Whilst I compliment Henry on facilitating the widespread acceptance of the term "Spanner" into the world of the interweb, have not the Lions always been referred to in this manner in Sarf London ? Certainly in my family for many years, "Spanners", "Nut n Bolt Gang" and the such have always been terms of endearment offered towards the little scamps? Is it not a Sarf London tradition that IF you unfortunately had a Spanner in the family, who WAS NOT in prison at the time, they were in fact the easiest person to buy a Christmas present for in the family. A new socket set from Halfords would always be keenly appreciated, as by half way through a season, the anti social little turd's amunition would have been seriously depleted down at the Blue Seat Showroom or the Old Den in fact (for people under the age of 25...)
I think it was Reading away on the terrrace at their old place where a Millwall 'fan' just happened to have a spanner in his pocket, as you do at football, when a decision went against those nice cuddly Lions and he launched the afforementioned onto the pitch. Not sure if it was aimed at the ref of the Reading keeper
I've hated the Croydon W**k**s since the days of Big Mal when that t*ss*r Venables pulled Bob Curtis out of the wall for Cannon's goal in 1974. Dennis' goal in the last minute is my favourite Charlton moment. I voted him Player of the Season for two years on the strength of it.
Thanks for clearing that up I had previously thought that the term Spanner was used because the New Den resembled a Toolbox .
Actually, it was the other way around.
My namesake who used to write in Voice of the Valley dubbed them the Spanners after a spanner (it might has be a wrench) was thrown on the pitch at Reading.
After that is was a logical step to call a place with a few (very few) Spanners a tool box.
Stig will be able to trawl his old VOTVs and find the written evidence.
A full size picture of the said spanner, thrown onto the pitch at Reading, appeared the following day in (I think) The Evening News......this is going back 20/25 years or so, maybe even more. I can distinctly remember seeing the picture. After that they were known as The Spanners....and as Henry says, it was someone writing in The Voice of the Valley that first coined the name.
A full size picture of the said spanner, thrown onto the pitch at Reading, appeared the following day in (I think) The Evening News......this is going back 20/25 years or so, maybe even more. I can distinctly remember seeing the picture. After that they were known as The Spanners....and as Henry says, it was someone writing in The Voice of the Valley that first coined the name.
IIRC correctly the season was 1995/6 and the issue of VoTV in question was the one after the match in the snow. I think there was some debate as to how Millwall should be referred to - suggestions included the "Scottish team" along the lines of the Scottish play/aks MacBeth in theatrical circles - as they were formed by Scottish fans working in the Docksand/or the New Den resembled and I think was based on Ibrox, the scum and one or two other names. The Spanners nickname stuck. Even now I can't use a spanner without thinking of Millwall.
Palace were our rivals even when I was a teenager back in the mid 70's, way before ground sharing.
Correct. Rivalries in those days were more about what happened off the pitch. We couldn't take on Millwall away or at home but we could and did take palace. That's probably why palace would prefer Brighton as rivals nowadays.
Erm, spot on...Probably knew each other by sight if nothing else back then.
Palace were our rivals even when I was a teenager back in the mid 70's, way before ground sharing.
Correct. Rivalries in those days were more about what happened off the pitch. We couldn't take on Millwall away or at home but we could and did take palace. That's probably why palace would prefer Brighton as rivals nowadays.
Erm, spot on...Probably knew each other by sight if nothing else back then.
I dont understand why not so long ago all palace fans fiercely hated us now alot seem to say we dont care about Charlton? Are they saying this to annoy us or do some just not care?
Note the "we" - Forensic linguistics is a fascinating field of study. Palace ****
Comments
pitch - also a derogatory term"
Take a bow Henry.
Oscar "You will, Henry, you will"
My namesake who used to write in Voice of the Valley dubbed them the Spanners after a spanner (it might has be a wrench) was thrown on the pitch at Reading.
After that is was a logical step to call a place with a few (very few) Spanners a tool box.
Stig will be able to trawl his old VOTVs and find the written evidence.
After that they were known as The Spanners....and as Henry says, it was someone writing in The Voice of the Valley that first coined the name.
Congratulations on your promotion. Looking forward to one of my favourite away days again next season :-)
Note the "we" - Forensic linguistics is a fascinating field of study. Palace ****