A couple of years ago Charlton Athletic and Blackburn Rovers seemed to have a lot in common.

Both were fine traditional clubs which had become a laughing stock. Both had absentee owners who didn't have a clue about how to run a football club and both had suffered from absurd managerial appointments on and off the pitch. Both had dropped into League One and had seen season ticket sales and attendances drop drastically. Both were piling up massive debt to their owners to no apparent purpose.

As Blackburn sank towards relegation in 2016 97% of supporters voted in a poll organised by The Rovers Trust in favour of abandoning dialogue with the owners (Venkys Ltd) and organising protests instead to persuade them to sell the club.  An umbrella group of fans called "We are Rovers" staged a walk out during a game against Wolves. There were even plans to take the campaign to India.

Michael Doherty of the Rovers Trust reports that there is now quite a lot of "qualified positivity" towards Venkys. The appointments of Tony Mowbray as manager and Steve Waggott as chief executive have brought stability. Venkys have shown no inclination to sell the club and have invested in the squad and the Academy sufficiently at least to enable a comfortable 15th place finish for the team last season. The debt to Venkys is currently more than £140m and the only way this could be recouped would be by a return to The Premier League. Rovers fans are mindful of what has happened down the road at Bolton and, in Doherty's words: "it is almost as though some sensibleness and prudence has returned to the boardroom and that, after almost a decade of psychodrama, some ordinary football has broken out"

Charlton's record of 5 wins out of 47 when playing away on the first day of the season is hardly inspiring but at least, unlike last year, Lee Bowyer will be able to field a full bench of substitutes. Even a quick comparison of the two squads, however, makes it clear what a task it will be for Charlton to get anything out of the game.

Bowyer's collection of free transfers will be up against the 53 goals scored for Rovers last season by Bradley Dack, Danny Graham, Charlie Mulgrew and Adam Armstrong who have now been joined by Stewart Downing, Bradley Johnson and Sam Gallagher. Under 19 England international Ben Brereton is not a bad player either.

For Charlton, who will be without Chuks Aneke and Lewis Page, a backs-to-the-wall 0-0 draw would be a great result.