Not just a fantastic victory but, in my opinion, a turning point in the recent history of the club. Sitting 4th in the Premiership, the Chelsea owner was allegedly so impressed with Scott Parkers show that he insisted on him joining the West London Club. Charlton finished 7th.
Charlton 4-2 Chelsea Boxing Day 2003
Charlton delivered a massive blow to Chelsea's Premiership hopes with a stunning victory at The Valley.
Claudio Ranieri's expensively-assembled side were on the slide after Hermann Hreidarsson's header inside 45 seconds.
John Terry equalised, but goals either side of half-time by Matt Holland and Jonatan Johansson proved decisive.
Jason Euell added Charlton's fourth, and Eidur Gudjohnsen's strike proved no consolation for miserable Chelsea.
Ranieri will have been furious at the way his much-vaunted defence collapsed in spectacular style in the face of an outstanding Charlton display.
Charlton got the perfect start after only 42 seconds as Chelsea set the tone for a show of alarming defensive vulnerability.
Paolo di Canio's corner found Hreidarsson unmarked to flick a header beyond Carlo Cudicini.
KEY MOMENTS
42 secs: Hermann Hreidarsson heads Charlton in front
9 mins: John Terry puts Chelsea level
34 mins: Matt Holland heads Charlton back in front
47 mins: Jonatan Johansson extends Charlton's lead
53 mins: Jason Euell puts Charlton further ahead
72 mins: Eidur Gudjohnsen pulls a goal back for Chelsea
Chelsea's response came after nine minutes, when a delightful free-kick from Adrian Mutu was glanced past Dean Kiely by Terry.
Joe Cole wasted a great chance to put Chelsea ahead when he shot wildly over the top from 12 yards - but after that it was a very swift journey downhill for Ranieri's side.
Di Canio was involved again as Charlton restored their advantage in the 34th minute.
The Italian's dummy set up Johansson, and his cross was met powerfully by Holland, who rose above Marcel Desailly to head home.
Chelsea were stung again at the start of the second half, when more trickery from Di Canio deceived Terry, and he provided the perfect cross for Johansson to score easily from inside the six-yard box.
Ranieri's defence was in pieces, and it was no surprise when Euell added a fourth after 53 minutes.
Chelsea have taken over from West Ham in the 'playing pretty football until the going gets tough at Xmas' stakes
Wayne Bridge's wild clearance allowed Euell to escape Terry's attention to slide a composed finish past Cudicini.
Chelsea were in disarray, but substitute Eidur Gudjohnson gave them slim hope when he pulled a goal back with 18 minutes.
It led to a belated revival from Chelsea in the closing stages, but the damage was already done, and Charlton's supporters revelled in the victory, with the veteran Di Canio being substituted late on to a standing ovation.
Charlton: Kiely, Kishishev, Perry, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Holland, Parker, Euell, Stuart (Konchesky 77), Di Canio (Powell 87), Johansson. Subs not used: Royce, Fish, Campbell-Ryce.
Booked: Parker.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Johnson, Terry, Desailly, Bridge, Gronkjaer (Gudjohnsen 45), Lampard (Geremi 65), Makelele, Cole (Gallas 82), Hasselbaink, Mutu. Subs not used: Sullivan, Melchiot.
Booked: Gronkjaer.
Attendance: 26,768.
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
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Comments
Have to agree H&A in the fact that it was a turning point, both in the clubs fortunes and parker's head.
If only...
and getting a rollicking from my dad as i kept accidently flashing him me bum when i kept jumping up and down in celebration.
I met Graham Poll at a Q&A for the Chiltern's Branch of the CASC two or three years ago and he said that he was suprised that we didn't beat them by more.
Happy Days!
And the chelsea fans was an absolute wanker who i nearly came to blows with after the game.
Car got towed away and took 2 hours to find and retrieve it. Police didn't know where the car pound was, even though they towed it. Doh! Cost me about £180 and wasn't even parked illegally or wrongly IMO.
Totally agree - Pity Scotty had such a good game, he may well have stayed and who knows where we would have ended up!
The fact that I'd backed Herman to score, had money on us to win and also for more more than four goals to be scored was just the custard on the jam roly poly!
Returned home to find parents, nans and grandard all wearing various Charlton replica shirts that had been raided from my brothers wardrobe :-)
I'm surprised that Jensen wasn't in the starting 11.
In footballing terms, the best I've ever seen from Charlton.
Always used to love beating Chelsea. I'll never forget the looks on their faces when Lisbie scored in the 90th min at the Bridge...glorious!
I must confess, I thought that it was Parkers performance at the Stamford Bridge game that season which so alerted Chelsea, because he totally bossed that game in midfield.
Looking at our team, it does make you wonder if we will ever get back to that sort of quality again.
Sad to say i dont believe we will ever get back to that standard again. If If If IF Parker had stayed till the end of that season he would have gone to World Cup and we would have gone to Europe im sure of that.
Europe many only be a few mins by train these days but its a life time away for us.
totally agree and at the time i'm glad i realised i was living the dream and not taking these miracle games/players/manager for granted they were the glory years of following Charlton in my lifetime and now i can't see us reaching them heady heights for a very long time
absolutely quality performance and I don't think I've seen one to better it...
After years of second and third division dross they were the good times.
Whether I'll see Charlton at the top level of English football again in my lifetime is problematic but I hope to and at The Valley.
But of course the downside the following month ... Chelski couldn't accept that we were on the verge of a European qualification that season and money talked once again with Scotty making a bad move (from his point of view and ours) to Stamford Beach.
no mate done at sky studios in isleworth. and yes thy pay you
we see him after and he was as embarrased as anything trying to sneak onto the train home.
i will never ever forget how many of them told us they couldnt believe that we had done that to them.
the dirty bstd Parker changed the game and then turned us over
a truly unbelievable day to be a CAFC fan, received so many texts from incredulous liverpool/west ham/gooners/spuds supporters who were genuinely pleased for us and enthralled by watching the game on the box.
that little lad di canio was a bit special - less of the parker mentioning i'm afraid... never going to forgive that little barsteward
(Also love the way all of the fans after the 4th goal are giving it the large!)