Don't remember any outstanding goals but, playing right back for 10th Royal Eltham Cubs way back when in a cup semi final against the 5th Royal Eltham, I careered Billy Bonds like up the wing and, as a left footed player, then had to worry about how to cross with my right foot! I went for it and Jeff Vaughan met it perfectly to send us into the final at Avery Hill Park.
This was over 50 years ago now so distance may be lending a bit of enchantment!
I do remember my late Dad, a hard taskmaster, praising me afterwards so it must have been decent!
Another Pre-season friendly, Charlton Park. I ended up playing for the oppo rather than be a sub. Flying overhead kick from the edge of the box looped over our keeper to nestle snuggly in the back of the goal. Lovely! I thought "That will teach you, you won't be making me sub again" Wrong!!!
Right foot penalty. Gave the keeper the eyes and sent him to the left. Tucked it neatly into the bottom-right corner. Absolutely nothing special about it at all.
Except that it was playing for a Charlton XI against an "England XI" at the Valley. And it was in front of the Covered End.
i used to have a recurring dream id be playing in a big stadium (probably at wembley for Cafc)...id go on a mazy run dribble and swerve round 6/7 defenders ,dummy the keeper and wake up as i was about to score
Latching on to a loose ball in the box and not even connecting with it cleanly, which threw the keeper, and watching it pee roll into the bottom corner!
It was 0-0 at the time and the cup final, we went on to win 2-0 with my best mate leathering in the second from outside the box into the top corner. (mine was better)
I remember the best goal I nearly scored. I had made a dash into the area from midfield and was unmarked, ball was crossed in and it was high and behind me. I decided this was going to be my moment and went for the overhead kick. It was high and I really went for it. I didn’t worry about landing, just getting a good contact on the ball. Instead of catching it in the middle, I caught it with the left edge of my boot and it went wide. It was a fraction away from being a great goal. My next memory is hitting the ground with a thump and being unable to breath due to being winded, that took me a good few minutes to recover from.
First sunday league goal came against a junior reds side ironically.
The best was probably over at coldharbour in mottingham one evening. Ball fell to me about 25 yards out, touch to control with the right and on the half volley smashed into the top bin with the outside of the left peg.
As a goalkeeper I scored once - playing for Long Lane. A free kick on the edge of my own box from an offside decision which I toe punted and caught it absolutely perfectly. The Teviot Rangers goalie, who was very short, somehow managed to jump under it. Strange chap!
The best one on pitch was on an easter tour to Valkenberg in Holland. I had a half on the pitch - centre midfield dynamo. I received a throw-in on my thigh, miscontrolled it but the guy attempting to tackle me ran between me and the ball so it looked like i'd planned it. I then carried it forward about 15 yards and decided to let rip with my (weaker) left foot from at least 30 yards and caught it flush. It flew like a rocket about 5 feet off the ground, straight at the keeper who shit his pants and got out of the way of it :-) I celebrated by doing the John Fashanu aeroplane celebration. (I actually scored a 2nd in this game rifling one in off the cross bar from 1 yard out!
Final one was in a 5 a side tournament about 6 years ago. They played a ball over the top and I was on it like a fat Manuel Neuer. I kicked it clear with a vicious top-spinning strike which was meant to take the head off the onrushing striker but it just looped up and dipped in off the 5-a-side goal crossbar and looked like i'd planned it.
As you can see - my game wasn't about finesse - just brute force
Two almost identical goals and my only goals from outside the 18 yard box...
Both I started at left back.
1st Ball came to me from a keepers roll out, i played to LM and he played it to CM who played it to RB, to CM to RM (me and LM pushed up so I was now practically LM) ball pinged to LM (not me) he crosses in keeper punches it out and I get the half volley that sends it top corner(opposite corner I was aiming for but hey ho).
2nd I played a long ball up field as a clearance, got caught in the wind and bounced towards the goal with some pace, keeper got a stiff hand to it and out for a corner.
Ball is played in keeper catches and spills it their cb hits a low driven volley that I just outside the 18yard box am in the way of and it flicks up off my shin before I cleanly volley straight back into the bottom right corner.
(After the 2nd one a missed an open goal from the 6 yard line as I tripped over my own untied lace...Hero -------> Zero)
To set the scene, my first job at 17 was for an Insurance company in the City, who ran 8 teams under the name of Cuaco. I was given the number 9 shirt in the 8th team, and right from the start I scored goals for fun, although sticking the ball in the net was my only football skill (6 in one game against Ibis). On just one occasion I was selected for the 6th team (what joy). In the first half the ball went to our right winger on the halfway line, and I from just inside my own half went charging towards their goal, noticing that their Goalkeeper was advancing towards me. Before I reached the penalty area, the winger whacked over a fantastic cross brilliantly onto my head and I headed it over the Goalie into the net from outside the area. I have always thought that had I done it in a professional game it would have been goal of the season. A couple of years later I scored in a cup tie for Met Police and was offered a trial with Edgware Town, such fame ! Fact is I was only able to turn up in the right place and finish well, but as I get older the story improves. I even mocked my Grandsons ( both much more talented than me ) this weekend, because they haven't got a Gold medal from Butlins. That kept them quiet for a while.
As a goalkeeper I scored once - playing for Long Lane. A free kick on the edge of my own box from an offside decision which I toe punted and caught it absolutely perfectly. The Teviot Rangers goalie, who was very short, somehow managed to jump under it. Strange chap!
The best one on pitch was on an easter tour to Valkenberg in Holland. I had a half on the pitch - centre midfield dynamo. I received a throw-in on my thigh, miscontrolled it but the guy attempting to tackle me ran between me and the ball so it looked like i'd planned it. I then carried it forward about 15 yards and decided to let rip with my (weaker) left foot from at least 30 yards and caught it flush. It flew like a rocket about 5 feet off the ground, straight at the keeper who shit his pants and got out of the way of it :-) I celebrated by doing the John Fashanu aeroplane celebration. (I actually scored a 2nd in this game rifling one in off the cross bar from 1 yard out!
Final one was in a 5 a side tournament about 6 years ago. They played a ball over the top and I was on it like a fat Manuel Neuer. I kicked it clear with a vicious top-spinning strike which was meant to take the head off the onrushing striker but it just looped up and dipped in off the 5-a-side goal crossbar and looked like i'd planned it.
As you can see - my game wasn't about finesse - just brute force
First one - disallowed (it was an indirect free kick).
Second one - goal allowed, but booked for the celebration.
Third one - disallowed (the ball going over head height in a five-a-side).
Right foot penalty. Gave the keeper the eyes and sent him to the left. Tucked it neatly into the bottom-right corner. Absolutely nothing special about it at all.
Except that it was playing for a Charlton XI against an "England XI" at the Valley. And it was in front of the Covered End.
I ad a shot from the edge of the box. It hit the bar, went straight up in the air, and with the keeper looking intelligently around for the bugger, it came back down, hit him on the back of the head and into the roof of the net, which is where I was trying to put it tin the first place. I think I was ten at the time, and little did I know I'd hit the highlight of my life and would slide down into Lisbie like faliure from there on in.
Right foot penalty. Gave the keeper the eyes and sent him to the left. Tucked it neatly into the bottom-right corner. Absolutely nothing special about it at all.
Except that it was playing for a Charlton XI against an "England XI" at the Valley. And it was in front of the Covered End.
No-one famous! (Unless you count my brother, who played under Ron Atkinson at Cambridge United).
It was an end-of-season game in 2005-06, when Charlton were had some sponsorship deal with T-Mobile. There was a competition where the winners were allowed to bring three mates to play "for" Charlton in a 90-minute match at The Valley. We all got a "Charlton" kit, but, as the sponsorship and manufacturer were both changing that Summer, they couldn't give us a "real" kit and we played in a generic red-and-white kit. The opposition was made up of T-Mobile staff, in England kit, except for their goalkeeper, who was wearing a Palace shirt. That made my penalty even sweeter!
We got to use in the "home" dressing room and had use of the players' bar area after the game. Not only were there some of Curbs' last pre-match notes on the whiteboard, (the previous home game was Curbs' last game in charge), but one of the players had drawn the obligatory cock and balls.
Apart from players' friends and family and some security (for escorting players to and from the changing rooms) there was only one person watching the match: Paddy Powell! (Although I think he was watching the pitch and not the game).
By far the best thrill of my sporting life!
(In case anyone's interested, Charlton drew with England 2-2 but won on penalties).
I don't remember ever scoring a good goal but I do remember once walloping a ball into the nuts of my boss, by accident. As we didn't get on nobody to this day believes it was an accident...
One of my mates scored a Dennis Bergkamp vs Newcastle type goal on a five a side pitch four or so years ago. Back to goal, heeled through defender, side foot 10 yards out bottom corner. Amazing goal. Drew the game 13 all against top, had an outfield player on goal, and an injured player for 3/4 of the game. Still remember it like the back of my hand!!
Despite playing in midfield I'm more of an Ozil player (Don't shoot), but I remember one i scored about 20 yards out, got it back onto my right foot and bent it in the top corner, keeper watched it go past, didnt bother diving. A beauty!!
Victoria Park against Victoria Park sth, I played for Balham town, made a tackle on the edge of the centre circle broke away with the ball, nowhere near as heavy as I am now 35 yds out and about to be tackled I drove a shot on a heavy wet pitch that had zero back lift and plenty of fade that rocketed harder and faster than any ball I hit and turned a full left to right and nestled into the top corner with the keeper at full stretch going the way the ball originally was heading, never made a ball move as fast or turn so much again
Worst goal I remember was my overenthusiastic attempt to swing a leg at an opposition shot playing 11 a side at uni, left back. Unfortunately I've never been a technical player and instead I managed to kick it almost directly up with some hefty back spin, lobbing our own keeper (who was poised to save the initial shot) and scoring an own goal. I then broke my leg in 3 places about 5 mins later, all managed in the first half. Witnessed by about 35 people.
Best was playing 2 on 2 on one of those 5 a side outdoor pitches with the metal goals built into the fences. Cross field pass in the air by my mate and I hit it on the half way line first time volley perfectly with power directly into the top corner. Only the 4 of us saw it.
My youth accomplishments are one goal and two own goals (played left back). My only goal was when I was trying to latch onto a cross but accidentally tripped, stumbled and it hit my back as I was falling and then proceeded to roll into the goal. So you can tell my career was short lived as I was destined for much greater fame as an accountant
Scored the match-winner for the California State Championship in 2003 during my senior year of high school.
10 mins into the first added time with the score notched at 1-1, i pushed forward from my CDM position. The right winger got past his man and i knew he was planning on whipping a ball into the box. I tussled with my defender for position at just about the inside 18 yard box when i glimpsed up and saw the keeper off his line looking to claim the cross. (literally felt like slow motion at the time). I then lofted a first time half-volley over the keeper that settled into the side mesh and proceeded to celebrate wildly. Best goal and most meaningful i have ever scored.
Not a goal in the traditional sense.......but I did hit a rocket of a volley into the fuck-pots of my PE teacher (Mr Jones) on pitch 3 at Eltham Green circa 1984.
Many years ago playing on grass 5 a side pitch with a tennis ball. The ball was throw to me out on the left wing,i let it drop over my right shoulder and hit a wonder volley with my left( so usually useless i wonder why i bother buying shoes for it) which fizzed into the top corner passed a very stunned mate in goal.
Any other goal was usually a tap in from a few yards out.
Not a goal in the traditional sense.......but I did hit a rocket of a volley into the fuck-pots of my PE teacher (Mr Jones) on pitch 3 at Eltham Green circa 1984.
Mr Jones(my PE teacher as well) i used to see him running around the fields in New Eltham after i left in 1982.
Comments
This was over 50 years ago now so distance may be lending a bit of enchantment!
I do remember my late Dad, a hard taskmaster, praising me afterwards so it must have been decent!
Except that it was playing for a Charlton XI against an "England XI" at the Valley. And it was in front of the Covered End.
It was 0-0 at the time and the cup final, we went on to win 2-0 with my best mate leathering in the second from outside the box into the top corner. (mine was better)
The best was probably over at coldharbour in mottingham one evening.
Ball fell to me about 25 yards out, touch to control with the right and on the half volley smashed into the top bin with the outside of the left peg.
As a goalkeeper I scored once - playing for Long Lane. A free kick on the edge of my own box from an offside decision which I toe punted and caught it absolutely perfectly. The Teviot Rangers goalie, who was very short, somehow managed to jump under it. Strange chap!
The best one on pitch was on an easter tour to Valkenberg in Holland. I had a half on the pitch - centre midfield dynamo. I received a throw-in on my thigh, miscontrolled it but the guy attempting to tackle me ran between me and the ball so it looked like i'd planned it. I then carried it forward about 15 yards and decided to let rip with my (weaker) left foot from at least 30 yards and caught it flush. It flew like a rocket about 5 feet off the ground, straight at the keeper who shit his pants and got out of the way of it :-) I celebrated by doing the John Fashanu aeroplane celebration. (I actually scored a 2nd in this game rifling one in off the cross bar from 1 yard out!
Final one was in a 5 a side tournament about 6 years ago. They played a ball over the top and I was on it like a fat Manuel Neuer. I kicked it clear with a vicious top-spinning strike which was meant to take the head off the onrushing striker but it just looped up and dipped in off the 5-a-side goal crossbar and looked like i'd planned it.
As you can see - my game wasn't about finesse - just brute force
Both I started at left back.
1st
Ball came to me from a keepers roll out, i played to LM and he played it to CM who played it to RB, to CM to RM (me and LM pushed up so I was now practically LM) ball pinged to LM (not me) he crosses in keeper punches it out and I get the half volley that sends it top corner(opposite corner I was aiming for but hey ho).
2nd
I played a long ball up field as a clearance, got caught in the wind and bounced towards the goal with some pace, keeper got a stiff hand to it and out for a corner.
Ball is played in keeper catches and spills it their cb hits a low driven volley that I just outside the 18yard box am in the way of and it flicks up off my shin before I cleanly volley straight back into the bottom right corner.
(After the 2nd one a missed an open goal from the 6 yard line as I tripped over my own untied lace...Hero -------> Zero)
Second one - goal allowed, but booked for the celebration.
Third one - disallowed (the ball going over head height in a five-a-side).
;-)
It was an end-of-season game in 2005-06, when Charlton were had some sponsorship deal with T-Mobile. There was a competition where the winners were allowed to bring three mates to play "for" Charlton in a 90-minute match at The Valley. We all got a "Charlton" kit, but, as the sponsorship and manufacturer were both changing that Summer, they couldn't give us a "real" kit and we played in a generic red-and-white kit. The opposition was made up of T-Mobile staff, in England kit, except for their goalkeeper, who was wearing a Palace shirt. That made my penalty even sweeter!
We got to use in the "home" dressing room and had use of the players' bar area after the game. Not only were there some of Curbs' last pre-match notes on the whiteboard, (the previous home game was Curbs' last game in charge), but one of the players had drawn the obligatory cock and balls.
Apart from players' friends and family and some security (for escorting players to and from the changing rooms) there was only one person watching the match: Paddy Powell! (Although I think he was watching the pitch and not the game).
By far the best thrill of my sporting life!
(In case anyone's interested, Charlton drew with England 2-2 but won on penalties).
Unfortunately, I then woke up ... :-(
Think if anyone ever managed that it be the most ridiculously cool goal ever.
One of my mates scored a Dennis Bergkamp vs Newcastle type goal on a five a side pitch four or so years ago. Back to goal, heeled through defender, side foot 10 yards out bottom corner. Amazing goal.
Drew the game 13 all against top, had an outfield player on goal, and an injured player for 3/4 of the game. Still remember it like the back of my hand!!
Despite playing in midfield I'm more of an Ozil player (Don't shoot), but I remember one i scored about 20 yards out, got it back onto my right foot and bent it in the top corner, keeper watched it go past, didnt bother diving. A beauty!!
Other was a 10 yard tap in during a warm up but it was on The Valley's hallowed turf so that makes it memorable.
Best was playing 2 on 2 on one of those 5 a side outdoor pitches with the metal goals built into the fences. Cross field pass in the air by my mate and I hit it on the half way line first time volley perfectly with power directly into the top corner. Only the 4 of us saw it.
10 mins into the first added time with the score notched at 1-1, i pushed forward from my CDM position. The right winger got past his man and i knew he was planning on whipping a ball into the box. I tussled with my defender for position at just about the inside 18 yard box when i glimpsed up and saw the keeper off his line looking to claim the cross. (literally felt like slow motion at the time). I then lofted a first time half-volley over the keeper that settled into the side mesh and proceeded to celebrate wildly. Best goal and most meaningful i have ever scored.
Any other goal was usually a tap in from a few yards out.