Darren Pitcher - Question

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Anyone with access to one of the historical books, are you able to tell me when Darren made is Charlton debut?

According to the below website he made his league debut in 1990, I am interested to know if he played in any cup matches before then.

Thanks

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/charlton-athletic-fc/darren-pitcher-5888/league-appearances_a17414/

SporadicAddick

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

AddicksAddict

There's a bit of a problem there.  Admittedly he played in the BTTV game and was involved in the move for Walshie's goal, but there's no way he belongs on a site called sporting heroes.

SporadicAddick

Courtesy of Colin Camerons Valiant 500. He was still at the start of his career when the book came out and it records this match as his only appearance for Charlton at the point of publication.

DaveMehmet

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

I was there. One of the worst grounds I’d been to. 3 sided, adjoining a cricket pitch.

Got a lift back to the station in the back of a police van with the other hardy souls who were there.

@oohaahmortimer will shudder at the thought of our turn out that night.

SporadicAddick

.

soapboxsam

DaveMehmet said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

I was there. One of the worst grounds I’d been to. 3 sided, adjoining a cricket pitch.

Got a lift back to the station in the back of a police van with the other hardy souls who were there.

@oohaahmortimer will shudder at the thought of our turn out that night.

Cobblers to Oohaah, heroes everyone one of you. 

SporadicAddick

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

This was his only senior appearance (friendlies aside) before his League debut against Swindon Town on 25th August 1990. 

oohaahmortimer

I was at Northampton for that game , pretty sure we flew home by coach and I was back in Eltham by 11pm

SporadicAddick

DaveMehmet said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

I was there. One of the worst grounds I’d been to. 3 sided, adjoining a cricket pitch.

Got a lift back to the station in the back of a police van with the other hardy souls who were there.

@oohaahmortimer will shudder at the thought of our turn out that night.

I was there as well but went on the coach - glad to have been to the last (intentionally) three sided ground in league football. The police giving you a lift after the game was nice of them, particularly as they were absolute tossers beforehand... 

SporadicAddick

I remember Colin Cameron's "The Valiant 500" coming out and getting excited that there was a book about Charlton. We were still away from The Valley, we'd just been relegated, the only official Charlton news came on a Thursday from The Mercury, the inside news came monthly from VOTV (other fanzines were available) and Darren Pitcher was at the outset of his career. 

It seems like yesterday....

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Is there anyway of finding out if he was an unused sub in the 87/88 season? Do the history books show this?

ricky_otto

oohaahmortimer said:

I was at Northampton for that game , pretty sure we flew home by coach and I was back in Eltham by 11pm

Blimey, they had coaches with wings back then.

T_C_E

oohaahmortimer said:

I was at Northampton for that game , pretty sure we flew home by coach and I was back in Eltham by 11pm

And reached Larkfield by the following Tuesday. 😳

SporadicAddick

PopIcon said:

Is there anyway of finding out if he was an unused sub in the 87/88 season? Do the history books show this?

Home and Away shows every line up for every season - a quick look through the line ups for 87-88 suggests not.

Big William

The turnout was better than it could have been - it was new ground for most of us, which probably dragged a few out of the woodwork. I went with 3 others, adding up on this thread that makes seven at least :-)

Covered End

I was there, I recall a high turn out of CAFC.

Lewis Coaches

PopIcon said:

Is there anyway of finding out if he was an unused sub in the 87/88 season? Do the history books show this?

Last programme of season against Tottenham 2-5-88 shows all subs used and not used Darren is not shown.

Ormiston_Addick

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

If I recall correctly that was the night Matt Elliott - later of Leicester City fame - made his debut for us and he moved on later that season to Torquay before heading up the leagues with Leicester.

I have a feeling there may have been another debutant that night too - younger readers should bear in mind that in those days we only had about 18 in the senior squad and two subs only allowed so making your debut was quite notable.

oohaahmortimer

Didn’t we have Walsall away around this period in the League Cup at was it Fellows Park or something where they used to play and I remember another midweek trip similar period to Lincoln as well . Went to em all by coach and was sober and recall the turnouts being small , Covered End must have been pissed thinking there was a high turn out at Northampton it was a really small section along the side which may have given the illusion of a good number up there but no more than 250-300 max I’d say .
Thankfully official numbers now put a stop to the exaggerated numbers fans have had in the past !! 

The Equaliser

Ormiston_Addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

If I recall correctly that was the night Matt Elliott - later of Leicester City fame - made his debut for us and he moved on later that season to Torquay before heading up the leagues with Leicester.

I have a feeling there may have been another debutant that night too - younger readers should bear in mind that in those days we only had about 18 in the senior squad and two subs only allowed so making your debut was quite notable.

I thought Matt Elliot made his solitary appearance in the 2nd leg at Selhurst Park , if memory serves me right , because I was there for that one but not the away

bolloxbolder

Ormiston_Addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

If I recall correctly that was the night Matt Elliott - later of Leicester City fame - made his debut for us and he moved on later that season to Torquay before heading up the leagues with Leicester.

I have a feeling there may have been another debutant that night too - younger readers should bear in mind that in those days we only had about 18 in the senior squad and two subs only allowed so making your debut was quite notable.

I was there too. Other debutant was Steve Jacobs I think.

JohnnyH2

bolloxbolder said:

Ormiston_Addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

If I recall correctly that was the night Matt Elliott - later of Leicester City fame - made his debut for us and he moved on later that season to Torquay before heading up the leagues with Leicester.

I have a feeling there may have been another debutant that night too - younger readers should bear in mind that in those days we only had about 18 in the senior squad and two subs only allowed so making your debut was quite notable.

I was there too. Other debutant was Steve Jacobs I think.

Steve Jacobs was away to Lincoln (league cup) in 86

JohnnyH2

PopIcon said:

Is there anyway of finding out if he was an unused sub in the 87/88 season? Do the history books show this?

He was an used sub away to Liverpool in 88/89 but not in season 87/88

ElfsborgAddick

DaveMehmet said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

I was there. One of the worst grounds I’d been to. 3 sided, adjoining a cricket pitch.

Got a lift back to the station in the back of a police van with the other hardy souls who were there.

@oohaahmortimer will shudder at the thought of our turn out that night.

Roughly translated you got run by the locals?

falconwood_1

oohaahmortimer said:

Didn’t we have Walsall away around this period in the League Cup at was it Fellows Park or something where they used to play and I remember another midweek trip similar period to Lincoln as well . Went to em all by coach and was sober and recall the turnouts being small , Covered End must have been pissed thinking there was a high turn out at Northampton it was a really small section along the side which may have given the illusion of a good number up there but no more than 250-300 max I’d say .
Thankfully official numbers now put a stop to the exaggerated numbers fans have had in the past !! 


All hail the King of the Numbers!

ricky_otto

bolloxbolder said:

Ormiston_Addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

If I recall correctly that was the night Matt Elliott - later of Leicester City fame - made his debut for us and he moved on later that season to Torquay before heading up the leagues with Leicester.

I have a feeling there may have been another debutant that night too - younger readers should bear in mind that in those days we only had about 18 in the senior squad and two subs only allowed so making your debut was quite notable.

I was there too. Other debutant was Steve Jacobs I think.

Steve Jacobs! Blimey there a blast from the past. Shame he didn’t make it - he was a cracker. 

ElfsborgAddick

ricky_otto said:

bolloxbolder said:

Ormiston_Addick said:

SporadicAddick said:

Senior debut away  v Northampton Town, League Cup 27th September 1988

If I recall correctly that was the night Matt Elliott - later of Leicester City fame - made his debut for us and he moved on later that season to Torquay before heading up the leagues with Leicester.

I have a feeling there may have been another debutant that night too - younger readers should bear in mind that in those days we only had about 18 in the senior squad and two subs only allowed so making your debut was quite notable.

I was there too. Other debutant was Steve Jacobs I think.

Steve Jacobs! Blimey there a blast from the past. Shame he didn’t make it - he was a cracker. 

You're just taking the biscuit now mate.

tangoflash

Just as a bit of trivia..............Apart from a transfer fee, who were the two players we got from palace, as part of the deal?

Viewfinder

tangoflash said:

Just as a bit of trivia..............Apart from a transfer fee, who were the two players we got from palace, as part of the deal?

Whyte?

ricky_otto

tangoflash said:

Just as a bit of trivia..............Apart from a transfer fee, who were the two players we got from palace, as part of the deal?

Whyte and Mortimer.