Those strikes are all so special. The way he completely mugs the two defenders off for the 1st, the touch with his studs for the 2nd and the pure instinct to control the cross and finish for the 3rd. Incredible composure for all 3...then he smashes the penalty home without a single doubt. What a performance. Watching that almost brought a tear to my eye!
He put in some great performances against us whilst playing for Grimsby and I remember thinking I wish we would buy him. Absolutely delighted when we did and he paid back that delight by the bucket load. The best finisher I have ever seen play for Charlton: If that Wembley hat-trick had been scored by Maradona then people would cite it as proof of his genius. Happy Birthday Clive!
I guess that the reason why there are not many birthday messages on here is simply because no-one thinks he will be reading them. I hope he isn't because he will think that it is gone and forgotten. Not a chance: those goals just get better with the passing of time, and the more we realise that that day was one in a lifetime. I still hope for something like that to happen again but even if we do win the FA Cup or something, I doubt that there will be a hat-trick like that again. In fact, I don't believe that there has ever been a better hat-trick in the history of football. Seriously: can anyone think of one? Happy Birthday Clive.
Happy Birthday Sir Clive. The most composed and deadly finisher i have ever seen in a Charlton shirt. That May afternoon at Wembley was a master class of what a striker is all about, pure poetry in motion.
without young Mendonca I don't believe we would ever have made it to the prem .. Happy 50th Clive, the best player for a season or two that I ever saw and still have ever seen in a CAFC shirt
I was discussing THE Wembley game with a couple of Sunderland fans whilst walking to the S O L this season .. 'he was a legend to you, really we never saw his potential, great player, great goal scorer, broke our hearts that day at Wembley' (that was them, not me)
I just had to watch the Wembley hatrick video again.
The 1st goal where Mendonca brings the ball down, turns sharply sending his defender the wrong way ...... watch those 2 Sunderland players crash into each other. Comical!
Comments
Those 3 finishes are pure quality.
Every time I watch I'm in awe how he has instant control, turns his man and the composed finish.
Sublime.
The Master Finisher. Charlton Legend.
Happy 50th.
But that was by far the best especially when you consider what was at stake.
Happy birthday super Clive.
Happy 50th, legend.
The man was a genius with the ball at his feet, in front of goal. Just the coolest finisher that there has ever been.
25th May 1998 will probably be the greatest day that any of us will ever experience as Charlton fans and a huge part of that was due to Clive.
Happy Birthday Clive.
That May afternoon at Wembley was a master class of what a striker is all about, pure poetry in motion.
I was discussing THE Wembley game with a couple of Sunderland fans whilst walking to the S O L this season .. 'he was a legend to you, really we never saw his potential, great player, great goal scorer, broke our hearts that day at Wembley' (that was them, not me)
I just had to watch the Wembley hatrick video again.
The 1st goal where Mendonca brings the ball down, turns sharply sending his defender the wrong way ...... watch those 2 Sunderland players crash into each other. Comical!