Addicks and Dons both without managers but both get good results as the build up to the FA Cup tie continues

The next stop on the Road to Wembley from Scotland is Charlton Athletic v MK Dons at The Valley in South London in a fortnight. By a strange co-incidence both clubs are currently operating without a manager and yesterday the boss-less pair were both in League 1 action and both recorded good results.

Charlton Athletic do not have their troubles to seek at the moment. Not only have they no manager currently in place but they also have an owner who is hated by many of their fans. Millionaire Belgian businessman Roland Duchatalet owns the club but his key management decisions seem to indicate a lack of commitment to the club and the Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) feel that his regime threaten the very existence and soul of Charlton Athletic. See http://charltoncard.tumblr.com/post/139650202571/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cards-protest for more details. I watched a 60 minute documentary on Youtube on Friday (sent to me by very concerned Addicks fans I have ‘met’ on twitter) detailing his over-seeing of relegation last season and apparent lack of interest in the progress of the club. He seems more interested in selling on promising young players than developing the team. The whole thing is reminiscent of the Vladimir Romanov era / project at my beloved Hearts. A project that almost put Hearts out of business. I feel for the Charlton fans and having watched the documentary I can understand their angst and frustration. The rumbling dispute with the owners is having an adverse affect on attendances as many fans are choosing to boycott home matches. Yesterday the attendance at The Valley was less than 9,000. This is a very low figure for a club that is traditionally very well supported. My Addicks friend on twitter Andy Phillips (@APCAFC) reckons that the FA Cup tie in a fortnight is likely to attract only about 5000 fans. Worrying times indeed. Despite all of this, the Addicks secured three vital league points yesterday when they beat Port Vale 2-0 at The Valley. The goals were scored by Josh McGennis and Nicky Ajose.

Mind the gap! Ajose puts the ball between the keeper's legs to score for the Addicks

Scot watch: No Scots in the Charlton team at the moment unfortunately but the first Addicks goal yesterday was scored by an Ulsterman with a strong affinity with Bella Caledonia. Josh McGennis spent 6 seasons in Scotland starring for Aberdeen and Kilmarnock before signing for The Addicks in the summer. No doubt the man who represented the Scottish Dons with great distinction will be hoping to score against The Dons from MK on the 3^rd December.

The appointment of a new manager at The Valley does not seem to be imminent but it is interesting to note that the odds on favourite to take the job is Karl Robinson – the man who was relieved of his duties my MK Dons last month. It would indeed be a strange twist of fate if Robinson was in the Charlton dug-out for the visit of the MK Dons in the FA Cup in a fortnight.

Manager-less MK Dons also secured a good result yesterday. They drew 0-0 away at high flying Bristol Rovers - a commendable effort but not quite good enough to lift them out of the relegation zone.

Scot watch: Starring for the Dons at the moment is the elegant young Scots centre back Jack Hendry who after making his breakthrough as a professional at Partick Thistle signed for Wigan Athletic. The 20 year old defender is currently on loan from the Lattics at Stadium MK and is making a name for himself with a series of cultured performances. Yesterday he was part of a back four who kept an important clean sheet. Young Jack is becoming very popular with the Dons supporters and today Colin Butler, MK Dons fan on facebook noted: “Jack Hendry gets flattened in our box, goes down, wins a free kick, the stretcher comes on, then gets up and does this to the Rovers fans who were hurling abuse at him. Top stuff Jack !!”

A Scottish greeting from Jack Hendry to the Bristol Rovers fans (Photo copyright Paul Knight/JMP 2016)

It is now a whole month since Karl Robinson stood down as manager. It would appear that the MK Dons are no closer to appointing a replacement. Wild rumours were circulating earlier this weekend that Steven Gerrard would be the next boss. It would seem that he was offered the job but reports say that he has turned it down. The current favourite is now Steve Cotterill but there are a number of Scots candidates in the betting also. Maybe the Dons will have a Scotsman in charge when they take on Charlton Athletic in South London early next month as the next stop on the Road to Wembley from Scotland.

Come back here in midweek when I will update with the latest from the Valley and Stadium MK. Keep reading!