28th November 1970. Queens Park Rangers 1 (0) (Leach 89) Charlton Athletic 4 (3) (Treacy 12 82, Kenning 25 41) Loftus Road. Att 14,027.
QPR: Parkes, Clement, Harris, Busby, Hunt, Hazell, Francis, Venables, Leach, McCulloch, Ferguson. Unused sub: Saul.
Charlton: Bellotti, Curtis (Ellis), Bruck, Moore, Went, Reeves, Kenning, Treacy, Plumb, Bond, Peacock.
Referee: D J Lyden (Birmingham)
Shock victory: This victory would rank very highly in Charlton's all-time list of shock wins. It wasn't so much the size of the victory, which was very imprerssive, more the fact that the Addicks hadn't won an away match since the 1-0 win at Norwich on 15th March 1969, a run of 35 matches without a win. On top of that, Charlton had failed to beat QPR home or away since the war and it was their first win at Loftus Road since 1934!
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Looking back at the team that day, two names stand out: Derek Bellotti & Dietmar Bruck. Two forgotten men, by me at any rate, who played in one of Charlton's most amazing games!! What on earth happened to those two? Does anybody know?
However I do remember lots of agro when we went there another time, Tommy Docherty was the manager we lost 4 - 0 and kept singing 'who's up Mary Brown' through the whole game. I think it was the only time I have laughed whilst losing, the result seemed academic that day.
I remember the Burgers VMc. What were they all about?
As for the game, I didn't go but I do remember the result which was completely unexpected. It was a depressingly familiar time for Addicks fans each away game. Draws were unexpected let alone wins. If memory serves we didn't win too many more away games that season.
Derek Bellotti was the keeper who we signed from Southend(?). We had a little chant to the tune of a pop song of the time: "Bellotti's not Bonnetti, we can tell, tell, tell......"
Peter (the Cat) Bonnetti was of course the Chelsea & England keeper - don't mention the 1970 World Cup quarter final v West Germany.
Other names younger fans might not be familiar with - Denis Bond, a fair haired lightweight ex Spurs reserve, who pottered around midfield without ever doing anything wrong but never really doing anything at all.
Full back Dietmar Bruck was a a square jawed German with 'crew cut' hair (ask your Dad) who had played in the 1st Div with Coventry. Let's say he was, er, solid.
Midfielder Alan Ellis was a slight youngster coming through the youth team at the time. He tried hard enough and had some nice touches but lightweight. He had a run of matches eventually before disappearing about the time we were relegated a season or so later.
Centre forward Dickie, Dickie, Dickie Plumb, signed on a double deal with Cyril Davies from then non-league Yeovil is still talked about in legendary non-goalscoring circles. Famous for the sheer number of times he struck the woodwork compared to the goals he did score.
Lean & rangy, he must have been the bravest forward I've ever seen with his trademark diving headers. The long defunct 'Kentish Independent' once described him as 'diving in where Angels fear to head'.
The other players are legends and most people know all about them.
Not only had we gone on a run of 35 matches without an away win but I'm sure we were bottom of the league (real Div2)at the time.
After that shock win over QPR ,we were then at home to League leaders Cardiff and after another shock win (2-1 I think), the 2points edged us off the bottom of the league. Next match was against relegation rivals Blackburn and they duly beat us, of course, which dumped us back at the bottom. End of mini revival.
(I thought I posted this about 6 30pm before I went round my girlfriend's for some food. I came back and saw I couldn't have pressed send. Doh!
This was a spectacularly average Charlton team with players like Bellotti, Ellis, Bond, Bruck and Plumb in it. On the other hand, Curtis, Reeves, Moore, Went, Kenning, Tracey and Peacock were some of the best players we produced during this era.
Peter Reeves was one of my favourite players of the era who's injury in the following season co-incided with disasterous form which led to us being relegated.
But for us old gits, our eyes glaze over and it's just like we are there all over again.
That's right, eh Bing, Firmani & McMoist?
"Bellotti's not Bonnetti we can tell, tell, tell....."
"Dickie, Dickie Dickie Plumb, Dickie Plumb.....". You can still hear the Covered End ringing in your ears.
You don't get bloody PrimaDonna fancy dans with names like Dickie Plumb in your precious Premiership, do you?
;o)
We
He would have played in the first division sooner rather than later had he not been injured.
If you youngsters have seen footage of the 66 World Cup win then you will have seen Nobby Stiles. Peter Reeves was our equivalent.
You don't hear anything of him these days but I agree with you that but for his injury, he would have found his natural level in the old First Division. Your comparison with Styles is very good.
Peter Reeves was my boyhood hero and whenever someone puts up their greatest ever Charlton team, I always put in Peter Reeves. His mum used to live next door to my best mate from Primary School and on a Thursday night he used to go and visit his mum. So me and Jim used to be waiting for him by the garden gate and we'd always get an 'alright boys' along with a ruffle of the hair. Many years later, the doorbell rang and much to my pleasure, it was Peter Reeves and he'd come to read the gas meter. Had a brief chat with him and at the time he was a champion crown green bowler and had represented Kent. That was 10-15 years ago. I wonder what he's up to now? Would love to see him as a matchday host down at the Valley. In my eyes, he's an absolute CAFC legend.
a few of the players used to mention that he was an ex charlton player and i just presumed he'd played a handful of games, how wrong can you be!
didn't realise he was such a legend .
he always seemed a friendly bloke in the bar , big smile on his face and always had a tan(not a fake one!)
His Mum & Dad were dyed in the wall Charlton supporters too.
Even after Peter had to retire, they still carried on going to most away matches with us on the Lewis' coach.
Local lad, skippered Charlton Colts to the South East Counties League title (U-18 league for all the London area youth teams of the time) and played for England U-18's, before breaking into the 1st team as a 17 year old.
He played most of his games alongside centre half Paul 'Wally' Went.
Wenty was a big strapping lad signed from Leyton Orient as a 17 year old in 1967, for £25,000 - then the British record fee for a teenager. He scored quite a few goals too, mostly headers from corners as you would expect - but he had a blistering shot on him.
I remember one match about that time (date eludes me, Home & Away will find it) - we were home to Swindon Town and were 0-1 down playing cluelessly (familiar?) when manager Theo Foley put Wenty into midfield with 20 minutes or so remaining. Within minutes, Wenty had equalised with a 25 yarder and 5 minutes later put us ahead with an identical effort. Both goals were stunning! Bobby 'Digger' Hunt - there's a centre forward nobody remembers - made it 3-1 with a few minutes to go and we really had clawed victory from the jaws of defeat against an impressive top half side.
Wenty was victim of the 1972 relegation purge and was traded to Fulham for £80,000.
Sorry, went off on an 'eyes glazed over' moment. Where was I?
Oh yes, Peter Reeves was a legend & so was 'Wally' Went.
We stood on the away end at that time it was an open terrace,I reckon a max 200 Charlton fans there,unbelievable result,recall a few skirmishes in Loftus road on the way out followed by a visit to 'Henry Irving' statue ?? I think somewhere near Trafalgar Square ? Dancing round singing Henry..Henry Irving.Never had a clue what that was all about ? Would still welcome enlightenment on Henry Irving & Charlton connection if any ?
Like your's Pete, the memories I have are of gathering round the statue with many others whenever we crossed London after away matches. I was only young in those days, so I never understood the connection either, but just went along with it as high jinx fun. It was tradition.
"Henry, Henry Irving, ooh ooh,
Henry, Henry Irving, ooh, ooh ......"
We'd also sing it down the Covered End and on the away coaches.
Later there was a Henry Irving column in 'Voice of the Valley', which no doubt was something to do with our very own supporters director whose posts are familiar on Charlton Life. ;o)
Irving was knighted in 1895, the first actor to be so honoured, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. So if Chrissy Powell gets knighted he won't be the first Charlton connection ;-)
By the way that QPR team looks very tasty. Hard to imagine they were in Div 2 then. What year did they go up?
With a few notable exceptions we often did not take that many away especially in that rubbish run of no wins, so it was always 'eventful' travelling home ... fortunately at least 25% of the away support tended to be made up of Covered Enders :-)