Darren Prately has called for Lee Bowyer to be backed with loan signings. He would back Charlton's first eleven against anyone but there are going to be more injuries and suspensions, he warns: Back Bowyer
Karlan Grant's goal against Shrewsbury with a Pratley assist has been selected as League One Goal of the Week by The Times.
By my reckoning seven of the eleven players on the pitch at the end of Charlton's 2-1 victory over Shrewsbury Town at the Valley today were Academy products. Morgan was particularly impressive after he replaced Marshall at half time who had had a mare.
Arriving at the ground, Rick Everitt was selling Voice of the Valley in shorts to signify that he was pitch ready, but if this was a confidence building measure, it didn't work for me. As it was, Charlton started with just six substitutes.
It was interesting to see the kit man coaching the players in the warm up. This dual role must save Roland a few euros, particularly if he is paid just for looking after the kit.
The directors' box was largely empty, but fans' friend Richard Murray was there sucking his too good to hurry mints.
The first half was mostly dull fare with the only real chance falling to a visiting player, Beckles, who put the ball wide when he should have scored.
Only a superbly-timed tackle inside the box by Ryan Haynes prevented Grant from pulling the trigger five minutes before the break.
Phillips got down low to keep out Aaron Amadi-Holloway's 47th minute header and deny Shrewsbury what would have been a dream start to the second half. Chris Solly was perfectly placed to scramble Docherty's 55th minute shot off the line, while Beckles saw a goalbound effort deflected behind by team-mate Gilliead as the visitors continued to press.
It was Charlton who opened the scoring on 62 minutes, as Taylor rose high to head home from George Lapslie's right-wing cross.
But then John-Lewis, who came on as a substitute, scored the equaliser in a move started with a free kick. Charlton did not defend well, but as the Bloke Beside Me said when John-Lewis came on, it was unfair to have a whole store against us.
Then just as five minutes of time added on were announced, Grant scored the winner (there were two Grants on the pitch, one for each side). Darren Pratley put in a cross from the right which was deftly headed in by Grant.
Charlton are 11th in the tentative table. Shrewsbury are not the team they were at the end of last season, but it was still a creditable result.
Keeper Jed Steer has signed on loan for Charlton from Aston Villa. Originally with Norwich City, he has had an injury plagued career with Villa: Jed Steer
In five years with the club, Steer has managed only eight senior team appearances with a single league match to his credit.
Charlton expressed an interest in him last summer.
Dulwich Hamlet's Charlton has blasted Charlton for trying to get out of a first team friendly to which they were contractually entitled: Hamlet
The first Voice of the Valley of the season will be on sale around the ground tomorrow. The usual crew of vinegar pissers have been dragged out of their drinking holes to produce copy. As usual, it is also possible to buy the Voice online for delivery in a plain wrapper by the Royal Mail, but postal copies will not come with the sachet of vinegar provided with copies sold at the ground.
There have been rumours of a loan signing today, but no information about position. Shrewsbury Town made two deadline day signings, breaking their own transfer record with the signing of Oliver Norburn from Tranmere Rovers for over £170,000.
This article from The Guardian provides extensive coverage of Charlton, but also looks at Blackpool, Blackburn and Coventry City: The Agony and the Ecstasy
The article notes that the Charlton protests have been the most vocal of all. Richard Wiseman, chairman of CAST, refers to 'a toxic mixture of arrogance, incompetence and stubbornness' on the part of Roland.
The authoritative Swiss Ramble has been taking a look at League One finances based on the 2016/17 accounts. In some cases clubs publish only abbreviated accounts so the information available is limited.
The results are not a great surprise as far as Charlton are concerned (most tweets have been on the debt figure), although it is interesting that the club is still ranked quite high on match day revenue, suggesting that the potential to grow is there under new leadership.
11 of the 24 clubs in League One made money, though the amounts are very small – the highest were Swindon Town and Rochdale £1.4m. The largest reported losses were Millwall £5.8m, Sheffield United £5.7m and Scunthorpe United £5.6m.
Profit on player sales was below £3m for all but two clubs in League One. The exceptions were relegated from Championship: Charlton £16.2m (Lookman to Everton, Gudmundsson and Pope to Burnley, Cousins to QPR) and Bolton Wanderers £5.6m (Holding to Arsenal, Clough to Forest).
The three clubs promoted from League One in 2016/17 had the highest revenue: Bolton Wanderers £14.7m (though this includes £6.5m from the Whites Hotel), Sheffield United £11.4m and Millwall £10.0m. Next highest were Charlton £7.6m, Oxford £7.0m, Walsall £6.6m and MK Dons £6.6m.
At this level, match day revenue can be a critical differentiator with Sheffield United leading the way with £7.9m, followed by Millwall £5.2m, Charlton Athletic £3.2m and Bolton Wanderers £3.2m.
Highest attendances were at two Yorkshire clubs: Sheffield United 22,000 & Bradford City 18,000. Sheffield United crowds would have placed them in the top 10 of the Championship. Followed by Bolton 15,000, Charlton 11,000 and MK Dons 10,000.
Three of the four highest League One wage bills were at the promoted clubs, though these were inflated by promotion bonuses. Highest was Bolton £13.8m (including £1.1m for hotel), followed by Charlton £11.1m, Sheffield United £10.0m & Millwall £9.4m, then large gap to Scunthorpe £6.0m.
Clubs in League One have to comply with the Salary Cost Management Protocol, so the wages to turnover ratios are normally better (lower) than those in the Championship. Nevertheless, still some clubs above 100%: Charlton 146%, Scunthorpe 145%, Fleetwood Town 109% and Southend 104%.
The highest financial debt by far in League One was £65m at Charlton Athletic, mainly owed to owner Roland Duchâtelet’s company, followed by Coventry City £37m, mainly owed to hedge fund owners SISU Capital, then Bolton Wanderers £22m, Millwall £20m and Southend United £18m.
Patrick Bauer has tweeted, 'I just wanted to take this opportunity to clear up some confusion regards my future at Charlton Athletic Football Club. As long as I am wearing the Charlton shirt I will give my everything for you Addicks and the Football Club to be as successful as possible.'
'Nevertheless I have not been offered a new contract, and would not extend my current contract which terminates in 2019 with Charlton Athletic FC.'
