Great post Webby. I was in the south stand right behind that centre pillar with my late father and son, 3 generations of us, as we were at the Wembley play off final!
Great post Webby. I was in the south stand right behind that centre pillar with my late father and son, 3 generations of us, as we were at the Wembley play off final!
We were doing same at Wembley too, my 80 year old grandad, my late father and my 9 month pregnant wife so was very nearly 4 generations lol, did however manage the 4 generations at later matches but was very special memory being at Wembley with my late father, means a lot that we saw it together now.
Travelled down from York on the train by myself, it was my first game at The Valley so will always be a special memory for me. Sat in the Jimmy Seed stand, halfway back, slightly to the right of the goal. Got drunk on the train home and was sick on my trainers. Great day!
Great post Webby. I was in the south stand right behind that centre pillar with my late father and son, 3 generations of us, as we were at the Wembley play off final!
We were doing same at Wembley too, my 80 year old grandad, my late father and my 9 month pregnant wife so was very nearly 4 generations lol, did however manage the 4 generations at later matches but was very special memory being at Wembley with my late father, means a lot that we saw it together now.
If you travelled up from the IOW for the play off final I may have been on the same train as you! I was on holiday at a Warners? holiday village near Lake with my wife and her familly and met my Father and son outside Wembley. Missed the train back from Waterloo I meant to catch because of extra time / penalties and trains had stopped running from Ryde to Shanklin when I got off the boat. Luckilly due to engineering works on the way back, making us even later, good old British Rail laid on cabs for us! Can't see that happening these days!
in the watermans arms before, covered end for game and pub going towrads woolwich (can't remember it's name) after - was on the east terrace with my dad and other helpers the night before tying down Brian Moores makeshift commentary box as there was a virtual hurricane threatening to blow it away. Great day.
Great post Webby. I was in the south stand right behind that centre pillar with my late father and son, 3 generations of us, as we were at the Wembley play off final!
We were doing same at Wembley too, my 80 year old grandad, my late father and my 9 month pregnant wife so was very nearly 4 generations lol, did however manage the 4 generations at later matches but was very special memory being at Wembley with my late father, means a lot that we saw it together now.
If you travelled up from the IOW for the play off final I may have been on the same train as you! I was on holiday at a Warners? holiday village near Lake with my wife and her familly and met my Father and son outside Wembley. Missed the train back from Waterloo I meant to catch because of extra time / penalties and trains had stopped running from Ryde to Shanklin when I got off the boat. Luckilly due to engineering works on the way back, making us even later, good old British Rail laid on cabs for us! Can't see that happening these days!
The joys of missing the last train from Ryde, nearly always do when coming back from the match and I live the other side of the Island in Ventnor :-)
It was my 26th birthday and certainly my most memorable one, lovely day just me and my brother doing what we love, watching our team win back where they belong : )
It was my 26th birthday and certainly my most memorable one, lovely day just me and my brother doing what we love, watching our team win back where they belong : )
About a year before we actually returned home to the Valley we were away from home (can't remember where) for an evening fixture. As usual the Junior Red coach was picking up from the ground but whilst we were waiting for the coach to arrive a group of local kids from Harvey Gardens challenged us to a match.....on the pitch!
There was gap in the old turnstiles where the wooden door had broken away so the JR's and locals made our way though, up and down the Covered End stairs and onto the immaculate pitch for an impromptu match on the half near to the Covered end.
Jackets were of course used for goal posts and the locals soon took a 2-0 lead before a certain DanDavis pulled one back for the Junior Reds. The game promptly ended when we got chased off by one of the groundsmen but I still say that I and not Colin Walsh actually scored "Charltons" first goal back at The Valley!
About a year before we actually returned home to the Valley we were away from home (can't remember where) for an evening fixture. As usual the Junior Red coach was picking up from the ground but whilst we were waiting for the coach to arrive a group of local kids from Harvey Gardens challenged us to a match.....on the pitch!
There was gap in the old turnstiles where the wooden door had broken away so the JR's and locals made our way though, up and down the Covered End stairs and onto the immaculate pitch for an impromptu match on the half near to the Covered end.
Jackets were of course used for goal posts and the locals soon took a 2-0 lead before a certain DanDavis pulled one back for the Junior Reds. The game promptly ended when we got chased off by one of the groundsmen but I still say that I and not Colin Walsh actually scored "Charltons" first goal back at The Valley!
After being heavily involved in getting us back and being one of the people at the first meeting to issue VOTV i was not there to my eternal shame as i was in India looking like jesus stoned out of my bonce. Happy days.
I will never forget my nephew being confused at the chanting and shouting out "the referees a waiter, the referees a waiter!" shows my bruv (a gooner and closet charlton fan) brought him up right
My dad was a cracker, it actually started with me and three lads from Welwyn Garden City meeting all to go to Spurs V Chelsea in the away end, I still have the unused ticket, I had been to around a dozen games a year at Stamford Bridge and always wore my addicks badge, they used to call me Charlton and seemed bemused by it I think, any way I convinced the lads with me to go to Charlton for a drink, see the ground and then head off to WHL, we went to the Watermans Arms and the Oak and there was a jazz quartet playing Red Red Robin, The other three, Spud Youngy and Dave said are you coming or what, I'll catch you up.....I remember pleading with a Pompey Fan to buy his ticket for £100 and he said no...I managed to stand in Lansdowne Mews and wtach the build up until we were moved on my the Police for no apparent reason, they had no objections to me standing outside the Covered End where I couldnt see, I saw most of the second hald from Lansdowne Mews again sat on a garage then someone said they are opening the gates so went back to the Covered End and walked in through the open gates, saw the last minute or so for free and then stayed for about 30 afterwards....I met my mates at Kings Cross, had a Casey Jonesand went to the pub on the station, everyone was patting me on the back and it was a great day to be a Charlton fan....one I shall never forget
i was 12, grew up in gallon close right next to the valley, had early memories of the lights being on at night games and going to the market in the west stand car park and the odd party in the old clubhouse, dad told me how for one season we had a little fiat 127 that on a saturday would regulary be lifited up and moved onto the grass so someone could park in our spot and it was always put back in its spot come 5pm. spent many a day sneaking into the old valley for a kick about and sitting in the stands never once dreaming that we would be back someday. went to a few games at sellhurst but mainly if doyles old man had room for me in the motor, went to more games at upton park as my cousin was a hammer season ticket holder, so he would take me when it was our to play at upton park.
Convinced my mum and dad to vote for the back to the valley party which they did. i used to walk past the valley twice a day to and from school watching the building work taking place, i even wrote a letter to mr king the stadium manager offering my services to help with any work that needed doing. My dad is charlton but got lapsed in the years away from the valley, hes old he was at the huddersfiled 7 6 game and remembers the valley in its pomp.
the day of the game was mum and dads wedding aniversary so he had to work extra had to be allowed out for the day, mum cooked us a special breakfast and we left home about 2 hrs before kick off even though it took 4 mins from front door to floyd road, dad took loads of pictures which i will try and scan and post on here when i can, remember the jazz band playing the open top bus everyone smiling and feeling like somthing special was about to happen.
As we walked along the long metal footbridge towards the south stand dad told me how he used to stand at the back of the east terrace and just how small the players where from so far back, we took our seats in the south, during the old players on the pitch my old man shed quite a few tears for his legends sailor brown ect.. sadly apart from the goal and the pompey bell ringer i dont recall much of the match itself. the singing out of the ground after the ground was amazing it was getting dark and the place was buzzing.
I will never forget the 5th of december, after years of dreaming of having charlton back they finally were, i was able to have a base somewhere to call home that was ours!! I cant belive it was so long ago now, and i cant wait until i can take my boy to his first game and hopefully get to experience the absoulte joy it is to be an addick, highs and lows we are always there for each other and have a bloody good laugh along the way..
I remember walking to the Valley not believing that we had returned, never thought we would go back and that the club would fold but thats all history now.
I remember walking to the Valley not believing that we had returned, never thought we would go back and that the club would fold but thats all history now.
I usually drive to home games, but for this one I retraced my old steps by getting the bus down to Charlton Lido and then walking from there, through Charlton Park and then down to the ground - just as I had done in the late 70's and early 80's
Oh what a day 37 at the time, endured watching at Palace & West Ham, it was so good to be home! I remember standing with my two boys, Dad, Brother & friends behind the goal (now North lower) with a tear in my eye, such an emotional day, can not believe 20 years have passed.
I watched with my dad and brother in the North Stand. I had started going in 1989 to Selhurst so it was my first ever home game. We turned into Floyd Road and saw the crowds. I was only 12 so I didn't really know the gravity of what was happening.
Before the game I remember the creak-creaking of the scaffold walkway that was erected on the East Terrace for supporters to get the the Jimmy Seed Stand.
I'd love to go back now that I understand about the history of the club.
I remember not having a ticket for the match so drove down on the off-chance that I might be lucky enough to get a 'spare' from another fan. I walked up and down the hill for an hour and, incredibly, foubnd someone with a spare ticket that got me into the South Stand. Legends on the pitch and the releasing of the balloons are my lasting memories. Tears flowed that day, for sure.
As someone who was at St Andrews for the Leeds play-off game, Stamford Bridge for the Chelsea game, Carlisle for 2 promotions, last game at the Valley against Stoke, Highbury for the 4-2 win, Tree clearing on ther terraces, present when Hales and Flanagan had their fight, at Wembley for the Sunderland game AND the Full Members Cup defeat against Blackburn, Allan Simonsen's reserve team debut at the Valley, Harlow Town away in the FA cup and a season ticket holder at Selhurst and Upton Park(s), I'd say I'm a fairly hardened, loyalist. Great memories, all of them.
Comments
It was my 26th birthday and certainly my most memorable one, lovely day just me and my brother doing what we love, watching our team win back where they belong : )
There was gap in the old turnstiles where the wooden door had broken away so the JR's and locals made our way though, up and down the Covered End stairs and onto the immaculate pitch for an impromptu match on the half near to the Covered end.
Jackets were of course used for goal posts and the locals soon took a 2-0 lead before a certain DanDavis pulled one back for the Junior Reds. The game promptly ended when we got chased off by one of the groundsmen but I still say that I and not Colin Walsh actually scored "Charltons" first goal back at The Valley!
Very proud of what this club achieved in that period.
The Valley is our home & always will be.
After being heavily involved in getting us back and being one of the people at the first meeting to issue VOTV i was not there to my eternal shame as i was in India looking like jesus stoned out of my bonce. Happy days.
Twenty years ago tomorrow. Jesus I feel old.
I usually drive to home games, but for this one I retraced my old steps by getting the bus down to Charlton Lido and then walking from there, through Charlton Park and then down to the ground - just as I had done in the late 70's and early 80's
Before the game I remember the creak-creaking of the scaffold walkway that was erected on the East Terrace for supporters to get the the Jimmy Seed Stand.
I'd love to go back now that I understand about the history of the club.
As someone who was at St Andrews for the Leeds play-off game, Stamford Bridge for the Chelsea game, Carlisle for 2 promotions, last game at the Valley against Stoke, Highbury for the 4-2 win, Tree clearing on ther terraces, present when Hales and Flanagan had their fight, at Wembley for the Sunderland game AND the Full Members Cup defeat against Blackburn, Allan Simonsen's reserve team debut at the Valley, Harlow Town away in the FA cup and a season ticket holder at Selhurst and Upton Park(s), I'd say I'm a fairly hardened, loyalist. Great memories, all of them.