Eurosport: Tottenham v Hearts (25/08/11)

With the game wrapped up in a 5-0 first leg win for Spurs, this was little more than a run about for the youngsters of both sides.

Match Updates: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/europa-league/2011-2012/tottenham-hotspur-heart-of-midlothian-471384.html

Full Report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/26082011/58/europa-league-spurs-march-group-stage.html

Shopper pieces during the week...

After Saturday's 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe, Powell admitted there'd be changes for the re-arranged Carling Cup game a few days later against Reading: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/9208389.Addicks_to_ring_changes_for_Royals_game/

And one of those changes, Bradley Pritchard, was on cloud nine after a superb full debut for the club as the Addicks shocked the Championship side with a 2-1 win: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/9212448.Pritchard_goes_to_the_ball_for_impressive_Addicks/

Eurosport: West Ham v Leeds (21/08/11)

Entertaining Championship scrap between two promotion contenders ends 2-2 thanks to a dramatic last minute equaliser.

Matchcast: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/championship/2011-2012/west-ham-united-leeds-united-454528.html

Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/21082011/58/championship-leeds-deny-west-ham-death.html

Colchester v Charlton, 16/08/11

Three wins in three, and a first ever win at Colchester - courtesy of Bradley Wright-Phillips.

A full match report for the News Shopper is here: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/9198897.Addicks_continue_perfect_start_at_Colchester/

And the post-match views of the two-goal hero in the 2-0 win are here: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9199630.Goal_hero_Wright_Phillips_pleased_Addicks_have_hit_ground_running/

Eurosport: Real Madrid v Barcelona (14/08/11)

My second Clasico for Eurosport after last season's Copa del Rey final, this time in the first leg of the Supercopa between said Copa winners (Real) and the team who nonetheless got the better of them in the other two majors, the league title and the Champions League, Barcelona.

An entertaining 2-2 draw leaves it all to play for at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Matchcast: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/supercopa/2011-2012/real-madrid-fc-barcelona-458686.html

Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/14082011/58/la-liga-real-barcelona-draw-first-leg.html

Notts County v Charlton, 13/08/11

You can't beat a trip to Nottingham on a Saturday. Especially if your side win. Makes the post-match hot wings and curly fries in Hooters all the better.

My first Shopper match report of the season took place at Meadow Lane: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9194627.Addicks_hold_on_to_conquer_Magpies/

And with two goals in the opening two league games, Scott Wagstaff had plenty to discuss after the game: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9195374.Wagstaff__I_m_going_nowhere/

Eurosport: Germany vs Brazil (10/08/11)

My tennis detour lasted 24 hours, as the following day I was back on football duty. The game? A friendly contest between two superpowers of soccer.

And despite their record against Brazil being a poor one, Germany more than deserved their 3-2 win with Mario Gotze extremely worthy of his first international goal in what was a great first start for his country.

Can't wait to see him live at Westfalenstadion in November - if he stays at Dortmund...

Matchcast: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/international-friendlies/2011/germany-brazil-428232.html

Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10082011/58/euro-2012-qual-impressive-germany-brazil.html

Anyone for tennis?

A last-minute opportunity for an extra Eurosport payday arose. Only thing was, it was Andy Murray v Kevin Anderson in the Montreal Masters.

Anderson shockingly put away Murray in straight sets with little over an hour of court time 6-3 6-1, and the gory details can be found here:

Matchcast - http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/tennis/livematch/467826.html

Full report - http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/09082011/58/murray-crashes-montreal-opener.html

Charlton v Bournemouth, 06/08/2011

It was deja vu all over again as the 2011/12 League One season kicked off. Once again, Charlton drew Bournemouth at home for the curtain raiser. This time, they won by triple the score.

Adding to the occasion was the tremendous experience for me to call the game as lead commentator on the club's video highlights on CAFC Player. Oh, and of course a few words with the Addicks after the result for News Shopper.

Manager Chris Powell was hopeful Rob Elliot would remain at the club after his clean sheet performance in goal: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/9183043.Powell_not_giving_up_on_Elliot_stay_just_yet/

Meanwhile, new signing Danny Hollands had mixed feelings after debuting against his former club: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/9183278.Hollands__I_was_right_to_quit_Bournemouth_for_Charlton/

Preseason 2011 part four: And finally... Eurosport!

I managed to squeak in a Europa League qualifying game to report before the season propertly kicked off again, covering Fulham's goalless first leg encounter at RNK Split for Eurosport.

Matchcast: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/europa-league/2011-2012/radnicki-split-fulham-463249.html

Full report: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/29072011/58/europa-league-fulham-hold-first-leg-draw.html

Preseason 2011 part three: Shopper or Hopper?

Of course, no pre-season would be the same without a series of articles for the local rag, which most lower- or non-league clubs always seem to think is called the 'News Hopper'.

Starting with the 0-0 draw at Woking on July 23rd, I spoke to young pro Yado Mambo about life on the fringe: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9158184.Mambo__This_is_a_massive_year_for_me/

Meanwhile, manager Chris Powell was upfront about Paul Benson's aborted move to Notts County: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9158004.Addicks_boss_waits_for_striker_to_decide_future/

Not that he was lacking replacement options if the deal had been done - Powell at the time was running the rule over Toulouse Academy graduate Alexis Honore: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9158134.Powell_gives_French_striker_more_time_to_impress/

And Charlton legend Jason Euell, top scorer for 3 straight seasons between 2002 and 2004, was also in the hunt for a return to SE7: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9158797.Euell_keeping_options_open/

The hunt for another striker, despite Benson deciding to stay, continued when Powell admitted (after some goading from yours truly) that Grzegorz Rasiak was in attendance at Charlton v Den Bosch and would be given a chance to prove himself worthy of a deal: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9162211.Powell_weighs_up_Rasiak_deal/

And a handful of Addicks fans in attendance at Hayes Lane on July 27th witnessed the first goal by Euell in a Charlton shirt in five years as a CAFC XI thumped Bromley 4-0: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/charlton/9166184.Addicks_fringe_players_impress_at_Bromley/

It was Millwall duties for me at the friendly game between the two sides on July 30th, held in testimonial to Lions stalwart Alan Dunne. Manager Kenny Jackett was pleased with the 4-3 win a week before the new season was due to start: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/millwall/9170885.Jackett__We_re_ready_for_new_campaign/

Jackett also had high hopes for long-term injury absentee Shaun Batt to return before 2011 was over: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/football/millwall/9170804.Batt_close_to_return_to_action/

Preseason 2011 part two: CAFC XI exhibitions

Youth friendlies weren't all I ended up doing for cafc.co.uk - the summer marked the return of CAFC XI's!

At Bromley on Wednesday, July 27th and at Carshalton Athletic the following Tuesday, August 2nd, I provided "CommenTwittery" on the social networking site and a full match report the following day on the official website.

Bromley report: http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10267~2403873,00.html

Carshalton report: http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10267~2408728,00.html

Follow me on Twitter @liamhappe

Preseason 2011 part one: Charlton U18s

Early summer was good. Really good. But it was lacking something. Ah yes, football.

That said, pre-season is the busiest time of the year and this was no exception. With the 2011/12 campaign about to get underway, it's time to store up some links!

The Charlton youth side played four friendlies at Sparrows Lane. In chronological order:

http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/academydetail/0,,10267~2395211,00.html

First came Gillingham U18s on July 16th, which the Addicks won 5-3.

http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/academydetail/0,,10267~2397202,00.html

Then a midweek afternoon visit from Oxford, who went down 7-3.

http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/academydetail/0,,10267~2401124,00.html

The following Saturday saw their only defeat of the four games, a narrow 2-1 loss to Millwall.

http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/academydetail/0,,10267~2406898,00.html

Finally, on July 30th they welcomed Brighton - managed by CAFC legend Steve Brown. They won 3-2.