It does get overdone, maybe because we really did drop so hard after he left and that's why it sticks in people's minds.
However, lets not pretend that there weren't quite a few people who used to say things like "he's taken us as far as we can go". Maybe they were right. There were certainly some voices suggesting that we needed a change, let's not ignore that simply because it wasn't the majority.
It does get overdone, maybe because we really did drop so hard after he left and that's why it sticks in people's minds.
However, lets not pretend that there weren't quite a few people who used to say things like "he's taken us as far as we can go". Maybe they were right. There were certainly some voices suggesting that we needed a change, let's not ignore that simply because it wasn't the majority.
The archives of Netaddicks, 606 and Talksport phone ins will confirm that a vociferous minority wanted Curbs out.
People like me, @Sailor Browneye and @oohaahmortimer stuck up for him as best we could but were belittled and outgunned by louder internet voices.
I think it true that 'the silent majority' did appreciate Curbs but plenty of posters both on here and the Site That Must Not Be Named did not back in the old Netaddicks days.
The fact that vociferous minority made so much of their antipathy towards Curbs is why such articles continue to appear and, in the eyes of neutrals, can be justified.
I wasn't an internet geek back then (still am not, but do waste time on here...). I was aware of a tiny minority uttering such tosh but felt very much part of a large majority who really appreciated Curbs - remember the shock of the announcement that he was leaving and then all the "Thanks Curbs" messages. This really is a very annoying myth.
To me the first 4 paragraphs of that article sum up pretty accurately what happened, from reading things from back then. Honestly, there seems to be a new kind of myth emerging... that no one wanted Curbs to leave.
The majority of fans of other football clubs believe this to be true. The myth has become reality. I tried explaining to some Truro fans that it wasn't true, and they just didn't believe me, I'm afraid. The "Curbs Out" brigade were so noisy that Bill Curbishley pulled his car over and phoned 606 to defend his brother. Curbs' defenders, like me, were much quieter.
Called up LBC years back to make this point. A vocal minority were expressing dissatisfaction at getting draws v the likes of Villa etc from what I recall a day calling up 606 etc to vent.
Over time that was extrapolated in the media/ public consciousness to be an assumption / representation extended to wider sections of the fan base with functioning intellect.
It does get overdone, maybe because we really did drop so hard after he left and that's why it sticks in people's minds.
However, lets not pretend that there weren't quite a few people who used to say things like "he's taken us as far as we can go". Maybe they were right. There were certainly some voices suggesting that we needed a change, let's not ignore that simply because it wasn't the majority.
I wondered if he'd done as much as he could. But stopped short of wanting him to go because I thought he might have surprised us with another surge. If we had got relegated under him I might have been saying he should go. Regretfully.
I remember Curbushly giving an interview at the time saying that he felt that he needed a new challenge. After what he achieved at Charlton he certainly deserved to have a chance of managing at a bigger club. The biggest mistake we made was not allowing curbs to leave it was who we replaced him with. Dowie was given a huge budget and wasted it on shit players. Then Les Reed was given a chance having never managed a football club in his life.
I remember Curbushly giving an interview at the time saying that he felt that he needed a new challenge. After what he achieved at Charlton he certainly deserved to have a chance of managing at a bigger club. The biggest mistake we made was not allowing curbs to leave it was who we replaced him with. Dowie was given a huge budget and wasted it on shit players. Then Les Reed was given a chance having never managed a football club in his life.
The rest is history.
This^ he was also being touted as a candidate for the England mangers job IIRC
To me the first 4 paragraphs of that article sum up pretty accurately what happened, from reading things from back then. Honestly, there seems to be a new kind of myth emerging... that no one wanted Curbs to leave.
No one is claiming that no one wanted him to go - the myth is that he was hounded out by an angry majority that thought we needed someone better to take us to the next level.
Funnily enough I think there is some revisionism from both sides here. I'm certain a number of fans have gone back on wanting him gone given what has followed but yes I wouldn't have said it was a majority of fans at the time. Personally I felt something needed to change, not necessarily a new manager but there was definitely a feeling everything had gone a bit stale.
To me the first 4 paragraphs of that article sum up pretty accurately what happened, from reading things from back then. Honestly, there seems to be a new kind of myth emerging... that no one wanted Curbs to leave.
No one is claiming that no one wanted him to go - the myth is that he was hounded out by an angry majority that thought we needed someone better to take us to the next level.
He was supported by a less vocal/silent majority.
Just skimming through but haven't seen it anywhere about the majority wanting him out. In fact yours is possibly the first I've read trying to suggest a majority myth.
It's without doubt that there was at that time a vocal element that wanted Curbs out
I remember there being calls for him to go - especially when we would fall down the league after we secured out Premier League position each season.
I was as angry with those ungratefuls then as I am now after my suspicions were proved to be correct that we would spend years dreaming of what Curbishley did and wish it would come around again.
I, genuinely, fear that I will not see Charlton in the Premier League again in my lifetime, and I loved those seasons and never got bored of ‘Staying Up!’
I have no evidence but I suspect that those that were calling for UEFA Cup qualification have long since stopped coming to The Valley - I wish they’d never come in the first place!
I'm not gonna comment on Curbs, enough people have done that already. I absolutely hate that 'careful what you wish for' tosh though. It's the most horrible soul-sapping dream-crushing illogical nonsense ever. Whether I wish for something or not has no bearing on weather it happens or how good or bad it will turn out. I'll wish whatever I like thank you very much.
I remember there being calls for him to go - especially when we would fall down the league after we secured out Premier League position each season.
I was as angry with those ungratefuls then as I am now after my suspicions were proved to be correct that we would spend years dreaming of what Curbishley did and wish it would come around again.
I, genuinely, fear that I will not see Charlton in the Premier League again in my lifetime, and I loved those seasons and never got bored of ‘Staying Up!’
I have no evidence but I suspect that those that were calling for UEFA Cup qualification have long since stopped coming to The Valley - I wish they’d never come in the first place!
When people bring this up, I always suggest they Google image the following: 'Curbs out', then 'thanks curbs', and compare the two. If they still need convincing, I tell them to search 'Pardew out' as an example of what it does look like when fans want a manager to leave.
I think the speculation over the England job really sapped his will to carry on and that coupled with some noisy people being bored of playing in the Premier League every year did for him. I have to admit, I never would have exactly wanted him to go but I wasn't devastated when he announced he was leaving. It seemed like a good time as the team needed revitalising a bit, we were secure enough that we could afford to make a change (ha) and it also meant he left having not been sacked, which is the best you can hope for for a manager who has done so much for the club. The thing I find amazing though is looking back it's hard to see an obvious replacement who we should have gone for instead of Dowie. I mean, I'd rather have given El Karkouri the job than Dowie, but still, Billy Davies and Mick McCarthy haven't exactly gone on the be Premier League managing legends. I think we were a bit unfortunate at the time that there weren't a lot of great managerial options around.
Curbishley the best manager we have had in my lifetime. Even had money on him too become Englands manager at one stage. He could have done that job no ifs or buts. The understanding he had with the people who ran Charlton back then we will not see again in my lifetime. Even came back for his last match in charge at The Valley against Blackburn Rovers on a Friday evening the talk on the field from Murray and the final goodbye from Curbs i will never forget.
Thanks Alan for many happy days spent watching you team play other teams off the park.
An accountant at a company I used to work for argued over and over that Curbs' time was up. He was a season ticket holder in the West Stand but openly admitted he wasn't a fan but just went to The Valley to watch Premier League football. He'd never set foot inside the ground before we were promoted and likely hasn't been back since we got relegated (I've never seen him since anyway). I wouldn't be surprised if many of the Curbs' out brigade were similar types.
From where I sat in the East, Curbs' had a mountain of support. Many of us that have followed through adversity could really appreciate the position we were in because we had something to compare it to. Many of the newer 'fans' we acquired during that period had no idea.
as for Curbs ,peeps seem to forget he was saying himself he thought he lhad taken us as far as he could ---he also WANTED the WHU job. Im sure if he had been given the dosh Igor and Pardew had we would have stayed up
I remember telling my son to cherish those years as they might be the best it'll ever get. So sad that I was right.
Whilst the good days seem a lifetime ago we are only 2 great seasons (or even 1.5 depending on how this one pans out) from a return to the top flight where anything can happen.
With our current team, the spirit and league position we could be nearer to a return to that than we have been since the previous owners, particularly if we get new owners who have funds and ambition football- wise.
Comments
Yeah this irritates
Particularly 'clem'
However, lets not pretend that there weren't quite a few people who used to say things like "he's taken us as far as we can go". Maybe they were right. There were certainly some voices suggesting that we needed a change, let's not ignore that simply because it wasn't the majority.
People like me, @Sailor Browneye and @oohaahmortimer stuck up for him as best we could but were belittled and outgunned by louder internet voices.
I think it true that 'the silent majority' did appreciate Curbs but plenty of posters both on here and the Site That Must Not Be Named did not back in the old Netaddicks days.
The fact that vociferous minority made so much of their antipathy towards Curbs is why such articles continue to appear and, in the eyes of neutrals, can be justified.
Over time that was extrapolated in the media/ public consciousness to be an assumption / representation extended to wider sections of the fan base with functioning intellect.
If we had got relegated under him I might have been saying he should go. Regretfully.
After what he achieved at Charlton he certainly deserved to have a chance of managing at a bigger club.
The biggest mistake we made was not allowing curbs to leave it was who we replaced him with.
Dowie was given a huge budget and wasted it on shit players.
Then Les Reed was given a chance having never managed a football club in his life.
The rest is history.
He was supported by a less vocal/silent majority.
It's without doubt that there was at that time a vocal element that wanted Curbs out
I was as angry with those ungratefuls then as I am now after my suspicions were proved to be correct that we would spend years dreaming of what Curbishley did and wish it would come around again.
I, genuinely, fear that I will not see Charlton in the Premier League again in my lifetime, and I loved those seasons and never got bored of ‘Staying Up!’
I have no evidence but I suspect that those that were calling for UEFA Cup qualification have long since stopped coming to The Valley - I wish they’d never come in the first place!
'Curbs out', then 'thanks curbs', and compare the two. If they still need convincing, I tell them to search 'Pardew out' as an example of what it does look like when fans want a manager to leave.
Even came back for his last match in charge at The Valley against Blackburn Rovers on a Friday evening the talk on the field from Murray and the final goodbye from Curbs i will never forget.
Thanks Alan for many happy days spent watching you team play other teams off the park.
So sad that I was right.
From where I sat in the East, Curbs' had a mountain of support. Many of us that have followed through adversity could really appreciate the position we were in because we had something to compare it to. Many of the newer 'fans' we acquired during that period had no idea.
With our current team, the spirit and league position we could be nearer to a return to that than we have been since the previous owners, particularly if we get new owners who have funds and ambition football- wise.