Huddersfield Town 5 (Hudson 18, Wells 44, Paterson 75, Holmes 79, Davidson 90) Charlton 0.
Kevin Nolan reports from John Smith Stadium.
Three days after so-called underdogs Colchester United had unceremoniously booted them out of the Cup, Charlton resumed their headlong slide towards League One with this craven capitulation in West Yorkshire. Leaderless, rudderless and in more ways than one pointless, they were an embarrassment to themselves and an insult to the 160 odd pilgrims who backed hope over experience in turning up on the most frigid evening of the winter so far. New disgraceful chapters are being written into the history of this great old club every week. This episode deserves a chapter of its own.
Throughout the latest debacle, hangdog interim coach Karel Fraeye stood transfixed in his technical area like a condemned man waiting to hear from the governor about his final appeal. Don’t like the look on the governor’s face, Karel. Seems your days were already numbered before kick-off. It’s being rumoured that the current boss of Ujpest FC, a Serbian who speaks a number of languages, sadly none of them English, is mooted to board the hamster’s wheel that is currently Charlton’s managerial seat. You’re allowed to laugh if it doesn’t hurt too much. But don’t split your sides.
Being contemptuously drubbed by a team themselves only 18th in the table defies description. But without going into its nuts and bolts, I’ll give it a plucky but advisedly truncated go. As I recall in my numbness, the visitors held out for 18 minutes before the latest of their old boys, Mark Hudson, headed the Terriers in front; they lasted another 26 before their statutory submission as the ref prepared his half-time whistle, collapsed entirely with three more goals conceded in the last quarter hour, then repaired to the dressing room for an old-fashioned punch-up. At least somebody cared but we already knew that about Johnnie Jackson, didn’t we? And there you go, the “contest” in a nutshell.
What else remains to be said about a club in total decline, a club once held up to others as a role model for sensible management and mutual ownership, except to note that it’s clear we’re living through some of the darkest days in its history? Days we’ll look back on with horror as that “Belgian balls-up” when it was in the hands of people with no understanding of its place in the community or in the hearts of its “customers.” All things must pass. As too will this hopefully ephemeral encounter with reticent Roly.
Before we move on, though, let me mention one fleeting moment of action mere minutes before the welcome end. Facing his own goal and harassed by Nakhi Wells as the ball landed awkwardly over his shoulder, Chris Solly produced a burst of speed, dived full length and headed safely back to Stephen Henderson. It was routine stuff but spoke volumes about this peerless professional. And when loyalists -not to mention 100% triers- like Solly and Jackson, who have done so much for the club, are dragged down into the mire around them, a stand must be made. It wouldn’t do to name names but it’s helpfully recommended that Nos.2, 7 and 16, for instance, take a good hard look at themselves in a mirror and decide whether there’s a professional footballer looking back at them. Then we can all crack on.
For crack on is what I propose to do right now. The normal length of my reports is between 700-800 words. This one is coming in currently at some 200 less but if Charlton can knock off early, so can I. So with my best wishes to the intrepid few expected at Hull on Saturday and a copped plea that I can’t join them due to a prior engagement with the marvellous NHS (cheers for that, Nye), I’ll sign off. To tweak a phrase. that’s all he wrote.
Huddersfield: Steer, Smith, Davidson, Hudson (Cranie 78), Hogg, Paterson, Huws (Holmes 54), Bunn, Lolley (Dempsey 60), Wells, Lynch. Not used: Murphy, Miller, Husband, Billing.
Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Johnson, Lennon, Fox (Holmes-Dennis 62), Gudmundsson (Makienok 74), Poyet, Jackson, Williams (Ghoochannejhad 62), Harriott, Vaz Te. Not used: Pope, Sarr, Charles-Cook, Moussa. Booked: Solly, Williams, Fox, Ghoochannejhad. Sent off: Ghoochannejhad
Referee: Geoff Eltringham.
Att: 9,736.
Bill Bentinck says
Well written Kevin. A lot of what you have said is sad but true.
Without boring you, I have supported this club since 1951 and would
not and could not support any other.
But what is going on now is to say the least, worrying and I fear
the owners motives.
Like many others I still travel to games praying that this is all a dream and
that the club will return to normal but currently I cannot see any light at the end
of what seems a long tunnel.
Thanks for your written reports which do give me some hope that things will get better.
M.J.Flynn says
Good stuff Kev but why have a go at number 16.He is the only Iranian we have who has scored in a World Cup and having got sent off he fortunately now misses the Hull slaughter.
Excellent grammar by the way.I always knew you paid attention during English at St Joes.
Hope you are on the mend.
Mr Flynn
Ginty says
There is not much to say about the team but until we get a REAL manager I am not going again even though I am a season ticket holder,where do I go to get my money back!!