Guide to the Championship

With it being seven seasons since the Addicks were last in the second tier of English football, the official website thought it would try and help supporters with the transition from Premier League to Football League. So without further ado, here is the www.cafc.co.uk guide to life (may it be a short one) in the Championship.

It all sounds a bit different to last time...

That's because the last time Charlton were in this league it was called the First Division, but now it has a fancy new name (the Coca-Cola Football League Championship to give it its full title) and, in fact, it is the fourth most watched league in Europe behind the Premiership, Germany's Bundesliga and Spain's La Liga.

And gone are the days of standing on the terraces in the wind and rain at Port Vale or Grimsby as most Championship clubs now have swanky new stadiums - indeed, and of the four teams that still have standing terraces, two (Cardiff City and Colchester United) are already building new stadiums, one (Scunthorpe United) is for home fans only and the one at Plymouth Argyle cannot be used anymore due to Football League regulations.

The Championship is becoming more like the glamorous top flight every year with big sponsorship deals, TV rights money from overseas and corporate ideas and projects. One big noticeable difference is that in the Football League clubs are allowed to have sponsors on the back of their shirts as well as the front, and on shorts as well (though Charlton won't be going down this route just yet).

Also this season, thanks to a special deal with sports manufacturer Mitre, each club will be using a unique football carrying the club badge for use on matchdays. For more information, and to see Addicks defender Osei Sankofa showcasing his acting talents in the promo, click here.

Can I still watch highlights on TV?

Yes, and the good news is that Saturday nights are once again free for partying now that there is no interest in Match of the Day for Addicks fans. Instead, supporters can enjoy a few post-match pints in the pub without having to leave before last orders to scamper home and catch the 30 seconds of Charlton highlights.

This season we'll be tuning into The Championship on ITV1 on a Sunday morning at around 11am.

Not only will there probably be more extended highlights of Charlton matches, but also interviews with Alan Pardew and the players if the match is the main feature. And there's the added bonus of watching with your cornflakes - or if you're very lucky a bacon sarnie. Hey, why not even watch the show in bed while nursing a hangover?

A word of warning though, The Championship programme tends to get moved around if there's a Formula One Grand Prix or another live event on ITV that day, so check your TV guide in advance.

Of course, there are plenty of live games on Sky Sports throughout the season and all the goals from all Football League games are on Sky every Saturday night and Sunday morning. Check the fixture list here to see which Charlton games are live on Sky this season.

The Football League has also signed a new deal with Virgin Media that will lead to Football League matches being available 'on demand' for a week after they've finished.

Don't forget as well that www.cafc.co.uk is always the first with any Charlton news, bringing fans live in-game text updates during every match as well as a full report at the final whistle, while www.football-league.co.uk is also a good place to look for news about other clubs in the division.

Unfamiliar foes

The last time the Addicks were in the Football League in 1999/2000 the opposition was very different.

This season there are only eight other teams remaining from Charlton's title-winning campaign. They are Barnsley, Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town, Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Of the remaining 15 teams from that season six are now in the Premier League (Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Fulham, Manchester City and Portsmouth), seven have been relegated to League One (Crewe Alexandra, Huddersfield Town, Nottingham Forest, Port Vale, Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers and Walsall) and two are now in League Two (Grimsby Town and Stockport County).

Being relegated after seven consecutive seasons in the Premiership doesn't sound all that bad now, does it?

Although there have been recent meetings with nearly all the clubs in the Championship, the Addicks are no doubt looking forward to renewing acquaintances with Scunthorpe on Saturday as the last meeting between the two clubs was way back in February 1973. Just to put things into perspective, three-year-old Chris Powell was the only member of the current playing squad who had been born by then!

More matches, more for your money

There are eight more games in a Championship season than in a Premiership campaign, and Addicks season-ticket holders will certainly get their money's worth - with many due to receive a free seat in the top flight should Pardew steer the club to promotion this term.

And for those that haven't got a season-ticket seat, tickets for every league game at The Valley will be just £20 adults, £15 over 60s and U21s and £10 U18s in all stands. Bargain.

Call 0871 226 1905 to book - and fans can also find out about all the club's hospitality packages on the same number.

Usual operating hours for the Valley commercial centre and 0871 226 1905 hotline are 8am-6pm weekdays, 9am-1pm on non-match Saturdays - closed Sundays. The commercial centre windows will open from 10am until kick-off on home matchday Saturdays where the kick-off is at 3pm, while the hotline will continue to operate its regular 9am-1pm hours.

And new for this season, fans can also buy home general sale tickets from the club's retail outlet in the Bexleyheath shopping centre.

Roar to the Red, Red Robin

Love it or loathe it, at least the teams can now run out of the tunnel when they make their entrance onto the Valley pitch just as they did in the good old days.

There's no Premier League anthem and accompanying handshake to endure, so fans can look forward to seeing the players sprint rather than amble from the tunnel at 3pm on a Saturday.

New grounds

There are three new stadiums for the travelling Addicks to add to their list of venues visited this season.

First up is the trip to Coventry's Ricoh Arena, handily placed just off the M6, on Saturday, September 29th.

Only three days later is Hull City's magnificent KC Stadium, which was voted the Football League's best ground in 2006.

The final new ground to tick off the list is, surprisingly, Scunthorpe's Glanford Park. The last time the two teams met in 1973 (when Chris Powell was still in nappies don't forget) was at the Iron's Old Show Ground which they vacated in 1988.

What's also surprising is that the average distance for Addicks fans to travel to away matches is only seven miles more than it was last season. The average road distance from The Valley and back for an away game this year will be 296 miles as opposed to last year's 289, and is an improvement on the 301-mile average round trip made by away supporters during the 1999/2000 season.

Remember, fans can also still take advantage of the club-run coach service, Valley Away, to all away matches this season. Click here for more details.

The big kick-off

On the surface the Championship can look scary. Long trips to Preston North End and Blackpool, eight extra games and lots more midweek fixtures, but in reality cheaper tickets and packed-out stadiums can make for a better atmosphere and experience.

Also, there's the added excitement of new stadiums to visit, different teams to play, and midweek games under the floodlights are sometimes more enjoyable.

Oh, and there's the small matter of promotion back to the Premiership to push for - so it all makes for a gripping 10 months of football ahead.

If you can't wait to get started, there's not long to go now before Scunthorpe visit The Valley on Saturday, August 11th (kick-off 3pm). Tickets are available, priced £20 adults, £15 over 60s and U21s and £10 U18s in all stands, by calling 0871 226 1905 or buying online here. Book seats on the Valley Express here.
Season tickets are also still available and prices for 2007/08 have been frozen at the discounted rate available before April 30th. U11s still qualify for the club's amazing offer of a free Premiership season ticket in 2008/09 if Charlton are promoted this term. See www.cafc.co.uk/seasontickets for full details.