Before my time, but would love to know people's memories of what they felt when they heard we signed him, what impact he had, incidents during games etc.
Remember my Dad telling me about a game versus Chelsea at the Valley where their fans were giving him loads of stick most of the game then he got the ball beat about three of them scored then waved at all their fans in the Jimmy Seed sorry South Stand. He then proceeded to repeat the same trick and waved at them again after scoring. Think the Charlton fans then started giving the Chelsea Scum loads after that.
always remember his goal against newcastle, I was sitting right behind it in the West Stand as he cut in from a corner and smashed it home...think that was Keegan's last game in London and we presented him with something ?
He seemed to need no back lift on a shot at all. I remember that he spend most of the games looking at the defense and midfield and making a geasture pushing the palms of his hands towards to say "put it on the ground".
Real class but other than Phil Walker I don't think we had another player who could read what he was trying to do or his blind side runs.
At one point he demanded his pay cheque before he would get on the coach for an away game.
It may be unfair and I'm sure he may well be a nice bloke and was certainly a class act.
But my abiding memory is that he was the first football mercenary to hit our shores and as brave and as romantic an idea as it was, the whole saga led us down the path to near financial ruin.
He wasn't the spark that started the whole sorry mess in the early eighties, but his arrival and the fees involved was certainly one of the main catalysts.
In those days CAFC used to get a few words in the bottom corner of the red heads on a Sunday morning. But overnight we became back page stuff. It was nice supporting a team that other people had now actually heard of ........................
Remember being shown around the changing room just before a game against Carlisle (i think) that season and getting my program signed by the team. He seemed tiny and i was only about 13 at the time. Always remember Killer in the changing room as well....... Simmo was a legend on the pitch, far too good for our team and was a priveledge to see him in the few games we had him for. If only Hulyer had HAD the money to pay for him.... Imagaine being able to go around the changing room getting your program signed 30 mins before kick off these days !!
Went a lot that season and can only agree with a lot of the comments in terms of the gulf in class. I think the other Charlton Players were often as confused as the opposition about what he was going to do next.
Had a hideous PE teacher at School that was an arrogant Spurs fan from memory in the week before Simonsen signed he was giving it loads that there was categorically no way a player of his ability would be going to Charlton. Shut the f****** up for a few months when he did sign.
I went to his home debut v Newcastle and can remember him picking the ball up just in front of the West Stand/on the centre line, running around a couple of challenges, getting into the penalty box ( at the south/Jimmy Seed stand end), playing a one-two with Hales, thumping the ball home only to see the goal disallowed for off-side.
Sadly he was spun a load of BS by Hulyer, promises weren't kept and he went unpaid on more than one occasion and turned up for one away trip with no kit or gear because he hadn't been paid (fair enough). But good that he has been back on several occasions so he seems to have good memories of the club and fans.
Can't remember too much about it, but I was mascot that day. The signed photo with Simonsen is on the parent's wall at home to prove it! Got a video of the higlights on TV that night somewhere, as I was on it for all of a couple of seconds kicking the ball to him before kick off!
He was indeed tiny. My uncle who had the faggot stand in Floyd Road at the time invited him home to Sunday tea and he had to sit on three cushions to reach the table comfortably, amazing.
I remember the Newcastle game and what stuck me was how small he was. He came soon after Keagan had returned to UK and put thousands on the gate receipts. I think it was thought that he would do the same for us but it was botched up from the start. The announcement that he was coming was made but was subject to delay due to a problem obtaining financial/international clearances. (i.e Hulyer was struggling to actually hand over some money). Then when he finally arrived he was carrying an injury and I think played in the Newcastle game, not fit and then missed the next few games.
He did look a class above anything we had at the time but it seemed slightly unreal that we were watching such a player. There were constant noises off about how we could or couldn't afford to keep him and of course he left on a free at the end of the season.
On a personal note, the manager at the time was Alan Mullery's former assistant Ken Craggs. I met him about ten years ago when he turned up to my house driving the mini cab I had ordered!! I didn't recognise him at first but I happened to mention that I was fed up because my team Charlton had lost the night before and he introduced himself. He mentioned Simonsen and how diffucult the finances were when they brought him over. Apparently Mullery never forgave him for deciding to take the managers job when Mullery departed.
There were rumours he was making his first appearance at a reserve match, so i went along with about 2,000 others. He was there - in the West stand, in a raincoat! I waited around to try and get his autograph afterwards, and in the end Richard Collins (still a director, I believe), took my autograph book and went and got it for me.
He was a superb player - but so much better than the rest of the team. Very embarrassing for them at times!
My Dad rang me at work and asked 'where does this wonder footballer you've just signed come from? 'Cos there's a fecking great pantecnican from Barcelona parked outside our house'
Got to know him quite well, though at first I think he thought I was a stalker. Lovely bloke.
Newcastle game, always remeber it, he was a superstar coming to charlton, bit on the small side but a class player, only problem was we couldn't afford him.
My best memory of him was an FA Cup game against Ipswich at The Valley. At the time Ipswich were arguably the best side in the country, certainly top 3 and we were in the lower reaches of the old division 2. We went 2-0 up in the first fifteen minutes or so and it looked like we might pull off a shock. Simonsen was superb but the rest of our lads just didn't have his speed of thought. Ipswich gradually pulled it back to 2-2 and it looked like a replay. At the death though Eric Gates broke away but Les Berry chased back and brought him down outside the box. Gates leapt in the air and into the box. The Ref fell for it, gave the pen 3-2 to them. Sickening.
Simonsen though was the reason we ran them as close as we did.
Was just a kid at the time but remember his goal against Newcastle. We took a short corner and he beat about 3 men then smashed it home from the edge of the penalty box.
Also saw him against Middlesborough - think we got beat 3-2 and he scored via a deflected shot.
I remember we had Chelsea at The Valley - and it had been a real ding dong first half and 2-2 at the break.
The second half, kicking towards the Covered End, Simonsen came alive and I'm sure he scored twice and laid on the third.
Almost single-handed he tore the Chelsea defence to ribbons as we won 5-2.
His close control in a crowded box like the ball glued to his foot as he wriggled around 4 defenders desperately lungeing at him - and then placed the ball calmly past the keeper in the tiniest gap.
i remember the ipswich cup game as described by len.
it has got to be the most unlikely transfer of all time.
the modern day equivalent would be ronaldo of brazil (european player of the year 5 years ago), signing for QPR (a team 6th bottom of the 2nd tier of english football).
I remember the Chelsea game most of all. Even though I was only about eight then meself, I couldn't believe how tiny he looked. The Chelsea defence seemed to take turns trying to hoof him into row Z, but it looked like they never touched him once, his feet were so fookin quick. Those goals were outrageous as well - unless my memory deceives me, on both of them he went past Joey Jones like he wasn't there and he was a pretty decent defender.
[quote][cite]Posted By: LenGlover[/cite]My best memory of him was an FA Cup game against Ipswich at The Valley. At the time Ipswich were arguably the best side in the country, certainly top 3 and we were in the lower reaches of the old division 2. We went 2-0 up in the first fifteen minutes or so and it looked like we might pull off a shock. Simonsen was superb but the rest of our lads just didn't have his speed of thought. Ipswich gradually pulled it back to 2-2 and it looked like a replay. At the death though Eric Gates broke away but Les Berry chased back and brought him down outside the box. Gates leapt in the air and into the box. The Ref fell for it, gave the pen 3-2 to them. Sickening.
Simonsen though was the reason we ran them as close as we did.[/quote]
Fully agree - it was the speed of thought more than anything. He would pass where he expected charlton players to be but they never were - eventually he had to come back more to their level in passing. Still great memories though.
I was in the front row of the old west stand with my younger brother (he was 3) at the Newcastle game. I remember him falling asleep during the 2nd half and still being asleep when Simo banged in the 2nd goal....
[cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]There were rumours he was making his first appearance at a reserve match, so i went along with about 2,000 others. He was there - in the West stand, in a raincoat! I waited around to try and get his autograph afterwards, and in the end Richard Collins (still a director, I believe), took my autograph book and went and got it for me.
He was a superb player - but so much better than the rest of the team. Very embarrassing for them at times!
I remember this , was n't it against China or something ?
[cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]There were rumours he was making his first appearance at a reserve match, so i went along with about 2,000 others. He was there - in the West stand, in a raincoat! I waited around to try and get his autograph afterwards, and in the end Richard Collins (still a director, I believe), took my autograph book and went and got it for me.
He was a superb player - but so much better than the rest of the team. Very embarrassing for them at times!
I remember this , was n't it against China or something ?
Really can't remember who it was against - thought it was just an ordinary reserve league match? But you may be right that they arranged it specially - all the more shame he didn't actually play on the night!
[cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]There were rumours he was making his first appearance at a reserve match, so i went along with about 2,000 others. He was there - in the West stand, in a raincoat! I waited around to try and get his autograph afterwards, and in the end Richard Collins (still a director, I believe), took my autograph book and went and got it for me.
He was a superb player - but so much better than the rest of the team. Very embarrassing for them at times!
I remember this , was n't it against China or something ?
I'm sure it was against Swansea, but I wasn't there, tho.....
If I'm right, I'll collect my anorak.
If I'm wrong, you can all laugh at me and I'll hide behind Hasselbaink
[cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]There were rumours he was making his first appearance at a reserve match, so i went along with about 2,000 others. He was there - in the West stand, in a raincoat! I waited around to try and get his autograph afterwards, and in the end Richard Collins (still a director, I believe), took my autograph book and went and got it for me.
He was a superb player - but so much better than the rest of the team. Very embarrassing for them at times!
I remember this , was n't it against China or something ?
China...LOL. It was against Swansea and we won 4-1. Mind you, we did play the Chinese National team in a PSF and we won 1-0. Didn't George Best guest for us in that match?
Comments
Real class but other than Phil Walker I don't think we had another player who could read what he was trying to do or his blind side runs.
At one point he demanded his pay cheque before he would get on the coach for an away game.
But my abiding memory is that he was the first football mercenary to hit our shores and as brave and as romantic an idea as it was, the whole saga led us down the path to near financial ruin.
He wasn't the spark that started the whole sorry mess in the early eighties, but his arrival and the fees involved was certainly one of the main catalysts.
Imagaine being able to go around the changing room getting your program signed 30 mins before kick off these days !!
Had a hideous PE teacher at School that was an arrogant Spurs fan from memory in the week before Simonsen signed he was giving it loads that there was categorically no way a player of his ability would be going to Charlton. Shut the f****** up for a few months when he did sign.
Sadly he was spun a load of BS by Hulyer, promises weren't kept and he went unpaid on more than one occasion and turned up for one away trip with no kit or gear because he hadn't been paid (fair enough). But good that he has been back on several occasions so he seems to have good memories of the club and fans.
He did look a class above anything we had at the time but it seemed slightly unreal that we were watching such a player. There were constant noises off about how we could or couldn't afford to keep him and of course he left on a free at the end of the season.
On a personal note, the manager at the time was Alan Mullery's former assistant Ken Craggs. I met him about ten years ago when he turned up to my house driving the mini cab I had ordered!! I didn't recognise him at first but I happened to mention that I was fed up because my team Charlton had lost the night before and he introduced himself. He mentioned Simonsen and how diffucult the finances were when they brought him over. Apparently Mullery never forgave him for deciding to take the managers job when Mullery departed.
He was a superb player - but so much better than the rest of the team. Very embarrassing for them at times!
My Dad rang me at work and asked 'where does this wonder footballer you've just signed come from? 'Cos there's a fecking great pantecnican from Barcelona parked outside our house'
Got to know him quite well, though at first I think he thought I was a stalker. Lovely bloke.
Simonsen though was the reason we ran them as close as we did.
Also saw him against Middlesborough - think we got beat 3-2 and he scored via a deflected shot.
The second half, kicking towards the Covered End, Simonsen came alive and I'm sure he scored twice and laid on the third.
Almost single-handed he tore the Chelsea defence to ribbons as we won 5-2.
His close control in a crowded box like the ball glued to his foot as he wriggled around 4 defenders desperately lungeing at him - and then placed the ball calmly past the keeper in the tiniest gap.
Sheer class.
it has got to be the most unlikely transfer of all time.
the modern day equivalent would be ronaldo of brazil (european player of the year 5 years ago), signing for QPR (a team 6th bottom of the 2nd tier of english football).
Simonsen though was the reason we ran them as close as we did.[/quote]
Fully agree - it was the speed of thought more than anything. He would pass where he expected charlton players to be but they never were - eventually he had to come back more to their level in passing. Still great memories though.
I remember this , was n't it against China or something ?
Really can't remember who it was against - thought it was just an ordinary reserve league match? But you may be right that they arranged it specially - all the more shame he didn't actually play on the night!
I'm sure it was against Swansea, but I wasn't there, tho.....
If I'm right, I'll collect my anorak.
If I'm wrong, you can all laugh at me and I'll hide behind Hasselbaink
China...LOL. It was against Swansea and we won 4-1. Mind you, we did play the Chinese National team in a PSF and we won 1-0. Didn't George Best guest for us in that match?