Who is Charlton's Top 100 player?

Four Four Two had a feature in a recent issue on the 100 best Premier League players ever (remember that football started in 1992).  18 clubs had no such player, including the likes of Oldham and Swindon, but also Crystal Palace.

'Judas' Defoe is there, but his association with Charlton is not mentioned.  Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is at No.71, but he joined us when his powers were fading.

There at No.63 is Paolo di Canio and in my view he did make a real contribution.  I remember him coming on at Portsmouth and pumping up the Addickted when he came on and took a corner.

The magazine says: 'Di Canio offered excitement and identity.   Combustible, controversial and charismatic ,,, he was the master of the feint, often beating the defender or goalkeeper an extra time before shooting.'

Di Canio did, of course, shove referee the late Paul Alcock.  I was far from happy with Alcock after he refereed a 3-3 draw at Anfield which we could have won without his decision-making.

There is no doubt that Di Canio had a temper, but he also showed his softer side by giving Curbs a dessert he had prepared himself when he joined the club.

Some fans were unhappy with his politics, but having spent some time working with Italians, all I would say is that it is a very different country.

Those were the days

I was sorting through some old programmes recently and I came across the Addicks Premiership Diary report of our match against Blackburn Rovers in February 2004. This was some game, attended by basketball fans from Pittsburgh.

'A professional magician was part of the pre-match hospitality package on February 21st, but early leavers from Charlton's game against Blackburn missed the magic. Some had already left before Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel audaciously equalised for the visiting northerners, but in the last gasp of the game Claus Jensen made it 3-2 for the Addicks.'

'Charlton looked as if they had been coasting towards victory after two goals in the first half from Carlton Cole and Jason Euell put them 2-0 ahead, but an error by Kishishev let them back in the game. The substitution of Carlton Cole by match winner Kishishev was highly controversial and had the Bloke Behind Me screaming, "Why did you sign the contract Curbishley?"'

In those days we still had dog reporters and 'It was an exciting Valley debut for novice match analyst Monty Martin. The excitable spaniel was over the moon when he discovered the role would form part of his weekend as a house guest. He selected Paolo di Canio as the first recipient of the coveted Silver Bone from him. Monty commented, "I have heard dogs in Didcot discussing di Canio. But I was not prepared for his magic skills, his commitment and his enthusiasm. His feints and his flicks, especially one back flick, had me entranced."'

The Hiss of the Match went to Blackburn manager Graham Souness. Having thrown his chewing gum wrapper on the ground, he was challenged by an Addick to pick it up, but replied, 'This place is a carsey.'

After Jensen's clever lob secured the three points, the Addickted went berserk. Di Canio jumped on to a police officer and embraced him. Little did he know that moments afterwards an excitable spaniel would be jumping over him with a silver bone in his mouth.

Not long afterwards, I had to go into hospital for an unexpected operation. Curbs sent me a signed get well card with a picture of both us on the front. Some friends had organised it, but it was still a nice gesture and reflective of the spirit of the club in those days.

Going back even further in time, Jimmy Seed gives a tactics talk with his magic magnetic board: Jimmy Seed

What happened with Semi Ajayi?

The talented Nigerian defender has been signed by Arsenal on what is described as a 'free transfer' from Charlton: Ajayi

The facts are a little complicated, according to Richard Cawley of the SLP. This is not a Jenkinson situation where we will benefit financially. He first went on trial at Norwich but then was scouted by Arsenal, but we won't even get a development fee for him because we only offered him a six month deal.

As for those fans who are now advocating bringing in Paolo di Canio as manager, words fail me. A passionate footballer does not necessarily make a good manager and criticising your own players publicly and privately does not raise morale. At Swindon, he was rightly regarded as a 'hand grenade'.

Di Canio Controversy Was A Distraction says Sir Chris

The controversy over Paolo di Canio's appointment at Sunderland was a distraction for Chris Powell at a crucial time in Charlton's season. He was surprised by claims by di Canio that he was a friend and is clearly not happy that he was used by the Italian as a kind of character reference. Negotiations with Swindon over loan deals were carried out at arms length: Chris Powell

Powell on di Canio

Radio 5 broadcast comments by Chris Powell on Paolo di Canio this morning which he apparently made after last night's game (the result of which was mentioned in passing). Having been named by di Canio as a best friend, my impression was that Sir Chris was trying to be diplomatic and non-commital while avoiding any endorsement of di Canio's views, which include a stated admiration for Mussolini (which it has to be said many other Italians share). Sir Chris said that di Canio should make his views clear, but that essentially it was a matter for him and Sunderland to deal with.

Then this evening Paul Mortimer was interviewed on Radio 5. Morts was quite judicious and showed some of the finesse he displayed on the pitch. To deconstruct and simplify what he was saying: 'perhaps di Canio was a racist once, but maybe he has seen the light and isn't any more.' Di Canio's latest statement certainly seems to have reassured some of his critics.

Powell told The Times: 'He was my team-mate and someone I’ve met socially and someone I’ve met since he has been a manager,” Sir Chris said. “And Sunderland have made a bold decision.

“I’m sure they knew what was coming. It’s remarkable really it never came up when he was manager of Swindon. But I feel that if he’s made statements about his political persuasion in the past, then he knows it will come up and he has to answer that. Sunderland know it’s a bold gamble because he has only managed at League One and League Two, so again that was a big decision by them.”

Powell described Di Canio as a “remarkable” player. “He did extremely well for Charlton, he was great as a team-mate and the supporters loved him, as they did at West Ham and Celtic and all the other clubs he played for,” he said. “I think now what everyone has to do ... he has to make his statement, if he wants to, about anything to do with his political views because that is something that is personal. And now it’s something that Sunderland and himself have got to get on with because they’ve got some key games to stay up. As far as I’m aware, that’s how it should be.”

It is perhaps not well known that di Canio is an accomplished cook and presented Alan Curbishley with a special Italian dessert he had made himself when he signed for Charlton.

My personal view, based on some knowledge of Italy which I have written about with Italians, is that di Canio is not a racist. Italian fascism is really an extreme form of nationalism and (although this is debated) was not especially anti-Semitic until the Nazis increased their grip on Italy. Having said that, my view is that Mussolini was an arrogant, bombastic, expletive deleted who did a lot of damage to Italy and led to the deaths of many British servicemen.

Don't think, however, that Italy is all gelati and pasta. I was speaking there during the Falklands War and there was a squad of riot police hiding round the corner ready to spring into action if a threatened attack occurred (it didn't). Once I was in Firenze and people there were upset by a former mayor being gunned down. I went on to Milano and mentioned this to a friend (admittedly her brother was inside having been a naughty boy with his machine gun) and she said, 'You don't understand, sometimes in our country these things have to happen.' Incidentally, her brother got out because they didn't get round to bringing charges.

The following item on radio 5 was also about Brighton, but this was about the issue of homophobic chanting. More on this story here: Chanting I was not aware of any from Charlton fans last night and the club was not specifically mentioned. [I have subsequently learnt from a CAS Trust tweet that Charlton supporters have been reported for homophobic abuse]. However, clearly the football has been overshadowed.