I was there that day in 85 and at the clean up day at the Valley and indeed the night before the Portsmouth first game back, helping to secure the makeshift tv gantry due to the high winds that were threatening to blow it away. Not sure if i went on pitch at half time but definitely after - got a bit of the pitch and planted it in back garden - also a bit of the terrace i think from the clean up day. Can you imagine that clean up day being allowed now with all the health and safety issues attached. Would have been risk assessed into oblivion.
Was 11 and didn't really understand the implications of what was going on. Dawned on me when we were sat in a traffic jam trying to get to Selhurst for the Sunderland game!.
Got on the pitch at the end and me and my mate ignored the centre-circle and got the North End penalty spot instead. It's still growing in my mum's garden.
Remember chanting "have a piss" at the bloke up the floodlights and getting cuffed round the head by some old dear standing behind me.
I remember during the clean-up, there was a big boom from inside the bonfire which was started on the pitch, probably from an old fuel can. I was in the old west stand at this point and a bloke a couple of feet away started yelling to get away from the fire, but no-one took any notice. He was probably right, but there was such a surreal athmosphere that we all thought we were invincible (or daft).
Aye, I was there and did my bit on the pitch. How helpless did we feel? Five effing years of shlepping across London to that depressing dump in SE25. I hardly missed a game but how much better would those years have been at the Valley? Promotion to the First Division was my lifelong dream and it was spoilt by the fact we played our first game in the top flight in my lifetime at that shit hole.
Can't wait to see Lennie striding across the Valley turf again on Saturday. It will bring back many happy memories. 25 years?? My god, where has all that time gone!!
I was at the game that day, but as a ball boy. My school, Westwood Junior school's headmaster was on the commitee for picking ball boys and our school kept getting picked. I wasn't a Charlton fan then regrettably, so I didn't really know the ignormity of it all. When we got to the ground I can remember the crowd size, I had never seen so many people in one place before and I know there were 9000 but it seemed like more. I sat in front of the covered end for the first half and sat in front of a flag that had 'no place like home' on it, a photographer asked me that day if it was ok for him to take a picture, I said yes and in the Mail on Sunday my picture was there. I can remember waiting with my school friends to go out for the second half and not being able to because of the pitch invasions. We were waiting in the tunnel when a fan was led down the tunnel by a policeman and was trying to get out of his grip and I took a forearm to the mouth. I probably didn't want to go out for the 2nd half, but I did and was told to go onto the east terrace. With 10 minutes to go fans had pushed down a gate/hording and were spilling onto the east terrace so we were told to leave and go back into the main stand. I can remember the atmosphere being so hostile and electric with police and there dogs around the pitch, I was proper scared. I didn't realise what went on after the final whistle because we couldn't see from where they put us. I started following Charlton then. What a rollercoaster ride!
What was the second last home game before we moved away from the Valley.I was working at Plumstead Railway station and got sent up to Charlton to help out due the increased numbers a few times towards the end.My memory is getting a bit iffy but was it Bristol City?? Very emotional on the last game with many grown men crying their eyes out on Charlton station.I was just angry me and my Dad used to go often.The Valley was also the last sporting event he saw before he passed away,Tranmere Rovers were the opposition.
[cite]Posted By: richie8[/cite]What was the second last home game before we moved away from the Valley.I was working at Plumstead Railway station and got sent up to Charlton to help out due the increased numbers a few times towards the end.My memory is getting a bit iffy but was it Bristol City??
Very emotional on the last game with many grown men crying their eyes out on Charlton station.I was just angry me and my Dad used to go often.The Valley was also the last sporting event he saw before he passed away,Tranmere Rovers were the opposition.
[cite]Posted By: Airman Brown[/cite]Big opportunity at half-time on Saturday for fans to acknowledge Lennie Lawrence's role in keeping the club alive at Selhurst Park. Let's do it.
Can't he be introduced on the pitch at 2.55 or something, most people aren't in their seats at half time !
[cite]Posted By: Telnotinoz[/cite]Jesus, it seems like just a few years ago, not a quarter century.....thats just down right scary
Agreed ... but I just looked at the picture hanging on the wall next to my desk at home ... wide angle shot of the last game ... when you look at the ground then and now, you realise it was so long ago.
I loved the Covered End in those days but it looks like a factory shed ... although the atmosphere was probably better !
It was better....and it always felt like home....that weird sense of having to protect it as well.....I will always have fond memories of the Covered End and all those faces from the past....
[cite]Posted By: WereByFarTheGreatest[/cite]I was at the game that day, but as a ball boy. My school, Westwood Junior school's headmaster was on the commitee for picking ball boys and our school kept getting picked. I wasn't a Charlton fan then regrettably, so I didn't really know the ignormity of it all. When we got to the ground I can remember the crowd size, I had never seen so many people in one place before and I know there were 9000 but it seemed like more. I sat in front of the covered end for the first half and sat in front of a flag that had 'no place like home' on it, a photographer asked me that day if it was ok for him to take a picture, I said yes and in the Mail on Sunday my picture was there. I can remember waiting with my school friends to go out for the second half and not being able to because of the pitch invasions. We were waiting in the tunnel when a fan was led down the tunnel by a policeman and was trying to get out of his grip and I took a forearm to the mouth. I probably didn't want to go out for the 2nd half, but I did and was told to go onto the east terrace. With 10 minutes to go fans had pushed down a gate/hording and were spilling onto the east terrace so we were told to leave and go back into the main stand. I can remember the atmosphere being so hostile and electric with police and there dogs around the pitch, I was proper scared. I didn't realise what went on after the final whistle because we couldn't see from where they put us. I started following Charlton then. What a rollercoaster ride!
Lovely story A.......and what an introduction to life at the Valley...
Yep, September 1985, at half time, I managed to climb over the advertising hoarding and straight into the arms of a cooper who realised my age and promptly swung me around 180 degrees back into the direction from where I came, the listtle area of standing in the West.
The same cooper caught up with me after the final whistle while I was trying to kick off the hoardings from the East. At the time I thought it was great fun...I used to be double hard back then as 14 year old, so I thought!
WereByFarTheGreatest, my mates at school (identical twins, Rob & Tony) were also boyballs around that time. Don't suppose you remember either of them?
25 years ago today!!
Would have been 3 at the time (I was big for my age)
I remember being late for the kick off and knowing nothing about the piece of paper handed out and thinking all my mates were on the wind up.
The rest is just a horrible nightmare........21st September 1985, never again.
The 5th of December 1992, the exile is over our dreams have come true..................................................................................
Someone finish that off, there's a song there somewhere ; )
[quote][cite]Posted By: DaveMehmet[/cite][quote][cite]Posted By: richie8[/cite]What was the second last home game before we moved away from the Valley.I was working at Plumstead Railway station and got sent up to Charlton to help out due the increased numbers a few times towards the end.My memory is getting a bit iffy but was it Bristol City?? Very emotional on the last game with many grown men crying their eyes out on Charlton station.I was just angry me and my Dad used to go often.The Valley was also the last sporting event he saw before he passed away,Tranmere Rovers were the opposition.[/quote]
The second to last game was the palace game.[/quote] Thanks DaveMehmet,I am trying to piece together my time round about Charlton back in 85.I had stopped going much on a Saturday as I was a half decent rugby player and the fixtures were on a Saturday plus being a big lad I had noticed the coppers seemed to arrest the bigger lads even if they hadn't done anything and a school mate had landed a £250 fine for coin throwing,he would have killed you over 5p lying on the floor so I reckon he was picking them up! Did we play a West Country team at home early on in that season? I recall having a relatively civilized conversation with some away supporters on the station and in my experience Palace fans wouldn't have fitted the bill.I'm sure it was a midweek fixture as I wondered how they were going to get home at that time.
Was only 8, but was definatley there for this one. Vaguely remember the game as well, but definatley remember the protest at half time and at the end. Also remember after the game, my old man taking me up the the heights, looking over the vast old ground and him saying to me 'take a good look at that son, it wont be here much longer'. Still talk about it now and how luckily it didnt turn out like that!
Have lived here in Perth for 2 years, got my CAFC stickers on the work van, Charlton flag hanging on my lounge room wall and pictures of the valley in the hall way and kitchen! Am also planning my trip back for next year in March! Tranmere at home.
Not the greatest time to be an addick, but thank god and everyone involved in getting us back to where we belong, (not in league terms!)
Will always be a big part of me in Floyd Rd SE7!!!!
[cite]Posted By: Airman Brown[/cite]Big opportunity at half-time on Saturday for fans to acknowledge Lennie Lawrence's role in keeping the club alive at Selhurst Park. Let's do it.
Roger that Airman, before my time but will pay my respect.
I was minus 6 weeks old at the time. But my mum was there so I suppose I was there too, obviously lacking any memory of it though. Great reading all the memories and I think I will have to pick that book up
Wasn't there. Couldn't face it. I was working at Fremlins in Faversham, had a season ticket, and this and one game at Sellout were the only two home games I missed that season.
I wish I could be there on Saturday and shake Lennie's hand, he is still my favourite Charlton manager (Firmani was in charge when I started going). Please give him a cheer for me.
Some of your stories are fascinating, we are trying to put together a piece for Charlton Live on Sunday and need your stories, if you can spare me a couple of minutes on Saturday please whisper me so we can meet up and record your story, it really wont take long.
My take on the move is very different from everybody elses and I have written a piece on Hill tio the Valley http://hilltovalley.blogspot.com/ although this is about the move rather than the annoncement.
The announcement it seolf seems to have spurred me on to becoming more committed to the club and I now see more games than I ever did in my best years prior to the move
I got to the ground late and when inside The Valley my mates and brother told me the club was moving to Selhurst, I thought it was a wind-up.
At the end of the game I went on to the pitch with a mate to make my feelings known, on the route back I took a piece of the hallowed turf which stayed in my garden in Bromley at the time.
To say I was angry would be an understatement.
Jimmy Hill was in the frame at the time and I wouldn't mind betting he had a major say in advising the board to make the switch.
As was said history shows who the real idiots were.
All fascinating stuff here. Was barely into football in 1985 let alone Charlton so this pretty much passed me by. A few points around events of that autumn spring to mind.
1. Does anyone know how long discussions with Noades had been going on back then and who instigated them?
2. One thing that occurred to me was that Charlton were using the groundshare stuff as a threat to Greenwich to get them to give some leeway over the east stand - it seems unlikely given the risk of the council calling their bluff but I suppose it was possible.
3. final thought is how similar the valley looks now to the original plans that were turned down by the council planners.
I have only missed 10 games at home since we returned, however due to work I'm unable to attend on Saturday and I'm absolutley gutted. Lennie Lawrences' Red and White Army.
Without Curbs there would have been no premier League.
Back in 1985, the safety licensing came under the GLC. Greenwich Council weren't involved.
The club had been playing games over the East Terrace since at least 1980, but Bradford and Heysel, in particular, brought the issue sharply into focus. There were solutions to the problems - remember the temporary seats installed but never used in 1991, think Blackpool - but the club chose not to pursue them.
I've written a piece in the programme tomorrow covering the issues.
[cite]Posted By: Airman Brown[/cite]Back in 1985, the safety licensing came under the GLC. Greenwich Council weren't involved.
The club had been playing games over the East Terrace since at least 1980, but Bradford and Heysel, in particular, brought the issue sharply into focus. There were solutions to the problems - remember the temporary seats installed but never used in 1991, think Blackpool - but the club chose not to pursue them.
I've written a piece in the programme tomorrow covering the issues.
Comments
Got on the pitch at the end and me and my mate ignored the centre-circle and got the North End penalty spot instead. It's still growing in my mum's garden.
Remember chanting "have a piss" at the bloke up the floodlights and getting cuffed round the head by some old dear standing behind me.
whenever we're moaning about our situation, at least we still have our beloved Valley Floyd Road
Long Live Valley Floyd Road.
Very emotional on the last game with many grown men crying their eyes out on Charlton station.I was just angry me and my Dad used to go often.The Valley was also the last sporting event he saw before he passed away,Tranmere Rovers were the opposition.
The second to last game was the palace game.
Can't he be introduced on the pitch at 2.55 or something, most people aren't in their seats at half time !
It was better....and it always felt like home....that weird sense of having to protect it as well.....I will always have fond memories of the Covered End and all those faces from the past....
Lovely story A.......and what an introduction to life at the Valley...
The same cooper caught up with me after the final whistle while I was trying to kick off the hoardings from the East. At the time I thought it was great fun...I used to be double hard back then as 14 year old, so I thought!
WereByFarTheGreatest, my mates at school (identical twins, Rob & Tony) were also boyballs around that time. Don't suppose you remember either of them?
Would have been 3 at the time (I was big for my age)
I remember being late for the kick off and knowing nothing about the piece of paper handed out and thinking all my mates were on the wind up.
The rest is just a horrible nightmare........21st September 1985, never again.
The 5th of December 1992, the exile is over our dreams have come true..................................................................................
Someone finish that off, there's a song there somewhere ; )
Very emotional on the last game with many grown men crying their eyes out on Charlton station.I was just angry me and my Dad used to go often.The Valley was also the last sporting event he saw before he passed away,Tranmere Rovers were the opposition.[/quote]
The second to last game was the palace game.[/quote]
Thanks DaveMehmet,I am trying to piece together my time round about Charlton back in 85.I had stopped going much on a Saturday as I was a half decent rugby player and the fixtures were on a Saturday plus being a big lad I had noticed the coppers seemed to arrest the bigger lads even if they hadn't done anything and a school mate had landed a £250 fine for coin throwing,he would have killed you over 5p lying on the floor so I reckon he was picking them up!
Did we play a West Country team at home early on in that season? I recall having a relatively civilized conversation with some away supporters on the station and in my experience Palace fans wouldn't have fitted the bill.I'm sure it was a midweek fixture as I wondered how they were going to get home at that time.
Have lived here in Perth for 2 years, got my CAFC stickers on the work van, Charlton flag hanging on my lounge room wall and pictures of the valley in the hall way and kitchen! Am also planning my trip back for next year in March! Tranmere at home.
Not the greatest time to be an addick, but thank god and everyone involved in getting us back to where we belong, (not in league terms!)
Will always be a big part of me in Floyd Rd SE7!!!!
COYR
Couldn't face it.
I was working at Fremlins in Faversham, had a season ticket, and this and one game at Sellout were the only two home games I missed that season.
I wish I could be there on Saturday and shake Lennie's hand, he is still my favourite Charlton manager (Firmani was in charge when I started going). Please give him a cheer for me.
The announcement it seolf seems to have spurred me on to becoming more committed to the club and I now see more games than I ever did in my best years prior to the move
At the end of the game I went on to the pitch with a mate to make my feelings known, on the route back I took a piece of the hallowed turf which stayed in my garden in Bromley at the time.
To say I was angry would be an understatement.
Jimmy Hill was in the frame at the time and I wouldn't mind betting he had a major say in advising the board to make the switch.
As was said history shows who the real idiots were.
1. Does anyone know how long discussions with Noades had been going on back then and who instigated them?
2. One thing that occurred to me was that Charlton were using the groundshare stuff as a threat to Greenwich to get them to give some leeway over the east stand - it seems unlikely given the risk of the council calling their bluff but I suppose it was possible.
3. final thought is how similar the valley looks now to the original plans that were turned down by the council planners.
I have only missed 10 games at home since we returned, however due to work I'm unable to attend on Saturday and I'm absolutley gutted. Lennie Lawrences' Red and White Army.
Without Curbs there would have been no premier League.
Without Lennie there would have been No Charlton
The club had been playing games over the East Terrace since at least 1980, but Bradford and Heysel, in particular, brought the issue sharply into focus. There were solutions to the problems - remember the temporary seats installed but never used in 1991, think Blackpool - but the club chose not to pursue them.
I've written a piece in the programme tomorrow covering the issues.
I look forward to reading it.