That first pic .... looks maybe against Millwall in January 1968.
We beat Millwall 1-0, with a wonderful solo Alan Campbell goal.
That was my first game when we beat Millwall 1-0, went there with my Charlton supporting mates, and got hooked, next game QPR again at the Valley 3-3 draw, and that was that,... away i went on the Addicks merry go round.
Why did they decide to build the South Stand back then, rather than keep a terrace?
Glikstein had some wacky all seater ground idea, and we were all meant to help fund it by selling scratch cards.
Jimmy Hill was on the board at the time and he was a big advocate of all seater grounds.
The plan back then was to make The Valley an all seater but not cover the east terrace. I wrote to Jimmy Hill back in the day giving my opinion. He wrote back saying it wasn't his idea.
I know this post is two years old but only just seen it.
This isn't right, is it? Jimmy Hill was on the board in the mid-80's in the Sunley era. The stand at the south end of the ground was built before then - late 70's.
Agreed, the plan to make the The Valley all seater (the putting of seats in the Covered End and the building of the Jimmy Seed Stand) was in the earlier 80s. Hill joined the board in 84/85.
Hill did make Highfield Road all seater when chairman of Coventry
@Off_it@JohnnyH2 I'm not sure of the date but do you not recall the announced plan to put seats on the East Terrace with no roof?
Hill was involved with the club at the time and it was no coincidence that he left us and made Highfield Road all seater.
I'm sure that the museum has a record of this plan @Henry Irving? I may well have the response to my letter among the boxes of Charlton memorabilia in my loft.
On the subject of the old Valley toilet facilities - my first game was in 1976 (can’t remember who it was against) - Dad took me by train from Dartford - walked down to ground and to back of West Stand - I said I wanted a pee - we walked over to these grey concrete block walls with no roof - Dad told me to roll my flared trousers up above my knees, and I entered what I can only describe as a vision of hell - there was a piss trough along the floor, but the whole floor was awash with piss, and the stink was unbelievable - added to that the smell of beer and fags, it was awful - I think those bogs were next to the Covered End
And yet I begged Dad to take me back to watch Charlton again and again !!!
That was however the only time I used those bogs - instead I would to top of East Terrace and have pee up there !!
I used to be fascinated on a dismal, cold, grey winters afternoon (particularly at full time as dusk was just setting in), watching the steaming piss rising up into the mist.....floodlit games were even more impressive, as the glint from the lights lit up the unforgettable imagery like a movie set. The smell, mixed together with the odd whiff or two of Elliman’s Horse Liniment from the dressing rooms was shall we say, unique. Ah.....happy days. I wonder if dear old Tom Morris ever got a iconic picture or two of that scene....knowing what a gentleman he was, I would guess not!
Wow that description really recreated the scene so well......The Valley at night in the 70's was a really special place....I miss that earthiness, its all so sterile now.
That first pic .... looks maybe against Millwall in January 1968.
We beat Millwall 1-0, with a wonderful solo Alan Campbell goal.
That was my first game when we beat Millwall 1-0, went there with my Charlton supporting mates, and got hooked, next game QPR again at the Valley 3-3 draw, and that was that,... away i went on the Addicks merry go round.
Remember that 3-3, I was only 8.....we had to move from the left side of the covered end onto the East Terrace due to fights, was probably the first time Id witnessed any aggro to be honest.
Why did they decide to build the South Stand back then, rather than keep a terrace?
Glikstein had some wacky all seater ground idea, and we were all meant to help fund it by selling scratch cards.
Jimmy Hill was on the board at the time and he was a big advocate of all seater grounds.
The plan back then was to make The Valley an all seater but not cover the east terrace. I wrote to Jimmy Hill back in the day giving my opinion. He wrote back saying it wasn't his idea.
I know this post is two years old but only just seen it.
This isn't right, is it? Jimmy Hill was on the board in the mid-80's in the Sunley era. The stand at the south end of the ground was built before then - late 70's.
Agreed, the plan to make the The Valley all seater (the putting of seats in the Covered End and the building of the Jimmy Seed Stand) was in the earlier 80s. Hill joined the board in 84/85.
Hill did make Highfield Road all seater when chairman of Coventry
@Off_it@JohnnyH2 I'm not sure of the date but do you not recall the announced plan to put seats on the East Terrace with no roof?
Hill was involved with the club at the time and it was no coincidence that he left us and made Highfield Road all seater.
I'm sure that the museum has a record of this plan @Henry Irving? I may well have the response to my letter among the boxes of Charlton memorabilia in my loft.
I do remember that plan for the East but that was a good few years before Hill joined the board and the plan for the East (As well as doing the work on the Covered End and Jimmy Seed) was occurring whilst he was at Coventry and doing their conversion to all seater.
Why did they decide to build the South Stand back then, rather than keep a terrace?
Glikstein had some wacky all seater ground idea, and we were all meant to help fund it by selling scratch cards.
Jimmy Hill was on the board at the time and he was a big advocate of all seater grounds.
The plan back then was to make The Valley an all seater but not cover the east terrace. I wrote to Jimmy Hill back in the day giving my opinion. He wrote back saying it wasn't his idea.
I know this post is two years old but only just seen it.
This isn't right, is it? Jimmy Hill was on the board in the mid-80's in the Sunley era. The stand at the south end of the ground was built before then - late 70's.
Agreed, the plan to make the The Valley all seater (the putting of seats in the Covered End and the building of the Jimmy Seed Stand) was in the earlier 80s. Hill joined the board in 84/85.
Hill did make Highfield Road all seater when chairman of Coventry
@Off_it@JohnnyH2 I'm not sure of the date but do you not recall the announced plan to put seats on the East Terrace with no roof?
Hill was involved with the club at the time and it was no coincidence that he left us and made Highfield Road all seater.
I'm sure that the museum has a record of this plan @Henry Irving? I may well have the response to my letter among the boxes of Charlton memorabilia in my loft.
Not sure Hill left us to make Coventry all seater - he did that with them in 1981, before he came to us.
From Wiki
In 1981, Coventry City converted Highfield Road to all-seating, the first club in England to do so, at the instigation of the then chairman, Jimmy Hill. This move, forced on the fans, proved unpopular, with attendances declining, and terracing was reinstated at one end by 1985
Why did they decide to build the South Stand back then, rather than keep a terrace?
Glikstein had some wacky all seater ground idea, and we were all meant to help fund it by selling scratch cards.
Jimmy Hill was on the board at the time and he was a big advocate of all seater grounds.
The plan back then was to make The Valley an all seater but not cover the east terrace. I wrote to Jimmy Hill back in the day giving my opinion. He wrote back saying it wasn't his idea.
I know this post is two years old but only just seen it.
This isn't right, is it? Jimmy Hill was on the board in the mid-80's in the Sunley era. The stand at the south end of the ground was built before then - late 70's.
Agreed, the plan to make the The Valley all seater (the putting of seats in the Covered End and the building of the Jimmy Seed Stand) was in the earlier 80s. Hill joined the board in 84/85.
Hill did make Highfield Road all seater when chairman of Coventry
@Off_it@JohnnyH2 I'm not sure of the date but do you not recall the announced plan to put seats on the East Terrace with no roof?
Hill was involved with the club at the time and it was no coincidence that he left us and made Highfield Road all seater.
I'm sure that the museum has a record of this plan @Henry Irving? I may well have the response to my letter among the boxes of Charlton memorabilia in my loft.
Not sure Hill left us to make Coventry all seater - he did that with them in 1981, before he came to us.
From Wiki
In 1981, Coventry City converted Highfield Road to all-seating, the first club in England to do so, at the instigation of the then chairman, Jimmy Hill. This move, forced on the fans, proved unpopular, with attendances declining, and terracing was reinstated at one end by 1985
Why did they decide to build the South Stand back then, rather than keep a terrace?
Glikstein had some wacky all seater ground idea, and we were all meant to help fund it by selling scratch cards.
Jimmy Hill was on the board at the time and he was a big advocate of all seater grounds.
The plan back then was to make The Valley an all seater but not cover the east terrace. I wrote to Jimmy Hill back in the day giving my opinion. He wrote back saying it wasn't his idea.
I know this post is two years old but only just seen it.
This isn't right, is it? Jimmy Hill was on the board in the mid-80's in the Sunley era. The stand at the south end of the ground was built before then - late 70's.
Agreed, the plan to make the The Valley all seater (the putting of seats in the Covered End and the building of the Jimmy Seed Stand) was in the earlier 80s. Hill joined the board in 84/85.
Hill did make Highfield Road all seater when chairman of Coventry
@Off_it@JohnnyH2 I'm not sure of the date but do you not recall the announced plan to put seats on the East Terrace with no roof?
Hill was involved with the club at the time and it was no coincidence that he left us and made Highfield Road all seater.
I'm sure that the museum has a record of this plan @Henry Irving? I may well have the response to my letter among the boxes of Charlton memorabilia in my loft.
This was announced in 1981 during our promotion season. I reckon it was to justify the massive increase to £2.50 entrance fee, a significant percentage increase at the time but hey everyone got a seat.
As an aside during the televised home game v Exeter in February 81, during the first half in the Jimmy Seed stand I protested about this. "We don't want no f...ing seats!". 30 seconds later old bill were taking me out to the enclosed cage by the Harvey Gardens turnstiles. For whatever reason as I was being escorted away the old Bill refused to accept @Addickted plea that I had shouted bucket seats! Nice try Nick ha ha.
That first pic .... looks maybe against Millwall in January 1968.
We beat Millwall 1-0, with a wonderful solo Alan Campbell goal.
I remember that goal and match very well. It was on a bog of a pitch, think it had been raining a lot before and perhaps during the game. I can still see Campbell sliding in and putting the ball under the goalies body and it trickling into the net, I was right behind the goal. At least that's how I remember it!
Please don't anyone spoil it, I've lived off it for years!
Comments
I'm not sure of the date but do you not recall the announced plan to put seats on the East Terrace with no roof?
Hill was involved with the club at the time and it was no coincidence that he left us and made Highfield Road all seater.
I'm sure that the museum has a record of this plan @Henry Irving? I may well have the response to my letter among the boxes of Charlton memorabilia in my loft.
From Wiki
In 1981, Coventry City converted Highfield Road to all-seating, the first club in England to do so, at the instigation of the then chairman, Jimmy Hill. This move, forced on the fans, proved unpopular, with attendances declining, and terracing was reinstated at one end by 1985
As an aside during the televised home game v Exeter in February 81, during the first half in the Jimmy Seed stand I protested about this. "We don't want no f...ing seats!". 30 seconds later old bill were taking me out to the enclosed cage by the Harvey Gardens turnstiles. For whatever reason as I was being escorted away the old Bill refused to accept @Addickted plea that I had shouted bucket seats! Nice try Nick ha ha.
Please don't anyone spoil it, I've lived off it for years!