The visit of Cardiff City

One of my earliest memories of football at The Valley is a game against Cardiff City. It certainly wasn't the first game I went to, but what I recall is the keeper fumbling the ball and suddenly realising it was not the legendary Sam Bartram, but his faithful understudy Eddie Marsh. My father explained that Bartram had been injured in training, so it did happen even in those days. Presumably Sam had to go more than run round the pitch and up and down the East Terrrace supervised by trainer Trotter wearing a white coat. Without checking the records, I think we won the game 3-2.

Today Cardiff City are notorious for their fans. They are second place in the 'league of shame' for banning orders. Leeds United topped the league of shame with 115 banning orders, followed by Cardiff City with 114, Millwall 111 and Stoke City 102. Wolves even banned all Cardiff fans from one of their matches.

4-5-1 has done Charlton well in their two away games, albeit with last minute goals in both games. Our continuing striker shortage makes it a viable option for tomorrow, given that Luke Varney seems able and willing to slot into other positions.

However, we must avoid the long ball to Iwelumo and try and play it along the ground down the wings and through the centre with Zheng Zhi. Pards will also need to switch to 4-4-2 if it isn't working, although he seems willing to make changes, usually to good effect (with the exception of the Semedo substitution). Despite what was apparently a good performance by Racon at Ashton Gate, Semedo is likely to return.

Sodje, although a target of some moaners, seems to have settled the central defence by playing a more old fashioned 'no nonsense' game which is what this division requires. Grant Basey is improving at left back and Danny Mills remains formidable.

Football fans are very inclined to read results off recent games and the table and it would be a risk to do that with Cardiff City. They have a good away record and Hasselbaink may have oiled his joints and achieved a turning circle faster than that of an oil tanker. In other words, he is likely to perform the traditional feat of scoring against his old club. Instinct tells me that this will be a draw, but I will try and be optimistic and go for a 2-1.

As I take my 'ringside seat' (courtesy of our popular pitch announcer) at The Valley tomorrow, my one worry is the ferbile nature of the crowd. At St.Mary's, the Addickted really got behind the team, particularly after we went down to ten men. Although I am somewhat sceptical about the effect of crowds on team performance, I think that a nervous, critical atmosphere can transmit itself to the team (in other words the positive effects are less significant than the negative ones).

I know that a lot of fans really enjoy slagging off their own team and are unwilling to recognise that often it is simply that the opposition are better on the day. We used to have a realistic expectation level at Charlton (although we are still way ahead of the chumps at Spurs in that respect). The crowd often takes a long time to warm up, getting better in the second half (although the absence of the drums has been a factor here). No doubt the boyos will be making good use of the acoustics of the Jimmy Seed. Let's at least try and match them from the off.

Your referee tomorrow

Like his name, Michael Jones, the man from the Cheshire gap, seems relatively anonymous. One report claimed that he was 'far too fussy'.