Swedish opera singer Bjorn Arvidsson sung "We Are The Champions" before and after the match and the London Gospel Community Choir sung "Oh, Happy Day".

And we had a double dose of fireworks, but the only fireworks on the pitch came from Ipswich Town.

Their players, striving for the other automatic promotion place, lined-up to greet the Charlton players onto the field in front of a full-house, shirt-sleeved crowd. All of whom, except for the loyal travelling Ipswich fans, were desperate for an Addicks victory to round off the home season.

But once referee Phil Richards got the game in motion, Charlton were restricted to playing slow-motion football while, in contrast, Ipswich's desire to win was evident with several dangerous attacks ending with the ball flashing across Dean Kiely's goal area in the first ten minutes.

Charlton manager Alan Curbishley made three changes, including one positional, from his usual line-up.

Carl Tiler replacing Steve Brown in central defence with Brown moving to the right instead of Anthony Barness at full-back. And up front, Paul Kitson came in for Matt Svensson.

But Ipswich, knowing that only a win would keep their automatic promotion hopes alive, passed with greater fluency and deservedly took the lead midway through the first half.

The vastly-experienced Jim Magilton curved a super free-kick from just outside the box over the Charlton defensive wall and beyond Dean Kiely's right-hand.

It was not until three minutes before the interval that Charlton finally mounted a really menacing attack when Chris Powell broke along the by-line and pulled the ball back into the goal area, but John Robinson's shot was deflected for a corner.

Matt Svensson came on in place of Paul Kitson for the second half, and the big striker nearly made an immediate impact. But John Robinson's cross got stuck under the big Swede's foot.

Dave Johnson then outpaced Charlton's back-line to drive past an unguarded Kiely approaching the hour- mark before Charlton gift-wrapped

Ipswich a third.

Powell dithered on the ball and then Carl Tiler made a hash of his clearance before the ball was centred to Martijn Reuser whose scuffed shot dribbled slowly into the net.

It was all academic by the time that Andy Hunt had headed a consolation to give the home fans something to cheer about. But, of course, all they had really come to cheer was Alan Curbishley and the lads picking up that pot.

More fireworks, more sing-ing and, as we came left the ground after all the festivities, that lasting and happy memory of coachloads of Ipswich fans applauding their Charlton counterparts who had lined the streets and did likewise in return.

It was not a happy day on the pitch for Charlton, but off it, moments like this make you glad you were part of it.