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Charlton Athletic 2 Leeds United 1: Travels of a Leeds fan

7/4/2013

26 Comments

 

By Andrew Butterwick

Picture
After passing a late fitness test the Happy Chocker joined me for the trek to London for our clash with Charlton and the start of hopefully the post Hoofball era. With the anniversary of the murders of Kev Speight and Christopher Loftus the trip was always going to be a poignant mix of respect for the memories of the two Leeds fans and hope that we can mark the date with a much needed win. News that cult hero Andy Hughes was planning to wear a black armband in respect added a nice touch to proceedings.

Per match refreshments were taken in the pub next to Charlton Station and to say the place was bouncing was a gross understatement. There's one thing with Leeds fans and that is we don't need success on the pitch to create an atmosphere. In fact it tends to the opposite. The worse we get the more passionate the fans get. Redfearn hadn't changed the team a great deal. Ross Mac and Morison started up front with Norris and Tonge in midfield and Green and White providing a colourful wing pairing. Poleon was on the bench but last week's debutant, Chris Dawson, dropped out all together. A massive 4,000 Leeds fans had filled the away end. I still find it amazing how many fans follow the team away especially on current form.

The game kicked off in bright sunshine and on a less than perfect pitch. The opening 2 minutes were played with the Leeds fans turning their back on the pitch as a tribute to Chris and Kev. With both team locked in mid table vulnerability the opening exchanges were tense and sprinkled with little quality. If the change of  manager had lifted expectations amongst the Leeds faithful those expectations were soon lowered. The favoured hoof ball style from Colin's reign was still in  evidence and just as ineffective. Charlton's winger, Harriot, looked a decent  player with his tricky runs unsettling the lack last lustre Leeds side. This  wasn't going to be a good afternoon. It could have been worse though as  Charlton's Morrison blasted over from 6 yards when he should have scored.

The game drifted to half time with the game slowly changing from optimistic to scrappy and was  heading to dreadful as the 45 minutes were up. Leeds hadn't had a shot in anger  and whist Charlton had had the better chances they hadn't really troubled Kenny  in the Leeds goal. Two poor teams trooped off for their half time Orange as I  reflected on the fact that Andy Hughes had controlled the midfield in his second appearance of the season. Much as I love him for what he did at Leeds seeing him provide the only flicker of a creative spark in the first 45 minutes summed up  the game in a nutshell.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the  first with the ball pinging from one side to another usually in the air and when  it was on the floor the bobbly pitch did its best to dampen any attempt at  playing flowing football. This was dire. The paucity of quality on the pitch  didn't stop the away fans singing though as they tried to instil some passion  into the team in blue but to no avail. Finally Leeds so nearly broke the  stalemate when Morison bundled his way through and smacked the ball against the  post from a tight angle. The Leeds defence looked vulnerable though when ever  Charlton attacked as a goal seemed inevitable.

The deadlock was broken when an Andy Hughes shot ricocheted across the box into the path of Jackson who buried the chance. The Valley erupted in joy as Hughes trooped back to the centre circle refusing to celebrate. 1.0 Charlton. The goal sparked a response from Leeds. Ross Mac was busy up front as he tried single handedly to wrest the advantage back from the South London side. The familiar sinking feeling in my stomach reflected my fears that this was yet another away day that was going to end pointless for the mighty whites. After surviving a number of scares in their own box Leeds surprisingly levelled when a Varney shot deflected off Andy Hughes and into the Charlton net. 1.1 and the away fans gratefully fed on the crumb of  success. A point will take us bit nearer safety after all. But could we hang on?  Our record in the last ten minutes of games is dreadful so I braced myself for another gut wrenching finish to the game.

What was a poor game was now culminating in an exciting finale.............exciting in that either of the  teams on show were quite capable of conceding another goal as both sides sort a precious win. Leeds had some momentum and enticed some hope from their battle weary fans as the ball bobbled about in the Charlton box but nobody got a boot  to the ball to steer it into the net. Peltier took a bad knock and on came  Austin to shore the defence for the 5 minutes added time. Naturally my stomach  was in that "oh fuk" stage as it tightened like a stressed anaconda as Charlton  battered Leeds for the final time..................the ball flew into the  box........Obika rose unchallenged and flicked the ball past a stationery Kenny.  2.1 Charlton and game over. Where was the marking? There was barely  time to kick off as Leeds sunk to their 197th away defeat this season. Only Ross  Mac and Byram came out of this game with a smidgen of credit for Leeds. The rest were at best poor.

Andy Hughes swapped shirts with Ross Mac at the final whistle and ran to the Leeds fans giving the Leeds salute. He is a class act. Gallows humour accompanied the phalanx of Leeds fans heading back into London.  "Let's pretend we scored a goal" they sung as the train trundled towards London Bridge. You have to have a good imagination to pretend that!

This defeat shuffles us nearer the dreaded relegation trapdoor and although we are still 5 points clear it is difficult to see where the next win will come from. This team  is far worse than the one that were relegated last time. I am preparing myself  for a very tense finish to the season. I'm just thankful for the likes of  Blackburn and Huddersfield who appear to be in just as bad a run of form as Leeds. Redfearn's first game in charge wasn't a success. I'm not sure he even wants to manage the team. Leeds are a club in crisis both on and off the field. The only quality surrounding the club at the moment are the fans.

The long trek home was not good. The prospect of playing the Wendies in a must win game on this form is like waiting for a dentist appointment to have four wisdom teeth removed. You know it will hurt and there's nothing you can do about it other than numb the pain. I best drink about 25 pints before the game if that's the case! They say the ones you love the most hurt you the most. That's certainly true with Leeds. It's more difficult to see any positives as each week goes by. Hull trains even managed to sell us the wrong tube tickets again. Not long to the end of the season ends now.

Can't wait.

MOT
26 Comments
Paul
6/4/2013 06:11:21 pm

As a charlton fan, I could have written the identical blog for this game and season!
It was a frantic finale, with poor footie but we were just as nervous as you guys. We let the wendies score twice in the last 5 to lose at home, same with palace and numerous other games in our quest to win the worst home record award! Fingers crossed we are safe now but it would be nice to see hudds Blackburn or wolves in the drop list! See you next season. Great blog. Good read.

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 12:27:26 am

Paul,
Thanks for the comments.Don't you just love Football! Good luck for rest of season and yes hopefully we will see you next year. Always a good away day to the Valley.

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Hooch
6/4/2013 06:23:10 pm

Didn't make the game so thanks for the report. This situation could only happen to us and Redfearn was quite clear in his post match interview that he doesn't want the job, which is because he knows how poorly we are being run. We have owners who have gone deadly quiet an ex-manager who wants an ex man U player to wreck the team and players (most of them) who can't be arsed. OMG WAF!
We are neither marching on or together but thank god we fans laugh in the face of adversity.

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Mike
6/4/2013 07:59:11 pm

Charlton fan here. I too couldn't make the game so was pleased to read your good blog from an away fans point of view. I hope all our little rascals in the covered end knew the reason for and respected your tribute at the kick off. Charlton fans usually acknowledge true fans in other clubs and your massive away support through good and bad times does Leeds United proud.

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 12:31:04 am

Mike,
thanks for the comments. I didn't see any rascals being disrespectful but I believe there were one or two. Thing is we know 99.99999% of Charlton fans are like you........unlike your more boisterous neighbours up the road in South Bermondsey!

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terry
7/4/2013 01:24:42 am

thought your fans were great yesterday ,spoke to a few walking back to the station supprised how many leeds fans on the train to kent all southerners see you next season

steve
6/4/2013 08:58:51 pm

Good read about a bad day. Thanks mate. #MoT

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 12:40:55 am

Cheers Steve.

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Philip Chan link
6/4/2013 09:19:05 pm

Wonderful piece of article. I am from far away Singapore and every bit of news is welcome news. Though at the moment the prospect for Leeds look rather bleak. One moment we are chasing for play off place and now staring closely at relegation. Am keeping my fingers crossed

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Derek Hales link
6/4/2013 09:19:47 pm

Good fair handed report. 3 points appreciated after the season we have had at home but I also hope you guys will be ok this year.

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 12:36:12 am

Thanks for the comments Derek. I assume you are the same Derek Hales who played in the 70's with wild bushy hair and a mexican type moustache?

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acworth
6/4/2013 11:18:17 pm

Not really too sure where you got the figure 4k for the amount of fans you had there...

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 12:42:41 am

As commented elsewhere I thought I'd read it on the Leeds website but I was wrong. apologies.

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CAFC
7/4/2013 12:10:29 am

Good summary but sorry to say this, our away end doesn't hold 4,000!!

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 12:33:31 am

CAFC
Apologies I thought Id read on the LUFC website we'd got a 4000 allocation. Still a good turn out though!

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CAFC
7/4/2013 12:53:23 am

Oh I agree, still great support 3,000-3,500 at the game

Sussexmick link
7/4/2013 12:18:59 am

Another Charlton fan- I like to read opposition views - genrally lest twisted than your own. I was there and this is a fair report. Clearly both of us wanted to win and I felt McCormack was a threat all day. Our pitch is in an awful state and I hope we can afford some seed in the summer! It stops one of our better ball players even starting. I thought it was excellent of Hughes to wear the armband and the acknowledgment you all gave him. Only his second game and he has shown his earthy worth. You dont get a good press as a following but it was good to see you acknowledge the Youth teams on their parade at half time- thank you.

Good luck this season- I hope we are both in the Championship next year and as above- would love to see the parachuted Blackburn or Wolves pass though.

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 12:49:34 am

Sussex Mick,
Thanks for your comments. Yes the pitch is awful and doesn't help constructive football which might explain your poor home record? I was impressed with the winger, Harriet. We do get a bad press so it is nice to see true fans recognising the vast majority of Leeds fans are just like them. What I struggle to understand is why there is such a difference to going to Charlton (good atmosphere, banter etc with fans) and going to Millwall which is only a hop skip and jump down the road?

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CAFC
7/4/2013 12:58:04 am

Easy mate, Millwall are absolute scum, like you said we have banter and create atmosphere but we DO NOT go near violence, not to say we have never had any cases but 99% don't, can't remember if it was palace or millwall but when we played them a while ago, I don't think it was this season, on the trains some fans actually abused verbally women and small children and hit some men with children with them, I have a feel that was palace, and they say they're the pride of south London!!

Sussexmick link
7/4/2013 01:20:45 am

Andrew
50 years ago my Dad took me to Millwall to witness 4th Div football whilst Charlton were in the 2nd Div. He said 'You wont like it here son' I didn't and was already a devoted Addick. They have some decent followers too but they also have an over active cell of lunatics that they cannot rid themselves of. And yes- I think we would all agree that the pitch has affected our home form- it was not anywhere near like this last year, having deteiorated its not been warm enough to grow and recover!

jblockmatt link
7/4/2013 01:42:04 am

what is the current situation with your owners,we always have to guess whats going on at charlton and things seem very quiet at your place.

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Andrew Butterwick
7/4/2013 02:13:49 am

JB
As I see it GFH, an Arab finance house, originally tried to broker a deal with Bates to buy the club in the summer. This appeared to falter when a Bahraini investor pulled out leaving GFH on their own. They bought the club on their own on the basis that they would find another investor to come in with them. This hasn't happened despite touting the offer around. The latest group have made an offer to buy a 51% stake but after agreeing heads of terms their exclusivity period has just passed without the deal being finalised. Inferrance is there is a serious cash flow problem at the club. In summary GFH have bought the club but don't yet have any funds to support and can't find any willing partners to come in with them. It's a mess.

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Buck
7/4/2013 08:25:10 pm

Hi
Good report had a good weekend with a overnight in southport
Home for 18.00 hrs sunday.Always av a great day as a couple of year ago went for the full day with meal drinks along with your fans made feel really welcome. Best REAL fans in all London

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Luke
7/4/2013 08:55:16 pm

Yet another Charlton fan here I'm afraid! Good read.

Just thought I should mention it was actually Hughes' third game back after his 5000 year injury. Didn't expect to ever see him play again, let alone have such a big impact. We've never lost with him in the side either! The balancing act of showing respect to you and passion for us really showed what an all round class act he is.

Great support from your lot too. Barring a total disaster look forward to having you round again next season.

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Andrew Butterwick
8/4/2013 04:44:48 am

Luke,
Thanks for the comments. As you say look forward to meeting your lot again next season. Two proper sets of fans.

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buck
7/4/2013 10:02:22 pm

southend not southport sorry

Reply



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