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2nd April 1989

Addickted
Addickted Posts: 19,456
in General Charlton

«13

Comments

  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    Was there.
    One of the greatest and most emotional days I ever experienced.
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 6,913
    I played in the game bottom right, but not in the picture..

    I regret helping to burn some of what were probably the original 1921 main stand seats on the centre circle. Luckily a short section survived and have made it to the museum...
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,083
    And I was there.
  • Lewis Coaches
    Lewis Coaches Posts: 5,411
    Said to the wife this morning do you know what today means for some Charlton fans,glad to see ADDICTED remembered.

    Thats the problem with history its only the old ones that remember.
  • AFKABartram
    AFKABartram Posts: 57,908
    Pretty iconic those pictures 
  • Addickted
    Addickted Posts: 19,456
    Lewis Coaches said:
    Said to the wife this morning do you know what today means for some Charlton fans,glad to see ADDICTED remembered.

    Thats the problem with history its only the old ones that remember.
    Not so much of the old, Dutchy.
  • jonseventyfive
    jonseventyfive Posts: 3,368
    So many are grateful to so few. 
  • jimmymelrose
    jimmymelrose Posts: 9,778
    I was there clearing the weeds and brambles on the East Terrace with @LargeAddick
  • Big William
    Big William Posts: 3,850
    Anyone else remember the big boom from the bonfire at one point? It sounded like an old petrol can had found it’s way into the heap. Steve Gritt and Lennie were both down there IIRC.
  • Acab
    Acab Posts: 726
    Big boom was caused by big Duncan helping fire along with petrol from a can.

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  • The Prince-e-Paul
    The Prince-e-Paul Posts: 6,698
    Take a bow, all those that were there that day and the town hall, Valley Party, all of you are why Thomas had a club to buy, in yet again tough times. 
  • TellyTubby
    TellyTubby Posts: 3,559
    I had to work that morning. By the time I got to The Valley, there were just a few fans wandering around and taking it all in.
    Well done all involved. 
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,187
    I was there. Didnt join in the kickaround though. Too many useful sub-teens out there:-)

    But blimey, I just had  a vague warm feeling that we were coming home. Who knew then, where the next 13 months would take us.
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,922
    To this day I dont know why I wasn’t there. 
  • EveshamAddick
    EveshamAddick Posts: 7,031
    I was there with my dad and brother.
  • Sark99
    Sark99 Posts: 181
    My brother and me were there that day. Have some great photos in my collection of the day. 
  • bolloxbolder
    bolloxbolder Posts: 7,986
    Yes was there. It was a misty morning and seeing someone walking behind you down Coxmount Road with a pick axe in hand was a little disconcerting.

    Went with a mate who invited me back to his for Sunday roast. Cheers Derek! 
  • MStuartPerm
    MStuartPerm Posts: 611
    Was it really 32 years ago?

    I was there and remember going to the Waterman’s after for a few beers. 



  • JohnnyH2
    JohnnyH2 Posts: 5,348
    Was amazing to think no one got hurt when we worked on the old main stand, seats being ripped out and just thrown down the stand.

    Great occasion.
  • Pico
    Pico Posts: 1,030
    I was there on the East Terrace trying to dig out the roots of a buddleia.

    Failed.

    It was back a year later.

    But we were back three years later

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  • Hartleypete
    Hartleypete Posts: 4,705
    Great day, great effort from all those who attended.
  • oohaahmortimer
    oohaahmortimer Posts: 34,229
    I was there and was all excited when the ‘Today” newspaper photographer asked if he could take a pic of me , mate and the late great Peter Loveridge having a kick about down at the Jimmy South Stand , bought the paper the next day all excited and nope wasn’t in it .
  • Arsenetatters
    Arsenetatters Posts: 6,000
    32 years ago - god I feel old. Was on the East Terrace weeding.
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,449
    Weirdly, I was there the week before with my mate looking for slow worms under the debris on the pitch (found loads of them) 🤣
  • KettsJohn
    KettsJohn Posts: 1,224
    Seems unreal. I was there with my shovel. Had been living in Norwich for less than a year and was very home sick at the time. It would never be allowed these days in view of health and safety. Great to see the photos as no one had camera phones back then. Very proud of our history. Always be part of this history and makes supporting Charlton more unique and special.

  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    edited April 2021
    If memory serves me correctly, the day before we endured a pretty low key game at Selhurst Park against Middlesbrough.
    It was the time long before the internet, and fan communication was the early fanzines, the club programme and the local newspapers so nobody knew if the event would be a success or a failure.
    I woke up on the Sunday which was a dank and dreary wet morning, at the time I was a motorcyclist. Anyway I bungee-corded a spade to the back of my bike, and with a sense of excitement started off early for the Valley. I thought I would be the only person with any enthusiasm or motivation to be there, but felt that if it was only me and a few others so what?
    It was advertised as starting at 10am I believe, but as I turned in to Floyd Road about 9.30 I was aware of a lot of clinking clanking sounds all around. I parked up, grabbed my spade and went in to the dear old ground where to my astonishment saw what must've been about 2000 people already there before me!
    And a lot of people also had random implements to clear and work on the terraces, I was probably alongside the estimable @Arsentatters working on the East Terrace, near the large sound player blasting out the Red Red Robin.
    I remember Steve Sutherland eagerly supplying polystyrene cups of tea, and certainly remember Steve Gritt and Lennie Lawrence turning up, and later some TV cameras who must've got wind of what was happening.
    One enduring memory was how quickly we turned what was a veritable jungle into something like a recognisable football stadium, well not just a recognisable football stadium but our Valley that we all remembered and loved.
    One of the best days ever as a Charlton supporter.
  • Blackheathen
    Blackheathen Posts: 6,669
    Thanks for that Seth and to everyone else for their memories.  Best little club in the world.?

    No question.

  • oohaahmortimer
    oohaahmortimer Posts: 34,229
    Seth’s 2000 right up there with some of our made up away followings of years gone by
    before the official numbers stopped the think of a number and double it theory fans used to have .
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,083
    edited April 2021
    oohaahmortimer said:
    Seth’s 2000 right up there with some of our made up away followings of years gone by
    before the official numbers stopped the think of a number and double it theory fans used to have .
    I thought the same but didn't want to say.
    I clearly recall a couple of hundred at most, although with the possible comings and goings of people, maybe a maximum of 300 there over the course of the morning, although at different times.
    Zero chance there were anywhere near 2000 there.
  • Lucky_the_Cat
    Lucky_the_Cat Posts: 58
    Have just realised that my son, who was born on boxing day that year, was probably already in existence and about the size of a frozen pea on April 2nd. If only my wife had joined me on the East Terrace that day he could technically claim to have been there. But she didn't! Oh well.

    I was able to get him in to the Portsmouth game (Jimmy Seed) on my lap, as a two year old, thanks to a duplicate ticket via Chris Parkes, so he has got that one to shout about though.

    We have both had our same seats in the East Stand since it was built - on what was that cleared terrace of course.

    All good 'family club' stuff.

    I would reckon there were 200-300 people there in the late morning. We had a fair chunk of terrace to ourselves.

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