I remember Peter Reeves playing his best football alongside Paul Went, both as central defenders.
Even though he was surprisingly skillful with his feet, 'Wally' Went was the big centre half who went for the first ball; tough tackling Peter Reeves mopped up all around him. They complimented each other well; a good combination together.
That first season they played together (67/68 season) Went had just been signed from Leyton Orient, the most expensive teenager at that time. Went was only 17, with Reeves aged 18.
And at right back 17 year old Bob Curtis, replacing Billy Bonds (sold to West Ham for £50,000).
That must have been the youngest back 4 in the League at the time, even including then 29 year old LB, Brian Kinsey. Went, Reeves and Curtis all matured together and formed a bedrock of defence for the next few seasons.
One of the best centre halves this club has ever produced. Apart from being good at bowls he used to read gas meters. Had a lovely chat with him when he came to read mine about the good old days. My mate from primary school used to live next door to his mum in Wendover Road, Eltham and every Thursday after school we’d wait for him to come round to visit his mum and then we’d have a kick about with him in the road or on the green. #ThoseWereTheDays
Was he a centre half? Not that I remember....he was a half back, as was the position description in those days. He in fact didn’t have that much of an all round game and certainly wasn’t really at ease anywhere other than in his own half. He was generally given the task of one on one marking of the oppos play maker and generally being an fing nuisance defensively and boy was he good at it. Was particularly well known for his takling from behind (far more acceptable back then)......used to send Rodney Marsh nuts on every occasion we played QPR (which was quite often in those days). He was a Billy Big Bollox cult hero at the time, especially at QPR of course. Marsh never ‘ever’ got the better of him, leading to many a tantrum and outbursts of frustration. Peter would just stay ice cool and simply got on with it, in classic Bjorn Borg fashion. He was never a dirty player either, just played hard, fair and uncompromisingly. Good honest pro and club man......everyone (apart from Rodney Marsh that is,) will have fond memories of him.
He was a No6 which technically was left half. Paul Went was the No5 which was centre half. But in today’s money, he’s a centre half
But he never played a centre half role MrD......that was never his designated position.
In those days there was only the one centre half & as has been said PR was a left half & would mop up from Paul Went & would keep the creative men quiet :-) A great No. 6
I played for a kids team called Sutcliffe Park back in the 60s and Peter Reeves did some training/coaching sessions with us. No clue why. I was awestruck, one of my Charlton heroes within touching distance. He was a very good, hard tackling defender.
England's tactics in winning the World Cup in 1966 signalled a big change in English League football.
There were no squad numbers in those days, of course ..... and shirts were still numbered by position in what had been the traditional WM formation:
1 GK 2 Right Fullback. 3 Left Fullback (defenders) 4 Right Halfback. 5 Centre Halfback. 6 Left Halfback (defensive midfielders) 8 Inside Forward. 10 Inside Left (attacking midfielders) 7 Outside Right. 9 Centre Forward. 11 Outside left (forwards)
By the 1950s, it become common for the centre halfback (5) to line up between the 2 fullbacks to make a defensive line of 3.
Certainly when Eddie Firmani was manager, generally Charlton were playing a 4-2-4 formation. Went (5 shirt) and Reeves (6 shirt) played in tandem as central defenders, flanked by the fullbacks as a flat back line.
The usual 2 midfielders were Alan Campbell (4) and Graham Moore (10).
There were 2 central forwards playing as a pair, Matt Tees (8) and Ray Treacy (9) signed mid-season, after winger Len Glover was sold for £80,000.
The 2 wingers played generally more forward than today - and most often were Harry Gregory (7) and Keith Peacock (11).
Anyway, I've outlined the 1967/68 team in order to show our formation of the time and shirt numbering. But strangely, despite the then new formations and player positioning, the shirt numbers were still referred to by their old traditional positional names (e.g 6 Left Half, 9 Centre Forward, etc) for a long time after.
Sorry if I'm teaching Granny how to suck eggs, but some of it might be interesting to younger posters. And I'm sure some posters can add more to what I've said.
Used to be a meter reader.......for British Gas I believe.
This certainly seems correct, if memory serves me right he used to bowl for metrogas.
Bastard of a green!
The one where B&Q now is? I remember having to go there while my Dad played and being totally bored.
I never played there myself, but heard Plenty of stories!
Believe it or not I played bowls to a very high level, I have my county badge, have represented Kent and Middlesex and played in The national finals at Worthing a few times.
I remember PR's debut. It was the last match of the season - 18 May 66 vs Norwich City. Already one Brian Whitehouse goal up after 3 minutes, Reeves scored an immediate second! Final score 2-1. A top player.
I remember Peter Reeves playing his best football alongside Paul Went, both as central defenders.
Even though he was surprisingly skillful with his feet, 'Wally' Went was the big centre half who went for the first ball; tough tackling Peter Reeves mopped up all around him. They complimented each other well; a good combination together.
That first season they played together (67/68 season) Went had just been signed from Leyton Orient, the most expensive teenager at that time. Went was only 17, with Reeves aged 18.
And at right back 17 year old Bob Curtis, replacing Billy Bonds (sold to West Ham for £50,000).
That must have been the youngest back 4 in the League at the time, even including then 29 year old LB, Brian Kinsey. Went, Reeves and Curtis all matured together and formed a bedrock of defence for the next few seasons.
That is still one of my favourite periods of supporting Charlton. Happy days.
Peter went to my Primary School 'Ealdham Square' but had gone before i started. In my time Richie Bowman and Mark Penfold attended and previous to them all was Cyril hammmond in the fifties. And more famously Davo55. I remember Peter coaching us at Eltham Green Secondary School along with Charlie Wright. Great fun. Peter's brother Johnny was nicknamed 'Tiger' locally if i remember, maybe Davo55 can confirm. Believe it or not but Hollywood Star Delroy Lindo attended Ealdham Square for a while before crossing the pond.
England's tactics in winning the World Cup in 1966 signalled a big change in English League football.
There were no squad numbers in those days, of course ..... and shirts were still numbered by position in what had been the traditional WM formation:
1 GK 2 Right Fullback. 3 Left Fullback (defenders) 4 Right Halfback. 5 Centre Halfback. 6 Left Halfback (defensive midfielders) 8 Inside Forward. 10 Inside Left (attacking midfielders) 7 Outside Right. 9 Centre Forward. 11 Outside left (forwards)
By the 1950s, it become common for the centre halfback (5) to line up between the 2 fullbacks to make a defensive line of 3.
Certainly when Eddie Firmani was manager, generally Charlton were playing a 4-2-4 formation. Went (5 shirt) and Reeves (6 shirt) played in tandem as central defenders, flanked by the fullbacks as a flat back line.
The usual 2 midfielders were Alan Campbell (4) and Graham Moore (10).
There were 2 central forwards playing as a pair, Matt Tees (8) and Ray Treacy (9) signed mid-season, after winger Len Glover was sold for £80,000.
The 2 wingers played generally more forward than today - and most often were Harry Gregory (7) and Keith Peacock (11).
Anyway, I've outlined the 1967/68 team in order to show our formation of the time and shirt numbering. But strangely, despite the then new formations and player positioning, the shirt numbers were still referred to by their old traditional positional names (e.g 6 Left Half, 9 Centre Forward, etc) for a long time after.
Sorry if I'm teaching Granny how to suck eggs, but some of it might be interesting to younger posters. And I'm sure some posters can add more to what I've said.
Peter went to my Primary School 'Ealdham Square' but had gone before i started. In my time Richie Bowman and Mark Penfold attended and previous to them all was Cyril hammmond in the fifties. And more famously Davo55. I remember Peter coaching us at Eltham Green Secondary School along with Charlie Wright. Great fun. Peter's brother Johnny was nicknamed 'Tiger' locally if i remember, maybe Davo55 can confirm. Believe it or not but Hollywood Star Delroy Lindo attended Ealdham Square for a while before crossing the pond.
All confirmed.
I had both Charlie Wright and Dickie Plumb coaching me while at Eltham Green - at tennis!!
Ps I was shite at tennis and not a lot better at football, so no surprise they didn’t end up on the Charlton coaching staff
Just as I remember it too Oggy. Remember how Billy Wright, England captain and centre half used to play deep between the two full backs. And perhaps the marking was more clearly defined in those days. The full back to mark the winger, half back to mark the inside forward, centre half to take care of the centre forward. There were exceptions of course, like when two players would be designated to mark Stanley Matthews.
I remember PR's debut. It was the last match of the season - 18 May 66 vs Norwich City. Already one Brian Whitehouse goal up after 3 minutes, Reeves scored an immediate second! Final score 2-1. A top player.
am sure he started off playing in midfield ,played most of his career in defence and then went back into midfield again ...a damned good player always remember him signing a programme for me at a charity match at the rectory field
Comments
Even though he was surprisingly skillful with his feet, 'Wally' Went was the big centre half who went for the first ball; tough tackling Peter Reeves mopped up all around him. They complimented each other well; a good combination together.
That first season they played together (67/68 season) Went had just been signed from Leyton Orient, the most expensive teenager at that time.
Went was only 17, with Reeves aged 18.
And at right back 17 year old Bob Curtis, replacing Billy Bonds (sold to West Ham for £50,000).
That must have been the youngest back 4 in the League at the time, even including then 29 year old LB, Brian Kinsey.
Went, Reeves and Curtis all matured together and formed a bedrock of defence for the next few seasons.
There were no squad numbers in those days, of course ..... and shirts were still numbered by position in what had been the traditional WM formation:
1 GK
2 Right Fullback. 3 Left Fullback (defenders)
4 Right Halfback. 5 Centre Halfback. 6 Left Halfback (defensive midfielders)
8 Inside Forward. 10 Inside Left (attacking midfielders)
7 Outside Right. 9 Centre Forward. 11 Outside left (forwards)
By the 1950s, it become common for the centre halfback (5) to line up between the 2 fullbacks to make a defensive line of 3.
Certainly when Eddie Firmani was manager, generally Charlton were playing a 4-2-4 formation.
Went (5 shirt) and Reeves (6 shirt) played in tandem as central defenders, flanked by the fullbacks as a flat back line.
The usual 2 midfielders were Alan Campbell (4) and Graham Moore (10).
There were 2 central forwards playing as a pair, Matt Tees (8) and Ray Treacy (9) signed mid-season, after winger Len Glover was sold for £80,000.
The 2 wingers played generally more forward than today - and most often were Harry Gregory (7) and Keith Peacock (11).
Anyway, I've outlined the 1967/68 team in order to show our formation of the time and shirt numbering.
But strangely, despite the then new formations and player positioning, the shirt numbers were still referred to by their old traditional positional names (e.g 6 Left Half, 9 Centre Forward, etc) for a long time after.
Sorry if I'm teaching Granny how to suck eggs, but some of it might be interesting to younger posters.
And I'm sure some posters can add more to what I've said.
Believe it or not I played bowls to a very high level, I have my county badge, have represented Kent and Middlesex and played in The national finals at Worthing a few times.
I remember PR's debut. It was the last match of the season - 18 May 66 vs Norwich City. Already one Brian Whitehouse goal up after 3 minutes, Reeves scored an immediate second! Final score 2-1. A top player.
Happy days.
Believe it or not but Hollywood Star Delroy Lindo attended Ealdham Square for a while before crossing the pond.
Here's hoping he's ok.
I had both Charlie Wright and Dickie Plumb coaching me while at Eltham Green - at tennis!!
Ps I was shite at tennis and not a lot better at football, so no surprise they didn’t end up on the Charlton coaching staff
Both suffered career reducing injuries at a young age.
Both versatile defenders / half backs / midfielders despite their relatively diminutive stature
Both ferocious tacklers
Both always unquestionably gave 100% to the cause.
Solly, in footballing terms, could be son of Reeves.
PR scored only once more, on 29 Aug 72 in a 6-0 thrashing of Swansea City. His last game was on 27 Apr 74 at Port Vale.
Tue 29 Aug 72 CAFC 6-0 Swansea City Att 4.283 Reeves 22 Horsfield 44, 52 Shipperley 75,87 P Davies 86
Tue 18 Sep 72 CAFC 6-1 Notts County Att 6.186 Flanagan 9, 61, 64, 70 R Hunt 38 Horsfield 41