1976 - don’t know who it was against, and my Dad (who took me) is sadly no longer with us, so I will never know (actually, I did ask him years ago, and he couldn’t remember anyway)
I was 6
Abiding memories - the disgusting open air mens urinal next to the Covered End, which was awash with piss, and before I went in Dad told me to roll my flares up over my knees, to avoid them getting wet - the vastness of the East Terrace - the beautiful green pitch - the vastness of the ground, but because of its size, the crowd felt tiny - telling my Dad I didn’t want to go in the Covered End, because the fans in there frightened me !!
We did win the game I remember, and I had a massively long red and white striped scarf, with white tassels on each end which my Mum had knitted for me 😀
Newcastle at home in 1978. We stood at the front of the east terrace, about where the half time scoreboard was. Don't remember too much, although it was sunny, we won 4-1 and I was hooked. Must have stupidly assumed it was always like this at Charlton games (how wrong I was)!
Charlton 0 Arsenal 3 Selhurst Park, 1987 Went along with a school mate who was a Charlton fan. I'd only ever been to Dulwich Hamlet up until that point. Loved every second of the experience, result had no impact on the day and been hooked ever since....
28 February 1964 when I was seven. A one nil loss to Portsmouth. I remember nothing about the game itself other being intrigued by people wearing red or blue scarves and bobble hats. I saw two other games that season, a 1-1 draw with Northampton and the final game of the season, a 2-0:defeat to Leeds.
I had to wait for the first game of the following season against Man City to see a win. 2-1.
The Valley 67/68 season. I was 8 or 9 and my Dad took me with his fellow policeman friend, Ken (whose daughter later went out with Alan Campbell for a short while). Not sure of the opponents, but think it may have been either Middlesbrough or Huddersfield. I remember coming in at the Bartram entrance and the huge East terrace, where we stood right at the back and I sat on the rear wall. The players looked tiny, like subbuteo players. I remember taking an instant liking to the great Charlie Wright in goal (I was a goalie too) and being impressed by Matt Tees jumping ability - it was like he was on wires how he seemed to get so high and hang in the air! Up until that game I had been an Arsenal fan, but from that day I was hooked and still go now.
I remember seeing some great games the following season when we finished third and narrowly missed promotion. It was during that season that Charlton played a darts match against the police at the police social club in the Royal docks. My Dad was playing for the police and took me along. I remember meeting many of the players, getting autographs, and them being very friendly to me, particularly Dennis Booth. Happy days!
The Valley 67/68 season. I was 8 or 9 and my Dad took me with his fellow policeman friend, Ken (whose daughter later went out with Alan Campbell for a short while). Not sure of the opponents, but think it may have been either Middlesbrough or Huddersfield. I remember coming in at the Bartram entrance and the huge East terrace, where we stood right at the back and I sat on the rear wall. The players looked tiny, like subbuteo players. I remember taking an instant liking to the great Charlie Wright in goal (I was a goalie too) and being impressed by Matt Tees jumping ability - it was like he was on wires how he seemed to get so high and hang in the air! Up until that game I had been an Arsenal fan, but from that day I was hooked and still go now.
I remember seeing some great games the following season when we finished third and narrowly missed promotion. It was during that season that Charlton played a darts match against the police at the police social club in the Royal docks. My Dad was playing for the police and took me along. I remember meeting many of the players, getting autographs, and them being very friendly to me, particularly Dennis Booth. Happy days!
It is hard to comprehend how awe-inspiring that view was from the top of the east terrace. I try to describe it to my son but you really had to see it to believe . Even though you got a feel of it when you looked on the east terrace from other parts of the ground, nothing prepared you for looking down from the top.
The Valley 67/68 season. I was 8 or 9 and my Dad took me with his fellow policeman friend, Ken (whose daughter later went out with Alan Campbell for a short while). Not sure of the opponents, but think it may have been either Middlesbrough or Huddersfield. I remember coming in at the Bartram entrance and the huge East terrace, where we stood right at the back and I sat on the rear wall. The players looked tiny, like subbuteo players. I remember taking an instant liking to the great Charlie Wright in goal (I was a goalie too) and being impressed by Matt Tees jumping ability - it was like he was on wires how he seemed to get so high and hang in the air! Up until that game I had been an Arsenal fan, but from that day I was hooked and still go now.
I remember seeing some great games the following season when we finished third and narrowly missed promotion. It was during that season that Charlton played a darts match against the police at the police social club in the Royal docks. My Dad was playing for the police and took me along. I remember meeting many of the players, getting autographs, and them being very friendly to me, particularly Dennis Booth. Happy days!
It is hard to comprehend how awe-inspiring that view was from the top of the east terrace. I try to describe it to my son but you really had to see it to believe . Even though you got a feel of it when you looked on the east terrace from other parts of the ground, nothing prepared you for looking down from the top.
Yes - you were so high up, you were actually down on the top of the roof of the West Stand !!!
6th April 1974. 0-0 v Bournemouth I'd been itching at my dad to take me to proper football match, preferably Chelsea, so he took me to the Valley to see a 0-0 draw and I fell in love with it. Our stadium is way better now, but I still miss that roofless terrace where the Jimmy Seed is now, and that weird letters and numbers thing where they posted the half time scores. Golden childhood!
The Valley 67/68 season. I was 8 or 9 and my Dad took me with his fellow policeman friend, Ken (whose daughter later went out with Alan Campbell for a short while). Not sure of the opponents, but think it may have been either Middlesbrough or Huddersfield. I remember coming in at the Bartram entrance and the huge East terrace, where we stood right at the back and I sat on the rear wall. The players looked tiny, like subbuteo players. I remember taking an instant liking to the great Charlie Wright in goal (I was a goalie too) and being impressed by Matt Tees jumping ability - it was like he was on wires how he seemed to get so high and hang in the air! Up until that game I had been an Arsenal fan, but from that day I was hooked and still go now.
I remember seeing some great games the following season when we finished third and narrowly missed promotion. It was during that season that Charlton played a darts match against the police at the police social club in the Royal docks. My Dad was playing for the police and took me along. I remember meeting many of the players, getting autographs, and them being very friendly to me, particularly Dennis Booth. Happy days!
It is hard to comprehend how awe-inspiring that view was from the top of the east terrace. I try to describe it to my son but you really had to see it to believe . Even though you got a feel of it when you looked on the east terrace from other parts of the ground, nothing prepared you for looking down from the top.
Yes - you were so high up, you were actually down on the top of the roof of the West Stand !!!
Edit ‘looking down on the top of the roof of the West Stand’
Main memories of that game and ones around that time are the Woolwich Ferry, the stairs up to the side's 2nd tier, and Bovril. I remember the win but not any goals.
Charlton 1 West Ham 1, Boxing Day 1992 - just a few weeks after we returned to The Valley.
My mum and dad took me. My Dad was a dedicated Charlton fan, and still is. My Mum grew up supporting West Ham.
The only memory I have of it was that I couldn’t see the pitch, and something in my mind tells me we were in the Jimmy Seed stand - but could be wrong.
I was only 5, and was apparently so pissed off about something that we went home at half time. God knows why they brought me back after that, but here we are!
Was part of a Primary School trip where we got free tickets - Had been supposed to go to a game against Sunderland a few months earlier, but after standing outside the school for absolutely hours, we all went home as the coach didnt turn up.
Sat in the East Stand, dont think I've got a ticket anymore, but pretty sure its only a block away from where I eventually got my Season Ticket and still am to this day - Dont remember much of the game itself, although have always remembered that we either scored or had a shot that hit the side netting - I jumped up cheering like mad, only for my mate (sitting next to me) to calmly say that we hadn't scored, so sheepishly sat down.
Dont remember much else, other than the fact that the School set on a trip to the Swimming Pool in Woolwich before the game by way of an apology for wasting the morning for the original trip to the game.
My first ever football match was Ipswich 1 - 0 Blackburn Nov 1993 in the Prem. I was 10 years old and this was school trip organised by my Year 5 teacher who was also an Ipswich fan. Yes I didn't start off a Charlton fan and Im not from London at all.
Funnily enough Eddie Youds scored the Ipswich goal.
Mine was, Charlton 4 Rotherham 3, old second division,November 1963, firmani and kenning got 2 each. My Second was Charlton 0 Scunthorpe 1 November 1963.
I'm pretty sure that mine was the same as Badger's - Rotherham in November 63. My uncle and aunt from Hackney had come over with my four cousins to visit us in Plumstead and things were a little congested in our flat. My mum decided that would be a good idea for my dad to take all the kids to The Valley, so off we went and stood near the halfway line at the front of the East Terrace by the old red railings. I was only 5 at the time, so didn't follow the game closely, although I was struck by the number of goals and the noise and colour.
I digress, but my dad took me to a couple of First Division games a few years later when I became more interested in football. The first of those was over at West Ham on Boxing Day 1967, where Brian Dear scored a hat-trick and a promising teenager called Trevor Brooking got the fourth. I suppose there was a bit of glamour about West Ham after the 1966 World Cup and I got my dad to buy me an outsized photograph with individual pen pictures of their first team squad. He also took me to Chelsea v Man City in April 1968 and we were stood behind the goal when Alan Birchenall (I think it was) headed the only goal for Chelsea. There was a big crowd - City went on to win the title that season - and, not being familiar with the tube, I found the congestion at Fulham Broadway a bit disconcerting.
Anyway, I got back on the straight and narrow a few weeks later with my second visit to The Valley for the last home game of the season in early May 68 against Hull City. There was certainly no risk of crowd congestion that day and, whilst we were a bit late for some reason, we arrived in time to see a Ray Treacy hat-trick in a 5-1 win. The match which really 'hooked' me was, however, the first one of the following 1968/69 season when just under 27,000 turned up at The Valley for the visit of Millwall. Although we came out the wrong side of a seven goal thriller, I found the whole occasion completely beguiling - and that, as the great Brian Moore once said, was that.
I've probably already entered on here but cannot be bothered to look it up. So a week after watching Bexley United dismantle Barry Town, my father took my sister and I to the Valley on 8 March 69 to see a 1-1 draw with Carlisle United. I believe Ray Crawford scored in the first minute.
I remember being perched on a crash barrier on the upper tier of the East Terrace. The peanut man walking around the path between the two tiers. Yes I loved it. Remember a few weeks later,at Easter time, we beat Cardiff 4-1 Good Friday and Boro also at home 2-0 the next day. Modern day footballers don't know they are born. Zigger Zagger belted out by the Covered end. Took me many years to realise that the chant of "We took the north Bank Highbury" was actually true. Happy days.
Hate to admit it but the first ever match i went to was as a neutral, my mates were all mad Addicks and it so happened that 6th Jan 1968 Charlton were playing Millwall at the Valley, so i went along not really interested but to be different i found myself supporting Millwall, sorry..however i was converted thankfully when we won 1-0, i remember Charlie Wright almost letting a pass back through his legs, but cleared off the line. So, following week we played QPR, by that time i was up for another Addicks win, however we drew 3-3 and that was it i was hooked....for life..
Early 1958…..don’t know who against or the result. Came in through the Sam Bartram entrance, walked up to the half time scoreboard and stood under it, I just couldn’t believe my eyes, I had no idea it would be like that……looking down on an enormous stadium, right there before my eyes. I was just 10, we sat on the wall at the top of the East Terrace, all I know is I was hooked from the moment I saw the stadium and that was even before the players came out….a great way to enter then was through the Sam Bartram entrance, like entering a theatre of dreams laid out before you. I went home and just couldn’t wait until the next home game….I was so excited for my next return, I couldn’t concentrate on school or many of the things that happen in the day to day life of a 10 year old, all I thought about was getting back there ASAP. 🤩
I will be honest as 7 year old child I was taken by my Dad who thought I would like to see Liverpool play. And lots did the same - it was packed to see one of the greatest teams in my lifetime.
And I left a Charlton fan which he didn’t see coming!
Too young to remember exactly but mid to late 60s and Hull seems to ring a bell.
I have no memory of the actual football but I remember standing at the base of the south west floodlight because as we walked on to the terracing, my dad bumped in to a mate he hadn't seen for years and they stood chatting for most of the game.
I say most of the game because during the match, their nice reunion chat exploded in to a full on punch up which was way more exciting than anything going on on the pitch!
Too young to remember exactly but mid to late 60s and Hull seems to ring a bell.
I have no memory of the actual football but I remember standing at the base of the south west floodlight because as we walked on to the terracing, my dad bumped in to a mate he hadn't seen for years and they stood chatting for most of the game.
I say most of the game because during the match, their nice reunion chat exploded in to a full on punch up which was way more exciting than anything going on on the pitch!
Don’t know the exact game but will find out tomorrow when I see my old man. Earliest memory is Crewe v Charlton in 98. I believe Danny Mills made his debut that day for Charlton.
Blackpool at home 25//10/82. Promotion winning season, 7 years old with my dad and sister. Memorable for the fact that Alan Ball was playing for Blackpool. 2-1 win.
QPR v Charlton in 1982. Followed QPR back then and cheered every one of their 4 goals.
First "Charlton game" v Middlesbrough the next season....Simonsen's debut. Really good to finally see the video of this and I can see myself sitting at the back of The South Stand (I didn't know where to go!).
Don’t know the exact game but will find out tomorrow when I see my old man. Earliest memory is Crewe v Charlton in 98. I believe Danny Mills made his debut that day for Charlton.
Comments
I was 6
Abiding memories - the disgusting open air mens urinal next to the Covered End, which was awash with piss, and before I went in Dad told me to roll my flares up over my knees, to avoid them getting wet - the vastness of the East Terrace - the beautiful green pitch - the vastness of the ground, but because of its size, the crowd felt tiny - telling my Dad I didn’t want to go in the Covered End, because the fans in there frightened me !!
Arsenal 3
Selhurst Park, 1987
Went along with a school mate who was a Charlton fan. I'd only ever been to Dulwich Hamlet up until that point. Loved every second of the experience, result had no impact on the day and been hooked ever since....
I remember seeing some great games the following season when we finished third and narrowly missed promotion. It was during that season that Charlton played a darts match against the police at the police social club in the Royal docks. My Dad was playing for the police and took me along. I remember meeting many of the players, getting autographs, and them being very friendly to me, particularly Dennis Booth. Happy days!
I try to describe it to my son but you really had to see it to believe .
Even though you got a feel of it when you looked on the east terrace from other parts of the ground, nothing prepared you for looking down from the top.
I'd been itching at my dad to take me to proper football match, preferably Chelsea, so he took me to the Valley to see a 0-0 draw and I fell in love with it. Our stadium is way better now, but I still miss that roofless terrace where the Jimmy Seed is now, and that weird letters and numbers thing where they posted the half time scores. Golden childhood!
One of the earliest that stands out was the opening day of the 88/89 season and losing at home 3-0 to Liverpool. Aldridge hat trick. I was 6
My mum and dad took me. My Dad was a dedicated Charlton fan, and still is. My Mum grew up supporting West Ham.
The only memory I have of it was that I couldn’t see the pitch, and something in my mind tells me we were in the Jimmy Seed stand - but could be wrong.
I was only 5, and was apparently so pissed off about something that we went home at half time. God knows why they brought me back after that, but here we are!
Was part of a Primary School trip where we got free tickets - Had been supposed to go to a game against Sunderland a few months earlier, but after standing outside the school for absolutely hours, we all went home as the coach didnt turn up.
Sat in the East Stand, dont think I've got a ticket anymore, but pretty sure its only a block away from where I eventually got my Season Ticket and still am to this day - Dont remember much of the game itself, although have always remembered that we either scored or had a shot that hit the side netting - I jumped up cheering like mad, only for my mate (sitting next to me) to calmly say that we hadn't scored, so sheepishly sat down.
Dont remember much else, other than the fact that the School set on a trip to the Swimming Pool in Woolwich before the game by way of an apology for wasting the morning for the original trip to the game.
Funnily enough Eddie Youds scored the Ipswich goal.
I digress, but my dad took me to a couple of First Division games a few years later when I became more interested in football. The first of those was over at West Ham on Boxing Day 1967, where Brian Dear scored a hat-trick and a promising teenager called Trevor Brooking got the fourth. I suppose there was a bit of glamour about West Ham after the 1966 World Cup and I got my dad to buy me an outsized photograph with individual pen pictures of their first team squad. He also took me to Chelsea v Man City in April 1968 and we were stood behind the goal when Alan Birchenall (I think it was) headed the only goal for Chelsea. There was a big crowd - City went on to win the title that season - and, not being familiar with the tube, I found the congestion at Fulham Broadway a bit disconcerting.
Anyway, I got back on the straight and narrow a few weeks later with my second visit to The Valley for the last home game of the season in early May 68 against Hull City. There was certainly no risk of crowd congestion that day and, whilst we were a bit late for some reason, we arrived in time to see a Ray Treacy hat-trick in a 5-1 win. The match which really 'hooked' me was, however, the first one of the following 1968/69 season when just under 27,000 turned up at The Valley for the visit of Millwall. Although we came out the wrong side of a seven goal thriller, I found the whole occasion completely beguiling - and that, as the great Brian Moore once said, was that.
I remember being perched on a crash barrier on the upper tier of the East Terrace. The peanut man walking around the path between the two tiers. Yes I loved it. Remember a few weeks later,at Easter time, we beat Cardiff 4-1 Good Friday and Boro also at home 2-0 the next day. Modern day footballers don't know they are born. Zigger Zagger belted out by the Covered end. Took me many years to realise that the chant of "We took the north Bank Highbury" was actually true. Happy days.
Charlton 1-2 Derby County
I was 6 and hated every second of it.
So, following week we played QPR, by that time i was up for another Addicks win, however we drew 3-3 and that was it i was hooked....for life..
Came in through the Sam Bartram entrance, walked up to the half time scoreboard and stood under it, I just couldn’t believe my eyes, I had no idea it would be like that……looking down on an enormous stadium, right there before my eyes.
I was just 10, we sat on the wall at the top of the East Terrace, all I know is I was hooked from the moment I saw the stadium and that was even before the players came out….a great way to enter then was through the Sam Bartram entrance, like entering a theatre of dreams laid out before you.
I went home and just couldn’t wait until the next home game….I was so excited for my next return, I couldn’t concentrate on school or many of the things that happen in the day to day life of a 10 year old, all I thought about was getting back there ASAP. 🤩
Beardsley and Barnes.
I will be honest as 7 year old child I was taken by my Dad who thought I would like to see Liverpool play. And lots did the same - it was packed to see one of the greatest teams in my lifetime.
And I left a Charlton fan which he didn’t see coming!
I have no memory of the actual football but I remember standing at the base of the south west floodlight because as we walked on to the terracing, my dad bumped in to a mate he hadn't seen for years and they stood chatting for most of the game.
I say most of the game because during the match, their nice reunion chat exploded in to a full on punch up which was way more exciting than anything going on on the pitch!
First "Charlton game" v Middlesbrough the next season....Simonsen's debut. Really good to finally see the video of this and I can see myself sitting at the back of The South Stand (I didn't know where to go!).