It has just passed ten years since my cardiac arrest, my journey has been, er difficult, watching Charlton win at Wembley (again) with my son and friends was something special.
For those of us getting on a bit, you can't help wondering if you'll ever experience anything like it again.
Sorry to pass on the sad news, you and I won't
Because will get promoted in 2nd place to the Premier
I have four abiding memories. The first is of feeling a little disappointed at the wembley way walk and experience as it all seemed a little plastic and you can barely see Wembley now for nearby developments. The second was my utter deflation at the own goal. I have a lot of stuff going on at the moment in life and it just felt like yet another kick in the balls. It took me until half time to get out of my own arse. The third was just the utter elation at the goal and the final whistle. The most compelling drama and total meltdown. Tears and hugs and just absolute mayhem. What a way to win. The fourth was our post match celebration. We were up for a party but the queue for the tube and the crap journey home just tired us out so we headed for the golf club. Only half a dozen there but a quite reminisce with good mates and a few quite beers was just what we needed. Almost a prefect day.
All the elements aligned - the number of fans, the noise we made, the recovery from a disaster of a start and the timing of the winner. Add to that the importance of the game in terms of our future - we can't be sure, but I certainly expected us to struggle in league one next season had we lost.
Scoring with 6 seconds left of the 49th league match. Unreal. Seeing comments from Doncaster fans laughing at us when Sarr got his og then eating their words when we came back. They are still bitter about the ends the penalties were in the semi-final second leg.
Having press ganged the lad into supporting Charlton and his first season seeing us relegated, it was joyous seeing him have a whiff of glory winning promotion at the new Wembley. However... after the '98 final, I said I would never experience a greater game of football, and that still remains the case today.
I thought I'd already seen it all watching Charlton but taking part in the fantastic full rendition of the Red Red Robin at the end took me right back to the mid 50s standing with my Dad at the top of the towering old East Terrace among crowds even greater than our 38,000 at Wembley. It really rolled back the years! Even if the match itself didn't compare with the 7-6 defeat of Huddersfield or the 98 Wembley win!
I fulfilled one of my biggest things on my bucket list ( I don't ask for much) but..bare with me...🤞🏻.on a cold Tuesday night in Colchester,(The Llera game),it just happened to coincide with my 3rd wedding anniversary,beautiful hotel,lovely day at the zoo,lovely food then the surprise of the game...(yep still married...),anyways after apologising in the away end,when we went 2 down,I was saying to my unborn about how sorry I am to be a Cafc fan & there will be good times & bad,I then wished & then promised that 2mth baby bump that if we ever get to Wembley in my lifetime I will take you & if I'm not gonna be around (yep deep,I know ) take me in spirit instead (we then went 3 down), my now 9yr old has known this story her whole life & after both Donny games that she was at,(she has been to about 25 games all in)she then realised that we were supposed to be away visiting family in SOF,obv she was nearly inconsolable ,but it was not till the thurs before Wembley,that mummy was going away to visit without us...,(bak when we were 3pts certain of a play Off place,I made the decision to hold back my self & daughter from booking flights till the Monday & of course the wife fully understood this)...well after the shock after finding out that me & her were going to Wembley it blew her little mind...at Wembley she went through every emotion,even after the 2nd leg of the Donny game she still couldn't believe what was happening on this day too...after joyous scenes & cuddles at the end she said dad,I Love Charlton & shame mummy is not here but if we had lost if would have been the worst holiday ever,but cause we won it's now the best ever...she still hasn't stopped talking about THAT game...I will conclude tho,that I was a boycotter of sorts only paying for under 11 tix for both of us,couple times a season to keep her interested,even tho she understands most of the stuff behind the scenes & cant wait for Roly to disappear too...she begged for a season ticket this year out of her own birthday money...so I too have got one (1st one in 4yrs) ,I can't find it in my heart to say no for the sake of £220 & the journey she wants to take following the Addicks...
Watching u bunch of nutters losing it when we scored then at the final whistle will stay with me & my littleun for our lifetime...thanks each n everyone of you...you know who you are...👏👏👏😉
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However...
after the '98 final, I said I would never experience a greater game of football, and that still remains the case today.
Watching u bunch of nutters losing it when we scored then at the final whistle will stay with me & my littleun for our lifetime...thanks each n everyone of you...you know who you are...👏👏👏😉