12:08pm Friday 19th March 2010
Welcome to the first of News Shopper's Friday sport opinion columns. Read our rant and join the debate by adding your comments.
CHARLTON have been in freefall since Alan Curbishley left in 2006, but Saturday’s hiding at Millwall really was the ultimate low point.
For years the Lions have been in the Addicks’ shadow, scraping to survive in the lower divisions while their neighbours were living the high life in the Premier League.
Millwall supporters had looked enviously on at what was happening down the road and although Curbishley’s departure would inevitably have raised hopes of a slump, few would have believed it would happen to the extent it has.
The Lions are only a point behind Charlton now and looking far more likely to win promotion to the Championship judging by Saturday’s display.
It has been rumoured failure to go up this year will see Charlton follow in the footsteps of Crystal Palace by entering administration, something unthinkable for an outfit once hailed as a role model for being a well-run club.
Who is to blame for this state of affairs?
Alan Pardew and Iain Dowie are widely derided as the main causes of Charlton’s fall from grace but the board seem to escape a lot of the criticism, even to this day.
Richard Murray is hailed as the saviour of the club after rescuing them from Selhurst Park and securing the historic return to The Valley in 1992.
It is almost as if this fact alone makes Murray immune to the flak but surely his record since 2006 in overseeing the appointment of a host of managers who haven’t been up to the job is what he should be judged on in the cold light of day.
Murray told the press on Dowie’s appointment Charlton’s success over the previous 15 years wasn’t just down to the former manager, almost as if he felt he had not been given enough of the credit.
Yet the difference in fortunes since then under his continued ownership speaks for itself, so what does that tell us?
In fairness to Murray, it should be remembered the board have made no secret of the fact they are open to offers of new investment.
Charlton were unlucky to miss out on the Zabeel riches and then the mooted David Gold and David Sullivan takeover, losing out to West Ham.
New owners would still view the Addicks as a decent investment but they are waiting to see which division the club will be plying their trade in first before making an offer.
Can Charlton afford to spend another year in League One?
They already have the highest wage bill in the division and are living beyond their means in a gamble to get straight back in the Championship.
If the gamble doesn’t pay off, perhaps it is time for Murray and the present board to cut their losses and give someone else a go at reviving a great club.
This column in no way reflects the official position of News Shopper or its parent company.
What do you think? How do you rate Charlton's chances of promotion this season? Who do you should take the most blame for the situation the Addicks are in? Who would you like to see running the club and what should their priorities be? Add your comments below.
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