looking at his stats on wikipedia, he had his most prolific spell for us. Didn't really do it anywhere else, so maybe not remembered as fondly by other clubs.
For me it was the first real goalscorer I remember as I started following in 88/89 so Paul Williams (although good) didn't get 20 at the top level, plus dear old carl leaburn was not a goalscorer.
That 94/95 season and his goals I remember well as I was 12 going on 13. Football is all you're into at that age so when we got him and he started banging them in, I loved it.
The Watford home goal for me when we won 3-0 and he scored that lob, absolute peach. He was part of my childhood
This (even the ages). I'd been going to the odd game for a bit longer than that, but 88/89 was the first season I went to most matches my old man did, and of course a relegation soon followed! Willow was my first love, but as you say he wasn't properly prolific. Even now, we've had only a handful of 'proper' goalscorers in my time.
Whyte Mendonca Hunt Bent BWP
Five in nearly 30 years. Bit rubbish that. Makes you love players like Whytey all the more though.
Same mate, my first real memory (even though I had gone to games prior) was John Aldridge's hat trick against us when we lost 3-0 at selhurst
I've seen them all going back to Tees and Treacy, and Whytey was up there with the best of them.
That free kick vs Brentford in the cup was one of the biggest roars I ever heard at The Valley even if there were only 13,000 there. He didn't take many free kicks, his normal diet was crosses and through balls which he seemed to take in his stride and put away with ease. A really sad loss.
The best sound....David Whyte,Whyte,Whyte, David Whyte, Whyte, Whyte..... Best goal was it against Leicester at Upton Park? Are there any videos in existence? Gone but definitely not forgotten.
That goal's on the first page of this thread mate.
Thanks. Sooooo good. Know of any more videos?
There's a few more throughout the early pages of this thread, but by no means a comprehensive collection.Not many of his goals have made it into YouTube unfortunately.
Yes that was a great goal too. Think it was Phil Babb who couldn't keep it out on the line and headed the ball up into the roof of the net. Could've won that game had Newton's shot spun the other way right at the end.
Great memories of watching him. You always felt there was a goal in him no matter how much the game seemed to be going against us. A fantastic finisher and for me a bit of a Charlton legend.
Yes that was a great goal too. Think it was Phil Babb who couldn't keep it out on the line and headed the ball up into the roof of the net. Could've won that game had Newton's shot spun the other way right at the end.
Think it was Lisbie at the end. Watched the highlights when I got home - it was goal bound but the ball was spinning so much that when it bounced it changed direction and went an inch or two wide. Must have rewound it fifteen times and still couldn't accept that it hadn't gone in.
Curbs said he was unmanageable. Never really interested and always late. Remember a scorcher hitting the bar against Millwall. Great player.
My dad coached him as a boy at Sunday league level. He was a level above the rest of the lads, but often didn't turn up to midweek training. Back in those days if you missed midweek training you wouldn't play at the weekend.
In my 34 years of watching Charlton play, David Whyte is probably the player I think of the most
Probably my first Charlton hero back when I was a kid.
Remember reading a newspaper article after Andy Cole left Newcastle for Man Utd and he was mentioned in it as an option to replace him. Got me all excited that we had a proper talent...... truly believe if he had the mental side of the game in hand he would have played for England
He was great in his loan spell with us (that goal vs Leicester a big highlight on an amazing day), & I was thrilled when he signed permanently. A phenomenal striker in his time with us. A damn shame he never scaled greater heights. Gone, but definitely not forgotten!
Curbs said he was unmanageable. Never really interested and always late. Remember a scorcher hitting the bar against Millwall. Great player.
My dad coached him as a boy at Sunday league level. He was a level above the rest of the lads, but often didn't turn up to midweek training. Back in those days if you missed midweek training you wouldn't play at the weekend.
In my 34 years of watching Charlton play, David Whyte is probably the player I think of the most
Never seems to feature much when we have the "name your greatest ever Charlton side" type threads that crop up periodically.
The most naturally gifted player I've ever seen in a Charlton shirt. That shot against Millwall (New Year's Day '95) that Masicat referred to was, if I recall correctly, about 50 yards out and hit first time, having seen the Millwall keeper (Kasey Kellar?) a little bit of his line. If that had gone in, we'd have a thread on here about David Whyte every other week.
All of his goals were goal of the month contenders, mixed in with the occasional goal of the season contender. The standouts for me would probably be the solo run vs Leicester at Upton Park, 25 yard lob vs Watford, late freekick winner against Brentford to set up a trip to Anfield, and his final goal for us, at Elm Park, which he somehow smashed in from next to the corner flag, over the wig-wearing Reading keeper Bobby Mihailov!
Curbs said he was unmanageable. Never really interested and always late. Remember a scorcher hitting the bar against Millwall. Great player.
I was 10 watching that and George Graham was sat in the row behind, presumably watching one or two of ours (couldn't have been theirs!). Remember my programme being passed along the row to get his autograph. Found it the other day, has Whyte on the front as well.
Just remembered how you used to pick the programme up and look at the back to see what the team was...... it wasn’t the whole squad shown like nowadays.
I loved him, I also loved Paul Mortimer, Lee Bowyer, Johnny Robinson, Richard Rufus we had a good team then
He is probably the first player who I would get very excited about when he got the ball, real class player and had a lovely ball striking technique. Didnt like chasing people down as much as Nelson did but I can forgive that with him
Real shame his star faded so quickly and tragically
What a fantastic player and an absolute joy to watch.
A chance meeting springs to mind. I spotted (Palace manager) Alan Smith at a cricket test some time after he had swapped our Pitcher for Morts and Whyte. I thought I would show my appreciation for this excellent piece of business so I wandered over to him and offered a glass of bubbly.
Anyway, Smith was fantastic value and took it all in great humour. He did however explain that Whyte had a drugs problem and had from time to time turned up at training thinking he could fly. That is why they moved him on.
Watch from 2:25 for another superb strike away to Swindon.
Great vid, i was at the 3-3 draw at Notts County never seen the goals since that day...before the game some wag threw a pie at Peter Garland at the warm up, and he picked it up and finished it off.
Comments
That free kick vs Brentford in the cup was one of the biggest roars I ever heard at The Valley even if there were only 13,000 there. He didn't take many free kicks, his normal diet was crosses and through balls which he seemed to take in his stride and put away with ease. A really sad loss.
RIP
One goal not mentioned here was his precise lob over James in league cup tie at the Valley v Liverpool. Another quality finish.
Another great finish from DW though.
In my 34 years of watching Charlton play, David Whyte is probably the player I think of the most
Remember reading a newspaper article after Andy Cole left Newcastle for Man Utd and he was mentioned in it as an option to replace him. Got me all excited that we had a proper talent...... truly believe if he had the mental side of the game in hand he would have played for England
The most naturally gifted player I've ever seen in a Charlton shirt. That shot against Millwall (New Year's Day '95) that Masicat referred to was, if I recall correctly, about 50 yards out and hit first time, having seen the Millwall keeper (Kasey Kellar?) a little bit of his line. If that had gone in, we'd have a thread on here about David Whyte every other week.
All of his goals were goal of the month contenders, mixed in with the occasional goal of the season contender. The standouts for me would probably be the solo run vs Leicester at Upton Park, 25 yard lob vs Watford, late freekick winner against Brentford to set up a trip to Anfield, and his final goal for us, at Elm Park, which he somehow smashed in from next to the corner flag, over the wig-wearing Reading keeper Bobby Mihailov!
The quintessential flawed genius.
EDIT - Maybe my memory was being a bit kind but it was still a great finish: Watch from 10:40
Watch from 2:25 for another superb strike away to Swindon.
He is probably the first player who I would get very excited about when he got the ball, real class player and had a lovely ball striking technique. Didnt like chasing people down as much as Nelson did but I can forgive that with him
Real shame his star faded so quickly and tragically