Remember our 1993/94 squad numbers?

killerandflash

For some reason, I was reminded of our bizarre squad numbers that season. These were done alphabetically, so that defender Sweaty Balmer got No 1 and keeper Bolder got No 2! Strikers Gorman and Grant were 5 and 6, with centre back Mcleary No 10... To add to the bafflement, after the initial 1-21 were allocated, additional players got the next number (so John Vaughan got 22 when Colin Walsh was 21).

Did anyone ever admit why this system was chosen?

1 Stuart Balmer
2 Bob Bolder
3 Alan Curbishley
4 Peter Garland
5 Paul Gorman
6 Kim Grant
7 Steve Gritt
8 Carl Leaburn
9 Paul Linger
10 Alan McLeary
11 Scott Minto
12 Garry Nelson
14 Shaun Newton
15 Alan Pardew
16 Darren Pitcher
17 Linvoy Primus
18 John Robinson
19 Mike Salmon
20 Paul Sturgess
21 Colin Walsh
22 John Vaughan
23 Phil Chapple
24 Steve Brown
25 Danny Mills
26 Dennis Bailey
27 Mark Robson

redlanered

Always wanted to see the first XI in action - Balmer in goal, Curbs at left back, etc. An overlapping Bob Bolder steaming down the right for Alan McCleary to ghost in & score

iaitch

Whatever became of that number 15?

DaveMehmet

Danny Mills?

iaitch

Not Danny Mills who wnet to Leeds but one of our youngsters.

Algarveaddick

Is Sweaty the only outfield player ever to wear the number one shirt? I know players were initially allocated numbers 1 to 22 when the system was first brought in, but presumably the number one shirt would have been the home team's goalkeeper?

iaitch

I think Ossie Ardiles wore number 1 when Argentina won the world cup, again number alphabetically.

Algarveaddick

Did he now? Anyone else in the football league though?

Valley11

Just a guess but I think they went alphabetical .... ;-)

pilchard

After that mess no wonder they went back to 1-11 the next season!

addick16

i remember this team sheet like it was yesterday

loved this lot

killerandflash

I'm pretty sure Balmer is unique in English football, a good quiz question there!

JohnnyH2

You missed John Lawson at 13 and Mike Small and Mickie Bennett both wore 26 after Bailey

redlanered

I think Ossie Ardiles wore number 1 when Argentina won the world cup, again number alphabetically.

#2 I recalled. I thought (wrongly it turned out) that Arg still named a keeper as 1, alphabetical or not, but Wikipedia says it was some midfielder called Alonso - so that's where he's been all this time...

JohnnyH2

Their main choice keeper was 7

I think Ossie Ardiles wore number 1 when Argentina won the world cup, again number alphabetically.

#2 I recalled. I thought (wrongly it turned out) that Arg still named a keeper as 1, alphabetical or not, but Wikipedia says it was some midfielder called Alonso - so that's where he's been all this time...

Saga Lout

It just looks wrong, but in these days of squad numbers there's no more "handing so-and-so the number 9 shirt" - if he's got the 37 shirt that's what he's going to wear all season.

Stone

and they sold those actual players shirts off in the club shop at the end of the season. I only stumbled across this by chance and bought Shaun Newtons as it was only one of a few left.

Chizz

I bought the 4 (for me), 12 (present for my Dad) and 27 (for my brother).
Anyone else buy any..?

Tommy Dowling

David James played as an outfield player for Man City on the last day of the season a few years ago and as he as Squad Number 1 he wore his usual name and number on a City home shirt. He wasn't very good either, getting booked as i recall.

I think there are Premier League rules that say the 1 shirt has to be a keeper. You also weren't allowed to go above 50 but as we've seen with Bendtner wearing 52 and a Man City player with 62 these rules seem to have been relaxed.

Its also true that a player can't change their number but Lucas Niell did while playing for West Ham a few seasons back, from 34 to 2. Don't know why this was allowed though.

Finally squads should always have a 1-11 excluding retired numbers. But this rule seems not to have been enforced as well in recent years.

roseandcrown

Loved that squad. Was my first full season watching Charlton have so may good memories from that year. Fa Cup run, east stand opening, smashing notts c and pbrough 5 v 1, the east stand opening and beating Southend 4 v 3 after throwing away a 3 goal lead.

ateamofcorygibbs

Just looked this up after hearing of the Vaz Two scandal - the season I saw my first ever charlton game (at 3 years old) - the 4-3 against Southend mentioned above

cabbles

I remember it because it was our first stab at getting squad numbers when it was just coming in. I was excited because I was 11 at the time and all the other Prem teams were doing it, I thought it's finally coming to my club, and we then made Balmer number 1?? All I can remember is our FA Cup tie against Utd away and I think Hansen or one of the pundits on MOTD just said 'they will go up there and confuse them with their squad numbers'

That was all he had on us

kings hill addick

Tommy Dowling said:

David James played as an outfield player for Man City on the last day of the season a few years ago and as he as Squad Number 1 he wore his usual name and number on a City home shirt. He wasn't very good either, getting booked as i recall.

I think there are Premier League rules that say the 1 shirt has to be a keeper. You also weren't allowed to go above 50 but as we've seen with Bendtner wearing 52 and a Man City player with 62 these rules seem to have been relaxed.

Its also true that a player can't change their number but Lucas Niell did while playing for West Ham a few seasons back, from 34 to 2. Don't know why this was allowed though.

Finally squads should always have a 1-11 excluding retired numbers. But this rule seems not to have been enforced as well in recent years.

Haven't we done this several times? Or is it only during the season that you can't change a number?

BR7_addick

roseandcrown said:

Loved that squad. Was my first full season watching Charlton have so may good memories from that year. Fa Cup run, east stand opening, smashing notts c and pbrough 5 v 1, the east stand opening and beating Southend 4 v 3 after throwing away a 3 goal lead.

Don't forget the opening of the east stand!