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Last Game at The Valley 1985 v Stoke City.

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  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 87,082
    30 years ago today.

    @chathmuseum is now a home for some of the souvenirs taken on the day including this sign and the whistle that blew time on the Valley. Has anyone got any photos or items salvaged from the Valley to share with the museum?

    imageimage
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    I was gutted to my core at the time.
    As it turned out, after a long weary road, things actually got better, and are much better now, but my God I was sad then.
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 22,510
    Henry Irving said:

    30 years ago today.

    @chathmuseum is now a home for some of the souvenirs taken on the day including this sign and the whistle that blew time on the Valley. Has anyone got any photos or items salvaged from the Valley to share with the museum?

    imageimage

    Isn't that Vince on the left of the photo?
  • Charltonparklane
    Charltonparklane Posts: 5,786
    How can you recognise somebody by their arse mate?
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 22,510
    LOL, it's the hair.
  • Charltonparklane
    Charltonparklane Posts: 5,786
    Hairy arse?.......


    joking.....
  • ROTW
    ROTW Posts: 642
    Robbo on the wing said:
    Bought all the Sunday papers. Still have all the reports. Will try and put them on here.

  • ROTW
    ROTW Posts: 642
    Some kind words from Bob Stokoe (PDF 26)
  • Plumstead_Micky
    Plumstead_Micky Posts: 934
    The next day whilst delivering the Sunday papers, I took a look at the back of one - The Sunday Mirror I'm sure it was. And there in the middle of a big "V" for Valley of Death were some photos from game and quite prominently a picture of my Dad! I finished my round as quick as I could, raced home to tell him, but before I could, he said "I know....I've seen it". He'd came back with a couple of souvenirs, including some turf. Me and brother weren't allowed to go that day!
  • ROTW
    ROTW Posts: 642
    PDF 25 & 26.

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  • HastingsRed
    HastingsRed Posts: 1,875
    Plumstead_Micky said:
    The next day whilst delivering the Sunday papers, I took a look at the back of one - The Sunday Mirror I'm sure it was. And there in the middle of a big "V" for Valley of Death were some photos from game and quite prominently a picture of my Dad! I finished my round as quick as I could, raced home to tell him, but before I could, he said "I know....I've seen it". He'd came back with a couple of souvenirs, including some turf. Me and brother weren't allowed to go that day!
    Yep I got a lump of turf that day.
  • Shag
    Shag Posts: 4,611
    Plumstead_Micky said:
    The next day whilst delivering the Sunday papers, I took a look at the back of one - The Sunday Mirror I'm sure it was. And there in the middle of a big "V" for Valley of Death were some photos from game and quite prominently a picture of my Dad! I finished my round as quick as I could, raced home to tell him, but before I could, he said "I know....I've seen it". He'd came back with a couple of souvenirs, including some turf. Me and brother weren't allowed to go that day!
    The newspaper cutting is the last pdf on the post above 
  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 36,874
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
  • letthegoodtimesroll
    letthegoodtimesroll Posts: 11,719
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    Sky and tv money was the eventual conduit for change but Roman Abramvovitch’s money was the real reason. He stopped a dominoe effect of clubs going under when he bought Chelsea and sent them on a massive spending spree. 
  • soapy_jones
    soapy_jones Posts: 21,877
    Mum lived in Blendon Road Blackfen at the time and I was staying for a couple of weeks.  I wonder if the current occupiers know that part of the hallowed turf grows in their back garden?
    So long ago!
  • charltonkeston
    charltonkeston Posts: 7,538
    letthegoodtimesroll said:
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    Sky and tv money was the eventual conduit for change but Roman Abramvovitch’s money was the real reason. He stopped a dominoe effect of clubs going under when he bought Chelsea and sent them on a massive spending spree. 
    I have a different view of that. I'd say Roman Abramvovitch’s money is the real reason a lot of clubs have gone under and many more have gone into administration. His money skewed footfall and its finances. Great for Chelsea though, they could buy players from teams just to ruin their season.
  • eaststandmike
    eaststandmike Posts: 14,957
    soapy_jones said:
    Mum lived in Blendon Road Blackfen at the time and I was staying for a couple of weeks.  I wonder if the current occupiers know that part of the hallowed turf grows in their back garden?
    So long ago!
    Same here, a portion of the lawn in my old house in Welling is from that day at The Valley 
  • alan dugdale
    alan dugdale Posts: 3,155
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    The East terrace being closed would have been a contributing factor to the crowd size.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 30,147
    alan dugdale said:
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    The East terrace being closed would have been a contributing factor to the crowd size.
    Would it? I just walked up and walked in. Don't think I got there particularly early and don't remember anyone not getting in.
  • ricky_otto
    ricky_otto Posts: 22,600
    edited August 2022
    Stig said:
    alan dugdale said:
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    The East terrace being closed would have been a contributing factor to the crowd size.
    Would it? I just walked up and walked in. Don't think I got there particularly early and don't remember anyone not getting in.
    Same for me and my Dad. Our attendances were pretty shit at the time. 

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  • alan dugdale
    alan dugdale Posts: 3,155
    Stig said:
    alan dugdale said:
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    The East terrace being closed would have been a contributing factor to the crowd size.
    Would it? I just walked up and walked in. Don't think I got there particularly early and don't remember anyone not getting in.
    Golfie said that today the crowd would be 20,000 or more. With the east terrace closed, it would have been impossible for that number to get in. Not sure what that left the capacity at, but probably not more than the official attendance on the day.
  • Pedro45
    Pedro45 Posts: 6,175
    alan dugdale said:
    Stig said:
    alan dugdale said:
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    The East terrace being closed would have been a contributing factor to the crowd size.
    Would it? I just walked up and walked in. Don't think I got there particularly early and don't remember anyone not getting in.
    Golfie said that today the crowd would be 20,000 or more. With the east terrace closed, it would have been impossible for that number to get in. Not sure what that left the capacity at, but probably not more than the official attendance on the day.
    I think it was pretty much full on the day....
  • KettsJohn
    KettsJohn Posts: 1,344
    Will dig out my old photos of the day. I think I was in denial and didn't believe we would be leaving the valley for good that day. I was also very young so was of the opinion that I would support Charlton wherever they played 
  • alan dugdale
    alan dugdale Posts: 3,155
    Pedro45 said:
    alan dugdale said:
    Stig said:
    alan dugdale said:
    golfaddick said:
    The crowd that day was 8858. A 2nd tier match against Stoke. On the day where we were being booted out & everyone wanted to be there.

    Today the crowd would be 20k - maybe even full.

    Probably why it wasn't viable to stay. Football was dying. Did the Premier League / Sky breath life into football or were their other factors ?
    The East terrace being closed would have been a contributing factor to the crowd size.
    Would it? I just walked up and walked in. Don't think I got there particularly early and don't remember anyone not getting in.
    Golfie said that today the crowd would be 20,000 or more. With the east terrace closed, it would have been impossible for that number to get in. Not sure what that left the capacity at, but probably not more than the official attendance on the day.
    I think it was pretty much full on the day....
    Which is my point.
  • Coveredendchoir
    Coveredendchoir Posts: 348
    Does anyone recognise themselves or someone else? Saw the photo on Facebook so thought I’d share.
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 22,510
    edited September 22
    Coveredendchoir said:
    Does anyone recognise themselves or someone else? Saw the photo on Facebook so thought I’d share.
    Recognise a few, including Duncan Frame holding up the scarf. The guy 4th from the left was part of our group that went away over the weekend.
  • blackpool72
    blackpool72 Posts: 24,843
    Coveredendchoir said:
    Does anyone recognise themselves or someone else? Saw the photo on Facebook so thought I’d share.
    Tony Hopkins standing nest to Duncan 
    Matty Finnigan in the white shirt. 
    I still drink with those two most home games 
  • pettgra
    pettgra Posts: 1,634
    Heartbreaking day. Never really got over it until we went back. Talk about the highs and lows in the extreme.
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 31,401
     Belated banning orders incoming.

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