In 'those' days/back in the day (select the expression appropriate to your generation), the Chairman and the board were very remote figures, and growing up as a CAFC fan in the mid-50s, I was aware of the Gliksten family heritage at the club, but the nearest I got to even seeing the top man was in the pitch invasion after the Huddersfield 7-6 game, when we stood in front of the old grandstand (the only one at the time!) waiting for Johnny Summers to appear in what passed for the Directors Box, with the Glikstens present.
I had but one 'encounter' (hardly 'meeting' with Michael G: some fans might remember a special train trip on the "League Liner" to a match at Brighton, and as the train sped through Sussex, Michael Gliksten strode through the train wishing all a pleasant day and a good match in his commanding tones.
The mood was deflated somewhat when we arrived at Brighton station to be greeted by massed police and dogs, and escorted towards the ground!
Without the Gliksten family, and latterly Michael, maybe there wouldn't be a Charlton now to whinge about!!
I think he was a seriously misunderstood man and certain commentators on here shold be ashamed of themselves - although that seems to be increasingly par for the course.
[cite]Posted By: Off_it[/cite]I think he was a seriously misunderstood man and certain commentators on here shold be ashamed of themselves - although that seems to be increasingly par for the course.
[cite]Posted By: ChicagoAddick[/cite]Peter, please come back.
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]Peter you are a true gent and i believe you did make an old man a happier person, thank god that you were around i just wish you were still here
[cite]Posted By: LenGlover[/cite]Somehow that response from Peter Varney epitomises what has gone missing from our Club of late.
I have made my comment about Michael's passing on the article itself. Suffice to say that for all that went on back then, he genuinely loved the club. I am delighted that Peter Varney managed to get him back to the Valley for a couple of games.
Would be a huge step forward for Charlton Athletic if Mr. Varney could be enticed back into the club. I really do have my fingers crossed that this might happen.
RIP, while there should be a minutes silence as a former chairman I don't think it should become one of those remebrances that becomes a minutes applause.
I always had the impression that he was a reluctant chairman, not as keen on the club as say the current board are, and that's fair enough if football and Charlton weren't his passion. To be fair he inherited a lot of problems - a weak team, a crumbling ground and infrastructure, which were the consequence of a generation of deliberate neglect, and both would have needed serious money to put right. Most importantly he lacked the desire to do anything to turn the situation around, preferring the status quo - to maintain the club in its then current state with minimal expenditure, and look where that got us.
It'll always be my belief that despite what he said he saw the opportunity to sell the Valley on at great profit and so separated ownership of that from the club so that no one else could buy the club and get the ground on the cheap and then sell it on themselves. If he was truly concerned about Charlton leaving the Valley then I don't remember him putting up much of a fight when the new owners announced our move to Selhurst, or doing much to bring the club back. Thankfully fate intervened, but I don't buy his denials. He'd have seen first hand how his family systematically asset stripped Charlton in our prime years and that cynicism was carried on to his generation.
He took over when he was in his twenties - "the youngest Chairman in football".
When Mark Hulyer came along, a committed Charlton fan, with "cash on the hip" and offered to take over the club, and after years of bankrolling the club, why not sell the club but retain the ownership of the ground. Most would have done that, especially after the chants of "Glicksten out" were still ringing in his ears, year after year after year.
Have a read of Airmans book for a reasonable perpective on those times.
I think he saw Hulyer coming and hoped that Hulyer would invest the money that he was reluctant to spend to rejuvenate the club. If it worked then presumably he'd have had the money and the reason to renovate the ground - as he'd have a successful business in place paying him rent, and if not the club would fold or go elswhere leaving him in sole possession of a very valuable piece of empty real estate. Bear in mind he did nothing to stop us leaving the Valley, neither did he spend any more than the absolute minimum to renovate the club and ground when he owned both and he had plenty of time and opportunity to do something. Remember how the toilets on the East Stand were open air and even how the East Stand ended up being closed thanks to his reluctance to spend any money on it. This was hardly the sort of behaviour you'd expect from someone who professed to have the club's interests at heart. Carry on believing that he loved the club if you choose, I shall remember otherwise.
Look what enlightened forward thinking and the taking of a few risks by Roger Alwen and latterly other directors has achieved. That would have been possible in the 50s and 60s too when we were getting much larger crowds.
Having worked at the club in the 70's assisting Maurice Banham with the pitch during summer hols and on match day I got to see Glikstein a few times. From what I remember he was was a big man with red hair and beard to match and spoke with quite a posh accent. He owned a farm somwhere and I can remember him sending up his farm manager and we loaded his truck with fertlizer and other stuff. So all those years of the Gliksteins taking from the club were probably true. He drove a Rolls Royce which was a little pretentious but hey if you have the money.
From the stuff I have read had the Glikstein family pumped some of the profits from the 40's and 50's back into the club we could have been the United of the south. He was a businessman and inherited the club at a young age and probably felt it was the family duty to carry on. I am sad to hear of his passing as its the end of an era. RIP and condolences to his family. There should be a minutes silnce.....
[cite]Posted By: kentred2[/cite]The Glikstens brought, despite down periods, arguably more success and stability to the club than any others. God rest his soul.
Ermmmm, I agree with the 'god rest his soul' sentiment Ken but I'm incredulous at your thoughts re the Glikstein families tenure!
They built the club from nothing and got it to a top four club for many sucessive seasons until the war intervened. They had massive crowds filling the valley to watch some of the stars of the land in Firmani, Welsh, Leary, Bartram etc and reached four cup finals in four years. They had the club in the top division for twenty years and kept it sound financially for another 25 or so. Even when not in the top league the teams played attractive attacking football at the Valley.
They made mistakes, especially not building more seats after the second world war, but their record stands comparison to any other Charlton regime, especially in terms of stability and entertainment. Comparison to the current lot should be for another day and another thread.
They made more 'mistakes' than good decisions and milked/robbed the club blind at various times......as a result we eventualy ended up spending more time in the old second division (going absolutely 'nowhere'), than any other club in the history of The Football League.
Might I suggest you get hold of a copy of Richard Reddens book The Story of Charlton Athletic 1905-1990...as now is not really the right time or place to be discussing The Glikstein dynasty.
Suffice it to say one or two of them used the club as a means to an end and one or two didn't...I don't include Michael in that category incidently.
I will say no more as I think I've said enough already.
dont think imo we should use this thread to look back, lets let it pass and allow the man to rest in piece and keep the thread to pass regards not talk about the past.
not digging anyone out i just dont think that so soon after he has passed we should discuss the faults and reason of those that were in charge
[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]dont think imo we should use this thread to look back, lets let it pass and allow the man to rest in piece and keep the thread to pass regards not talk about the past.
not digging anyone out i just dont think that so soon after he has passed we should discuss the faults and reason of those that were in charge
Hear hear! There is a whole separate thread to be started about how the club grew from the failures of the 1920's and 30's and the Glickstens part in this and what went wrong. Much was covered in the Airman's excellent book.
As a supporter since 1964, I remember the Michael Gliksten years well - a period of treading water and no expansion.
When the player's wages couldn't be paid, then the manager was instructed to sell a player.
And so the club bumbled along, run on a shoestring and bailed out from time to time by Gliksten's own personal money.
His last major act in 1979 was to invest in refurbishing the ancient Grandstand, including a new roof - and don't forget, at the same time, the Jimmy Seed Stand was built.
The finance for this didn't come from player transfers, gate money or ticket sales ...... it came out of his own pocket.
Gliksten was a businessman from a business family and, of course, he did retain ownership of The Valley which subsequently caused many problems just a few years later. But it was Hulyer's financial recklessness that almost sent Charlton to the wall.
Maybe Gliksten could have done more, much more - but he ensured the club survived, at least until Hulyer came along.
And that really is the story of the Michael Gliksten years in a pre-sponsorship, pre-TV money age - he funded Charlton from his own pocket.
Anyway, love him or loathe him, understand his contribution - and respect his passing. RIP
Look what enlightened forward thinking and the taking of a few risks by Roger Alwen and latterly other directors has achieved. That would have been possible in the 50s and 60s too when we were getting much larger crowds.
By the time he became chairman in 1961 our gates were mid-teens, some higher, most lower.
Despite that, the 68/69 team might have got promoted to the First Division if Keith Peacock hadn't got injured and when Andy Nelson brought the fans streaming back in the 1970s, money was spent on the ground.
Black armbands would be a good compromise, I think. There is always a risk of disruption during a minute's silence, although personally I'd support it.
By the time he became chairman in 1961 our gates were mid-teens, some higher, most lower.
............
The damage had been done by then, but to be fair to him he inherited a situation that was the consequence of a generation of neglect. The Valley as I first recall it in the 70s had hardly changed since our heyday in the late 40s/50s, and perhaps even before that. As I say above I don't think he had the desire or the foresight to see the possibilities.
As for low crowds when he became chairman, attendances were pretty poor in the season or two after we returned to the Valley in 92, with investment in the ground and playing squad and good managership on and off the park that soon changed.
.........attendances were pretty poor in the season or two after we returned to the Valley in 92,
Poor attendances ........? You can only fill what you have.
Attendances were around capacity or just under after our return - but then capacity wasn't much over 8,000 with temporary main stand and only 3 sides of the ground open.
Comments
Spot on.
RIP.
I had but one 'encounter' (hardly 'meeting' with Michael G: some fans might remember a special train trip on the "League Liner" to a match at Brighton, and as the train sped through Sussex, Michael Gliksten strode through the train wishing all a pleasant day and a good match in his commanding tones.
The mood was deflated somewhat when we arrived at Brighton station to be greeted by massed police and dogs, and escorted towards the ground!
Without the Gliksten family, and latterly Michael, maybe there wouldn't be a Charlton now to whinge about!!
RIP Mr Michael Gliksten
Peter you are a true gent and i believe you did make an old man a happier person, thank god that you were around i just wish you were still here
Somehow that response from Peter Varney epitomises what has gone missing from our Club of late.
Was my point exactly Len.
RIP Mr Gliksten.
That is what has been missing for a long time, throughout the football club.
Why was he seriously misunderstood?
Hear hear!!!!!!!
R. I. P.
I always had the impression that he was a reluctant chairman, not as keen on the club as say the current board are, and that's fair enough if football and Charlton weren't his passion. To be fair he inherited a lot of problems - a weak team, a crumbling ground and infrastructure, which were the consequence of a generation of deliberate neglect, and both would have needed serious money to put right. Most importantly he lacked the desire to do anything to turn the situation around, preferring the status quo - to maintain the club in its then current state with minimal expenditure, and look where that got us.
It'll always be my belief that despite what he said he saw the opportunity to sell the Valley on at great profit and so separated ownership of that from the club so that no one else could buy the club and get the ground on the cheap and then sell it on themselves. If he was truly concerned about Charlton leaving the Valley then I don't remember him putting up much of a fight when the new owners announced our move to Selhurst, or doing much to bring the club back. Thankfully fate intervened, but I don't buy his denials. He'd have seen first hand how his family systematically asset stripped Charlton in our prime years and that cynicism was carried on to his generation.
When Mark Hulyer came along, a committed Charlton fan, with "cash on the hip" and offered to take over the club, and after years of bankrolling the club, why not sell the club but retain the ownership of the ground. Most would have done that, especially after the chants of "Glicksten out" were still ringing in his ears, year after year after year.
Have a read of Airmans book for a reasonable perpective on those times.
Look what enlightened forward thinking and the taking of a few risks by Roger Alwen and latterly other directors has achieved. That would have been possible in the 50s and 60s too when we were getting much larger crowds.
From the stuff I have read had the Glikstein family pumped some of the profits from the 40's and 50's back into the club we could have been the United of the south. He was a businessman and inherited the club at a young age and probably felt it was the family duty to carry on. I am sad to hear of his passing as its the end of an era. RIP and condolences to his family. There should be a minutes silnce.....
Ermmmm, I agree with the 'god rest his soul' sentiment Ken but I'm incredulous at your thoughts re the Glikstein families tenure!
They built the club from nothing and got it to a top four club for many sucessive seasons until the war intervened. They had massive crowds filling the valley to watch some of the stars of the land in Firmani, Welsh, Leary, Bartram etc and reached four cup finals in four years. They had the club in the top division for twenty years and kept it sound financially for another 25 or so. Even when not in the top league the teams played attractive attacking football at the Valley.
They made mistakes, especially not building more seats after the second world war, but their record stands comparison to any other Charlton regime, especially in terms of stability and entertainment. Comparison to the current lot should be for another day and another thread.
Might I suggest you get hold of a copy of Richard Reddens book The Story of Charlton Athletic 1905-1990...as now is not really the right time or place to be discussing The Glikstein dynasty.
Suffice it to say one or two of them used the club as a means to an end and one or two didn't...I don't include Michael in that category incidently.
I will say no more as I think I've said enough already.
not digging anyone out i just dont think that so soon after he has passed we should discuss the faults and reason of those that were in charge
Hear hear! There is a whole separate thread to be started about how the club grew from the failures of the 1920's and 30's and the Glickstens part in this and what went wrong. Much was covered in the Airman's excellent book.
As a supporter since 1964, I remember the Michael Gliksten years well - a period of treading water and no expansion.
When the player's wages couldn't be paid, then the manager was instructed to sell a player.
And so the club bumbled along, run on a shoestring and bailed out from time to time by Gliksten's own personal money.
His last major act in 1979 was to invest in refurbishing the ancient Grandstand, including a new roof - and don't forget, at the same time, the Jimmy Seed Stand was built.
The finance for this didn't come from player transfers, gate money or ticket sales ...... it came out of his own pocket.
Gliksten was a businessman from a business family and, of course, he did retain ownership of The Valley which subsequently caused many problems just a few years later. But it was Hulyer's financial recklessness that almost sent Charlton to the wall.
Maybe Gliksten could have done more, much more - but he ensured the club survived, at least until Hulyer came along.
And that really is the story of the Michael Gliksten years in a pre-sponsorship, pre-TV money age - he funded Charlton from his own pocket.
Anyway, love him or loathe him, understand his contribution - and respect his passing. RIP
oldie alert, hope you wernt stuck on that hill bud :-)
Watch it NLA ;-) 1963 for me.
Oops! Let that slip, didn't I .....? lol
I was just a little lad back then, Enla ...... *big winky smiley thingy*
By the time he became chairman in 1961 our gates were mid-teens, some higher, most lower.
Despite that, the 68/69 team might have got promoted to the First Division if Keith Peacock hadn't got injured and when Andy Nelson brought the fans streaming back in the 1970s, money was spent on the ground.
............
The damage had been done by then, but to be fair to him he inherited a situation that was the consequence of a generation of neglect. The Valley as I first recall it in the 70s had hardly changed since our heyday in the late 40s/50s, and perhaps even before that. As I say above I don't think he had the desire or the foresight to see the possibilities.
As for low crowds when he became chairman, attendances were pretty poor in the season or two after we returned to the Valley in 92, with investment in the ground and playing squad and good managership on and off the park that soon changed.
Poor attendances ........? You can only fill what you have.
Attendances were around capacity or just under after our return - but then capacity wasn't much over 8,000 with temporary main stand and only 3 sides of the ground open.