I'm afraid I can Six-a, it was in January 1956: 5th. round of the Cup. We knew it would be a big crowd so my dad said that if we got seperated we'd meet back at the car( Mk.1 Consul, posh eh?) which was parked miles away. I was 9 then and we got seperated within yards of going through the gates (I had to go through the 'Boys' turnstile, of course). The crowd was massive, over 70,000 I think and the crush felt frightening, especially when Arsenal scored as there was was no crowd segragation in those days. I think that was the last of the huge crowds at the Valley and seeing that film brings back all sorts of memories, thanks chingfordjim.
Fantastic memories March (lucky you to have a car in the family!)
I always wondered, given that most of our highest attendances were against Arsenal and given local history - what percentage of the crowd were Arsenal fans?
Maybe in those days there would have been a lot of neutrals just out to see a top game?
(Maybe being 9 you were a bit young to take that in?)
A week previous to the game on the news reel, we beat W.B.A. 5-1 at home in front of just over 13,500, average that season was just shy of 25,000 boosted by circa 40.000 attending the games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U and a couple of thousand less against Spurs. So a lot of neutrals/visiting or big game supporters for the top games with a core between 15-20,000 for the standard opposition.
FA Cup semi-final videos http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=84919 Second part of this clip is the video of our semi-final win in 1947 at Elland Road (v Newcastle 4-0). No sound but you can tell it's our game when you see we're playing against stripes
And the semi-final v Bolton the year before. Some awful football, surprisingly, made me laugh, but the Duffy goal is class. Addicks of Donnington in the crowd second part !? http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=84919
My old man mum were there aparently mum was in love with bartram but then marrys dad 60 years now .My first thought was im not going up there im frightern off hights so my brothers helped me but i just could not look down .Even now im frightern off hights i still hold on but my son helps me now and Its only halve the size .
When I was signed on schoolboy forms for the club back in the early seventies, the coaches made us run up and down each isle from one side to the other, bloody knackering and scary coming down. Bet health and safety wouldn't allow that these days!
Every matchday was spent on it Chingford Jim, Dad used to pay the turnstyle operator whilst making me duck down and crawl under, then we would take up our position on the half way about half way back leaning on a crash barrier.
Memories: The peanut man, the banter, the half time score board plus a million others.
I remember as a boy being able to move to opposite ends of the east terrace to ensure I was always watching the goal we were attacking. It was stupid that it was closed on safety grounds because it was so big, there was always loads of space so in effect was a incredibly safe place to watch the game.
Before my time as I became an East terrace regular in 1958. We used to stand about a quarter of the way up on the half way line. In those days there was no segregation between supporters and we would happily mingle with families from the away team. As Muttley says quite a few supporters would migrate from one end to the other at half time and of course when it rained most of us would try and get under the covered end. In our 3rd Division days when the crowds were as low as 5,000 it is rumoured that the players could quite easily hear individual remarks made by the supporters on the terraces.
Can't see the video on the iPhone, but I have many fond memories of growing up on the East Terrace.
My Dad first took me to The Valley when I was four. He sat me on the wall at the back, from where the players looked like Subuteo figures. I missed the big crowds of the 40s and 50s. Being crushed was never going to be a problem.
I remember the peanut man, the scoreboard, the inconvenience of the TV gantry on the odd occasion we were on telly, home supporters changing ends at half time, selling off the top bit of the south terrace, the huge steps near the south east corner where the concrete had split, the cold and the rain. My Dad was a hardened docker and he wasn't going under the Covered End when it rained.
Fond memories, but of no comparison with facilities today.
I'm planning on putting together a collection of memories and stories from the East Terrace before I head off to Uni this September. I'd be delighted if anyone on here would like to share them with me over the coming months during the summer?
Feet through the bars at the front.Wagon wheel at half time from the seller that walked round. Percy Dalton peanuts,tanner a bag. Those were the days!.......Also red and white rattle,with a cog missing,given to me by a sports shop in Woolwich.......
My first game, 1971 verses Peterborough in the League Cup, won 5.1, my cousin, an avid Charlton fan took me, stood on the East Terrace, waving my first Charlton scarf, which I still have. I was hooked from that moment. The East Terrace, Covered End, Red Red Robin, I love it all and always will.
Remember that old guy in the white coat, used to work up the aisles and along the gangways until the 1970s: "Peanuts, Peanuts!" Sixpence a bag. No salt in those days. Percy Dalton's. Mountain of shells at yer feet as you were leaning on the barrier. "Peanuts, Peanuts..."
Anyone remember the rosette seller located on the slope up from the south west corner turnstiles in Valley Grove. Used to have Charlton and opponents favours plus a whole load of others. My uncle Fred used to buy me one every week and I had a collection on my bedroom wall. Wish I still had them. Found a picture on Google for the sprogs on here.
Remember him well SHG. Bought one when we spanked Cardiff 5-0. 1968? Sadly lost it in the 80s. Which was the match against Palace in the 60s when all the kids ran onto the pitch from the East Terrace to wave in front of the Big Match cameras at full time?
Anyone remember the rosette seller located on the slope up from the south west corner turnstiles in Valley Grove. Used to have Charlton and opponents favours plus a whole load of others. My uncle Fred used to buy me one every week and I had a collection on my bedroom wall. Wish I still had them. Found a picture on Google for the sprogs on here.
My first game, 1971 verses Peterborough in the League Cup, won 5.1, my cousin, an avid Charlton fan took me, stood on the East Terrace, waving my first Charlton scarf, which I still have. I was hooked from that moment. The East Terrace, Covered End, Red Red Robin, I love it all and always will.
Mine was around 69-70, but theres no way of knowing when, no programme, dad deceased (he took me) and I was only 4-5 years old and my memmory isn't that good. I would say to any father taking their son/daughter to their first game....get a programme, frame it or at least keep it in a safe place. I would really love to know my first Charlton game...but never will :-(.
My first game, 1971 verses Peterborough in the League Cup, won 5.1, my cousin, an avid Charlton fan took me, stood on the East Terrace, waving my first Charlton scarf, which I still have. I was hooked from that moment. The East Terrace, Covered End, Red Red Robin, I love it all and always will.
Mine was around 69-70, but theres no way of knowing when, no programme, dad deceased (he took me) and I was only 4-5 years old and my memmory isn't that good. I would say to any father taking their son/daughter to their first game....get a programme, frame it or at least keep it in a safe place. I would really love to know my first Charlton game...but never will :-(.
My first Charlton game was a 0-0 draw away at Millwall in 1966 when I was aged nine and we had recently moved to Greenwich, equidistant from the Valley and the Den. My old man was sizing up both clubs, was alarmed by the simmering violence on the terraces of the Den, and encouraged me to support Charlton. So it's all his fault....
Anyone remember the rosette seller located on the slope up from the south west corner turnstiles in Valley Grove. Used to have Charlton and opponents favours plus a whole load of others. My uncle Fred used to buy me one every week and I had a collection on my bedroom wall. Wish I still had them. Found a picture on Google for the sprogs on here.
Cheers SHG, you just reminded me of something. When I was young I had one of those. It was red with a foil cup (FA, I think) in the centre and the words Charlton Athletic printed on poor quality card. I guess I must have got this on my first visit to the East Terrace in 1971 because we didn't go there again for several years.
Loved those old rosettes, can remember my mum actually making a load for me and my mates when Dartford got to Wembley (losing to Morcombe in the final).....74/75 if memmory serves me right.
Comments
71,767 and three weeks later in the league fixture, again against Arsenal, Sam Bartram played his final match for Charlton.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=84919
Second part of this clip is the video of our semi-final win in 1947 at Elland Road (v Newcastle 4-0). No sound but you can tell it's our game when you see we're playing against stripes
And the semi-final v Bolton the year before. Some awful football, surprisingly, made me laugh, but the Duffy goal is class.
Addicks of Donnington in the crowd second part !?
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=84919
Wolves away 1955
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=38981
Every matchday was spent on it Chingford Jim, Dad used to pay the turnstyle operator whilst making me duck down and crawl under, then we would take up our position on the half way about half way back leaning on a crash barrier.
Memories: The peanut man, the banter, the half time score board plus a million others.
My Dad first took me to The Valley when I was four. He sat me on the wall at the back, from where the players looked like Subuteo figures. I missed the big crowds of the 40s and 50s. Being crushed was never going to be a problem.
I remember the peanut man, the scoreboard, the inconvenience of the TV gantry on the odd occasion we were on telly, home supporters changing ends at half time, selling off the top bit of the south terrace, the huge steps near the south east corner where the concrete had split, the cold and the rain. My Dad was a hardened docker and he wasn't going under the Covered End when it rained.
Fond memories, but of no comparison with facilities today.
8)
same here. They had a peculiar smell about them.