Saturday 22nd March 1980. Boundary Park. Att 7,058.
Oldham Athletic 4 (3) (Kowenicki 14, Wylde 17, Stainrod 44, Steel 87) Charlton Athletic 3 (3) (Robinson 8, Hales (pen) 18, Smith 31).
Oldham: McDonnell, Wood, Holt, Kowenicki, Blair, Hurst, Hilton, Wylde, Steel, Stainrod, Atkinson. Unused sub: Keegan.
Charlton: Johns, Hazell, Walker, Tydeman, Berry, Madden, Shaw, Hales, Robinson, Smith, Gritt. Unused sub: Walsh.
Referee: K Redfern (Whitley Bay)
Penalty awarded against Wood for pushing Robinson.
Change of heart: After the above defeat, Andy Nelson said: "That's it, we are going down. Even if we win our remaining games we still won't stay up". Back in October, after Charlton's 1-1 draw with Cambrodge Nelson had assured everyone that we would finish in mid-table.
End of Era: Nelson's contract was cancelled on 25th March following talks with Michael Gliksten who had returned from a trip to Denmark two days earlier. Three days later, Mike Bailey was appointed team manager and the following day Benny Fenton became assistant manager from being 'European Representative'.
Charlton did indeed get relegated, finishing rock bottom with 22 points and picking up just four points and failing to win a single one of their 21 away fixtures.
0
Comments
Disappointing in that close season: Mike Bailey was poached by then top flight Division 1 Brighton.
And Alan Mullery came for one season with his assistant Ken Craggs.
The next season, Charlton fan and 5-minute millionaire Mark Hulyer became Chairman, Craggs his manager - and Charlton splashed the cash on ex-European Footballer of the Year & Denmark international Allan Simonsen, from Barcelona - the classiest player I've ever seen play for Charlton.
When he signed, thousands turned up at The Valley for a reserve team fixture with Swansea expecting to see him play ....... but he sat in the Director's box with Hulyer.
Barcelona to struggling Charlton must have been some comedown. I bet Simonsen wondered what on earth he was doing at the ramshackle Valley.
Oops! Off topic, again. Andy Nelson, who was he ........?
;o)
Anyone remember the chant 'Les Berry football genius' sung mockingly at some games?
That bloody Stainrod seemed to always score against us. Pretty sure he bagged a few for QPR just after this?
I was there and he did play. Came on as a sub in the second half and set up a goal for Hales (I think)
Still got the single sheet programme somewhere, I bunked off school to watch the team train and he signed it for me.
It didn't help that nobody knew for sure whether Andy Nelson or Mike Bailey was actually running the show.
Just goes to show what a good manager Bailey was to turn it around the next season, only adding Terry Naylor to a small squad. Wonder what would have happened if he'd stayed?
Ah, the good old days...
That must have been the next reserve game, DM, as he definitely just sat in the stand at the first one - in a very stylish raincoat, if I remember correctly! I waited around after to get his autograph too, and when he hadn't appeared for ages, director Richard Collins took pity on me, took my autograph book and went and got it for me. I still wonder if it was Simmo who actually signed it?!
"When he signed, thousands turned up at The Valley for a reserve team fixture with Swansea expecting to see him play ....... but he sat in the Director's box with Hulyer."
I was there and he did play. Came on as a sub in the second half and set up a goal for Hales (I think)
Still got the single sheet programme somewhere, I bunked off school to watch the team train and he signed it for me.
That must have been the next reserve game, DM, as he definitely just sat in the stand at the first one - in a very stylish raincoat, if I remember correctly! I waited around after to get his autograph too, and when he hadn't appeared for ages, director Richard Collins took pity on me, took my autograph book and went and got it for me. I still wonder if it was Simmo who actually signed it?!
I'll double check tonight but I'm 100% sure he played against Swansea. I think there's footage of it on the centenery dvd.
Funny, the early Nelson era saw some of the most exciting football you'd ever see, but he seemed to be an abrasive sort of bloke who fell out with players pretty easily. I don't think Paddy and Keith Peacock had the fondest memories of him.
Think the highlight was a 1.0 home win against West Ham with a Stevie Gritt header winning it. Other than that, can`t remember a decent result.
Another decent win that season was the 4-0 at home to Bristol Rovers