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In days of yore, football came to a standstill on the Saturday before Christmas as the authorities left the day blank.

When games were played, attendances were poor, as husbands were dragged off to the shops to act as sherpas for their wives’ excesses.

Times have changed of course. ‎The crowded calendar no longer allows such luxuries. Charlton have drawn the short straw on more than one occasion.

Late pre-Christmas trips to places such as Middlesbrough and Blackburn spring readily to mind.‎ No such traumas this year, Christmas Eve falls on Saturday so no games will be played.

The Boxing Day local derby is another tradition to have bitten the dust. Add‎icks fans had to traipse off to Yeovil in the League One title winning season.

Chris Powell decided to make the long journey on the day of the match, a decision fully justified when Danny Green snatched a late, late winner.

Jon Obika’s early strike was cancelled out by Danny Hollands, before Paul Huntington restored ‎the Glovers’ lead. Again, the lead was short lived. This time a trade mark Yann Kermorgant free-kick levelled things up for Charlton.

Green’s late effort made the long journey worthwhile for the hardy band of travellers.

It is less than three weeks before the rebranded English Football League fixtures are released. The Boxing Day fixture is one of the first regular away supporters look for.

Teams will have a really hectic schedule over the festive period in the forthcoming season. With Christmas Day falling on Sunday,  games are scheduled for Boxing Day, Wednesday 28 December (to make up for the blank Christmas Eve) , New Year’s Eve and Monday 2 January.

The fixtures have rarely been kind to the Addicks  at holiday times. It would be no surprise if the computer scheduled their longest trip of the season – to Fleetwood – for New Year’s Eve.

The rebranded English Football League will have a disjointed end to its initial campaign. With the Cup Final being played on the Saturday of the Whitsun holiday, the play-off finals will be split.

The League Two decider will be played on Sunday 28 May – the day after the Cup Final –  and the Championship ‎final will take place on the following day. The League One final will be staged a week earlier on Saturday 20 May.

Consequently, the final round of League One games will be played on Sunday 30 April, a week before the other two divisions draw to a conclusion.