drinking at the Swiss Cottage. Rammed with Sunderland.
Some guy learning over my shoulder as we walked up Wembley way and asking if we were all alright for tickets. Realising it was Richard Murray.
Thinking, "yeah 1 - 0 will be enough."
Having money on Rufus for last goal at 50 - 1 Get in there!
Screaming "look at the score, look at the score, we always win 7-6" after Newts scored the worst pen of the shoot out (until the next one)
Drinking our mates mate's box dry of beer and being told to leave by the Wembley staff as they wanted to go home.
Wandering out on the the olympic gallery for one last look and seeing Brownie and Kinsella walking across the pitch with the trophy. shouting "MARK!" across the empty stadium, Kins hearing me and holding up the trophy just for me.
Bumping into Sasa and Robbo outside but not realising that Curbs was just behind us with the trophy
Singing "Carl Leaburn, Carl Leaburn, what a diffrence you have made" at the tube station on the way back as a response to Kevin Nolan and Mark Mansfield assertion that we wouldn't go up without him and Mark Bright was a bits and peices player.
Feeling knackered on the way home to Charlton so much so we couldn't even raise a jeer at the new Den.
Considering packing in following Charlton after the game thinking that nothing would be that good again.
Refreshing ourselves in the packed Liberal club and watching the highlights on the TVs standing on seats. Place going mental again.
Walking into work the next day with big Charlton badge in lapel of suit. Walking past Mick McCarthy with huge smirk on my face. He saw the badge and half smiled.
Good posts. I was 13 at the time. I cant even remember how we got there im sure it was coach. Had my hair died red.
I can recall a couple of makem fans before the game telling us in the strongest of accents 'don't worry we'll keep it to 5 nil'. We where well outnumbered on wembley walk.
we were standing directly behind the goal about half way up. Dont know if anyone else saw this but there was a sunderland fan about 10 rows down from us with big sunderland flag up at us waving his flag and generally taunting everyone, when this huge bloke bursting out of his xxl shirt went strolling down and gave him the most casual smack in the gob you would ever see. Cant remember what happened to the mackem but we didn't see him after that. The bloke that hit him went back to his seat. Someone who was with us asked the steward if he was going to do anything and he said 'sod that i don't get paid enough'.
After the penalty save even at such a young age i can remember looking round at my dad who had been going to Charlton all his life and taking me to most games he could and seeing him with eyes full of tears and a big red face. He was shouting at me 'we've done it andy!' My dads face at that moment was a picture i never will forget!
It's funny how a lot of people felt for their Dads at the end of the game - I did too. My old man doesn't say much at football - he normally saves his moaning for the car journey home - but that night, he was probably as animated and fulfilled as I have ever seen him. For anyone who had been going through the 60's, 70's and 80's there wasn't a lot to cheer about being a Charlton fan.
Going up on the tube with my then girlfriend (now wife) who had been to every game since Port Vale away - which was her first Charlton match and telling her 'I know we'll win - you've never seen us lose'.
Not being able to believe how jovial the atmosphere was between us and the Mackem fans.
Buying a shit pie and being charged about three quid for it.
Standing with my boss and a couple of other blokes I knew instead of my mates because he got us the tickets.
Laughing as the fat mackem twat in front of us, who had been larging it all first half, shut his trap as Clive scored the first - then laaughing even harder as he got up and turned round to scream abuse at the bloke behind him - only to find out he was about eight foot tall, got a big ol' clump on the head and was dragged out by the stewards. The only twat of the whole day.
Physically crying after they went 3-2 up.
Crying again as Rufus equalised.
Knowing - just KNOWING that we were going to equalise even as Summerbee made it 4-3.
My missus telling me that Newton's marker was knackered and that he would get the winner - less than 10 seconds before he tore down the flank and cut inside & hit the side netting... wondering whether the 'good luck charm' was losing its lustre...
Being utterly convinced that Mendonca would score his pen, and that Robbo was going to miss his (I knew Newts would score his)
The split second after Sasa saved - before the world exploded. Crushing my boss half to death, screaming at the top of my voice, turning to my wife and crying my eyes out blubbering 'you don't know what this means to me - you can't know - but I love you - and I want to marry you'... and her laughing and crying at the same time...
Hugging Sunderland fans on Wembley way on the way home, and laughing and joking with them on the tube all the way back to Baker St - genuinely special fans - I'll never hear a bad word said about them as long as I live
Six non-Charlton supporting mates ringing me before we'd even got back to the tube station to tell me it was the best game of football they'd ever seen
Secretly crying again that night, for no reason other than being completely, and utterly drained
I remember at 2-1 down and with 20 mins left saying to my buddy that we needed a goal pretty soon if we were to win in 90. A few moments later and Clive obliged and I thought now go and win it...only to see Sunderland score a minute or so later.
All day I had this belief, no matter how long the match lasted we were going to win. Rufus then scored in front of me and I didn't know whether to celebrate the goal or rub my eyes in disbelief that Rufus had got his first in what was it, 120 odd matches?
Going 3-2 down and our end being silenced, everybody just watching gloomily as the clock ticked down and it seemed we'd blown our chance.
"The drum, we need the drum," we shouted, and moments later the drummers were banging again and the Addicted came back to life. The atmosphere rose as we forced a corner and Rufus, high above his marker, rammed his header home.
[cite]Leroy Ambrose posted:[/cite]The split second after Sasa saved - before the world exploded. Crushing my boss half to death, screaming at the top of my voice, turning to my wife and crying my eyes out blubbering 'you don't know what this means to me - you can't know - but I love you - and I want to marry you'...
Surely this is taking football related superstition a little too far?
i remember travelling down on a coach the day before and being astounded by all the sunderland fans coming down early. i went with my dad and cousins down to wembley area around 12.00pm. we couldnt get in any pubs because sunderland had been there overnight and had taken over them all. there must have been around 100,000 sunderland around the ground and they were everywhere. we did get in some pub and got chattin to their fans. it really was a carnival atmosphere and very good natured banter. i remember at 7-6 i said to my dad...look at the score dad. its the same as that famous comeback victory. then it happend and i just burst into tears and hugged my dad and half the stand around me. grown men were crying all around and the hair on my neck still stands up when i think about. as said already. it probably will be a charlton fans greatest ever game, not just because of the result or the game itself...but because it somehow put right decades of hurting. i turned to my dad and said 'we've only gone and f***in done it'. the premiership has been great but we have been a small fish in an ocean, but on that day and throughout that season we were immense.
What a day, Mendonca was awesome, Rufus rising majestically for his goal, Brownies tackle and the Steve Jones cross - it was all about determination and wanting it more. The bloke in front of me didn't watch any of the pens he just watched me and my reaction before turning around to celebrate or cringe.
On the tube heading back a mate said bad luck or somesuch to a female Sunderland fan she said thanks and then burst into tears !!
We got back to the Oak at Blackheath Standard in what seemed like twenty minutes, there was no-one around we got back so quick. It was quiet sitting outside the pub smoking celebratory cuban cigars and them more and more people arrived and the celebrations took off, one bloke sitting on the back of a convertible BMW waving a flag nearly got pitched a**e over elbow when it zoomed over a speed bump doing about sixty.
Got back to High Wycombe at some point in the evening and finally walked up the garden path to see a Charlton scarf proudly hanging up in my baby daughters bedroom window...At this point I nearly balled my eyes out as I was truly 'tired and emotional' by then...
I was living with my girlfriend (now wife) in a flat in Rotherithe at the time which as we know is a bit of a Millwall area but was amazed how many Charlton fans were getting on the tube. The whole family met at Baker St at 10 and then we headed to a pub at Finchley Road. The pub was absolutely mobbed up with Mackems but they were all up for a bit of friendly banter.
All I can say about the game is that Ilic had been playing like Superman during the last few weeks of the season so at 1-0 at half time I was convinced we were home and dry. The Rufus goal in particular and Mendonca's last goal were as bigger high as I will ever get celebrating a goal.
When Ilic saved that penalty I can honestly say at that time it was the happiest moment of my life. Me, my dad and uncle hugged and jumped around like a load of loonies, better than any drug I have taken. It was also the moment that my missus, who had only been seeing for a year or so, finally saw what all the fuss was about regarding my love of Charlton, and to see her jumping about at the end was great.
Was knackered afterwards so went home for a few beers and a takeaway, walked past a staunch Millwall boozer and got nothing but congratulations.
The day also has sad memories for me as my old man died shortly afterwards from Leukaemia. Even though he was gaunt from all the chemotherapy he was still able to enjoy it as much as the next man. In a funny sort of way, if that was to be his last ever Charlton game, what a way to go out.
Great stories and memories. Southend, was really moved reading about it being your dad's last game. A friend lost his father (big fan) in the week coming up to the game. He mentioned it to Keith Peacock at the celebrations. Keith said "I bet your dad is looking down and smiling at us all know" I'm not religous but I thought it was such a touching thing to say.
Has anyone got the Welling to Wembley book which is made up of stories and photos of the day. Didn't particully like it when it came out as I thought there was too much waffle from the author and not enough stories like these but maybe I should read it again and see if it has grown on me.
i can remember a thousand and one things about the day, many of them similar to things already written on this thread but a couple of things i'd like to add is the fact that, among 38,000 charlton fans all i seemed to keep doing all day was bumping into old mates...and i knew we were going to do it at that point at the end of extra time and before the penalties started when the sunderland fans went quiet and the charlton fans were belting out 'we're proud of you'...if any set of players was going to be up for one more go and another set wasn't it was after that moment...
[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite]Memories for me
Going up on the tube with my then girlfriend (now wife) who had been to every game since Port Vale away - which was her first Charlton match and telling her 'I know we'll win - you've never seen us lose'.
Not being able to believe how jovial the atmosphere was between us and the Mackem fans.
Buying a shit pie and being charged about three quid for it.
Standing with my boss and a couple of other blokes I knew instead of my mates because he got us the tickets.
Laughing as the fat mackem twat in front of us, who had been larging it all first half, shut his trap as Clive scored the first - then laaughing even harder as he got up and turned round to scream abuse at the bloke behind him - only to find out he was about eight foot tall, got a big ol' clump on the head and was dragged out by the stewards. The only twat of the whole day.
Physically crying after they went 3-2 up.
Crying again as Rufus equalised.
Knowing - just KNOWING that we were going to equalise even as Summerbee made it 4-3.
My missus telling me that Newton's marker was knackered and that he would get the winner - less than 10 seconds before he tore down the flank and cut inside & hit the side netting... wondering whether the 'good luck charm' was losing its lustre...
Being utterly convinced that Mendonca would score his pen, and that Robbo was going to miss his (I knew Newts would score his)
The split second after Sasa saved - before the world exploded. Crushing my boss half to death, screaming at the top of my voice, turning to my wife and crying my eyes out blubbering 'you don't know what this means to me - you can't know - but I love you - and I want to marry you'... and her laughing and crying at the same time...
Hugging Sunderland fans on Wembley way on the way home, and laughing and joking with them on the tube all the way back to Baker St - genuinely special fans - I'll never hear a bad word said about them as long as I live
Six non-Charlton supporting mates ringing me before we'd even got back to the tube station to tell me it was the best game of football they'd ever seen
Secretly crying again that night, for no reason other than being completely, and utterly drained
[cite]Posted By: The Prince-e-Paul[/cite] i remember at 7-6 i said to my dad...look at the score dad. its the same as that famous comeback victory. then it happend and i just burst into tears and hugged my dad and half the stand around me. grown men were crying all around and the hair on my neck still stands up when i think about. as said already. it probably will be a charlton fans greatest ever game, not just because of the result or the game itself...but because it somehow put right decades of hurting.
A grown man is crying here again mate - you got me going again. - Wipes away a tear................
[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]Has anyone got the Welling to Wembley book which is made up of stories and photos of the day. Didn't particully like it when it came out as I thought there was too much waffle from the author and not enough stories like these but maybe I should read it again and see if it has grown on me.
I've got the book Henry. In fact I've got two copies as I inherited one from my Dad who passed away a few years ago. I thumb through it occasionally when I need a lift. Sure it's not the best book ever written but it captures the day quite well I think.
there are more accounts on here than in that book, but i suppose the internet was pretty much still in its infancy then and there wasn't the ability to take as many accounts as you could now.
So many emotions from that day ..... I have the MM commentary on an Official Club CD and yes I do play it now and then ! My two abiding memories are - the Bloke Behind Me literally quivering and weeping when we'd won (he sorta melted into his seat) and secondly how quiet it was walking back to Wembley Park Station.- really spooky - no "triumphalism", just relief.
The Hamilton Hall at Liverpool Street Station had a fair few Addicks (80 odd ?) stayed there until 9:30 and home to watch on TV. Got my voice back on Tuesday.
[cite]Posted By: powerchord[/cite]So many emotions from that day ..... I have the MM commentary on an Official Club CD and yes I do play it now and then ! My two abiding memories are - the Bloke Behind Me literally quivering and weeping when we'd won (he sorta melted into his seat) and secondly how quiet it was walking back to Wembley Park Station.- really spooky - no "triumphalism", just relief.
The Hamilton Hall at Liverpool Street Station had a fair few Addicks (80 odd ?) stayed there until 9:30 and home to watch on TV. Got my voice back on Tuesday.
I've got the MM commntary on tape. It still gets me going.
Being hammered my dad pushing me over a good dozen rows of Wembley seats, one of my mates and his uncles landing on top of the old man with me at the bottom of the pile. Oh and hearing the new three lions song before the game.
The lasting memory is how drained i felt Cant remember ever being so f**ked it was even an effort to have a good beer !
Pre the game a few of us wandered the pubs up town.Mostly Sunderland about. Then we met up ioth a larger group in some boozer God knows where (Wilsden?). about40 of us , no colours on and the rest of a very large boozer all Sunderland. Much singing and they couldnt believe we were CAFC as no colours, so it became "ill show you my tattoo if you show me yours". No trouble at all , and i dont remember a hint of it either.
The game-----(like many others i thought we had won it at one -nil). Our strength for the last 2 months of the season was our defence. Still what do i know? One thing ill never ,ever forget was Rufus`s goal. I went mental. Trod all over these two guys siting behind me to go equally mental with a mate who was 2 rows behind. Screamng till it felt my lungs would burst "RUFUS---RUFUS F**KIN RUFUS". Quin was actually my MotM. He was the guy who caused us so much trouble.I thought when they scored the 4th "well done Charlton it was such a brave effort and what a game". I couldnt see us coming back again, after all it was Charlton. Watched the pens until it went 5 v 5 and walked out to the concorse. Stood there with two huge black guys who were doing security at the game and both Spurs fans. They watched -- i couldnt and when sasa saved that pen, we were dancing around like mad men and they werent even Charlton. Dont remember Kins and the Cup. I do remember how quiet it was in Wembley way. I went up to some young Sunderland kid crying his eyes out and said" dont worry son ur the Champions next year". They were.
We stayed up town after the game. Mostly Sunderland about. Who made a good effort and drowning their sorrows. We on the other hand mainly sat and loked at each other as if we couldnt beleive it.
Next day 2 of us went to The Valley not many about. Then to the RO at first opening , again not many about. Then onto The Director General in Woolwich. I remember saying this parade will be sh*t no ones turning up. After a few hours the pub was packed, but then its only one pub. When some one said the Team bus is coming we culdnt actually get out of the pub as there were so many people ! Woolwich was full they estimated 30,000 and from where i was that could have been true. Pub has gone now and Woolwich isnt a place to go at night, but the memories cant die.
The greatest game we will ever see ? well i cant believe i would be lucky enough to see another like that. I never thought i would see us at the Home of Football let alone be in one of its greatest ever games.
For all the heartache, grief, blood, sweat, tears and disappointment you suffer following Charlton the memories thrown up by that one match make everything worthwhile.
I was 9 years old having been going to the games with my dad since '93... definitely one of the lucky ones to come along and get some success straight away!
Just watched the highlights prompted by this thread and have tears in my eyes... what a finish Mendonca's third was - class beyond all measure
Echo what most have said on here, certainly in the top 5 days of my life - and I was in bloody Australia!
It was such a magical ‘night’. Watched it in Cheers bar, in George St, Sydney. Cheers is an underground bar (literally) and the place was packed with Sunderland fans. I joined the four Charlton boys (from Bexleyheath) and the game began. Needless to say it was exhausting and I couldn’t get over that the team decided to ‘turn it on’ when I was on the other side of the world - I left in January 98, just before our barnstorming run to the Play Offs (after successive season tickets at Selhurst and Upton Park, I might add!).
But that night/day in Sydney was amazing.
A group of suited Sunderland fans, who’d bought several bottles of champagne and cigars in anticipation of their win, were really sporting at the end, shook our hands and gave us the lot.
My last memory is of walking out of Cheers at 8am to searing heat (which only added to the drained feeling), passing commuters on their way to work, with a cigar in one hand and a bottle of half drunken Moet in the other.
[cite]Posted By: Valley11[/cite]
A group of suited Sunderland fans, who’d bought several bottles of champagne and cigars in anticipation of their win, were really sporting at the end, shook our hands and gave us the lot.
Comments
Some guy learning over my shoulder as we walked up Wembley way and asking if we were all alright for tickets. Realising it was Richard Murray.
Thinking, "yeah 1 - 0 will be enough."
Having money on Rufus for last goal at 50 - 1 Get in there!
Screaming "look at the score, look at the score, we always win 7-6" after Newts scored the worst pen of the shoot out (until the next one)
Drinking our mates mate's box dry of beer and being told to leave by the Wembley staff as they wanted to go home.
Wandering out on the the olympic gallery for one last look and seeing Brownie and Kinsella walking across the pitch with the trophy. shouting "MARK!" across the empty stadium, Kins hearing me and holding up the trophy just for me.
Bumping into Sasa and Robbo outside but not realising that Curbs was just behind us with the trophy
Singing "Carl Leaburn, Carl Leaburn, what a diffrence you have made" at the tube station on the way back as a response to Kevin Nolan and Mark Mansfield assertion that we wouldn't go up without him and Mark Bright was a bits and peices player.
Feeling knackered on the way home to Charlton so much so we couldn't even raise a jeer at the new Den.
Considering packing in following Charlton after the game thinking that nothing would be that good again.
Refreshing ourselves in the packed Liberal club and watching the highlights on the TVs standing on seats. Place going mental again.
Walking into work the next day with big Charlton badge in lapel of suit. Walking past Mick McCarthy with huge smirk on my face. He saw the badge and half smiled.
I can recall a couple of makem fans before the game telling us in the strongest of accents 'don't worry we'll keep it to 5 nil'. We where well outnumbered on wembley walk.
we were standing directly behind the goal about half way up. Dont know if anyone else saw this but there was a sunderland fan about 10 rows down from us with big sunderland flag up at us waving his flag and generally taunting everyone, when this huge bloke bursting out of his xxl shirt went strolling down and gave him the most casual smack in the gob you would ever see. Cant remember what happened to the mackem but we didn't see him after that. The bloke that hit him went back to his seat. Someone who was with us asked the steward if he was going to do anything and he said 'sod that i don't get paid enough'.
After the penalty save even at such a young age i can remember looking round at my dad who had been going to Charlton all his life and taking me to most games he could and seeing him with eyes full of tears and a big red face. He was shouting at me 'we've done it andy!' My dads face at that moment was a picture i never will forget!
Going up on the tube with my then girlfriend (now wife) who had been to every game since Port Vale away - which was her first Charlton match and telling her 'I know we'll win - you've never seen us lose'.
Not being able to believe how jovial the atmosphere was between us and the Mackem fans.
Buying a shit pie and being charged about three quid for it.
Standing with my boss and a couple of other blokes I knew instead of my mates because he got us the tickets.
Laughing as the fat mackem twat in front of us, who had been larging it all first half, shut his trap as Clive scored the first - then laaughing even harder as he got up and turned round to scream abuse at the bloke behind him - only to find out he was about eight foot tall, got a big ol' clump on the head and was dragged out by the stewards. The only twat of the whole day.
Physically crying after they went 3-2 up.
Crying again as Rufus equalised.
Knowing - just KNOWING that we were going to equalise even as Summerbee made it 4-3.
My missus telling me that Newton's marker was knackered and that he would get the winner - less than 10 seconds before he tore down the flank and cut inside & hit the side netting... wondering whether the 'good luck charm' was losing its lustre...
Being utterly convinced that Mendonca would score his pen, and that Robbo was going to miss his (I knew Newts would score his)
The split second after Sasa saved - before the world exploded. Crushing my boss half to death, screaming at the top of my voice, turning to my wife and crying my eyes out blubbering 'you don't know what this means to me - you can't know - but I love you - and I want to marry you'... and her laughing and crying at the same time...
Hugging Sunderland fans on Wembley way on the way home, and laughing and joking with them on the tube all the way back to Baker St - genuinely special fans - I'll never hear a bad word said about them as long as I live
Six non-Charlton supporting mates ringing me before we'd even got back to the tube station to tell me it was the best game of football they'd ever seen
Secretly crying again that night, for no reason other than being completely, and utterly drained
All day I had this belief, no matter how long the match lasted we were going to win. Rufus then scored in front of me and I didn't know whether to celebrate the goal or rub my eyes in disbelief that Rufus had got his first in what was it, 120 odd matches?
"The drum, we need the drum," we shouted, and moments later the drummers were banging again and the Addicted came back to life. The atmosphere rose as we forced a corner and Rufus, high above his marker, rammed his header home.
On the tube heading back a mate said bad luck or somesuch to a female Sunderland fan she said thanks and then burst into tears !!
We got back to the Oak at Blackheath Standard in what seemed like twenty minutes, there was no-one around we got back so quick. It was quiet sitting outside the pub smoking celebratory cuban cigars and them more and more people arrived and the celebrations took off, one bloke sitting on the back of a convertible BMW waving a flag nearly got pitched a**e over elbow when it zoomed over a speed bump doing about sixty.
Got back to High Wycombe at some point in the evening and finally walked up the garden path to see a Charlton scarf proudly hanging up in my baby daughters bedroom window...At this point I nearly balled my eyes out as I was truly 'tired and emotional' by then...
As I said what a day.
I was living with my girlfriend (now wife) in a flat in Rotherithe at the time which as we know is a bit of a Millwall area but was amazed how many Charlton fans were getting on the tube. The whole family met at Baker St at 10 and then we headed to a pub at Finchley Road. The pub was absolutely mobbed up with Mackems but they were all up for a bit of friendly banter.
All I can say about the game is that Ilic had been playing like Superman during the last few weeks of the season so at 1-0 at half time I was convinced we were home and dry. The Rufus goal in particular and Mendonca's last goal were as bigger high as I will ever get celebrating a goal.
When Ilic saved that penalty I can honestly say at that time it was the happiest moment of my life. Me, my dad and uncle hugged and jumped around like a load of loonies, better than any drug I have taken. It was also the moment that my missus, who had only been seeing for a year or so, finally saw what all the fuss was about regarding my love of Charlton, and to see her jumping about at the end was great.
Was knackered afterwards so went home for a few beers and a takeaway, walked past a staunch Millwall boozer and got nothing but congratulations.
The day also has sad memories for me as my old man died shortly afterwards from Leukaemia. Even though he was gaunt from all the chemotherapy he was still able to enjoy it as much as the next man. In a funny sort of way, if that was to be his last ever Charlton game, what a way to go out.
Has anyone got the Welling to Wembley book which is made up of stories and photos of the day. Didn't particully like it when it came out as I thought there was too much waffle from the author and not enough stories like these but maybe I should read it again and see if it has grown on me.
Superb post Leroy!
A grown man is crying here again mate - you got me going again. - Wipes away a tear................
I've got the book Henry. In fact I've got two copies as I inherited one from my Dad who passed away a few years ago. I thumb through it occasionally when I need a lift. Sure it's not the best book ever written but it captures the day quite well I think.
The Hamilton Hall at Liverpool Street Station had a fair few Addicks (80 odd ?) stayed there until 9:30 and home to watch on TV. Got my voice back on Tuesday.
I've got the MM commntary on tape. It still gets me going.
http://www.charltonlife.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=4711
Just listened again - brilliant!
Pre the game a few of us wandered the pubs up town.Mostly Sunderland about. Then we met up ioth a larger group in some boozer God knows where (Wilsden?). about40 of us , no colours on and the rest of a very large boozer all Sunderland. Much singing and they couldnt believe we were CAFC as no colours, so it became "ill show you my tattoo if you show me yours". No trouble at all , and i dont remember a hint of it either.
The game-----(like many others i thought we had won it at one -nil). Our strength for the last 2 months of the season was our defence. Still what do i know? One thing ill never ,ever forget was Rufus`s goal. I went mental. Trod all over these two guys siting behind me to go equally mental with a mate who was 2 rows behind. Screamng till it felt my lungs would burst "RUFUS---RUFUS F**KIN RUFUS".
Quin was actually my MotM. He was the guy who caused us so much trouble.I thought when they scored the 4th "well done Charlton it was such a brave effort and what a game". I couldnt see us coming back again, after all it was Charlton.
Watched the pens until it went 5 v 5 and walked out to the concorse. Stood there with two huge black guys who were doing security at the game and both Spurs fans. They watched -- i couldnt and when sasa saved that pen, we were dancing around like mad men and they werent even Charlton.
Dont remember Kins and the Cup. I do remember how quiet it was in Wembley way. I went up to some young Sunderland kid crying his eyes out and said" dont worry son ur the Champions next year". They were.
We stayed up town after the game. Mostly Sunderland about. Who made a good effort and drowning their sorrows. We on the other hand mainly sat and loked at each other as if we couldnt beleive it.
Next day 2 of us went to The Valley not many about. Then to the RO at first opening , again not many about. Then onto The Director General in Woolwich. I remember saying this parade will be sh*t no ones turning up. After a few hours the pub was packed, but then its only one pub. When some one said the Team bus is coming we culdnt actually get out of the pub as there were so many people ! Woolwich was full they estimated 30,000 and from where i was that could have been true. Pub has gone now and Woolwich isnt a place to go at night, but the memories cant die.
The greatest game we will ever see ? well i cant believe i would be lucky enough to see another like that. I never thought i would see us at the Home of Football let alone be in one of its greatest ever games.
Just watched the highlights prompted by this thread and have tears in my eyes... what a finish Mendonca's third was - class beyond all measure
What a great great day.....
I expect a few dewy eyes on thursday at Bartrams....
It was such a magical ‘night’.
Watched it in Cheers bar, in George St, Sydney.
Cheers is an underground bar (literally) and the place was packed with Sunderland fans.
I joined the four Charlton boys (from Bexleyheath) and the game began.
Needless to say it was exhausting and I couldn’t get over that the team decided to ‘turn it on’ when I was on the other side of the world - I left in January 98, just before our barnstorming run to the Play Offs (after successive season tickets at Selhurst and Upton Park, I might add!).
But that night/day in Sydney was amazing.
A group of suited Sunderland fans, who’d bought several bottles of champagne and cigars in anticipation of their win, were really sporting at the end, shook our hands and gave us the lot.
My last memory is of walking out of Cheers at 8am to searing heat (which only added to the drained feeling), passing commuters on their way to work, with a cigar in one hand and a bottle of half drunken Moet in the other.
Amazing!
I love this thread, the highlights and especially the commentary.
what a great gesture
Not one iota of nastiness. Guess we were all together feeling that we had been part of a truly amazing day.
Can't believe it's so nearly 10 years...