The 1980/81 Season

Henry Irving

Following on from http://www.charltonlife.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=9245&page=1 and the comparisons between that relegation from tier 2 with last season now is perhaps the time to look at the following campaign.

Under the same coach who had been in charge when we were relegated (having taken over the top job after being the number 2 mid-season) we got off to a good start. Unbeaten in the first 4 games (three wins and a draw) we were looking good with roughly the same side that went down.

We lost game five to Millwall!

Later on we went on a 15 match unbeaten run which saw us look set for a run away championship win but we faltered at the end and finished in third behind two Yorkshire sides. Then it was Rotherham and Barnsley. Maybe it will be Huddersfield and Leeds this time out. Back then the top three all went up automatically so it made no real difference.

For those that worry about finishing third this was one of the last seasons played under 2 points for a win (yes, kids that's what it was like in the good old days).

My unreliable maths make it that under three points for a win our 25 wins (14 H, 11 A and more than any other team would have meant an extra 25 points and so would have left us in 2nd place ahead of Barnsley (21 wins) who also had 59 points.

Quick quiz for you oldies and just to show how things change in football or maybe just go in cycles

That season we played league games against 4 current premiership and 3 current non-league sides.

Can you name them? No googling allowed

wickford

Prem: Hull, Wolves, Blackburn, Fulham
Non League: Oxford, Luton, Cambridge

Henry Irving

[cite]Posted By: wickford[/cite]Prem: Hull, Wolves, Blackburn, Fulham
Non League: Oxford, Luton, Cambridge

prem 2 right 2 wrong

NL 1 right 2 wrong

ThreadKiller

prem - portsmouth,burnley

Chizz

Portsmouth, Burnley, Fulham, Hull City

wickford

Aldershot

ThreadKiller

chester - nl

Covered End

Portsmouth, Burnley, Fulham, Hull City

Newport, Oxford U, Chester

Chizz

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]My unreliable maths make it that under three points for a win our 25 wins (14 H, 11 A and more than any other team would have meant an extra 25 points and so would have left us in 2nd place ahead of Barnsley (21 wins) who also had 59 points.

We would have finished just one point from the top (Rotherham).

Covered End

http://www.footballstatisticsresults.co.uk/english_1980_division_3.html

wickford

Oxford, Halifax, Aldershot

Charlton Dan

Cant help Henry. I was only 7 at the time

Henry Irving

coverend end has it spot on.

ThreadKiller

nice one covered end

Covered End

I cheated :-( See link above for the Full Table.

Terry Naylor

[quote][cite]Posted By: Charlton Dan[/cite]Cant help Henry. I was only 7 at the time ;)[/quote]

Snap!!

First game I ever went to was in this season against Chester City won 1-0!!

Rock Spectacle

My first season if doing lots of aways - Blackpool on the Tuesday night fell during half term as well. Going to school one Monday and being asked what I did at the weekend by the teacher to reply that I'd been to Rotherham to see us lose 3 -0 (and Phil Warman miss a pen) will stick in my mind for ever. Only 10/11 as well - starting to feel like I'm old!

jimmymelrose

And who finished way bottom of Division One?

Covered End

Looks like Palace with 19 points :-)

DaveMehmet

[cite]Posted By: jimmymelrose[/cite]And who finished way bottom of Division One?

The team of the 80's

Henry Irving

So we didn't lose game 5 this time around.

In 80/81 we won game 6 but then went on a run of three defeats in games 7, 8 and 9.

For doommongers the defeat in game 7 was against a team from the Hampshire coast, only it was Pompey not Saints and it was away.

Lewis Coaches

As i have said before Henry ,when in the 3rd division lose game 5 we go up .Win game 5 same division next season.
Also of note leading scorer always began with an (H) .No Horsfield or Hales this time around.

TheDrunkenDuck

[cite]Posted By: Rock Spectacle[/cite]My first season if doing lots of aways - Blackpool on the Tuesday night fell during half term as well. Going to school one Monday and being asked what I did at the weekend by the teacher to reply that I'd been to Rotherham to see us lose 3 -0 (and Phil Warman miss a pen) will stick in my mind for ever. Only 10/11 as well - starting to feel like I'm old!

I feel old too, didn't miss a game that year including two trips to Carlisle. I remember the away support at Newport early on in the year and knowing it was going to be a good season.

HugoZHackenbush

I remember losing 4-0 at Sealand Road. At the time we were top and they were 24th!

Cardinal Sin

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]So we didn't lose game 5 this time around.

In 80/81 we won game 6 but then went on a run of three defeats in games 7, 8 and 9.

For doommongers the defeat in game 7 was against a team from the Hampshire coast, only it was Pompey not Saints and it was away.

And didn't it rain? We were stood on the uncovered terrace behind the goal and it never stopped.

adamtheaddick

Like dan but was slightly younger as was born april 1980... me old man would know tho he would have been there that season.