Sunday 26 January 2014

Relieved...

I might be alone, but I cannot tell you how relieved I am with the FA Cup draw. Given Charlton's truly awful record in cup competitions it never seemed much of a gamble back in early November to book a family weekend away on the date of the 5th round. We were already due to be playing Leeds away that weekend anyway and Charlton just don't do cup runs!

Very mixed emotions from me yesterday, then, when Charlton secured a rare cup victory away at Huddersfield and progressed to the 5th round of the cup for the first time in 8 years!

I wanted to be happy, I really did, but considering that I've missed less than a dozen Charlton home games in nearly two decades all I could think of was how gutted I'll be if we drew one of the 'big boys', particularly Arsenal, in the next round knowing I wouldn't be there to see it. Memories of that great day out at Fulham a few years back making it even harder to deal with.

It's hung heavy over me since the final whistle blew at Huddersfield yesterday.

So thankfully, from a purely selfish point of view, I've been put out of my misery; a trip to Sheffield Wednesday awaits Charlton and whilst it is not the glamour tie everyone else was hoping for, it does represent a decent chance of making the quarter finals. And perhaps there is something in that, I mean, didn't Millwall reach the 2004 FA Cup final without meeting a single Premiership opposition en-route?

Elsewhere in the draw we are guaranteed further sizeable casualties with Man City playing Chelsea and Arsenal at home to Liverpool. Dare we dream? Why not?

So whilst the Addickted will head to Hillsborough in numbers and unquestionably make the most of the day, I can head off to Centre Parcs with 'er Indoors and the kids, willing the lads on from afar, knowing that nobody is sat in my seat at the Valley.

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