Failing To Rediscover That Passion For Our Club

The shock-wave that was felt by Charlton supporters following the sacking of Chris Powell made for an uncomfortable night when Huddersfield visited the Valley barely 24 hours later. Since then, some have rediscovered the passion of supporting Charlton, as they get wrapped up in the battle to avoid relegation. But for others, its been hard to rediscover that special feeling you get when following your football club. The events were taken by many to simply have been made for footballing reasons - but from the club statement it was clear that it went much deeper. The way Charlton is currently being run jeopardises our independence - by placing us in the middle of a businessman's network our primacy as a club is diminished. It is a complex and as yet unexplained network, but enough signs have emerged to induce a feeling of fear, rather than excitement.

Debates have raged about events on the field, whether the sacking was right in footballing terms or not, but as the justification for it was given as a difference in "footballing vision", it is clear that the decision's significance transcends the playing field. Calls to "move on" have been misplaced in a number of ways. Some find it easy to take the moral high ground; to call those critical of past actions disloyal. They forget that we all still care about the football club, but instead this is couched in a concerned voice rather than excited one. My struggle to rediscover that passion for the game is not because I'm disloyal and planning a desertion, but because I care about what is being done to Charlton. When you step back and assess what's been done, not even events on the pitch prove a sufficient distraction because they are inextricably linked with what the future appears to hold.

Before making these broad arguments, its important to look at the chain of events this season.

The Impact of the Takeover:

It's been a difficult year for Charlton. Lack of investment meant we entered the season having lost four strikers who played important roles in 2012/13. The weaker playing squad meant results were a struggle, but the odd victories scattered through the winter months demonstrated that Powell's side still had that fighting spirit. Few expected relegation, despite some fearing it. A victory over Brighton at home on Boxing Day was superb, with it looking like things had finally clicked into place. Then January came.

Roland Duchâtelet's takeover was greeted with optimism in it's initial stages. Contracts needed sorting out to ensure that uncertainty no longer affected the players on the pitch, as well as the manager himself. A few players were sent from Standard Liege to boost our survival chances - but what was really needed was a couple of strong, dependable Championship players. In the final week of the transfer window, startling truths became clear. Ben Alnwick, Dale Stephens and Yann Kermorgant were all sold without being adequately replaced. These were not decisions Chris Powell would have sanctioned - three players who had played pivotal roles, with Stephens and Kermorgant clearly two of the side's most important players. But they'd been sold, justified as "good business" with their contracts running to a close. You only need to read Kermorgant's take on the issue to see the cold-hearted conviction with which the ownership made these moves happen.

Those are not the actions of a man with the interests of Charlton as a Championship club at heart. Kermorgant was not only a brilliant player, but a man who had an emotional bond with the crowd. It was a dreadful decision to move him out of the club given his importance to fighting relegation. A quick buck in January might look like financial sense in the short term, but if it costs us Championship status then long-term it will have been disastrous. It wasn't beneficial to our survival bid, but as counter-productive as it's possible to be. Not a decision that would've been made with the best interests of Charlton at heart.

It's not just a financial point of view from which the decision made waves. It struck at the heart of what Charlton means to us. "Football is a business" cry those defending the sale. Who wants to support a business? Football is enhanced by the emotional attachments people form, and a club is nothing without heroes to support on the pitch. "No man is bigger than the club", they say. Granted, but supporting a team with faceless players wouldn't be anywhere near as enjoyable or engaging as it would be with great men like Kermorgant on the field. It wasn't as if he was unimportant to us, especially in a season where we've failed to score goals.

Duchâtelet had successfully removed one of the pillars of our football club, and just over a month later he made sure a second central pillar was demolished.

Chris Powell was a brilliant manager, and a fantastic man to have as the face of our football club. Prior to Charlton beating a star-studded QPR team at home, and Sheffield Wednesday away in the FA Cup 5th Round, Roland spoke of Powell's qualities as a manager and a coach.

“We are discussing right now to renew his contract for the coming years,” Duchâtelet said, “I hope we can reach an agreement soon. There is no doubt in my mind that he is an extremely good coach, there is certainly a desire to continue to work with Chris. It’s important for the fans that Powell is a club legend, but for me it’s not the most important matter. The most important matter is just that he’s a very good coach.”

On the 11th of March, less than three weeks later, Powell was sacked.

“We have been working with Chris Powell and his representatives for a couple of weeks to try and agree a contract extension which would have seen us continue to work together. There was good progress, but we could not reach an agreement over the club’s football strategy going forward. The situation put a strain on the working relationship between Chris and the board. Therefore I think it is best for all parties that we part ways at this stage."

And people think he was sacked for footballing reasons.

“Given the club’s position in the league and the number of important fixtures upcoming, I felt this difficult decision was unavoidable at this time. I can assure supporters this was not an easy decision, but it has been made with the club’s future in mind. Time will tell if it is the right decision."

Hardly words of conviction. The position in the table was merely a secondary reference by Duchâtelet. Vague statements referring to the club's future did nothing to ease the pain of losing the club's greatest remaining asset. He'd been kicked out because he would not cede control of transfers to Roland and his fabled "network" of scouts. Powell quite rightly wanted to be able to identify and sign players himself, as he would have to coach them and make sure they fit into the side. When Duchâtelet would not allow this, he removed him. His replacement was shepherded in rapidly, Jose Riga having worked for him before. It was all planned in advance. It's hard to look at the timing and not be cynical. With a run of friendly fixtures upcoming, it would be as easy a start as possible for the new "Head Coach".

We were bottom of the league, but with four games in hand. People will gloss over that second piece of information. Significantly, Powell faced large gaps between league fixtures, which exaggerated the importance of victories as well as defeats, given others were gaining more ground due to their more regular league fixtures. Furthermore, Riga has had the benefit of a lot of winnable games in and amongst the more difficult fixtures, which means the impact of defeats has been limited somewhat.

The Perils of the Network:

Riga has done a decent enough job, and he deserves credit for not disrupting the team spirit that was such a valuable asset during the tenure of Chris Powell. But after the sacking, nothing has felt the same. Results have improved somewhat, but its been a struggle to enjoy football the way I did before, knowing how the club is being run.

Some have embraced the decision as if it was based solely on the performance in the league this season - due to their happiness, they've been willing to falsely perceive a radical change in style, hailing "better football", re-writing the past and suggesting it was dire under Powell. Others have been more circumspect, willing to continue in support of the players on the pitch, whilst maintaining their dislike for what is happening in the boardroom. But for me, the sacking was the final event that shattered any trust I was willing to place in the new ownership. As a result, I've become horribly disillusioned. 

Whatever happens on the pitch, knowing that we're being run this way means I can't enjoy it. Riga can do as good a job as he likes, but what use is that if the owner's priority isn't our club? We're in an experimental network, with players changing hands in order to make more profit for the central owner. Football is secondary for Duchâtelet. 

Powell was an obstacle to Roland and his network - you only need to look at the wording of the club statement to see that - but his removal meant that the club no longer has anybody in a position of power who hasn't previously been involved with Standard Liege. Isn't this quite a concerning development? Their actions to date don't suggest that they are trustworthy at all.

To demonstrate the fantasy of this network, and how in reality it is impractical, we already have a case study. Yohan Thuram was drafted in by Duchâtelet, despite Charlton possessing two quality keepers in the form of Alnwick and Hamer. Thuram started matches in February due to Hamer being injured, and Alnwick being sold against the wishes of Powell. His performances were characterised by indecision, with poor handling and a desire to save everything with his feet inspiring little confidence in him. Reports surfacing last week were that he refused to travel to Leeds with the team, protesting about his lack of first team football. His case shows that he was sent here by Duchâtelet for the benefit of the player, not the club, in his attempt to raise his profile and his transfer price. The return of Thuram in the squad just one week later was a disgrace - a player refusing to play for a club should be sacked, not merely forgiven. It was a serious breach of trust - something we're getting used to these days.

Similarly, Piotr Parzyszek was signed at the end of the January transfer window, but is clearly not ready for first team football. Was this signing made with the interests of Championship safety; to replace the huge hole left by the wilful sale of Kermorgant? Again, it's a ploy to develop a young player before he's sold on for profit. Some even suggest that it is to develop the player until he's ready to join Liege. Any benefit Charlton might receive won't last long.

It's not a network that will serve our club's interest. It's for the benefit of Duchâtelet. England is a place where players get noticed, and Charlton will become a nice feeder club for him, not in the sense that all our young players will be sent to a Standard Liege, but in the sense that we'll just be a conveyor belt for his talent. Players will come and go, without the understanding of what Charlton means to us all. Thuram clearly isn't interested. His rebellion is potentially a sign of things to come if we don't throw all these players we're handed into the first team.

Our greatest strength in the past few seasons has been our team spirit. With significant transfer activity in the summer, we might see better players come in, but also a number of players leaving. Exciting European talent on the pitch sounds great - but its not enough on its own to improve the side. You need a backbone. You need that fighting spirit. If we become a conveyor belt in this network, who can confidently say that apathy towards the cause won't become an issue? Thuram has already demonstrated as much. 

It feels like we could become a hollowed-out shell of a football club. "But Charlton will always be Charlton", they'll say. Such a vague statement. The Charlton I supported isn't the Charlton I see out on the pitch any more. There came a line in the sand. I don't have it in me to draw such clear distinctions between the pitch and the boardroom. Charlton as a football club is threatened by this new order, and I can't help but fear for it. Try enjoying football when that's all you can think about.

Charlton has always been an independent football club. Its always been the priority. We're merely a cog in a rich businessman's new experiment. I have no appetite for supporting something like that. 

Maintaining unconditional support in something you no longer believe in is impossible.

Failing to Rediscover the Passion:

What's been most disheartening is the fickle nature of many football supporters. The Valley Party did such incredible work to return Charlton to our home, but you wonder if we were exiled this summer, how many would simply say that it doesn't matter. In this day and age, a lot tend to perceive football as being all about results. It is frowned upon by many to develop strong emotional attachments to players and managers that mean we are sad when they leave - cries of many to simply 'move on' as if nothing had happened miss the importance of these emotional attachments in football. Less than a month after a hero was fired, hearing the Covered End singing Jose Riga's Red Army was like a knife through the heart. Its not his squad. He may be a nice enough guy, but his position and his appointment are a sign of what's wrong. A "Head Coach" doesn't have any control of recruitment, and he might not even stay beyond the summer. The singing of his name less than a month after the sacking of someone we all had faith in demonstrates that football fans would sing the name of any old bugger if he won them a game or two. You want people in a club who understand what its all about, but a month in South-East London won't teach Jose that. 

The fans of today that only care about results feel the need to vocalise their importance. That's all that matters to them. If we import a completely alien set of players from Europe, they have no attachment to the club at all, but we win more games, they'll see it as an improvement. We'll be expected to enjoy supporting our club more based on simply results, rather than by feeling encapsulated in the process of achieving them. Results mean nothing if you feel no connection to the victorious team. The greatest achievement of Powell was that he built a side we could identify with once again, full of players fully committed to the cause, who knew what the club was all about. That is what Charlton Athletic is really about. Ultimately, if results are all you care about, you can support any club and little would change. But at Charlton, we've always felt there was that little bit extra special about our own club, and that's what brought out that passion. 

Following on from the clear demonstration that team spirit is vital, its worrying to think what might happen in future withing this network of interchangeable talent. How can players be convinced of the club's ambitions when Duchâtelet keeps his plans such a secret? Football is rarely suited to rapid change, and grand ideas are rarely translated into great success without huge injections of capital. It took Powell two and a half years to get Charlton back to where it belongs in the Championship. Risking destabilisation for the sake of a network jeopardises the club, and with the kind of short-termism characterised by the singing of Riga's name, people will sleep-walk into the trap and only realise when its too late. "He's saving our season" misses the point - he's not in charge of our club. The destiny of Charlton rests with Duchâtelet, not a manager any more. He's shown that he'll put profit before points - just look at January.

Assessing the various actions during the tenure of Duchâtelet, its clear enough that his intentions are not based solely in our interest. I won't be fobbed off by a cynically timed contract extension, or the installation of stadium Wi-Fi, and made to think that everything is actually fine.

Powell was the best thing about our football club. We've got nobody left in a position of power that really understands what we're about. We've lost that, but we are expected to accept the new order as if it's enhancing our club. For me, it's ruining it. The passion I had still hasn't returned. It can't, not with so many fears unanswered regarding the way the club is run. 

I've failed to rediscover the love of Charlton. A victory against a relegation rival is supposed to fill you with happiness, but instead it was just mild satisfaction. Hearing the Covered End sing the name of a man they'd never heard of a month ago was painful. It was a demonstration of just how passive supporters can be to real changes; how blind they can be to the real issues. Hull City season ticket holders barely rejected the name change that struck at the heart of their club's history; Cardiff City have seen an increasing number of fans simply accept Vincent Tan's changing of their identity. People are coming into football clubs and making huge changes, which put at risk the identity which we all became so wrapped up in supporting. The willingness to simply accept and move on is alarming, and deeply saddening. You'd hope that people would be willing to stand up for their club and defend it if the time for action came - given recent events, though, you fear people won't bother.

People who say football is a business, spoken as if they think they're a clever detective, miss the point entirely. We don't support football because of it's likeness to a business. Justifying actions that undermine the club with the words "it's a business" strike at the very heart of what a football club means to people. I don't care solely about profit. I don't care solely about results, either. I'd hate to be a supporter of a team that wins every week, because it would be boring, and you'd be surrounded by glory hunters who demand a win every match. That's not what makes Charlton so great as a club. We've experienced the highs and the lows many times, but above all else the players we identify with have done so as well. It was a shared ethos, a community, an understanding that Charlton Athletic always seems to be punching above it's weight. Players like Jackson and Kermorgant, and men like Chris Powell knew that. They understood Charlton. They understand what values the club represents, and why it means so much to so many. It's a community, not a brand. But now there's nobody left in a position of power who sees Charlton in the same way. In this network, we are not the priority. We've lost our independence. We've lost our identity. And that is not something you can just forget about. Results mean nothing if you lose the passion you had for a club you could identify strongly with.

Even then, who says this network is going to be a success anyway?

If you trust Roland based on his actions to date, then you'll trust anyone...

Thanks For Everything, Chris

Football is a results business, but even with Charlton at the bottom of the Championship, this decision is a terrible one. Powell's sacking is down to disgraceful boardroom decision-making, in which he's been the fall guy paying the price for being given an inadequate squad. He was a man who embodied the fighting spirit and integrity of this football club, and defied the odds to keep the side competitive despite a woeful lack of investment. Merely accepting his dismissal due to our recent results misses the point entirely. He enhanced that emotional attachment with our football club, and without it, you wonder if it'll ever feel the same. 

Powell was brought in by the previous owners after Phil Parkinson's reign was cut short. Typically, there were those who thought that he would tarnish his great legacy as a player, but Powell said himself that he wanted to enhance it. His first few months in charge were a struggle, but they were important. He tried to get the remnants of that squad which had fallen from the Championship to play better football, instead of the dreadful, aimless style Parkinson had operated. He realised that hardly any of them were up to it. More importantly, he identified that there were hardly any players who truly cared about the club. Mercenaries like Thierry Racon who were on high wages and hardly gave a toss about the fortunes of the club.

Chris Powell understood that success on the football field is not simply a case of having quality players. Its about having men who are all fully behind the manager and the football club, who'll run through brick walls for each other, who will fight until the very end. He built one of the greatest Charlton sides we've seen for a long time, simply because every one of them cared.

That 2011/12 season was one of the greatest this club has had in years. Powell brought in a bunch of players who all knew the league, and he managed to do an incredible job to gel them straight away. His faith in Johnnie Jackson helped create a true leader on the pitch, another player who showed that football isn't just about having skill, but a determination and desire. He gave Chris Solly a chance at right back, which he grabbed with both hands, becoming player of the season two years running. He signed solid, dependable players such as Matt Taylor, Ben Hamer, Rhoys Wiggins, Dale Stephens. Most importantly, though, he found a man called Yann Kermorgant, brought him into the side, and gave him the confidence to succeed. Kermorgant and Powell was one of the great success stories - a man cast into the wilderness due to one penalty miss, brought in by a man who had every faith in his ability; faith that was rewarded with some wonderful performances and vital goals. Both men were vitally important to each other, as well as this football club. Both are now gone...

The final few games of the promotion season were the most joyous I've witnessed at Charlton. Being there are Carlisle to see what it meant not only to the squad, but to Chris Powell as well was something that I'll always remember. He walked out onto the pitch alone, in tears as to what he had achieved. The man had succeeded in lifting the club that he loved out of the division it badly needed to escape, and he knew exactly the magnitude of the achievement. At the Wycombe home game, again he demonstrated his attachment to the club, before that wonderful day against Hartlepool when we rounded off the season in style, and he gave his fantastic speech after the match. 101 points, and Champions. An achievement he can always be proud of.

It wasn't just the results that endeared Powell to us, but the fact that he seemed to share every emotion that the fans did. He gave us reason to love our football club again, after years in the wilderness being ruined by cowboys like Alan Pardew. He made us proud to support our football club again. He was the perfect ambassador, a great man with a fighting spirit that was embodied in the team that took to the field. He may not be a fancy tactician, but he more than made up for it with the drive he gave that side in red.

The following summer, things started to go wrong in the boardroom. The abrasive nature of Tony Jimenez meant that the financial backing of the club was no more, and Powell was forced to make do with minimal additions to his squad. He found Ricardo Fuller and Lawrie Wilson, but apart from that the success was built on the foundations of the title-winning squad from the season before.

The first year back in the Championship was a volatile one, with a number of good runs checked by some poor results, particularly at home. Leicester were beaten early on, with Kermorgant scoring against his former tormentors; from 0-2 down to Cardiff, we scored 5 (five) unanswered goals and won the game 5-4; we beat Watford 4-3 away from home; Leicester were beaten again, thanks to Kermorgant and Haynes. There were some stunning results, but the real delight came in the final season-ending run, in which we looked untouchable. Everything clicked. Chris Powell's Charlton were on fire.

From being 2-0 down to Bolton at home, the season turned around. A Kermorgant-inspired comeback saw a fine 3-2 victory, and it was followed by some incredible results. Barnsley were trounced 6-0 at Oakwell; two last minute winners saw home victories against Leeds and Wolves; Cardiff and Brighton were held to goalless draws at their own stadiums; Bristol City were hammered 4-1 on the final day of the season, which saw Charlton finish in 9th position. It was an incredible run, with the players galvanised by a manager desperate for the club to succeed. His emotional speech after the game showed everyone just what this meant to him, 12 months on from promotion. "We've got our Charlton back" was the cry. I filmed the whole thing - it was one of the proudest memories of that season, aside from all the obvious heroism on the pitch. There was such emotion in his voice. Such pride at what he and his players had achieved. It was a pride shared by everyone in the ground. You can't buy togetherness like that.

Further financial problems meant Fuller couldn't be re-signed; Haynes and Wright-Phillips left the club, replaced at the 11th hour by Simon Church and Marvin Sordell (on loan). Importantly, the contract situation went unresolved, with the owners unwilling to fork out any more of their precious money to give the football club stability. Powell was forced to blood the youngsters, with Jordan Cousins, Joe Pigott, Harry Lennon and Diego Poyet all playing first-team games despite their teenage years. We continued to defy the odds, but the under-investment was taking its toll. Powell was the glue holding us together, giving the team confidence to win at home to Leicester again, away games at Blackburn and Birmingham. Times were tough, but Boxing Day gave us real hope. Kermorgant was back to his very best in a 3-2 victory over Brighton. Luck finally seemed to be turning our way.

January came. Slater and Jimenez finally sold the club to a man they trusted. Roland Duchatalet. There was hope of those extra additions to the foundations of our squad. Instead, Roland sanctioned the sale of Stephens, Alnwick, and inexplicably Yann Kermorgant. The latter spoke of how he felt like he was forced out of the club. The assurances of Powell's future safety weren't given to him, and he was sold to Bournemouth. Its hard to hold anything against him for making that decision, especially in light of recent circumstances.

We were thrown some players from the Roland network of clubs, with his expectation that they would play immediately and not need time to adapt to English football. Only Astrit Ajdarevic was good enough to play a regular part, in Powell's view.

Powell inspired two incredible victories within the space of three days - wins that we thought would kick-start our season. QPR's dream team was beaten by a Johnnie Jackson header which sent the Valley into meltdown, and on the Monday night a heroic, battling performance saw us overcome Sheffield Wednesday in front of a partisan northern crowd. The delight on Powell's face was wonderful. Undoubtedly the best weekend in his managerial career.

Powell and Duchatalet did not agree on footballing issues, which is a clear indication that Powell would not be willing to cede authority on player recruitment. Roland was waiting for an excuse to fire him, and the defeat at Sheffield United gave him just that, especially as Powell did not field a single player that Duchatalet had provided him with. Following a disheartening performance, the players trudged off. Powell remained stood in his technical area, looking like a broken man. I was equally crushed, but there was more to Powell's emotional state than at first met the eye. He looked as if it was all over.

On Tuesday morning, it was announced that Powell had been sacked. Immediately, news of a Belgian replacement lined up emerged, indicating that this had been planned well in advance. The reaction was unified. Every single Charlton fan was hurt by the news. It was like the soul had been ripped out of our club.

Merely citing the table as justification for the decision, and arguing that Powell did a bad job, totally and utterly misses the point. He did fantastically well to keep this side competitive when times were tough. He was the glue holding everything together, as contracts were running out and rumours continued to circulate about the off-field situation. He kept us fighting. Even after the friction caused by the takeover, he kept going, inspiring two of the greatest wins of his career against QPR and Sheffield Wednesday. But because he wasn't a "yes man", Roland has disposed of him. He clearly isn't intelligent enough to recognise what an important man Chris Powell was to our football club.

I am not someone willing to accept that football is just about results. If you can't develop an emotional attachment to your club, then what's the point in going every week? Chris Powell made me proud to support my football club. He embodied everything good about it. Passion, desire, faith and loyalty. He was someone who we loved watching succeed, someone we had faith in to turn things around. He really did make us proud of our football club.

The club lives on, but its going to prove extremely difficult to rebuild that love. The Charlton Athletic that I cared for when Chris Powell was managing players like Johnnie Jackson and Yann Kermorgant has gone. Supporting a side run by a foreign manager, merely showcasing talent from Roland's network before selling it on to the highest bidder, is not something I'd enjoy. Selling a club's soul in the name of 'success' is not something I'm comfortable with.

Sacking Powell won't bring success. The team spirit will have been shattered. At least 10 players out of contract at the end of the season suddenly have less to play for. The foreign imports will all start games, despite being unprepared for Championship football. Its hard to convince yourself of anything other than relegation. And I'm currently feeling that it would be the right punishment for the ludicrous decisions made thus far by Duchatalet.

Chris Powell understood the club perfectly. He embodied the spirit, the passion, and the desire. He had the fans onside, even in times of adversity. It was clear that he was being undermined off the field, but he kept doing his job with dignity. He was too honourable to resign, even in the dire circumstances created by Duchatalet following the sale of his best players in January, without adequate replacements. He restored our faith in our football club, and gave us some absolutely brilliant memories. For that alone I am proud to have been a small part of Chris Powell's Charlton. Knowing that its over is not something that is easy to accept.

Powell was Charlton. We'll never get someone else quite like him.

A Valley Hero Departs

Its been a long, long time since Charlton Athletic has owned a player as skilful, passionate and well-loved as Yann Kermorgant. His footballing ability has made him a Valley legend over the course of the past two seasons, but we've seen his final appearance in the red shirt. Inexplicably, he's been sold.

The Charlton career

On a Tuesday night in September back in 2011, Charlton lost a Carling Cup match at home to Preston. Fans were greeted with the announcement on the official website after the game that a player called Yann Kermorgant had been signed on a free transfer. Despite the traditional apathy with which news of this nature is greeted with, it signalled the start of a very special relationship.

Yann made his debut for Charlton coming off the bench against Chesterfield, with the home side 2-1 up in the second half. Its a debut that many might not recall, instead remembering his first goal for the club to equalise late in the game three days later against the MK Dons, but his first intervention was hugely encouraging. The ball was played to him in the air, with his back to goal, where Yann chested the ball, controlled it, and spread it out wide to the right, where a cross was put in to the back post for Bradley Wright-Phillips to score. It was a piece of play that demonstrated Kermorgant's class for the first time, and almost certainly not for the last.

The aforementioned goal to salvage a point in Milton Keynes was a powerful header, and similarly, just a few days later, another header helped the Addicks win away at Sheffield United. After a tricky couple of matches, the team started trouncing their opponents regularly, with Kermorgant notching two goals in a demolition of Carlisle. A header against Huddersfield ended their 43-game unbeaten run, and confirmed to Charlton fans that promotion had become more than just a distant hope.

As the season progressed, Yann kept popping up with vital goals. But he was far more than just a goalscorer. His aerial ability was important in defence, and his strength and skill meant he was instrumental in creating as many goals as he scored.

At Yeovil, and later at home against Rochdale and Wycombe, he demonstrated his phenomenal set-piece skills, scoring three free-kicks. So not only was he a warrior, but a technician capable of fantastic individual brilliance.

His winning goal in the Oldham away game, helping defend with 9 men thanks to Trevor Kettle's card-happy performance, was one of his most heroic, securing a vital three points against the odds. He has a knack of putting in brave performances when the going gets tough.

At the Carlisle game, the joy on his face at promotion was clear for all to see. The whole squad was together as one, and seeing him become an integral part of that squad was wonderful. In the game that sealed the title, he scored an exquisite free-kick, and then he rounded off a perfect first season with an outrageous volleyed goal from the by-line against Hartlepool. Despite strong suggestions that it was a fluke, we weren't having any of it. The technical ability of the man was far greater than any player to have pulled on the red shirt for a number of years.

The happiness of those celebrations after lifting the trophy will stick with us for a long time. It was clear that Kermorgant owed his resurgence to the faith of Chris Powell, who himself had a huge willingness to see Yann succeed. It seemed like the perfect, unbreakable relationship between a player and a manager, and it flourished the following season during the side's first year back in the Championship.

With largely the same squad, and the addition of a couple of new faces including Ricardo Fuller, Charlton came through a tough campaign to finish an incredible 9th position, a testament to the team spirit Chris Powell had created. Kermorgant's initial role was limited due to injury, but that came after one memorable night in SE7 during the game against Leicester.

Kermorgant had been vilified, and cast into the wilderness by Leicester following a chipped penalty that went wrong in a playoff semi-final shoot-out. He unfairly became the scapegoat due to the limited role he'd been given with the side. Two years after that fateful day, following a spell abroad and a glorious renaissance with Charlton, Kermorgant buried the ghosts of the past. Pouncing on a ball into the box, he fired home a powerful shot, and turned to run towards the Leicester fans with his finger on his lips. Most were going to crazy in the crowd to notice, but it was the perfect way to silence all of those doubters.

Kermorgant ended his Charlton career (it still sounds painful saying that) with a perfect record against Leicester. Three 2-1 victories, with Yann scoring in each one. Magnifique. He chipped for a laugh.

He returned to action after injury in late November, sliding in at the back post to poke home and ensure victory over Peterborough. The team suffered a poor run of form, until Yann teamed up with Ricardo Fuller once more to tear Watford to shreds at Vicarage Road. New Year's Day of 2013 was one of the finest I've had as a Charlton fan, and it was largely down to two outstanding performances from Kermorgant and Fuller, who were dominant in the air and technically brilliant on the floor. Yann scored twice, the second of which levelled the game at 3-3 just seconds after Watford had retaken the lead. Johnnie Jackson headed home the winning goal to make it 4-3, and send the travelling Addicks wild. As with so many other games, Yann had proven instrumental in victory, and his celebrations along with the rest of the side showed once again how brilliant Powell's team spirit had become.

Kermorgant continued to endear himself even further with the Charlton faithful, heading home to win the away game at Blackburn a couple of weeks later. He celebrated with such a joyous rage that it was clear for all to see how much it meant to him.

The Birmigham home game was the greatest demonstration of why we all love Yann. With the game locked at 0-0, but with the home side knocking on the door, a ball to the back post was emphatically headed home by Kermorgant, sending the crowd into raptures. The joy of his celebration was contrasted by his despair at the full-time whistle, as the defence had leaked a goal and thus dropped two points. Kermorgant sat on the ground looking devastated. Having almost single-handedly hauled Charlton into a winning position, the win had been taken when it was agonisingly close. His passion for the side was clear. Not winning had hurt him.

Soon after, he was to enjoy another instance of revenge, scoring one and assisting the other in Charlton's second 2-1 victory against Leicester of the season, this time in front of the fans who had blamed him for their sides playoff failure. A thoroughly satisfying result. A tough run of games followed, and with the side 2-0 down at home to Bolton, a relegation battle seemed an unpleasant but real prospect, until Jackson hauled his side back into it. From a free-kick, Kermorgant hit the post, with the rebound slotted home by Dervite. Soon after, the Addicks had a penalty. To the shock of the crowd, it was Yann himself placing the ball on the spot. His first penalty since That Day. The nerves inside the ground were heightened. Up strode Yann, thumping a powerful shot into the bottom corner to put the Addicks ahead. He'd well and truly banished those demons in emphatic style.

A fantastic run of results ensued, a testament to the way Powell had kept the squad together. Yann scored the third in a six goal hammering of Barnsley at Oakwell, a result that shocked every single one of us. Arguably he hadn't scored a 'great goal' all season - he'd said so himself. That was until the final day of the campaign, when he fired a thunderous volley into the roof of the net from the edge of the area, to help round of Charlton's season in emphatic style. It would be churlish to suggest the team's success was entirely down to him, because it wasn't. Powell had built a fantastic team spirit, and the attitude of the players to keep going in adversity helped them to maintain belief and eventually achieve consistent results. You would, however, be foolish to suggest that Yann was not an integral member of the side. He may not have done it all the time, but he had an ability to score important goals, as well as put in brave, heroic performances when the team needed him. Furthermore, it was once again a pleasure to see the happiness of a man who has not always been lucky in life. We were certainly lucky to have both him and Chris Powell at our club.

This season has been more of a struggle, and once again Kermorgant suffered an autumn injury setback, but that has not meant we've not seen any of Yann's magic on the pitch. Far from it, as he's been the club's top scorer. On the opening day of the season at Bournemouth, he adjusted himself well to fire home a scissor-kick volley into the bottom corner, although it proved insufficient and couldn't prevent eventual defeat. He headed home from a corner against Leicester to complete the Triple Crown of victories against his former side, providing those at the Valley with another fantastic reason to sing the Frenchman's name. At Watford, he once again stepped up to take a penalty, showing great composure to fire the ball high into the roof of the net to put the Addicks in front. He received a knock to his leg early in the second half, and despite valiant attempts to continue playing, he was eventually withdrawn. He had to wait over a month until his return at home to Wigan, where he seemed to suffer a recurrence of the injury, further delaying his return. 

He made his return in the 2-0 win against Doncaster, but had to wait until mid-December before scoring again, this time away at Bolton early in the game. Watching from that away end, it was a majestic sight, as Wiggins skipped past two players on the left hand side before delivering a fine ball, which Yann swept home with a lovely side-footed shot. The game would be drawn, but in my view, Kermorgant had been the best player in red that day, thanks to his constant ability to win the ball in the air, control it, and spread the play. This is one aspect of his game that we'll really struggle to replace.

In what will now be regarded as his swansong in effect, Yann had one last magical day at the Valley. Brighton were the visitors on Boxing Day, and took the lead after 20 minutes. Two goals from Lawrie Wilson either side of half-time put the Addicks back in front, but it was Kermorgant stealing the hearts and minds of the crowd. Often he lays the ball for others to run on to, but this time we were greeted to the sight of Yann sprinting with the ball from half-way, only to be scythed down by a defender. Soon after, another free-kick was awarded, this time much closer to the edge of the box. Yann eyed the goal, before curling a perfect strike into the top corner, with the goalkeeper absolutely motionless. I'll never forget the hush felt in the stadium as that ball was sent on its way. Time seemed to slow before it nestled perfectly in the top corner. I've not celebrated a goal that much for a long time. It was a truly special moment.

It was not the last time Yann was to grace the Valley turf in a Charlton shirt, but he had one more goal to offer. He was once again the scorer of a scissor-kick volley, to draw Charlton level in the FA Cup against Oxford United after a nightmare first half. In the subsequent replay, he struck a magnificent free-kick into the top corner with more pace and power than he had done against Brighton. It will remain his final goal for Charlton.

The Departure

The bad team performance at Doncaster left many feeling down, but Yann was to approach the away fans following the full-time whistle in order to wave goodbye. The finality of the gesture was said to have been evident. If I'd been there, I may well have broken down in tears. That night was a horrible one, fearing the departure of an all-time favourite player. 

The situation, as I view it, was thus: following the disastrous final year of the Slater and Jimenez era, a large proportion of first-team players were coming up to the final months of their contracts. With Roland Duchatelet's takeover, there came hope that the situation would be sorted out, but only Rhoys Wiggins has signed an extension. Kermorgant had stated that he wished to know the future of Powell before deciding his own, given the manager's deal expired in the summer as well. These assurances were not given to him. Furthermore, Kermorgant was offered reduced terms, despite not being an expensive player at all by Championship standards. With bids from Bournemouth and Celtic arriving, it was decided by the hierarchy that the best financial decision would be to sell him. This would make perfect "business sense", getting around £400,000 for a 32-year-old striker coming to the end of his contract. But he was Charlton's top goalscorer, and most influential attacking player, in a season where goals had been hard to come by and the team were in the relegation zone. Offloading your best player in January, with relegation threatening, is not a wise move. How can you guarantee that the replacements will settle? Can you even afford to offload a prized striking asset? The situation facing Kermorgant was one where he was being pushed out of the door. He'd wished to stay at Charlton for the rest of his career and his family was nicely settled in the Greenwich area. And yet, he was forced to move on, thanks to the derisory terms offered by Duchatelet forcing his hand. With a limited career, footballers sometimes have to be pragmatic. As much as he wanted to stay, I cannot hold it against him for moving on to more secure terms, especially with the fate of Chris Powell still shrouded in doubt.

Accusations that he deserted us are wide of the mark. He didn't want to leave, but he was forced to. The new owners have brought in replacements unfamiliar with English football, at the expense of a man who was one of our best players, and at a time when we need his fighting spirit on the pitch more than ever. Relegation is likely to be avoided despite his departure. But that does not mean his presence would have negative connotations - far from it. His skill, fighting spirit and close relationship with Chris Powell acted as a key pillar in the tight dressing room dynamic that was built up. His performances, as well as the support he gets from the crowd, would have been hugely useful in difficult times such as these. 

Sadly, we are helpless to intervene. Despite phenomenal support for Yann on twitter, with hordes of Charlton fans begging the club not to sell him, he has moved on. A very sad day, that leaves a lot of people feeling inconsolable. 

The Man Himself

Yann Kermorgant had to beat the odds to even become a professional footballer. At the age of 14, he was diagnosed with leukemia, and told he wouldn't be able to play football in future. Despite that, he came through the disease, and rose tom prominence in France, scoring some wonderful goals in the process. The story of his career seems to have been one in which he's had to overcome obstacles. Charlton seemed like a club at which he'd finally found a home. With a fantastic friend in the form of the manager, who really trusted his abilities and gave him his chance of redemption in England, as well as a fan-base who clearly loved the man to pieces. Many will react differently to the transfer news, but its been a long, long time since there's been such an outpouring of emotion about the loss of a single player.

What made us love him? The flair. The passion. The quality. The desire. He had the lot. A true fighter, rarely ending games with a clean shirt. One of his early games saw him fight on through a head wound and a nosebleed, looking more like an Arab sheikh than a footballer by full-time. That sort of heroism doesn't go unnoticed at clubs like Charlton, where we seem to take to players who have a lot of heart and show passion for the team. Kermorgant had all of those, but above all else, it was his wonderful technique that caught the eye, and resulted in the love for him.

Yann has scored some truly wonderful goals, which will be remembered for years to come. But it wasn't always just those special goals that meant so much. Seeing him roam the pitch for 90 minutes against Birmingham before heading home what we thought was the winning goal was such a satisfying moment. His industry and build-up play won't have been recorded statistically, but won't be forgotten. His aerial strength combined with that technical brilliance on the floor made him a fantastic player to watch. The downside to his strong build-up play was that it meant he wasn't on the end of the eventual cross into the box, because he'd had to create the opportunity for it to be played in the first place.

To me, he formed one of the three key pillars of the Chris Powell era, with the manager himself being one, and Johnnie Jackson the other. The trio have such a passion for the club, and seeing them happy will have filled many Charlton fans with the same feeling. From a personal perspective, and I probably speak for others here, seeing these people doing so well for our club has helped drag me through difficult times. They truly have been inspirational individuals. One of the key pillars of our club has been lost.

The loss of Yann, and the potential departure of Chris Powell and Johnnie Jackson in the summer, means that the Powell era might be coming to a close before it had a chance to fully develop. Yann was a hero to me, and watching him perform every week for the team was joyous. Without him, and potentially the other two, I won't be able to help avoiding the thought that things just aren't quite the same without him. 'Our Charlton' was developing into something special with Powell in charge, before the financial struggles made themselves felt on the pitch this season. Watching this generation of player has been special over the past two and a half years, and hopefully this does not represent the end. That said, it will be very hard to come to terms with losing a genuine Valley legend from the club. We love Yann, and he loves us. That we are now separated will take a long time to accept.

Times change, but they don't have to do so with the urgency and lack of remorse that the board have shown. Far from being past it, we've lost a truly great man who loved this club. The fact that he's said as much himself in an interview with Bournemouth upon signing shows just how heart-broken he must have felt to call time on his Charlton career.

Kermorgant: "I'm a Charlton fan as well. I had a very, very good relationship with the fans and I love them. The club have been taken over by a new owner, and he maybe wants to do something which I'm not involved in."

That interview was incredibly difficult to listen to. This transfer has felt incredibly saddening, given the way its developed and the importance of the player in question. It'll remain hard to stomach for some time.

Kermorgant is comfortably my favourite player ever. We've enjoyed two years of heroic, outstanding performances from a man who'll always be a Charlton legend. Its cruel that we've been denied the years of 'Yann magic' to come.

Super Yann is gone, but not forgotten.

Charlton 3-2 Brighton: "It just felt like Charlton today"

Following the encouraging draw at Bolton, Chris Powell's men were able to successfully defeat a strong Brighton side thanks to a heroic team performance. 

On the long journey home from Bolton following Saturday's draw, my thoughts rarely deviated from the performance of Yann Kermorgant. The combative Frenchman - such a rare commodity - had put in an archetypal performance, hinting that he could reach and surpass the heights of his exploits last season. This obsessive focus was partly as a consequence of my love of the man, but that was not all. The dynamism that a fit-and-firing Kermorgant brings to the side gave real reason for optimism. The pieces were falling in to place on Saturday, and whilst we'd rather have returned south with three points instead of one, Yann's performance in that role gave hope of better things to come.

Fast forward to Boxing Day, skipping out the ritual festivities, and that hope remained. Brighton promised to pose a stern test for this Charlton side, but one that they were capable of passing should the performance be of the required standard.

An early kick-off gave the Addicks a chance to secure points before fellow strugglers had the chance, perhaps instilling a bit of worry into their subsequent performance. Rarely should another team's score factor into match preparation, but you can't rule it out. Far from focussing on others, though, the Addicks had to concentrate on the task at hand. Two home games in four days provided a great chance to ease those relegation fears.

Chris Powell retained the same players that started the game at Bolton, meaning Chris Solly was making his first home appearance since his injury lay-off. Alnwick continued in Hamer's absence, whilst Richard Wood was back at the heart of defence with Michael Morrison. Wilson's more advanced role would give him more freedom to venture forward, whilst Kermorgant partnered Church up top once again.

A strong contingent had travelled up from the south coast, ready to cheer on a side which had won three of their last four away games.

The Valley surface was heavy, meaning many of the early passes were a little short of pace. Once the sides adjusted, the contest began in earnest...

Brighton looked a strong side. Close control of the ball enabled them to put together a few clinical passes to shift the ball out of areas of danger and into space. Ulloa's return up front gave their attack a focal point, and a few swift moves enabled them to trouble the Charlton back line. He threatened to set up an opener, but his cut-back was too far away for the oncoming attacker to connect with.

A dangerous Brighton move down the left saw a Will Buckley shot blocked on the edge of the area. The rebounding ball fell towards Stephens, who was nudged in the back by Crofts, but no foul was given. The header fell to Ulloa, who twisted, turned and struck a low shot into the right corner of the net. Alnwick was unable to adjust and dive in the muddy goalmouth. Goal for the Seagulls.

Far from feeling sorry for themselves after the goal, Charlton were energised, and sought an immediate response. Cameron Stewart cut inside and fired a shot towards goal, but it kept on rising and was comfortably over the bar by the time it reached the goal.

An incisive pass from Stephens found Kermorgant, moving towards his own goal away from his marker. He controlled, turned and fed through Church, who was slightly too far away from goal, his curled effort blocked.

A couple of half-chances followed, one for each side. Crofts had a shot comfortably held by Alnwick, whilst Stephens arrowed a long range free-kick over the bar and into the crowd.

Cousins and Stephens in the middle weren't sitting as deep as they had been at Bolton, and their industry combined with heart saw many Brighton moves thwarted. Wood and Morrison were winning the contest in the air, whilst Solly and Wiggins were standing firm against the threat of Buckley and Lopez.

Another promising attack was created down the left hand side thanks to some positive play by Rhoys Wiggins. His cross into the box didn't quite fall for Kermorgant, deflecting off the defender close by. Yann instinctively stabbed the ball through into space on the right side of the area, where Lawrie Wilson had advanced. The right-midfielder had a free shot, which he powered past Brezovan in the Brighton goal, hauling the Addicks level.

It was a deserved goal. After going behind, the response had been positive. Charlton were looking to put together moves using Kermorgant aerial strength, as well as by overlapping down the flanks.

"He used to be shite, but now he's alright" sang the Upper North contingent. I was confused by the implied criticism of Wilson, who's done a great job every time he's been asked to by Powell. After adjusting to the demands of the Championship, he's been a strong and versatile player down the right for us. He deserves a bit more than being labelled 'alright'!

Few clear-cut chances were created before the break. Wilson broke down the left but Church couldn't divert the cross on target. Bridcutt fired a powerful shot narrowly wide for the visitors. Wiggins charged down the left, but his cross came to nothing.

The interval arrived, greeted by applause from the home fans. A chance for Powell to refocus the players' minds and renew their purpose.

What followed was one of the best spells of high-intensity football I've seen this side play since that blitz against Cardiff 13 months ago. The midfield pressed with more conviction; unrelenting Addicks pressure followed. Stewart broke down the left and reched the by-line, but Upson rose to prevent Kermorgant heading towards goal.

A counter-attack resulted in Kermorgant sprinting clear from the half-way line. He looked to continue the run beyond El-Abd, shifting his angle of attack towards the corner flag. A cynical challenge from El-Abd denied the Frenchman any chance of moving towards goal. Despite the clear absence of any intent to play the ball, referee Russell deemed that only a yellow was required. By the letter of the law, a correct call, but too often players can make professional fouls and escape with a yellow. From the free-kick, the ball was played wide to Solly in space, who crossed into a flock of Seagulls defenders, and the ball was cleared.

After yet more pressing, and yet more pressure, Charlton put together another great attack. Stewart crossed towards the edge of the box, behind Kermorgant. He tried an acrobatic shot to divert the ball into the net, but it was mis-kicked. Wilson had again advanced into the box, and he collected the ball, knocked it out wider into a bit of space, before firing high into the net once again. For the second time, Brezovan was beaten by power, and for the second time Wilson stood with hands behind his ears, a sign that he had answered those critics.

Charlton attacked again. Church and Kermorgant broke from half-way, with the former charging down the left wing. Only a defensive leap could prevent Kermorgant from heading at goal once again.

Brighton calmed the game down with some slow passing around the back, which enabled them to regain a foothold. A few pot-shots failed to trouble Alnwick in the Charlton goal, but the threat of a few well-placed passes releasing Ulloa had not disappeared.

Church once again covered a lot of ground to take the ball down the left. He knocked the ball past El-Abd and attempted to run beyond him, only to be pushed to ground cynically once again. Surely another foul worthy of a yellow, and a deserved sending off. Referee Russell, however, baffled the home crowd by waving away protests for a free-kick. Shambles.

Barnes, brought on to give Brighton some impetus up top, and immediately found himself unmarked at a corner, but couldn't adjust to the flight of the ball and headed over. Soon after, Ulloa gave the Addicks cause for alarm, heading a Brodcutt corner past Alnwick towards the front post. Fortunately, Dale Stephens was positioned to nod the ball clear, and preserve the home side's lead.

Down the other end, in front of the North Upper, Wiggins beat two players and shaped to cut inside. His run took him across the edge of the area, where he was scythed down by El-Abd in the process of passing to Wilson on the right. After an advantage, the referee awarded the free kick to Charlton.

The ball was a few yards to the left of the D, just outside the line of the post. The referee failed to move the wall back ten yards, so just gave up. Yann was standing over the ball, narrowing his eyes to focus on finding the top left corner. The wall encroached gradually as Kermrogant waited for the whistle. It was blown and a hush fell over the Valley.

Yann stepped up to the ball and struck the ball over the wall. It curved, it dipped. Brezovan stood motionless. The crowd stared. Whilst the ball was in the air, time seemed to slow. The ball was destined for the top corner. It found the target. A goal for Kermorgant!

Pure unbridled joy in the Covered End. It was as cleanly struck as they come. The perfect free-kick from a man who had battled hard all day to create and deny at both ends of the pitch. His first set-piece goal since scoring against Wycombe in the game where the League One title was secured. A fitting finish from a man capable of footballing perfection.

With 15 minutes still to play, Powell looked to secure the three points that were there for the taking. But Brighton were able to apply some pressure, and came very close to scoring with 10 to go. A shot hit one post, before another hit the other. Narrow escapes for the home side.

Stewart was replaced by Evina to strengthen the defences down the left hand side, whilst the hard-working Church was replaced by Dervite. Once again he'd run himself into the ground up front, chasing scraps. An important role but an under-appreciated one.

Charlton dug deep, with Solly, Wilson and Kermorgant combining admirably with little support in an attempt to keep the ball away from their own goal. Solly had been superb, displaying strength in defence and energy in attack. But there was only so much they could do before Brighton stole the ball and launched another offensive.

90 minutes had elapsed before the seemingly inevitable goal came about. Stephens made a rash challenge that could've conceded a penalty, but Brighton played on, with the ball crossed to Barnes. His first shot was blocked, but a second bounced through to Ulloa, who tapped home despite a hint of offside.

Charlton clung on thanks to some unsubtle time-wasting, but the job was done. Three points!

Yann was covered in mud, showing just how good his performance had been. He was applauded off the park a hero, along with all the other players. To witness Powell's tunnel jump once more was a welcome moment of happiness after a tough season up to this point. The man himself was thrilled as well.

That was a proper Charlton performance. One we can all be proud of.

Wilson will rightly win many plaudits for his performance, one that was undoubtedly among his best for Charlton. The two goals will grab the headlines, but it was not the only aspect of his play that impressed. Both goals were taken clinically, struck with power and accuracy that strikers would be proud of. He was a threat on the right as well, often combining with Solly to piece together dangerous attacks. The song does him a disservice, as he's settled into the club extremely well. Another 'Powell player' who makes up for any potential shortcomings with energy and desire.

Solly also caught the eye, with his defending strong and that darting attacking instinct back on display. On one occasion he span past a player and cut inside to set up a chance, delighting the crowd. The sight of him charging down the flank is an inspiring one. A true Charlton lad, his heart well and truly devoted to the cause.

Morrison and Wood were excellent at the back, with the latter particularly strong. He adds an extra organisational element to the backline, and whilst he might not be the polished ball-player like Dervite, he adds solidity at the back. The first goal will have frustrated, but otherwise the pair were strong and repelled a lot of danger.

Wiggins had a superb game. He is a real threat going forward down the left, combining with Stewart, swinging crosses in and sometimes even cutting inside on his own individual run. Powell's flat 4-4-2 system requires strong full-back assistance going forward, and that's exactly what Wiggins provides. Earning the free-kick for Yann to score was among his best moments.

Stephens showed a marked improvement on his Bolton display, accurately feeding the ball to Kermorgant on occasion. A lot of his best work was done in defence, alongside Cousins, who once again covered a lot of ground and protected the back four on numerous occasions. We are benefitting not only from a settled midfield pairing, but also the contrasting roles the two play. Stephens can involve himself more in attack thanks to the defensive cover that Cousins provides. The latter is growing in confidence and skill with every game.

Stewart had one of his quieter games, but he still caused trouble down the right hand side. He forced Salter to concede foul and collect a yellow card for a cynical shirt pull after he'd been beaten. A couple of crosses caused alarm, and a couple of shots almost found their way towards goal.

Church's role was one that could easily go unnoticed, but his tireless efforts up front are vital to Charlton's attacking play. He had to chase a few balls over the top and into the channels, and did so with success. He couldn't always find his man with the crosses, but his industry allows Charlton to win the ball high up the pitch, and commit men forward. He is starting to click in his partnership with Kermorgant, which is hugely encouraging.

Now, on to Yann himself. The Gallic genius was back to his heroic best. His battling, warrior-like display was characterised by his muddied shirt and shorts at full time. He had thrown himself around in both attack and defence to win the game for his side. His headers in defence were almost as important as his headers in attack. He dropped deep, played others in, took the running up himself at times, looked to score when he could. Everything. Oh, and that free kick. It was as well struck as is humanly possibly. Perfection. He was everywhere for the team today. Back to his best. A vital component of this Charlton side, and one who can win us games on days like this.

Chris Powell rightly kept faith in those that played at Bolton, as they rewarded him with three points. A fantastic team performance which showed real cohesion, particularly after half time in that spell leading up to the second goal. Given the lack of resources we have, the team spirit has become a priceless commodity, as it is strong enough to lift all involved to play as well as they did today. Kermorgant typified the brilliance of the Addicks. Brighton were no pushovers, and it needed a collective effort to overcome them.

The win eases the pressure in this relegation scrap. Furthermore, results went Charlton's way in the subsequent kick-offs, meaning a gap of four points has been opened up.

Games like that live long in the memory. In the words of Powell himself, "it just felt like Charlton today". A team of heroes pull together to put in a superb collective performance and take all three points. It helps when those Charlton players show their quality. It wasn't just Yann who did that today. You could make a case to suggest that everyone was at the top of their game. Long may it continue.

With the encouragement of the Bolton performance, and now the uplifting success of the Brighton effort, attention now turns to Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday. If we can maintain the same level of intensity and spirit, then we have a great chance of picking up another victory, and further easing the fears of relegation.

Once again, Powell shows he's capable of turning things around with a settled group of players. We don't have the ability to splash the cash on Premier League players, so his hands are tied. When you consider the contract situation, his efforts appear nothing short of miraculous. He makes up for perceived tactically conservativeness by instilling the players with enough self-belief and confidence to play as they did today. The man is worth his weight in gold.

Powell's delight was reflected by the Valley faithful. A fantastic Christmas present after a tough few weeks and months. His job now is to harness this feeling and keep up the momentum. He has dispelled the doubters once again, but much remains to be done.

A great victory. Chris Powell is a hero. And I bloody love Yann Kermorgant.

Bolton 1-1 Charlton: Battling Addicks Fight for Important Point

Whilst not quite at their best at times, each Charlton player gave everything to earn a deserved point against one of the league's biggest underachievers. 

'Could today be the day our fortunes finally change?'

The away trip to Bolton had all the hallmarks of one of those battling Charlton performances that were so often produced last season - underdogs nick three points thanks to a superb team effort. The scent of optimism was enough to tempt me into travelling to the Reebok for a second year running. A late Ngog brace had sunken us that day, leaving me with a feeling of unfinished business.

When you've suffered the pain of defeat at a ground before,  the thought process reaches a fork in the road - either its a bad ground, and we'll lose again, or this time we can get the right result. For most of the journey North, the mind kept venturing nervously up both paths. I couldn't decide if it was our day or not.

Traffic on the M6 distracted me from those mental wanderings. Every other car seemed to have Manchester United fans in them, heading to Old Trafford from down south. We support our local team, and all that.

Eventually the congestion cleared and we arrived at the Reebok to the joyous news of a Chris Solly return. Wilson has done an admirable job at right-back, but the return of the tenacious 5'3" defender was exactly the lift we needed.

Wilson pushed forward to right midfield, with Green dropped to the bench. Powell made two other changes, with Dervite and Pritchard being replaced by Richard Wood and Simon Church. It meant a return to the standard 4-4-2 formation; a risky move given Bolton's strength centrally.

Nerves built in the away end. The tumultuous experience of watching Charlton for 90 minutes was about to begin...

The game:

Charlton started by far the better of the two sides, playing some swift and clinical counter-attacking football.

Kermorgant immediately found himself in the game, exhibiting excellent control and flicking on headers with skill. Wilson broke down the right and the ball found its way to the Frenchman outside the box, and despite the scuffed shot, Lonergan had to dive to tip the ball around the post.

Soon after, Wiggins stole the ball up the pitch and skilfully beat two players. He advanced towards the box before clipping a cross towards Yann, the nearside of the penalty spot. He swept the bouncing ball towards goal on the turn with a clean left footed strike. It found the inside of the far corner. The Addicks were one up.

Unexpected joy in the away end. Yann had started with real intent and had his first goal since his return from injury. Only Charlton's 17th of the season, but one that gave them a great chance of taking three points away from the Reebok.

Bolton had been sloppy with their passing in advanced areas of the pitch, and the home crowd grew increasingly frustrated.

Charlton had further chances - Yann was inexplicably unmarked at the back post, heading a free kick across goal and winning a corner - but none as clear-cut, as Bolton finally grew into the game. Spearing, Danns and Moritz started to test the Charlton back line, with Joe Mason looking to get on the end of any loose balls.

The first couple of chances were blasted well wide and over the bar, but the warning signs were there for the Addicks. If anything, the midfield were sitting a little too deep, allowing Bolton time to build attacks.

Chung-Yong Lee came closest to scoring the equaliser. His header back across goal from the far post was diverted away by Richard Wood, skillfully avoiding a potential own goal, before Morrison was able to hoof the ball clear.

A cross to the front post was almost clipped in by Mason, but it was too close to Alnwick who was able to make the save. Cousins and Morrison were also forced to make key blocks to avert danger.

Charlton were struggling to relieve the pressure, and just before the half time whistle came the sucker punch. Having failed to clear, the ball found its way to right-back Kevin McNaughton, who jinked left before getting his body around the ball and curling a lovely shot into the top corner.

It was a painful end to the half but not something that was unforseen.

Charlton were an improved side following the interval, with periods of defensive solidity broken by forays forward.

The best chance was created by Kermorgant following a cut back from Cameron Stewart. Yann and Wilson both went to control the ball, but Wilson tapped it aside for Yann. As the ball fell down the Breton dinked a magnificent dipping shot towards the top corner, but Lonergan was able to tip the ball over the bar at full stretch.

Kermorgant again won the ball up the pitch and threatened to beat players. He made it to the by-line and curved a cross towards the penalty spot, only for it to be blocked by an outstretched arm. No penalty, despite it being in clear view of an incensed away end. Still no sign of any luck regarding refereeing decisions.

Bolton were spurred on again and once again controlled the game. Powell switched to a more defensive formation, replacing Church with Evina. The former had struggled to get on the end of flick ons for much of the game, despite his great industry. Kermorgant stood staring at the bench in disbelief at the move. He clearly wanted to try and win the game.

At that stage, it could've gone either way, but Bolton's attacking threat gave Powell a cause for concern.

The defending became a little more panicked, with tackles not cleanly winning the ball. Alnwick had to dive at full stretch to push a header around the post. Solly dived in recklessly and gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box, but Eagles' effort was headed away by Wiggins in the wall.

Given the amount of defending the Addicks had to do, they continued to put every effort into their performance. Nobody threw in the towel. Yann charged around after defenders, hoping to force an error.

Dervite replaced Stewart as 90 minutes approached; the forward had troubled but was limping after picking up a knock. The move meant all Charlton players ended up defending down the far end. Panic ensued in the away end, the potential torment of conceding a late winner too much to bear.

Charlton had no options up the pitch to clear to, but twice they were denied a counter-attack by cyclical fouls. Only one received a booking thanks to increasingly random officiating. Despite that, Charlton seemed content to let the game calm down.

One last chance fell to Mark Davies on the edge of the area, but his powerful shot flew narrowly over. Alnwick looked to have had it covered. Just.

The whistle eventually came, greeted by boos from the home crowd, and a huge collective sigh of relief from the travelling Addicks. It had been battling performance but the late onslaught left many feeling weary - both off the pitch and on it.

Yann was the most prominent player to thank the away fans, who responded with appreciative applause. He'd been by far the best Charlton player, constantly threatening and winning the ball.

Powell clapped the fans after most players had filed down the tunnel. He looked slightly apologetic for the team sitting deep late on, but appeared pleased with a point and appreciative of the support.

Once he'd gone, Yann ran over to the front of the away stand. Not pleased enough with his heroics on the pitch, he pulled off his shirt and handed it to a kid. He ran off to the dressing room having thanked the fans once again. Inspiration.

Analysis:

It wasn't Charlton's best performance in terms of pure football, but once again the fight and determination was there in spades.

At 0-1, another goal was needed but it didn't quite fall for us. Defensively we resisted but couldn't withstand the relentless pressure before half time.

Alnwick made a couple of fine saves to keep Bolton from going ahead, but the same could be said of Lonergan in the opposing goal.

Solly demonstrated how well he reads the game, making a number of crucial defensive interventions. Wiggins was more successful in attack but also defended well.

Richard Wood was a welcome presence, and made a vital headed clearance off the line, but a couple of errors almost resulted in goalscoring opportunities. He's still the right man to partner Morrison, though. Both won headers and tidied up at the back, despite the odd panicky moment.

Dale Stephens didn't have his best game. On a few occasions his touch deserted him, and in the first half a misplaced pass went straight to a Bolton player free to run at the defence. Cousins worked hard again, making plenty of tackles, but lacked consistent authority to protect the centre backs all game. That said, he was one of the best defenders, putting himself about attempting to nullify Bolton's dangerous midfield.

Wilson's crossing wasn't quite as clinical as hoped, and he spurned a great chance early on at the back post by firing wide. He was strong in defence alongside Solly. Stewart was largely prevented from cutting inside, but he gave McNaughton the runaround and threatened. His crosses were just a little too close to Lonergan.

Church fought hard to latch onto long balls over the top but couldn't find himself in genuinely threatening areas. The nature of our counter-attacking game means he only ever gets to feed off scraps.

Kermorgant was fantastic. Winning the ball in the air, exhibiting great control to create chances and chasing the ball down with hunger. It was an archetypal Yann performance - his best of the season. He scored a great goal and almost had a brilliant second. He looked desperate for the three points, shown by his reaction at the Church substitution and his disappointment at full-time. A fit and firing Kermorgant is a huge asset to Charlton, and hopefully he can continue to lead the team going forward.

One thing the Addicks missed today was the organisation and inspiration brought by Johnnie Jackson. He might not appear to be the most skilful player, but we needed his influence in defence today. A poor red card decision has cost us his presence, but whilst it was unlikely that the final result would've been affected, he could well have strengthened the defensive areas. His leadership inspires both players and supporters - hopefully he can come back into the side and make a positive impact.

Powell's tactics today were perfect in terms of nicking the goal, but ended up seeming overly defensive towards the end of the game. Bolton's strong midfield meant they were always going to dominate possession, but the midfield sat a little too deep, pushing the back four even deeper. Once Bolton grabbed a foothold in the game they were able to start threatening.

Powell placed more value on securing the point than risking none to grab three. Away from home against a side with a lot of quality in it, the decision was understandable.

As the horror of clinging on for a point subsided following the final whistle, the result appeared better than initially thought.

 It was a hard-fought team performance, with all eleven players giving it their all to secure the point. The performance typified the belief Powell instills in his players. With a little more ambition and confidence in the upcoming home games, the results really could start to come.

Yann's desire was great to see - his heart is in this club and he wants us to turn the corner more than any. It was uplifting and inspirational to see him back to his dominant best. His belief needs to be replicated in the stands for the remaining games.

Chris Powell is the man to lift us away from relegation, as performances like today's show. With continued faith, the growing confidence of these players will translate into more points.

There remains a lot of work to do, and the next two home games are vital. But performances like today's can fill you with nothing but hope. A hard-earned point against a good side away from home. There's more to come from these players.

And Yann is well and truly back.