Peterborough away in the cup was a really bad day out for the few of us that went.Beaten on and off the pitch.Peterborough away in the league was very different for the same reasons- for the many more that went
Late train up for the cup game, only 8 people got off the train I was on, and all of us got smacked in the high street. One bloke got quite badly beaten and glassed.
Those 26k crowds v Palace, Gillingham and Preston seemed much larger than when we had 27k sell outs in the Premier league. Probably because they were.
Away followings were good too. Particularly remember the hordes we took to Brighton, Peterborough and Palace. Didn't manage to get to the last away at Chesterfield but heard it was manic up there.
All great awaydays including Chesterfield ... @blackpool72 and @TEL also definitely remember Chesterfield
Brighton was always one of the best of the season
Certainly enjoyed the edginess back then as a teenager. Brighton was always a good day except when I got my nose broken....by one of ours on the train back.
I went to some games as a nipper with Theo Foley, but Andy Nelson's teams are the first which I can consciously remember.
I think the consensus is that he added discipline to Theo Foley's team in 1974/75 which meant that we got promoted. He only brought in a couple of players but the signing of the veteran Millwall legend Harry Cripps typified the attitude needed to add bite and experience to the promising team.
The following season the team kicked on and did well at the higher level Hales scored for fun and Flanagan and Powell also terrorised opposing defences
My personal view is that 1976/77 was his high point. He needed to sell Hales but Mike Flanagan stepped up and replaced him in scoring regularly. We finished 7th. I wonder how this team would have fared if the Play Offs had been a feature. At the Valley in particular they beat most of the top teams in this era.
The following season we narrowly avoided relegation after a post Xmas collapse. We survived after a bizarre 0-0 draw at Orient when Flanagan had already been sent on loan to America
The following summer Hales rejoined. On paper it looked like a masterstroke to bring back our former talisman for a third of the fee for which he had been sold. However, it caused friction with Flanagan which led to the fisticuffs against Maidstone. Again we only narrowly escaped relegation. Nelson's cause wasn't helped by calling the fans village idiots.
His last season as manager was 1979/80. This is one of the worst seasons I can recall whilst following the Addicks . Nelson threw the previously mentioned Cripps who had subsequently become his coach under the Bus when the season started badly.The club brought Mike Bailey in as 'Chief Coach '. There was ambiguity between them about team selection and relegation became inevitable. Nelson resigned a few weeks before the end of the season .
As has been said above Nelson returned as Commercial Manager a year or so later before departing for good in 1982. I think he moved to Spain to live after this .
Those 26k crowds v Palace, Gillingham and Preston seemed much larger than when we had 27k sell outs in the Premier league. Probably because they were.
Away followings were good too. Particularly remember the hordes we took to Brighton, Peterborough and Palace. Didn't manage to get to the last away at Chesterfield but heard it was manic up there.
All great awaydays including Chesterfield ... @blackpool72 and @TEL also definitely remember Chesterfield
Brighton was always one of the best of the season
Certainly enjoyed the edginess back then as a teenager. Brighton was always a good day except when I got my nose broken....by one of ours on the train back.
Thanks for the reminder, caught the second half. I was on the railings behind the goal and ran on after Flanagans winner. Just out of shot unfortunately but was caught on TV doing the same a month later v Bournemouth.
The second game showed the Baseball Ground pitch in all its glory. Truly shocking. Would love to see the pampered prem players ply their trade on it, ha ha.
Thanks for the reminder, caught the second half. I was on the railings behind the goal and ran on after Flanagans winner. Just out of shot unfortunately but was caught on TV doing the same a month later v Bournemouth.
The second game showed the Baseball Ground pitch in all its glory. Truly shocking. Would love to see the pampered prem players ply their trade on it, ha ha.
I thought The Valley pitch was poor until the Derby game came on !
I was there too and remember the long throw by Mark Penfold before the game, to raise money for a young kidney patient. Lead to me getting a mention in the programme at the Bournemouth home game a few weeks later ! Brian Moore summed up Nelson’s attacking style during the commentary: 40 goals in 17 home games, the most in the entire football league.
Peterborough away in the cup was a really bad day out for the few of us that went.Beaten on and off the pitch.Peterborough away in the league was very different for the same reasons- for the many more that went
Yes I went to both. We got battered in the first game. We told them we would be back and they certainly got paid back for the first game.
it was just good to see him, one of our better managers who liked open football, defending was not the strongest part of his teams, anyway that is how remember it. As an aside pitches by February were mostly bobbly and mud, But the positive from that is made the chances of shock results more likely, football more unpredictable then.
Nelson was manager when I first started supporting Charlton, I do recall being on a train with Jeff Wood sitting on the seat behind me. He was slagging off the club and Nelson big time. My ears were burning. I was disappointed when the train got into London Bridge. The biggest thing I can remember from that was how we missed out on getting Alan Devonshire who was doing very well at West Ham at the time.
We did have a fantastic attack and to be honest, not the best defence, under him.
He was a bit of a scapegoat and some fans were merciless towards him. a young player, so Nelson had a point. Shaw improved but I don't think he was ever a favourite. He just was not viewed as a complete liability.
He was a bit of a scapegoat and some fans were merciless towards him. a young player, so Nelson had a point. Shaw improved but I don't think he was ever a favourite. He just was not viewed as a complete liability.
I think he did become a favourite.
Along with Les Berry he formed a very sound central defensive unit which was at the heart of the 1980/81 promotion team.
Before lockdown he was also at most of our home matches.
Shaw was a bit slow and cumbersome and prone to making costly mistakes. I think he came from Stains or some other non league side, and took some time to get up to speed. However, he developed into a very solid, accomplished defender, and scored an absolute screamer at the Den, which turned him into a fans favourite.
Shaw was a bit slow and cumbersome and prone to making costly mistakes. I think he came from Stains or some other non league side, and took some time to get up to speed. However, he developed into a very solid, accomplished defender, and scored an absolute screamer at the Den, which turned him into a fans favourite.
He scored an absolute screamer of an OG when we played down at Brighton. Our goal keeper Jeff Wood commented after it was one of the best shots and didn’t stand a chance. I was there, a peach of a volley. That aside I always remember Shaw as good solid defender. There were certainly worse to come over the years.
He was a bit of a scapegoat and some fans were merciless towards him. a young player, so Nelson had a point. Shaw improved but I don't think he was ever a favourite. He just was not viewed as a complete liability.
I think he did become a favourite.
Along with Les Berry he formed a very sound central defensive unit which was at the heart of the 1980/81 promotion team.
Before lockdown he was also at most of our home matches.
He was a bit of a scapegoat and some fans were merciless towards him. a young player, so Nelson had a point. Shaw improved but I don't think he was ever a favourite. He just was not viewed as a complete liability.
I think he did become a favourite.
Along with Les Berry he formed a very sound central defensive unit which was at the heart of the 1980/81 promotion team.
Before lockdown he was also at most of our home matches.
I think some fans tried to be positive about him because of the negative ones. He did improve and I do recall visually seeing the criticism affecting him during a match at the Valley. It was nasty and relentless aimed at a young lad.
We saw the same with Leaburn. I think half of our fans rated him but those that didn't were cruel and nasty. I nearly had fights with a couple over it.
I thought Andy Nelson called the Charlton fans village Idiots because they chanted that Peter Shaw was a wanker ?
Peter struggled when he first came into the team but improved and ended up a fans favourite before injury curtailed his Charlton Career.
All from memory so could be bollocks ?
I remember this vividly. At one Valley match we sang "we all agree, Peter Shaw is a wanker" along with the visiting fans. He did improve and became a very solid defender during the 1980-81 season and beyond.
I went to some games as a nipper with Theo Foley, but Andy Nelson's teams are the first which I can consciously remember.
I think the consensus is that he added discipline to Theo Foley's team in 1974/75 which meant that we got promoted. He only brought in a couple of players but the signing of the veteran Millwall legend Harry Cripps typified the attitude needed to add bite and experience to the promising team.
The following season the team kicked on and did well at the higher level Hales scored for fun and Flanagan and Powell also terrorised opposing defences
My personal view is that 1976/77 was his high point. He needed to sell Hales but Mike Flanagan stepped up and replaced him in scoring regularly. We finished 7th. I wonder how this team would have fared if the Play Offs had been a feature. At the Valley in particular they beat most of the top teams in this era.
The following season we narrowly avoided relegation after a post Xmas collapse. We survived after a bizarre 0-0 draw at Orient when Flanagan had already been sent on loan to America
The following summer Hales rejoined. On paper it looked like a masterstroke to bring back our former talisman for a third of the fee for which he had been sold. However, it caused friction with Flanagan which led to the fisticuffs against Maidstone. Again we only narrowly escaped relegation. Nelson's cause wasn't helped by calling the fans village idiots.
His last season as manager was 1979/80. This is one of the worst seasons I can recall whilst following the Addicks . Nelson threw the previously mentioned Cripps who had subsequently become his coach under the Bus when the season started badly.The club brought Mike Bailey in as 'Chief Coach '. There was ambiguity between them about team selection and relegation became inevitable. Nelson resigned a few weeks before the end of the season .
As has been said above Nelson returned as Commercial Manager a year or so later before departing for good in 1982. I think he moved to Spain to live after this .
Under Nelson we were great going forward but equally shakey at the back. We were impressive at the Valley but very poor away from home.
I thought Andy Nelson called the Charlton fans village Idiots because they chanted that Peter Shaw was a wanker ?
Peter struggled when he first came into the team but improved and ended up a fans favourite before injury curtailed his Charlton Career.
All from memory so could be bollocks ?
I remember this vividly. At one Valley match we sang "we all agree, Peter Shaw is a wanker" along with the visiting fans. He did improve and became a very solid defender during the 1980-81 season and beyond.
It was the first home game of the season v Preston 0-3. The village idiot comment came after a televised home game against West Ham where there was a small demo , one placard read ' 25 years of sweet FA '.
I thought Andy Nelson called the Charlton fans village Idiots because they chanted that Peter Shaw was a wanker ?
Peter struggled when he first came into the team but improved and ended up a fans favourite before injury curtailed his Charlton Career.
All from memory so could be bollocks ?
I remember this vividly. At one Valley match we sang "we all agree, Peter Shaw is a wanker" along with the visiting fans. He did improve and became a very solid defender during the 1980-81 season and beyond.
It was the first home game of the season v Preston 0-3. The village idiot comment came after a televised home game against West Ham where there was a small demo , one placard read ' 25 years of sweet FA '.
Comments
I think the consensus is that he added discipline to Theo Foley's team in 1974/75 which meant that we got promoted. He only brought in a couple of players but the signing of the veteran Millwall legend Harry Cripps typified the attitude needed to add bite and experience to the promising team.
The following season the team kicked on and did well at the higher level Hales scored for fun and Flanagan and Powell also terrorised opposing defences
My personal view is that 1976/77 was his high point. He needed to sell Hales but Mike Flanagan stepped up and replaced him in scoring regularly. We finished 7th. I wonder how this team would have fared if the Play Offs had been a feature. At the Valley in particular they beat most of the top teams in this era.
The following season we narrowly avoided relegation after a post Xmas collapse. We survived after a bizarre 0-0 draw at Orient when Flanagan had already been sent on loan to America
The following summer Hales rejoined. On paper it looked like a masterstroke to bring back our former talisman for a third of the fee for which he had been sold. However, it caused friction with Flanagan which led to the fisticuffs against Maidstone. Again we only narrowly escaped relegation. Nelson's cause wasn't helped by calling the fans village idiots.
His last season as manager was 1979/80. This is one of the worst seasons I can recall whilst following the Addicks . Nelson threw the previously mentioned Cripps who had subsequently become his coach under the Bus when the season started badly.The club brought Mike Bailey in as 'Chief Coach '. There was ambiguity between them about team selection and relegation became inevitable. Nelson resigned a few weeks before the end of the season .
As has been said above Nelson returned as Commercial Manager a year or so later before departing for good in 1982. I think he moved to Spain to live after this .
The second game showed the Baseball Ground pitch in all its glory. Truly shocking. Would love to see the pampered prem players ply their trade on it, ha ha.
Brian Moore summed up Nelson’s attacking style during the commentary: 40 goals in 17 home games, the most in the entire football league.
As an aside pitches by February were mostly bobbly and mud, But the positive from that is made the chances of shock results more likely, football more unpredictable then.
Bob Curtis and Ritchie Bowman looked good players that day
We did have a fantastic attack and to be honest, not the best defence, under him.
Peter struggled when he first came into the team but improved and ended up a fans favourite before injury curtailed his Charlton Career.
All from memory so could be bollocks ?
Along with Les Berry he formed a very sound central defensive unit which was at the heart of the 1980/81 promotion team.
Before lockdown he was also at most of our home matches.
However, he developed into a very solid, accomplished defender, and scored an absolute screamer at the Den, which turned him into a fans favourite.
I was there, a peach of a volley.
That aside I always remember Shaw as good solid defender. There were certainly worse to come over the years.
We saw the same with Leaburn. I think half of our fans rated him but those that didn't were cruel and nasty. I nearly had fights with a couple over it.
Attends plenty of our games as his missus is a big Addick fan.