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Inside View with Charlton winger Lloyd Sam

Lloyd Sam
Lloyd Sam

Little is worse for a player than preparing for a match which gets called off.

You’ve done all the hard work in the week, been drilled on the opposition, done all you can to get ready for the match – and there is nothing to show for your efforts come the day of the game.

I imagine supporters who were on their way to Walsall’s stadium on Saturday when the news came through of the postponement were more than a bit miffed.

It was the latest in a series of postponements for Walsall, so they were desperate for the match to go ahead and apparently their groundstaff were out working from the early hours of the morning.

Both managers and sets of players were keen to get out there and the referee seems to have given it every chance as well by allowing Walsall extra time to work on the pitch after the 9.30am inspection.

It’s rare players see eye to eye with refs but they are really caught between a rock and a hard place in those situations.

They don’t want to call the game off if there is a chance it could be played, while they also want to give fans travelling to the ground as much notice as possible.

From our point of view, we wanted to play and we wanted to win, not least because Norwich’s victory against Wycombe Wanderers the same day means we have dropped out of the top two – and the automatic promotion places – for the first time this season.

It’s only on goal difference, so it’s a bit early for any doom and gloom but we know full well that’s where we want to be come May.

I haven’t done the maths myself but I’m told we’re still firmly on course for promotion.

With 48 points after 24 matches, we’re currently averaging two points per game and I’ve heard that every team to have achieved that over the past 10 years has gained promotion from League One.

What’s more, five of them have apparently won the championship, so that bodes well, and we just want to keep doing what we have been doing.

I missed the dramatic Boxing Day match against Swindon because I was suspended so, including the Walsall cancellation, that’s two matches I’ve missed in the last fortnight or so.

I’m looking forward to getting back to The Valley for this weekend’s fixture against Hartlepool and we’re all keen to overtake Norwich and reclaim that promotion place.

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