Charlton Athletic
How exotic is my Valley with the new signings
Useful information
Hiden talent:new signing Claus Jensen was seen by many as the power behind the Bolton team
Photograph: PHIL COLE / ALLSPORT  |
Summer summary: After keeping everyone waiting, Alan Curbishley finally started spending his transfer kitty. Claus Jensen of Bolton Wanderers and Denmark and Rangers’ Finland international striker Jonatan Johansson give The Valley a more Scandinavian flavour, while Karim Bagheri, the first Iranian to appear in the Premiership, is an even more exotic signing.
Transfers in: Ben Roberts (Middlesbrough) free; Claus Jensen (Bolton) £4m; Jonatan Johansson (Rangers) £3.25m rising to £3.75m; Radostin Kishishev (Litets Lovech) £300,000 rising to £1.8m.
Transfers out: Keith Jones (Reading) free; Anthony Barness (Bolton) free; Simon Royce Leicester) free.
Looking forward to: The Premiership again, with all season tickets sold.
Worried about: Another eight-match goal drought such as afflicted them during their last Premiership season.
Tactical profile: The solid 4-4-2 system that served them well for most of last season, with an occasional 3-5-2, may not be quite sophisticated enough for the Premiership. Fitting a number of new signings at once into a team that has played together for several seasons could be tricky.
Style: Curbishley is a believer in good football, and has practised what he preaches for several seasons now; highly unlikely to change, whatever happens.
Fans’ gripe: None yet.
Up and coming prospect: Midfield player Scott Parker, 20 in October, made only four Premiership appearances two seasons ago but has been filed long enough under "promising".
Manager’s quality: Unflappable.
Bogey team: Chelsea, Everton and Manchester United beat them home and away last time. At least Sheffield Wednesday, who also did the double over them, including the last-day win at The Valley, are no longer around.
Likely disaster: Not an appropriate category. Charlton’s disaster happened in pre-season when Pierre Bolangi, a promising and popular 17-year-old youth team player, died during a training camp.
Potential of their new signings: The sudden flood of foreigners into what has been a largely British-born squad could make for an unpredictable mix, but Johansson is keen to show that Rangers did not make enough use of him, while Jensen was seen by regular observers of Bolton as the power behind the team, even though goal scorers such as Gudjohnsen took more of the headlines. Bagheri, although thought of as a goal-scoring midfield player — he scored seven, all from open play, in a World Cup qualifying match against the Maldives — can play in a variety of positions, and the value of his signing may become apparent later in the season, once he has adapted to the British game. But he has experience of German football with Armenia Bielefeld, where he played as a sweeper.
Least likely TV soundbite: From an opposition manager: "Charlton are a dirty, physical, intimidating side."
Hollywood actor most likely to star in "Charlton Athletic, the Movie": As Richard E. Grant says in his film pitch in The Player, "no stars". So, character actors only. But of course in the end they compromise and use Bruce Willis, who looks not entirely unlike Claus Jensen.
Why sponsor’s name is (in)appropriate: Red Bus? For a London club that wears red?
Where it all went wrong last time: Given that Charlton were Nationwide League champions, it didn’t really go wrong at all, but the time they took between becoming champions-elect and getting their hands on the trophy was a little worrying, even if they did eventually manage to stumble across the finishing line well clear of the field. But if they are 11 points clear of relegation with four matches to go next season, don’t count any chickens.
Useful Finnish phrases for fans: Joo! (Yes! — Johansson scores); Ei!!! (No!!! — Johansson misses); Paitsio! (Johansson is given offside).
Prediction: Charlton will narrowly avoid relegation this time.
NICK SZCZEPANIK
Useful information
Squad: 1 Dean Kiely; 2 Radostin Kishishev; 3 Chris Powell;
4 Graham Stuart; 5 Richard Rufus; 6 Carl Tiler; 7 Shaun Newton; 8 Mark Kinsella; 9 Andy Hunt; 10 Clive Mendonca; 11 John Robinson; 12 Steve Brown; 13 Sasa Ilic; 14 Martin Pringle; 15 Eddie Youds; 16 Greg Shields; 17 Scott Parker; 18 Paul Konchesky; 19 Andy Todd;
20 Claus Jensen; 21 Jonatan Johansson; 22 Ben Roberts;
23 Anthony Allman; 24 Jonathan Fortune; 25 Leigh Hales;
26 Mathias Svensson; 27 Kemal Izzet; 28 John Salako; 29 Kevin Lisbie; 30 Charlie MacDonald;
32 Danny Shittu; 33 David Collis;
34 Mark Royal.
Stadium: The Valley
Capacity: 20,043
Address: Floyd Road, Charlton, SE7 8BL
Telephone number: 020-8333 4000
Clubcall: 09068 12 11 46
Official website: www.charlton-athletic.co.uk
Match broadcasting is now fairly standard on most sites, but Charlton also offer a Sunday night radio show.
Unofficial site:
www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~davero/cafcpage.htm
A genuine supporters’ site, with news, features and links to more than 140 other Charlton supporter sites. Addicts are also invited to mouth off about the club’s catering arrangements.
Manager: Alan Curbishley
Assistant manager: Keith Peacock
First-team coach: Mervyn Day
Chairman: M.A. Simons
Ticket details: 020-8333 4010 (box office); 18,000 season- ticket holders.
Ticket prices: £20-£25
Cheapest/most expensive adult season ticket: £300/£450
Recommended radio station: Capital Gold 1548 AM
Programme: £2
Fanzine: Voice of the Valley
Cost of adult replica shirt: £39.99
Training ground: Sparrow’s Lane, New Eltham
Directions to ground: Two-minute walk from Charlton railway station; trains run from London Bridge. Buses go from North Greenwich Tube. Two miles from Blackwall Tunnel, off A206. The Valley’s not too far from the Millennium Dome, either, but don’t let that put you off.
Pubs near the ground: The Antigallican, 428 Woolwich Road; The Horse and Groom, 602 Woolwich Road on the corner of Charlton Lane.
Fixtures
