Definitely the worst football I’ve ever seen and my first game was in 77 . Not the lowest I’ve felt though , that would be when we nearly went out of business in the early eighties or when we left The Valley .
I keep thinking that at every low point that we’ve now reached bottom and things can and will get better. I have a real fear that we might have a way to fall yet. Sad sad times.
Back in what passed for a summer this year, a bunch of us went to Beckenham to watch some Kent Cricket (another sporting disaster zone). The only non-Addick with us asked what we thought about the upcoming season, there were varying degrees of optimism but general agreement that we'd hit rock bottom and the only way was up. How little did we know.......
For me being one of the 2,083 at Upton Park when we lost 1-0 to Bury in the League Cup in 1992. Cold, miserable, and missed my train home.
I was there for that and it was truely pathetic. As well desreved as last night was. Funnily enough, my mind tried to turn the opposition into Walsall. I don't remember to be honest - just that we got kicked out of the cup by lower league opposition.
For me being one of the 2,083 at Upton Park when we lost 1-0 to Bury in the League Cup in 1992. Cold, miserable, and missed my train home.
I was there for that and it was truely pathetic. As well desreved as last night was. Funnily enough, my mind tried to turn the opposition into Walsall. I don't remember to be honest - just that we got kicked out of the cup by lower league opposition.
We DID get dumped out the FA Cup 1-2 by Walsall back in the Selhurst days. Absolutely freezing it was. Seem to remember it was David Kelly and Craig Shakepeare for them , maybe Mark Stuart for us?
But I used to care back then. Now I wouldn't recognised most of our team if they were sat opposite me.
For me being one of the 2,083 at Upton Park when we lost 1-0 to Bury in the League Cup in 1992. Cold, miserable, and missed my train home.
I was there for that and it was truely pathetic. As well desreved as last night was. Funnily enough, my mind tried to turn the opposition into Walsall. I don't remember to be honest - just that we got kicked out of the cup by lower league opposition.
We DID get dumped out the FA Cup 1-2 by Walsall back in the Selhurst days. Absolutely freezing it was. Seem to remember it was David Kelly and Craig Shakepeare for them , maybe Mark Stuart for us?
But I used to care back then. Now I wouldn't recognised most of our team if they were sat opposite me.
For me being one of the 2,083 at Upton Park when we lost 1-0 to Bury in the League Cup in 1992. Cold, miserable, and missed my train home.
I was there for that and it was truely pathetic. As well desreved as last night was. Funnily enough, my mind tried to turn the opposition into Walsall. I don't remember to be honest - just that we got kicked out of the cup by lower league opposition.
We DID get dumped out the FA Cup 1-2 by Walsall back in the Selhurst days. Absolutely freezing it was. Seem to remember it was David Kelly and Craig Shakepeare for them , maybe Mark Stuart for us?
But I used to care back then. Now I wouldn't recognised most of our team if they were sat opposite me.
For me there was always a sense of optimism back in the 80s even though the club was going through turmoil. I hated going to Selhurst but Lennie bought us some genuine excitement and achievement (along with the odd terrible game/crowd).
Then came the money element which in my view has ruined football and where we are now is a million miles from our out noughties glory days so my lowest I’ve ever been (since early 70s) is also right now!
Questioning why I support this club. It can't be beacuse of the manager who seems to be off his trolley, The SMT who seem to be the biggest bullshitters on the planet (8+8+8 my arse), the players that can't do the basics, a fragility greater than Murano glass. Maybe it is the atmosphere we get at The Valley nowadays. I still support them but I can't put my finger on why. Anybody got any ideas?
The lowest point was definitely leaving The Valley but the level of ‘how much I don’t give a shit any more’ is the highest it’s ever been. I just laughed when Crawley got their second last night.
You have no control over what other people do;all you can do is turn up and give as much support as you can regardless ; that’s what being a fan is all about through thick and thin. I suppose it’s the difference between being a Fairweather fan and a fan come what may.
For me being one of the 2,083 at Upton Park when we lost 1-0 to Bury in the League Cup in 1992. Cold, miserable, and missed my train home.
I was there for that and it was truely pathetic. As well desreved as last night was. Funnily enough, my mind tried to turn the opposition into Walsall. I don't remember to be honest - just that we got kicked out of the cup by lower league opposition.
We DID get dumped out the FA Cup 1-2 by Walsall back in the Selhurst days. Absolutely freezing it was. Seem to remember it was David Kelly and Craig Shakepeare for them , maybe Mark Stuart for us?
But I used to care back then. Now I wouldn't recognised most of our team if they were sat opposite me.
The coldest I have ever been at a football match.
Agreed, it was perishing, for some daft reason we went on the Sainsburys terrace which was probably the coldest spot we could have picked.
These are the low back at The Valley years, for sure. The feeling we're a Championship club in the wrong division erodes as the years tick by. Grateful we get to play Wrexham.
When a banker win against Crawley comes and goes, it brings home the neglect of last few years. I feel the only realistic way out is we luck upon another Curbs, Lennie or SCP... to drag up the standards and expectations across the board... but how many more managers need to come and go before the SMT find that person, and do they even know what they're looking for.
I can completely understand that Curbs is out of touch with signing players nowadays but his overarching nouse of the game and who needs to be doing what job and when would not have left him. Speaks so much sense and need to get him onboard now. We are fucked if we don't make changes.
I so get those saying leaving the Valley was worse, but at least when we left we had the makings of a good team, which proved to be correct as we went on and had some wonderful seasons on the pitch.
Now it feels like we have nothing.
We don't own the Valley and every day that passes with the lease not being extended or bought from RD the issue gets bigger.
We have now had 4 seasons in division 3 where even challenging for the play offs is totally beyond us.
Gates are dropping like a stone, and with the current TV arrangements will only get worse.
The fight from the supporters that so built this club back up appears to have all but disappeared.
SMT who are here for a job, not owners who believe in what the club is actually about.
A large group of us are overnighting in Blackpool in Feb (probably over 50 chaps). The plan is to take in the game and celebrate a friends 60th. Getting tickets for the match has become the last thing talked about; and this is from a group that has collectively 100s upon 100s of away games of loyalty. We will all probably end up (maybe) at the game but apathy is at an all time high. At least in the 70s and 80s the players were seen to be trying, and generally won the "bread and butter" games. However, there seems to be no team in existence that this lot aren't capable of losing against.
A large group of us are overnighting in Blackpool in Feb (probably over 50 chaps). The plan is to take in the game and celebrate a friends 60th. Getting tickets for the match has become the last thing talked about; and this is from a group that has collectively 100s upon 100s of away games of loyalty. We will all probably end up (maybe) at the game but apathy is at an all time high. At least in the 70s and 80s the players were seen to be trying, and generally won the "bread and butter" games. However, there seems to be no team in existence that this lot aren't capable of losing against.
A large group of us are overnighting in Blackpool in Feb (probably over 50 chaps). The plan is to take in the game and celebrate a friends 60th. Getting tickets for the match has become the last thing talked about; and this is from a group that has collectively 100s upon 100s of away games of loyalty. We will all probably end up (maybe) at the game but apathy is at an all time high. At least in the 70s and 80s the players were seen to be trying, and generally won the "bread and butter" games. However, there seems to be no team in existence that this lot aren't capable of losing against.
FFS, are you going as well?
Only joking mate
Yes mate. Lots going. Hope you are bringing your drinking A game?
As you get older you tend to see things for what they really are and nothing really surprises you anymore. When I started going to football,(mid 70’s), I had the enthusiasm of youth for football. Charlton was my team but I go and watch top flight matches if we were away. The price of entry to watch West Ham v Liverpool, both full of stars, was very close to Charlton v Southend. I would convince myself we could mix it with them. The truth is we, even when we briefly mixed it with them, we were making the numbers up and that’s the same for most football clubs. The top teams have always had a grip on football that is very difficult to break into and we now have reached the point where the top clubs have pretty much made a closed shop.
But each year I buy a season ticket, we all start with zero points, I convince myself it’s our year and then realise just before Christmas it’s rinse and repeat yet again. Whilst I love Charlton to smash every club we play the facts are for many years back to back wins are something to celebrate. This season may well be a low point for many supporters who may not have been been born when we really had low points like winding up orders or leaving our home and then playing in foreign parts for years. Maybe theses owners will take us to lower heights, I think they are quite capable of that but maybe they will turn things around.
It’s always worth remembering, no matter how crap you think things are, there is always someone who has it worse.
A large group of us are overnighting in Blackpool in Feb (probably over 50 chaps). The plan is to take in the game and celebrate a friends 60th. Getting tickets for the match has become the last thing talked about; and this is from a group that has collectively 100s upon 100s of away games of loyalty. We will all probably end up (maybe) at the game but apathy is at an all time high. At least in the 70s and 80s the players were seen to be trying, and generally won the "bread and butter" games. However, there seems to be no team in existence that this lot aren't capable of losing against.
FFS, are you going as well?
Only joking mate
Yes mate. Lots going. Hope you are bringing your drinking A game?
I’m going to have to mate. We’re getting the train up on the Friday, should be a nice quiet weekend!
Having to get a point at Orient to avoid relegation. Was it to division 4?? We got the point. Also almost going bust before take over at High Court - that was scary.
What makes this season so disappointing is the optimism generated by NJ's arrival and the good start to the season. When Appleton was sacked I felt the next appointment had to be the right one, and was glad NJ was given a 4.5 year contract. To plummet from that optimism to the existential threat that we now face has been truly shocking. The toxic atmosphere and utterly shambolic performance on Tuesday are symptoms of a deep malaise in our club, and the future is bleak, for the club, and also for The Valley.
End of the 79-80 season, losing 1-0 away to Fulham....we both got relegated crowd was under 4,000 (4-500 Charlton) was pretty crap. However we more then made up for it the following season getting promoted and reaching the 5th rd of the cup, losing to a very good Ipswich side at Portman Road.
Talking of low points. If we were an elevator, i fear there are a few basement floors to hit yet.
The man is now just spouting bollocks, I know footballers are generally not inducted into the MENSA Hall of Fame, but surely he's been sussed by his players as well? Not a single one looks like giving a flying fuck for NJ, his tactics or management.
Yes we have had low points and worrying times back in the 1980's , but the passion was always there. This is different , long term fans are on the brink of giving up. Apathy is setting in.
Comments
But I used to care back then. Now I wouldn't recognised most of our team if they were sat opposite me.
Quality video - just like the performance!
Trust me nothing could compare to that.
When a banker win against Crawley comes and goes, it brings home the neglect of last few years. I feel the only realistic way out is we luck upon another Curbs, Lennie or SCP... to drag up the standards and expectations across the board... but how many more managers need to come and go before the SMT find that person, and do they even know what they're looking for.
Now it feels like we have nothing.
We don't own the Valley and every day that passes with the lease not being extended or bought from RD the issue gets bigger.
We have now had 4 seasons in division 3 where even challenging for the play offs is totally beyond us.
Gates are dropping like a stone, and with the current TV arrangements will only get worse.
The fight from the supporters that so built this club back up appears to have all but disappeared.
SMT who are here for a job, not owners who believe in what the club is actually about.
At least in the 70s and 80s the players were seen to be trying, and generally won the "bread and butter" games. However, there seems to be no team in existence that this lot aren't capable of losing against.
The man is now just spouting bollocks, I know footballers are generally not inducted into the MENSA Hall of Fame, but surely he's been sussed by his players as well? Not a single one looks like giving a flying fuck for NJ, his tactics or management.