Down The Football League We Go

Equine magnate John Window is sponsoring tomorrow's match against Burnley. At least he won't have to diversify into camels now. Here he can be seen receiving advice from Hermann Hreidarsson about why Icelandic banks would be a good place for his savings.

8th January 1994: My return to the 'new' Valley, no East Stand then. I went with a Burnley supporting friend and we sat in the lower tier of the Jimmy Seed, the only time I ever have, with Charlton fans behind us. Charlton won 3-0 with goals score by Pardew, Leaburn and (Kim) Grant. That combination can't have happened too often.

17th September 1996: Charlton 4, Burnley 1 in the league cup. 'They're all over you Charlton,' screams the Bloke Behind Me, before he storms out in disgust.

The season before last: Burnley 2, Hull City 0. Charlton are still in the Premiership, but I take a look at what Championship football is like again.

Last season, Burnley 1, Charlton 0. A damp winter night in Lancashire and I decide that Charlton probably aren't going back to the Premiership. The Chairman of Burnley contacts me to thank me for what I have written about the club.

This morning I took my car over to Stratford on Avon for a service and, having made my way through the Japanese tourists outside the Birthplace and the noisy French school parties, my bus back took me past the sparkling new Anne Hathaway stadium complex of Stratford Town. The Bardsmen were there on the superb training pitch, getting ready for tomorrow's big match. What was happening at Sparrows Lane, I wondered?

Well, now we have some clues. The club's E mail bulletin tells us: 'Alan Pardew has been busy working on the new formula he believes will help Charlton get their season back on track against Burnley tomorrow.'

He said: 'I'm going to change the team a bit [not again!], and I'm going to change the formula of the way we play as I need to put something in place that's going to get us better results over the season.' [Might this be goals?]

Really, there are only three things wrong with the team:
1. The defence is threadbare and prone to panic, although thank goodness Hudson is back tomorrow.
2. The midfield often loses its shape, starts to defend too deep and then finds there is no defence behind it.
3. We don't have a reliable goal scorer. We certainly don't have a Sir Clive Mendonca and we don't even have a Gary Nelson.

Some like Varney - whom Pardew is sticking with tomorrow - because of his pace and penetration. These are positive qualities, but a striker also needs an eye for goal and an ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

After leaving the Anne Hathaway Stadium, the bus passed by the Home Guard Ground (really), the home of Alveston, the No.2 team in Stratford. Are Charlton soon going to be the No.2 team in South-East London? It's possible.

On Tuesday night, the Bristol City fans chanted, 'Once you were good, maintenant vous etes merde'. It was difficult to argue with them. Odds on Charlton for relegation are now shortening at 11/2.

A rampant Burnley must think they are on to three easy points tomorrow. The one thing that might help us is over confidence on their part. I am going for a 2-2 draw which will resolve nothing.

Your referee tomorrow is country music fan Robert Shoebridge. He started refereeing after a 'short unsuccessful playing career'. After many years in the non-league, he broke through into the National List three years ago. Apparently the highlight of his career was refereeing a tournament in Dallas which no doubt helped him to add to his country music collection. So don't be surprised if you see a referee in a ten gallon hat tomorrow. His biggest fan is apparently his wife. He sounds like rather a nice guy actually, so let's hope the 'man management' skills he claims to possess are in evidence tomorrow.