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How many of us have actually been on the hallowed turf of the Valley

edited October 2007 in General Charlton
First time was about 7 years ago when my work team reached the finals of the Broker's Cup (for London insurance companies). Sadly I had a car accident the week before and had to watch from the stands but I spent the day with the team - toured the dressing rooms and wandered about on the pitch trying to look professional.

Second time was when I was entertained by Visa when they sponsored a home game against Newcastle (we lost 2:0). I had a nice meal before the match, tour of the ground with Bob Bolder (very funny guy) and then we were on the pitch as the players were warming up. I have a photo of me with the Ref, Scott Parker at one end and Alan Shearer at the other. I was there in front of a sell out crowd and I was absolutely wasted on champagne. Great day out though.
I also got to meet Claus Jensen at the end of the game and present him with his man of the match champagne and he presented me with a shirt signed by Alan Curbishley with charicatures of all the players.

I also won a square of Valley Turf after they dug it up a few years ago. I won a competition on the website for that!
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  • 3 times.

    1.) Instant Jackpot Winner when we played leceister at home on 2nd November years ago
    2.)Football Aid Game
    3.)CharltonLife Game
  • Twice, charity game in May.

    And to scatter my Grandad on the turf many years ago.
  • twice

    1.hired the pitch a few years ago with my football team
    2. Charltonlife game
  • 4th time tonight for me.

    1. Singing / miming on the charity VFR record 3 blokes did about 5 years ago
    2. The Charlton Life tour of the Valley with Kevin Nolan
    3. The Charlton Life charity games in May
  • AFKA - how comes you are on it tonight?
  • He's the super sub
  • 1. Tour of the Valley with Kevin Nolan for my son's b'day.
    2. In the middle for a mate's game
    3. On the line for the first FPA game
    4. In the middle/on the line for the Charlton Life games in May
  • Once, a few years back. My Mum's friend is a friend of Colin Powell so he arranged for me and my little brothers (as it was the youngests birthday) to go down on the pitch just before the warm up at home to Spurs. Didn't go too far on the pitch managed to have a cheeky curler in th covered end net from just infront of the tunnel which got a brief cheer from the 100 odd people in the ground that early! Had a bit of banter with Gus Poyet because he came out for the warm up in his wooly hat and gloves (it was a freezing early december night) and he decided it was too cold to go out just yet so stood and chatted to us for a while.
    Amazingly enough his son now goes to the same school as my little brother and when I bumped into him again at the school a couple of years back he recognized me (he didn't know where from and thought i must have been a Spurs fan) until i reminded him. Quite bizzare as you'd think he'd never remember someone he spoke to for about 5 minutes about 6/7 years ago!
  • [cite]Posted By: Swisdom[/cite]AFKA - how comes you are on it tonight?

    playing left back
  • Twice

    once when pissed when we were at Selhurst me and some mates decided to hae a wlak round.

    2nd time

    last season before the watford game my son and his mate were picked from the corporate tables to have their pictures taken with ref and linos before the game in the centre circle and I went with them.
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  • edited October 2007
    Three times for me:

    - Charlton Life match
    - Pre- match tour as part of a hospitality package (Charlton v Newcastle in the Prem) - it was mega going into the dressing room just 1.5 hours before kick off - could work out the team from the shirts hanging up, and Carlton Cole was sitting in the corner of the room talking on his mobile - didn't like a crowd of us interrupting his peace and quiet!
    - End of the season back in the early 80s - after the last home game v Gillingham. (Or is this thread only meant to be about 'official' occasions??)
  • [quote][cite]Posted By: Swisdom[/cite]AFKA - how comes you are on it tonight?[/quote]

    Swisdom - Don't think you were visiting the site then. We arranged a Charity Day at the Valley amongst the members on here for Demelza. Tonight there is a dummy cheque presentation on the pitch before the game. Page 6 of the attached has very brief details of the day:

    http://www.demelzahouse.org/data/documents/Autumn%202007%20Newsletter.pdf
  • edited October 2007
    3rd time for me tonight,

    1: As guests of Llanera before the WestHam Game last year (Before everyone turned up - for a photo on the pitch and in the dugout)
    2: CharltonLife Game in May
  • When I was helping with the flag the other day I decided to take a short cut from the dugouts to the SE corner (thats my excuse anyway) and got a bollocking from Paddy!!
  • 3rd time for me too tonight.

    1. Valley Tour with Kevin Nolan (despite the "Keep Off The Pitch" signs!)
    2. Charlton Life games in May - wasn't playing, but still managed to get on the pitch!
  • edited October 2007
    Four for me;

    1. As an excited 10 year old with a tennis ball after a match scored in front of the now Jimmy Seed stand and got chased off by a policeman, (lost the tennis ball).

    2. Presenting a cheque before a match in our second season back to Steve Gritt for the BBSF. Griity said we had to be quick cos Curbs had the right hump that day. (when they were both in charge!!).

    3. As an excited parent when my son Daniel was mascot for a match against QPR. Missed the first two goals getting him changed!

    4. The Charlton Life match, scored again in front of the Jimmy Seed stand and not a copper in sight :-), although did get escorted off the pitch by a man in uniform, albeit a St. Johns Ambulance one!!!!

    Soon to be 5 as I've just paid up my sponsor money for the match on the 12th of Jan against Blackpool.
  • at the end of last season in a kick about game,the pitch was in a right mess..mind u so was i.I was breathing out of my arse after about 10 mins(how unfit!!)
  • once for the charity match...(cheers AFKA and all others involved, will never forget)

    and twice back at shithouse when i was a mascot and once when i did a charity walk around the pitch about 20 times when i was a youngan(any once there??)

    so once at the valley.....
  • Played 5 aside there a few years back via the supporters club

    Asst Manager (the ranting one) to Rothko at the charity match

    a few times after matches folding and lugging the big flag, much to Paddy's disdain.
  • Was anyone there for the big clear up when the return to The Valley was first announced?

    (I wasn't for reasons I'm not divulging on here.)
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  • edited October 2007
    1. In 1981 Cup final v Senrab under 16's
    2. Last game v Stoke
    3. CASC 5-a-side
    4. Presenting POTY cup to Parker.
    5. Charlton Life Charity Match.
  • I used to go on the pitch on a regular basis. The invites stopped 3 years ago almost to the day. Was it something I said do you think. ?
  • [quote][cite]Posted By: bc_addick[/cite]I used to go on the pitch on a regular basis. The invites stopped 3 years ago almost to the day. Was it something I said do you think. ?[/quote]
    Can't think what!
  • Twice already

    Last game at The Valley v Stoke
    Tour of the ground before a corporate day

    Will be there properly before the Ipswich game as doing match ball sponsorship, quite excited about that.
  • [cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]Was anyone there for the big clear up when the return to The Valley was first announced?

    (I wasn't for reasons I'm not divulging on here.)

    I was there that day , must be more of us on here who were there that day

    Numerous pitch invasions

    Football aid and the game in May
  • [cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]Was anyone there for the big clear up when the return to The Valley was first announced?

    i'll do a seperate thread on it in a few days time.
  • Last game against Stoke, dug up a bit of the turf, and was proudly laid in my arents back garden, i also appeared on the back of the local paper holding the turf
  • edited October 2007
    Twice I think once for Stoke at Home in 1985 doing the same as Wheniwasalittleboy & the second was the Charity Match. Tonight will be my Third...No Booooooing by the way !
  • 4 times
    stoke last game at old valley.... h-t and full time
    i was there for the valley clean up, although i didn't do much cleaning up just had a kick about in front of jimmy seed stand
    played when sunday team hired pitch
    charlton life match
  • edited October 2007
    Not counting regular pitch invasions as a kid, these are the ones that made the most emotional impact:

    1. First time in May 75 as we all danced on the pitch after winning promotion against Preston. I couldn't believe that after 10 years of following Charlton home & away, I'd seen my team actually win promotion for the 1st time.

    2. On my Stag Night May 81, we all broke into the ground at midnight and 'streaked' across the pitch in the moonlight.

    3. That 'last Valley game' against Stoke, thoughts running amok, clutching my bit of turf.

    4. Wandering around the 'pitch' after it was cleared and seeded just before we returned to The Valley.
    Really poignant - a dream soon to come true.

    5. Playing in the Charlton Life games last May - I couldn't believe that at 52, I'd achieved a lifelong ambition of actually playing on the sacred turf. I'd never played in front of so many people before - nor so many empty seats.
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