Viva Espana - or not?

I am indebted to Inspector Sands for revealing that Llanera hit financial troubles at the very time I was in Valencia. There is no causal connection! (This is a bit off topic, but read on and you will find the Charlton content).

I must admit that I know far less about Spain than the average British person. I spend so much of my life in airports and planes that getting on a plane to go on holiday seems very strange. So I have only been to Spain for work and then only to Barcelona.

On this occasion I travelled with Easy Jet or Sleazy Jet as my aircraft engineer nominally Palace football-hating brother-in-law likes to call them. I think they are a good airline in the sense that they do what is on the can (Ryanair is a different matter). My only puzzle is why they are so proudly down market when they are serving such a prosperous clientele on their Valencia route. In the queue in front of me coming back was a tanned businessman in a stylish suit carrying the FT.

I don't speak Spanish: or rather I have picked up some on the hoof by listening to people in South America, but it is not Castilian. I did think of learning some, but a good friend who is fluent pointed out that I am sixty years old, hardly a good linguist and have about ten spare minutes in an average day.

What became very clear is that the Spanish take offence if you don't use their language and don't seem to like the English very much. Why is that? Despite its modern image and its fantastic 21st century architecture, I think that Valencia still lives up to its provincial reputation. Otherwise why would local politicians harangue an international committee in Spanish, not even using a few words in French?

It may also be that the Spanish are fed up with all the expats who colonise their coastline, in some cases using their votes as EU citizens to infiltrate local councils. The plane was full of elderly Brits who I guess either lived in Spain or had Llanera style apartments as second homes.

Let me emphasise that there are a lot of positives about Valencia. The idea of diverting the river away from the town to avoid flooding and then using it to create a beautiful linear park is simply brilliant. The old town is very attractive and the cathedral tour a first rate experience.

I also enjoyed an invitation to a concert at the Palace of Music where a 22-year old composer saw a post-modernist piece played for the first time. Thanks also to the director for the interval champagne. Even the Spanish politicians staged an excellent reception in the beautiful Botanical Gardens.

Having said that, the four star business hotel was totally shambolic to the extent that I had to do something I had never done before. To the annoyance of the surly receptionist, I asked to see the manager.

On my last morning the power failed and the stench of blocked drains was unmistakeable. I phoned reception. 'They are suffering in the city' was the reply. Too right they are.

So was Charlton's deal with Llanera something that looked good in terms of appearances but had many hidden faults beneath the surface? Quite possibly. No doubt Peter Varney will have some reassuring words in the programme today: 'Our relationship with Llanera has been mutually rewarding and I hope that the present difficulties can be resolved. Fans can be reassured that the board has contingency plans in place should this prove not to be the case. Enjoy the game.'

The one place I received a very friendly welcome in the city was from a charming young girl was in the Valencia club shop at the airport. So what of the team with which Charlton has a purported link?

What I didn't know was that there was a second top flight team in Valencia called Levante who refer to Valencia as 'the goats'. They charmingly claim that 'Valencia are all gypsies and junkies.' Sounds a bit like the Palace claim that we are all pikeys.

Given that Valencia have been La Liga champions twice in the last five years, they have grounds for jealousy. In the recent 4-4-2 supplement on La Liga, a Valencia fan said of his team: 'An exciting club with a fantastic future, but where there's always been too much suffering.' The last phrase would fit Charlton well.