Rays of hope as Addicks head for salubrious Salop

Shrewsbury Town may not exactly be 'china in Charlton's hands' (to parody the hit of Shropshire's only famous pop group) tomorrow given that the teams are 16th and 17th in the form table.

However, the Shropshire Star is not exactly optimistic: 'It has been a really tough September for Salop "nd fans are beginning to grow restless.  It is perhaps too early in the season to class the game as a ‘must win" but it certainly feels as though it fits into the "must not lose’ category" – especially with a trip to second-placed Oxford just around the corner.

Town have struggled a little bit with consistency this season, they have been bright at times but then there are other occasions where they simply have not been at the races.

Proof of this is demonstrated by the fact they have not managed a draw yet – and arguably that would not be the worst result this weekend, especially if they can score.

Failure to score for Salop will mean they have gone a whole calendar month without managing to get on the scoresheet.  That is something they haven’t done – barring the odd one-game May – since March 2010 when they failed to score in four League Two matches.

Although Charlton have not had the best start to the season, they do have some good players and they have beaten Shrews comfortably already this year.'

CAS Trust preview here: https://www.castrust.org/2023/09/staying-on-the-rails-in-shrewsbury/

The very full minutes of the latest Fan Forum also give some cause for encouragement as the Chicago Addick has pointed out.   Read them here: https://www.charltonafc.com/news/fans-forum-notes-september-2023 

There does seem to be a more professional approach on the part of the club, including the need for proper processes and protocols, something very much absent during the Sandgaard era.  It is also evident that the removal of Dean Holden was not an impulsive decision, to read between the line it seems that he went 'off the boil' over the summer and in early season.

It does seem that the future of Charlton Live is in some doubt, particularly with the ending of live UK streaming next season.  For me, it was Sandgaard's 'aqueducts' moment and I learn a lot from the trio of Curbs, Brownie and Scott Minto.  It is, however, expensive to produce.