Remember meeting a guy in a Luton pub who was a Charlton fan, handing out memberships to people, he was local IIRC. Was set up beforehand by a friend of a friend, I was a girl called Gemma from Luton 😂
That was me, I was in Welwyn Garden City at the time, still have a couple of those plastic membership cards in the loft. It was a shit pub though from memory.
I saw faces on the TV who I know would have nowhere near enough points to qualify
Me and my lad benefited from the Valley Gold aspect. Don’t agree with it myself, though it helped me on this occasion. There weren’t too many of us actual fans who bothered with the game at The Valley so feel a bit more comfortable about that.
I'm thinking the VG allowance was manipulated slightly for this no?, I'm sure it's never worth that many points or so high up the list. Last year with Man Utd I was something like tier 6/7 with 300 points and VG.
My memory is garbage so I'm probably remembering that wrong.
I I think Bolton’s final game ever at Burnden Park we had very few tickets for, but equally there was very little demand to go with it. Anyone remember that?
we offered to take a reduced allocation because it was the last game but I don't remember any issues with getting a ticket. a lot of problems getting there though as the IRA called in a load of bomb threats and the motorways were all screwed, I never got close to making the game, assume I've still got the unused ticket somewhere
For people talking about Orient, whilst obviously going to be more in demand, surely somewhere like Fleetwood is a smaller allocation?
A 1200 allocation for a league one side isn't so bad really in proportion to the level. PL teams getting 1100 for Luton and about 1300 for Bournemouth is far worse.
The home and away EFL trophy games all add up over the course of a 2 year cycle as well, and most of the time the away games don’t involve major all-day journeys.
For people talking about Orient, whilst obviously going to be more in demand, surely somewhere like Fleetwood is a smaller allocation?
A 1200 allocation for a league one side isn't so bad really in proportion to the level. PL teams getting 1100 for Luton and about 1300 for Bournemouth is far worse.
That’s why teams that can’t offer 3k allocations for visiting fans shouldn’t be allowed to go into the PL.
LOL, sat alone at home, even I went blimy “Headphones Norm”… now I reckon iv been seeing him since my teens. He still looks exactly the same, are we sure it’s not Norm junior has inherited the family hat a phones.
LOL, sat alone at home, even I went blimy “Headphones Norm”… now I reckon iv been seeing him since my teens. He still looks exactly the same, are we sure it’s not Norm junior has inherited the family hat a phones.
I thought at the home game v Cray how little he’s changed.
Remember Bolton away in the FA Cup....there were just 200 tickets left on the last day of sale (I was a member but not a ST holder), left home (was Well Hall Rd then) at 5am in the morning got to the ground and queued for a good 4 hours to get tickets for myself and a few mates, I had to do it as I lived nearest the ground.
I I think Bolton’s final game ever at Burnden Park we had very few tickets for, but equally there was very little demand to go with it. Anyone remember that?
we offered to take a reduced allocation because it was the last game but I don't remember any issues with getting a ticket. a lot of problems getting there though as the IRA called in a load of bomb threats and the motorways were all screwed, I never got close to making the game, assume I've still got the unused ticket somewhere
YES !!!! How could I forget that one !
On Betty's coach with the usual "gang" including our daughter, when we heard that the IRA had caused mega problems including on the motorway we were due to take.
Nail biting journey, lots of pressure on the driver from some including the likes of " Come on, mate ! Surely you can find another route to get us there !" from a few non regulars on board.
My memory ain't wot it usta be but we managed to get within a few miles of Burnden Patk when our coach pulled in to a Service Station. WTF ?
The driver sheepishly had to explain that he was forced to take a break as he'd used up the miles/time he was allowed to drive ....
You can imagine the result of that ! Fans running around the car/coach park asking if anyone was goiing in the direction of the Ground, people on public phones ( no mobiles in those bygone days !) trying to geet a taxi to pick them up, etc etc. So near & yet so far !
In our group was a couple of young guys, Peter & John so we hung onto their coat tails and found ourselves an offer from a Removals van driver ....As the matriach ( yes, even then !) I was allowed to sit up front , whilst Laura, Peter, John & some others were in the back of the empty van. NOT the most comfortable journey but we were so grateful !
Dropped off, ran into the ground & to our seats but think we'd missed the kick off.. Not the most memorable of matches but suffice to say we didn't spoil Bolton's Big Night...And we sat in the row directly in front of Sweaty Balmer's wife/girldfriend & his parents.
On the way back to our coach, I remember Bolton fans running past us brandishing trophies from the last match at their famous old home including a toilet seat.
Those were great days to travel with the likes of Betty, Teresa & co. Laugh a minute whatiever the result on the pitch.
Another really tough game to get tickets for was the away leg of the Ipswich play off semi final in 1998.
As others have said Bolton away in the FA Cup 2000 was tough to get tickets for - the old memory isnt what it used to be but its telling me that Claus Jenson and Mark Fish were still with Bolton and played against us - a disappointing 1-0 defeat, but then a week or two later back at their ground again for a league game and an excellent 2-0 win with two late goals, one from Martin Pringle.
The last game at Burnden Park in 1997 was certainly memorable - last away game of the season on a Friday night live on Sky, Mark Kinsella scored a fantastic goal and we were 1-0 up at half time. The coach was really annoying - the IRA bomb threat was to the elevated sections of the M6 through Birmingham and was known about before we set off - not a problem, just go M1 / M62 and avoid it - but no the driver chose to join the M6 and put us through unnecessary frustration. I stayed on the coach after stopping at those services as Fanny has said and arrived at half time, Bolton scored 4 second half goals , so a 4-1 defeat but it was good to have been there for such an historic game. Before the coach arrived at the ground we had agreed with the driver to allow a volunteer (me) to go to the club shop after the game to get programmes for those who wanted one and for him to wait (the least he could do after choosing to go via the M6 when he didnt have to) - orders placed and cash collected I waited and saw Frank Worthington walk past whilst waiting for the shop to open. They didnt have to, but the Supports Club refunded everyone on the coach £5 as a gesture to say sorry for the drivers cock up - it was appreciated and a really nice gesture - and as Fanny says just being on the coach was fun too so set backs like this major delay were largely just taken in everyones stride. The momentum on and off the field was building, fans and club united and all pulling in the same direction and the following season was the promotion to the Premier League via the 1998 play off final. My memory of the ticket issue for the last game at Burnden Park is that despite only having 250, it wasnt a problem getting a ticket as it was a Friday night, on Sky, and a meaningless end of season game from Charltons point of view. But in terms of away travel, its the most memorable coach journey with Charlton - probably equal with Brescia away in 1993 in the Anglo-Italian Cup.
Comments
My memory is garbage so I'm probably remembering that wrong.
A 1200 allocation for a league one side isn't so bad really in proportion to the level. PL teams getting 1100 for Luton and about 1300 for Bournemouth is far worse.
"There's Headphones Norm"
"Who?"
Proper Charlton legend
On Betty's coach with the usual "gang" including our daughter, when we heard that the IRA had caused mega problems including on the motorway we were due to take.
Nail biting journey, lots of pressure on the driver from some including the likes of " Come on, mate ! Surely you can find another route to get us there !" from a few non regulars on board.
My memory ain't wot it usta be but we managed to get within a few miles of Burnden Patk when our coach pulled in to a Service Station. WTF ?
The driver sheepishly had to explain that he was forced to take a break as he'd used up the miles/time he was allowed to drive ....
You can imagine the result of that ! Fans running around the car/coach park asking if anyone was goiing in the direction of the Ground, people on public phones ( no mobiles in those bygone days !) trying to geet a taxi to pick them up, etc etc. So near & yet so far !
In our group was a couple of young guys, Peter & John so we hung onto their coat tails and found ourselves an offer from a Removals van driver ....As the matriach ( yes, even then !) I was allowed to sit up front , whilst Laura, Peter, John & some others were in the back of the empty van. NOT the most comfortable journey but we were so grateful !
Dropped off, ran into the ground & to our seats but think we'd missed the kick off.. Not the most memorable of matches but suffice to say we didn't spoil Bolton's Big Night...And we sat in the row directly in front of Sweaty Balmer's wife/girldfriend & his parents.
On the way back to our coach, I remember Bolton fans running past us brandishing trophies from the last match at their famous old home including a toilet seat.
Those were great days to travel with the likes of Betty, Teresa & co. Laugh a minute whatiever the result on the pitch.
As others have said Bolton away in the FA Cup 2000 was tough to get tickets for - the old memory isnt what it used to be but its telling me that Claus Jenson and Mark Fish were still with Bolton and played against us - a disappointing 1-0 defeat, but then a week or two later back at their ground again for a league game and an excellent 2-0 win with two late goals, one from Martin Pringle.
The last game at Burnden Park in 1997 was certainly memorable - last away game of the season on a Friday night live on Sky, Mark Kinsella scored a fantastic goal and we were 1-0 up at half time. The coach was really annoying - the IRA bomb threat was to the elevated sections of the M6 through Birmingham and was known about before we set off - not a problem, just go M1 / M62 and avoid it - but no the driver chose to join the M6 and put us through unnecessary frustration. I stayed on the coach after stopping at those services as Fanny has said and arrived at half time, Bolton scored 4 second half goals , so a 4-1 defeat but it was good to have been there for such an historic game. Before the coach arrived at the ground we had agreed with the driver to allow a volunteer (me) to go to the club shop after the game to get programmes for those who wanted one and for him to wait (the least he could do after choosing to go via the M6 when he didnt have to) - orders placed and cash collected I waited and saw Frank Worthington walk past whilst waiting for the shop to open. They didnt have to, but the Supports Club refunded everyone on the coach £5 as a gesture to say sorry for the drivers cock up - it was appreciated and a really nice gesture - and as Fanny says just being on the coach was fun too so set backs like this major delay were largely just taken in everyones stride. The momentum on and off the field was building, fans and club united and all pulling in the same direction and the following season was the promotion to the Premier League via the 1998 play off final.
My memory of the ticket issue for the last game at Burnden Park is that despite only having 250, it wasnt a problem getting a ticket as it was a Friday night, on Sky, and a meaningless end of season game from Charltons point of view. But in terms of away travel, its the most memorable coach journey with Charlton - probably equal with Brescia away in 1993 in the Anglo-Italian Cup.