Jensen: Charlton was the best part of my career

Claus Jensen recalls his years at Charlton as the best time of his career.   He praises Curbs and recalls that goal at Arsenal on the 'Black Sabbath', voted by Charlton fans as the best goal ever: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/sport/claus-jensen-charlton-athletic-was-the-best-part-of-my-career-the-memories-are-very-strong/

Fans move away from 'the core area'

He's been silent for a long time but now former fanzine editor Rick Everitt has emerged from his wardrobe to celebrate recent achievements at The Valley and declare that there are some grounds for optimism: https://www.votvonline.com/home/the-2024-25-blogs/4-4-25-jones-silences-critics-to-lead-charlton-revival/

The latest CAST survey also shows greater optimism and positivity among fans: https://www.castrust.org/2025/04/optimism-is-growing/ 

The survey did show a gradual scattering of the fan base away from the 'core area', although 12 per xcent still live in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and 62 per cent live in South London or Kent.

My guess would be that in the 1950s two-thirds lived in the boroughs of Greenwich, Woolwich and Bexley or in immediately adjacent areas such as Lewisham and Dartford.

BTW, I read in a national newspaper this week that Eltham may soon be called 'Blackheath borders!'

From Curbs to Karel Fraeye

The latest Four Four Two has a 'best and worst at Charlton' feature written by 'lifelong Addick Paddy Pamment'.   (Who he?  Ed)

He does, reasonably enough, seem to be a bit fixated on the Curbs Premier League era.   Personally I  would have found room for some players from the 1950s and also given Lennie Lawrence an honourable mention.   But you can draw up your own lists.

Jensen excited at Valley return

Claus Jensen will be at The Valley on Saturday and still follows the club.  He has great memories of this time at Charlton where he played 126 games: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/sport/i-still-follow-the-club-ex-charlton-midfielder-claus-jensen-excited-by-valley-return-on-saturday/

He could certainly score from distance.   What was your favourite Jensen goal?   It may seem an odd choice, but I remember a belter at Leeds where we lost 5-2 but he momentarily silenced the home crowd.

Streets in SE7 quiet as Methven departs

Charlie Methven has stood down as Charlton's CEO, saying that the club is now on an upward trajectory and he can pack up his tent: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn4yjp7v9pxo

Reports from SE7 suggest that the streets around The Valley remain calm with no sign of fans rending shirts or returning their season tickets.

Normally in such circumstances one would use the words the cinema newsreels applied to the departure of Neville Chamberlain as prime minister in 1940, 'Thanks for all you tried to do.'   But I was never quite clear what Methven did, although he could talk the talk.

More here: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/sport/charlie-methven-leaving-role-as-charlton-athletic-chief-executive-officer/

The club is advertising the position.

Charlton and the success of Ademola Lookman

Turn the corner in the corridor leading to the sports hall at St Thomas the Apostle School and Sixth Form College (STAC) and, almost hidden away out of sight, you might miss the framed, match-worn Charlton Athletic shirt.   The display also includes a photo of a young Ademola Lookman.

The reigning African footballer of the year is, without question, the most successful player to emerge from STAC, a state-funded all-boys Catholic school in Southwark, south-east London. Yet Lookman’s is just one of several jerseys displayed on that wall, illustrating the sporting achievements of so many former pupils.

He achieved excellent academic results at STAC, with four A*s and five As in his GCSEs, before being picked up late, at 17, by Charlton. He rose rapidly through their academy to the first team and made 49 appearances before a Premier League move to Everton at age 19. A further 48 appearances on Merseyside led to a 2019 transfer to Germany’s RB Leipzig and subsequent Premier League loans with Fulham and Leicester City, until he settled on a permanent deal with Atalanta in August 2022.

“Ademola was academically driven because there was not even a thought back then about him taking up a scholarship let alone a professional contract,” PE supremo Reynolds commented.

Curbs: I didn't get fair shot at England job

A recent edition of Four Four Two has a double page spread interview with Alan Curbishley.

He states: 'After that first promotion to the Premier League, we made a joint decision that of whatever money we took from that season, a third would go on the squad, a third on the stadium and a third would be back-up money if we got relegated.  You see teams relegated from the Premier League having a mass exodus because they can't afford the players' contracts.   That plan meant we didn't have to sell anyone.  We could invest in the squad and we came back up as champions.'

'All of the players we brought to the club had a point to prove.  We never bought the ready-made Premier League player until later.   It ended up working to our detriment a little bit because once we got to that 40 point safety mark, we tailed off from some really good positions.'

'The closest we came to Europe was in 2003/4.  I'm sure we would have finished in the top four or five if Scott Parker hadn't joined Chelsea in January.  We got £12 million, but so late in the window I couldn't spend it.'

Curbs says he didn't get the interviews the other boys did for the England job in 2006, they were interviewed in a private house, he was interviewed in the FA offices because of a timing clash with a FA Cup replay.

In terms of other high profile jobs, Curbs said that he was in a position at Charlton where he was in charge of the whole football club.  He didn't think he was ready for a bigger club, he needed more experience.  He had one year left on his contract and has just been interviewed for the England job.  He wanted his contract to run out - but we all know what happened.