, Stockport, to name but 3 although the latter might go up.

Walsall's support is fucking shite.

 

[folletto]

Charlton are no bigger than Bradford who have been down there for years.
Notts county too are a decent sized club with good history.
Charlton, if they do go down will be surrounded by some good teams with large fanbases - Swindon, Walsall, Stockport, to name but 3 although the latter might go up.

It is all relative. We've never played in the fourth tier in our history, so would be a catastrophic failure and up until the past 15 or so years hadn't played too regulalry in the third tier. Bradford are a big club mainly because it's a city of 500k with one club, rather than football achievements. They've often found themselves in the third and fourth tier. We've been through the rough with bad owners and under Bowyer were playing many games with only 3/4 subs on the bench at times but have still always been well clear of ever being anywhere near the drop zone.

Generally, when you see a former premier league club drop down to league 2 it's because of horrendous ownership bleeding the club dry. We've had that but this season we've had owners who have wanted to have a go but just got everything wrong. I believe we have the second highest wage bill in the league. I can't imagine there's many clubs that have been relegated whilst being one of the league's biggest spenders

 

[thewwfc]

I can't imagine there's many clubs that have been relegated whilst being one of the league's biggest spenders

Franchise must have been there or thereabouts in terms of their wage bill when they went down last season.

I mean, sure, they'd be below the likes of Ipswich, Wednesday, Bolton, Derby, Barnsley and yourselves, but they must have had a Top 10 budget...and Oxford fans claimed they had a Top 10 budget and were only two points off relegation last time around.

I think Reading increasingly look like they will get out of it now, but even if you disregard their points deduction then they've got a shocking return for their wage bill.

 

[Gassy]

I can’t believe for a moment that you’re not going to scrape 8-10 points between now and the end of the season.

Fair point, but after losing to Fleetwood and Burton at home deservedly it’s hard to see where the next win comes from

Stevenage could run riot tomorrow with their style of play, exactly what we struggle against

 

[thewwfc]

If that's your run-in...well...Carlisle are a disaster area, Lincoln are draw specialists (so that's 4 points), and I reckon probably Cambridge and definitely Wigan will be on the beach by the time you play them.

I mean sure, there's a few promotion high-fliers to fend off, and if Fleetwood and Cheltenham are going to go down they're going to go all guns blazing and will not be pushovers, but it would be an absolute travesty to be on 40 points now and get relegated off the back of these fixtures.

 

[E10rifle]

I can't imagine there's many clubs that have been relegated whilst being one of the league's biggest spenders

It appears I have been summoned. Admittedly we were being used as a money laundering operation by the mafia, but believe me it’s very possible. Notts had the biggest budget in League 2 when they finished bottom. All depends on the chaos becoming overwhelming.

 

[mozzavale]

You can hardly compare PV to Charlton. Charlton getting relegated to Div 2 is like Man U getting relegated to the Championship. PV will blend in well though

Why can't any club be compared to each other? Do you know what a comparison is? He says they'd be huge. He didn't say Vale would also be huge.

Just so you're clear, that means he thinks Charlton are a bigger club than Vale. So you've made an argument out of nothing, trying to be contrary, when in fact you actually agree with him.

 

[valefan16]

Why can't any club be compared to each other? Do you know what a comparison is? He says they'd be huge. He didn't say Vale would also be huge.

Just so you're clear, that means he thinks Charlton are a bigger club than Vale. So you've made an argument out of nothing, trying to be contrary, when in fact you actually agree with him.

It wouldn't be a massive shock either these days, Bolton, his own Portsmouth. Plymouth have been there a couple of times.

Now you have a lot of clubs who are smaller historically who are at the top table, like your Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth's, and sides that often struggled in the lower realms like your Fulham, Swansea and Hull a lot of the more traditional high flyers will get pushed down to make room, especially if they've had a few bad years in terms of how they've been run.

 

[folletto]

It appears I have been summoned. Admittedly we were being used as a money laundering operation by the mafia, but believe me it’s very possible. Notts had the biggest budget in League 2 when they finished bottom. All depends on the chaos becoming overwhelming.

It's moments like this I wish lower league football was more mainstream. That Orient story deserved way more coverage than it got across the media and social media.

Yeah maybe my comment was a bit misguided. It's just typical with all our off field issues we've never really been that close to going down to League 2. Now we've seemingly fixed our off the field issues (this may not be entirely true but we at least seem to be in a better place) we are staring relegation in the face. Real tough one to take