Curbs used to call them 'bonus ball' games when you were away to a much stronger side. If you did win them, it was a great plus. Many of us can remember the 4-2 'Black Sabbath' win at Highbury or winning 3-0 at Everton.
However, Curbs also emphasised that what mattered was beating the teams around you. So the really crucial match this week is not tonight's game at Middlesbrough, but the six pointer at Oxford United on Saturday. The early kick off to suit Sky gives the Addicks even less recovery time.
Boro will be motivated to win tonight after the victory by Millwall yesterday put them just one point behind in the automatic promotion race.
After some signs of faltering, Boro won 3-1 at Birmingham and then brushed the Super Hoops aside 4-0 at Loftus Road. Although we didn't manage it, QPR often collapse under real pressure.
We do need to avoid a pasting tonight. Goal difference may yet matter and it wouldn't be good for confidence. Boro have sometimes seemed nervous at home, leading to five draws.
Clearly the strategy should be to defend and counter attack, but that still leaves some difficult decisions about players. Lloyd Jones, a key player, is one card away from a ban, but we don't have many other options.
Remarks made by Nathan Jones to Richard Cawley suggest that he now sees a real competition for the keeper slot. In one sense that is welcome, but it still means a difficult choice with armchair managers ready to pounce.
Boro have lost just one of their last thirteen games against Charlton. They are unbeaten in their last five games at home, conceding just one goal.
There are quite a few northern Addicks who go to these midweek games 'oop north and I hope we put on a display for them tonight. My guess would be 3-0 to the Boro. but a draw is possible.
Reporting on the line up, Richard Cawley says it looks as if key players are being rotated/rested.
