Was always a Covered Ender from the day my dad took me when I was 6. The place was huge, the East Terrace looked like another world and the West Stand so magnificent to young eyes.
I was in awe and the sheer thrill of watching live football within a crowd got me hooked. The smell of Roasted Chestnuts and old hoburn wafting under the shallow roof, the guy who picked his way through the crowd to sell his peanuts and the eagerness of waiting for the half time numbers, all treasured memories.
Started going by myself from the age of 9 with a few mates from school and other memories include the little shop behind the Main Stand and the steps up to the Covered End from there was like our big entrance to the ground, never tired of doing that. Saving up to buy scarves from the shop to tie round my wrists only to have them nicked virtualy everytime I went through Woolwich by mobs of scummy hamsters.
Playing football against the goal posts that were on the mound between the main stand and the south stand. Was always curious why more didn't do that.
I remember trying the view from the top of the East at the end of a match against Luton when we were being stuffed and I left my usual spot at the back of the Covered End early as there was pretty much no-one left anyway and thinking shit me, how can you possibly watch a match from up here it's miles away.
Taking my lil Sis to her first game, (spuds I think) and having to stand on the lower corner of the East Stand because I thought it would be safer, hated that, but grew used to it when they put bloody seats in the Covered End! Went back in eventually.
Of course I remember the big games, palarse (alison, alison, shut your mouth), spuds 4-1, (Super Flash), Simonsen v Newcastle, Chelsea, (The original roof, the roof, the roof is on fire), but for some reason a cup game against Sheff Wed sticks vividly in my mind, there were thousands upon thousands of them and the old bill allowed them in the ground early, so they took the Covered End with ease. The rest when they came were in the south and just jumped over the railings and ran across the pitch to join the others. Me and a few others were in the west corner of the Covered End at first and it was like Rourke's Drift. The police eventually put us in the South, but we all walked round to the East corner to give them some close up stick.
Can't remember the year, mid to late seventies I guess and I can't even remember the score!!!
Would have been about 74-75 I reckon.....I remember it really well.....Think I wrote a piece about it actually....I was stood at the bottom of the East too :-) Was still going off an hour after the match over by the station. Cant swear by it but I think we won 3-2....the off pitch action was obviously more exciting!
about 76-77 always remember goin in Valley club before game as my dad got pissed,never saw the start of any game as he was always finishing his beer,remeber the spurs game also when we lost 3-2 to stoke in league cup with garth crooks playin.Loved it and have been hooked since.
I have been reading a lot of the posts here and they bring back such memories.
I first went in 1967 against QPR. The game ended as a draw but when I left (due to illness of one of the lad's I was with) we were two nil down and our keeper Ron Willis had been taken off injured.
I remember many of the things that others mentioned. The things about being in and around the ground that really strike me thinking back now are:
1. The largest urinal in the country
2. The vastness of the East Terrace including standing right at the top of it occasionally to watch games. It was an amazing feeling staring at the play going on way below.
3. The peanut seller
4. The sellers walking around the edge of the pitch
5. The terrace behind where the Jimmy Seed stand is now before the flats were built.
6. The rucks which went on behind the old main stand.
7. The programmes that had the Football League Review inside them.
8. Half time paper sellers outside the ground.
9. The roast chestnut seller down Floyd Road.
10.The crush to get through the turnstiles in Floyd Road when there was a big game on. (e.g Derby County in 1968/9 which was 32000)
11. That you could walk right around the ground from terrace to terrace. (Occasionally if they expected trouble, they would have police stationed on the gates between the East and South Terraces but most of the time you could move between them). Often we would stand on the East in the first half and then stand either on the South or Covered End in the second.
12. The roar from outside if you were late in.
13. Standing down on the fence at the front of the East with a lot of other kids.
14. Some of the "naughty" night matches. Millwall in 1971, Gillingham in 1975. I also remember vividly the Chelsea "bonfire" game. The atmosphere for these night games was just brilliant. Excitement and menace in fairly equal measure.
15. The fact that you could just turn up and get in without having to buy tickets.
16. Golden Goals tickets sellers.
Of course then there were the games and the players. But that is another story.
Used to go in the old Valley Club before the games and watch Saint and Greavsie and have a plate of chips with my dad and his mates...started off sitting in the old West until I badgered my dad so much to sit in the covered end...always used to walk up the east terrace to the top just before the final whistle.
only game in those days we ever left early from was Sunderland at home, think we lost 4-0 and I was frozen and my dad agreed to leave early....think they got the 4th as we were walking out.
The happiest days of my life. Me and the old man used to drive to the ground, park in Stonsies on Woolwich Road. The gravel by the turnstiles, walking round to the big East Terrace then we went over to the Clock by the West side, great games spring to mind such as Barnsley winning 5-3, Wolves when we were 3-0 down at half time and finishing 3-3 , the Grimsby goalkepper Nigel Batch as the covered teased him once the third, forth and fifth went in by the chorus of "Nigel,Nigel, whats the score" as well as "who is that poof in the Green and Black Nigel Nigel Batch. The guy constantly walking round selling peanuts, the tolets in which was basically a wall with "Gents" painted on. The programme shop behind the West stand which was the size of a B&Q shed, and nothing of relevance about Charlton what so ever.
Truely magical days and ones that i would never ever swap and ones that sadly my kids never witness,true fans,magical tuesday night games with the atmosphere and you knew that Charlton was always going to be force on a night game.
What perfect reasons to bring back terracing............
I wonder if statistically we were as awesome on night matches in the 60s/70/s and 80/s as we think we were? I can always remember in my teens (Mid 70's), thinking, its a night game at the Valley so the win is in the bag...
[cite]Posted By: Tel-in-Oz[/cite]I wonder if statistically we were as awesome on night matches in the 60s/70/s and 80/s as we think we were? I can always remember in my teens (Mid 70's), thinking, its a night game at the Valley so the win is in the bag...
I seem to remember we went about 3 years undefeated (in league games) under the lights in the 70s.
East Terrace just to the right of the halfway about two barriers up. I stood in front with my mate and my Dad and his Dad stood behind the barrier. We had a good crowd of blokes around us who used to work at the Woolwich Dockyard - very funny indeed.
Like Vienna Addick I saw Sam Bartram play as a kid when my dad took me but could only go on my own when I started second school 1958/59.
Uncles also went and we always met in the same place on the South terrace under the score board. There were nets near the rear of the south stand where I was told the players practised which always impressed me for some reason. Memories of huge crowds squeezing down Floyd Road, my dad said you could lift both feet off the floor and still get to the entrance. Today you take a good view for granted but in those days each terrace only raised you about 10 inches so you saw most of the match over someone's shoulder but if you were a kid or juvenile you saw very little if there was a big crowd. It was accepted for your dad to pass you over the heads to the front by the railings which was already packed but you squeezed in somehow.
Older kids had to get to the ground early to get a place near the front. The best spots were against a crush barrier above one of the walkways and most people had their favourite spots. Worst place was the corner between the old West Stand and the North Stand where the pitch was at eye level if you stood against the railings. This corner terrace with a poor view was normally the last to fill and was where all the late comers pushed in.
On quite days in later years it was empty and have seen people actually lying down on this terrace watching the game. Other random memories are of the hundreds of bicycles which people used to get to the ground. Its about to be demolished but there's a large shed standing at the end of the demolition site on the corner of Floyd Road with double wooden doors where you could park your bike for 6d. Most of the small front gardens were also stacked with bikes. There were separate turnstiles for children and adults but if the crowds were huge your dad took you through the adults entrance so as not to get split up and you were passed over the top for 9d instead of clocking up 1/6d (bunce for the turnstile man). If we stood behind the goal it was normal to move ends at half time to stand behind opponent's goal.
There was waste ground all around the east edge of the ground and you could bunk in over the wall quite easily. Only had the nerve to do it for a reserve game when it was quiet. You could guess the size of the crowd by how far the crowd stretched up the east terrace. When crowds of below 10k were the norm in the 60's it looked a pretty dismal place I must say but still sad to see it go.
Started out on the east terrace in the middle sixities, then by the time of the brilliant 68/69 season I had badgered my uncles to take me into the Covered end on the very far left hand side which was usually quite empty. As a tearaway teen, I was one of the Covered End Clan boys and we used to congregate on the left side of the right hand side if you get my drift...so I was a Left sider. We usually went around to the south terrace for the second half, usually to suss out the away fans...usually just a lot of posturing with Our flared trousers and Doc Martens. Used to make me laugh when there was trouble in the ground...the boys doing the pincer movement, half going behind the West stand and the others along the East......trying to look casual so they didnt lock that silly gate in the corner of the East. Stayed in the Covered End right up until we left. Then became a Sainsbury ender, and later a North Stander before returning to the Valley and having a season ticket in the South Stand in the far right hand corner as you look from the North. Eventually ended up on the halfway line mid way back in the East in my last years as a season ticket holder. These days I usually sit in F block row CC in the East or with Kev in the West.
Used to stand at the top of the old east terrace .The last game my dear old dad went to,Spurs at home. 1 0 down (tony galvin i think). An equaliser by Hugh Mc Auly,and then a hat trick by flash Flanaghan. It all kicked off all around us with loads of spurs fans .Frightened dad ,and he never went to the valley again.No wonder I hate scummy spurs.Rip mate.
Can't really remember the old valley - just about I think. We used to live on Victoria Road and the old man would go and stand on the east terrace I think. Apparently I used to cry the whole time he was at the games (I was really young and this could be the old man exaggerating) - I give him grief now for not taking me sooner.
Comments
I was in awe and the sheer thrill of watching live football within a crowd got me hooked. The smell of Roasted Chestnuts and old hoburn wafting under the shallow roof, the guy who picked his way through the crowd to sell his peanuts and the eagerness of waiting for the half time numbers, all treasured memories.
Started going by myself from the age of 9 with a few mates from school and other memories include the little shop behind the Main Stand and the steps up to the Covered End from there was like our big entrance to the ground, never tired of doing that. Saving up to buy scarves from the shop to tie round my wrists only to have them nicked virtualy everytime I went through Woolwich by mobs of scummy hamsters.
Playing football against the goal posts that were on the mound between the main stand and the south stand. Was always curious why more didn't do that.
I remember trying the view from the top of the East at the end of a match against Luton when we were being stuffed and I left my usual spot at the back of the Covered End early as there was pretty much no-one left anyway and thinking shit me, how can you possibly watch a match from up here it's miles away.
Taking my lil Sis to her first game, (spuds I think) and having to stand on the lower corner of the East Stand because I thought it would be safer, hated that, but grew used to it when they put bloody seats in the Covered End! Went back in eventually.
Of course I remember the big games, palarse (alison, alison, shut your mouth), spuds 4-1, (Super Flash), Simonsen v Newcastle, Chelsea, (The original roof, the roof, the roof is on fire), but for some reason a cup game against Sheff Wed sticks vividly in my mind, there were thousands upon thousands of them and the old bill allowed them in the ground early, so they took the Covered End with ease. The rest when they came were in the south and just jumped over the railings and ran across the pitch to join the others. Me and a few others were in the west corner of the Covered End at first and it was like Rourke's Drift. The police eventually put us in the South, but we all walked round to the East corner to give them some close up stick.
Can't remember the year, mid to late seventies I guess and I can't even remember the score!!!
I first went in 1967 against QPR. The game ended as a draw but when I left (due to illness of one of the lad's I was with) we were two nil down and our keeper Ron Willis had been taken off injured.
I remember many of the things that others mentioned. The things about being in and around the ground that really strike me thinking back now are:
1. The largest urinal in the country
2. The vastness of the East Terrace including standing right at the top of it occasionally to watch games. It was an amazing feeling staring at the play going on way below.
3. The peanut seller
4. The sellers walking around the edge of the pitch
5. The terrace behind where the Jimmy Seed stand is now before the flats were built.
6. The rucks which went on behind the old main stand.
7. The programmes that had the Football League Review inside them.
8. Half time paper sellers outside the ground.
9. The roast chestnut seller down Floyd Road.
10.The crush to get through the turnstiles in Floyd Road when there was a big game on. (e.g Derby County in 1968/9 which was 32000)
11. That you could walk right around the ground from terrace to terrace. (Occasionally if they expected trouble, they would have police stationed on the gates between the East and South Terraces but most of the time you could move between them). Often we would stand on the East in the first half and then stand either on the South or Covered End in the second.
12. The roar from outside if you were late in.
13. Standing down on the fence at the front of the East with a lot of other kids.
14. Some of the "naughty" night matches. Millwall in 1971, Gillingham in 1975. I also remember vividly the Chelsea "bonfire" game. The atmosphere for these night games was just brilliant. Excitement and menace in fairly equal measure.
15. The fact that you could just turn up and get in without having to buy tickets.
16. Golden Goals tickets sellers.
Of course then there were the games and the players. But that is another story.
only game in those days we ever left early from was Sunderland at home, think we lost 4-0 and I was frozen and my dad agreed to leave early....think they got the 4th as we were walking out.
The guy constantly walking round selling peanuts, the tolets in which was basically a wall with "Gents" painted on.
The programme shop behind the West stand which was the size of a B&Q shed, and nothing of relevance about Charlton what so ever.
Truely magical days and ones that i would never ever swap and ones that sadly my kids never witness,true fans,magical tuesday night games with the atmosphere and you knew that Charlton was always going to be force on a night game.
What perfect reasons to bring back terracing............
I seem to remember we went about 3 years undefeated (in league games) under the lights in the 70s.
where did people sit / stand ?
When I first started going c1965 I stood on the terrace between the main stand and the covered end.
When I progressed to the covered end I stood right up the back, behind the goal, jumping up and down to 'knees up mother brown'.
Few years later, I moved to the right side of the covered end and the song was 'we are the right side, we are the right side' etc.
When the seats were introduced, I moved back to the terrace between the main stand and the covered end.
The year when we moved to Palace, I got a season ticket (my first) in the main stand.
Now I sit in the North Upper having previously had a ST in the Jimmy Seed, East and West Stands.
surely that is Shithurst Park?
or the little terrace area next to it under the clock
Moved to the Covered End to the right of the goal in the early 80s once I found a group of mates to tag along with rather than stand with my Dad.
no it was just opposite the away fans where i could see how many they brought;-)
Uncles also went and we always met in the same place on the South terrace under the score board. There were nets near the rear of the south stand where I was told the players practised which always impressed me for some reason. Memories of huge crowds squeezing down Floyd Road, my dad said you could lift both feet off the floor and still get to the entrance.
Today you take a good view for granted but in those days each terrace only raised you about 10 inches so you saw most of the match over someone's shoulder but if you were a kid or juvenile you saw very little if there was a big crowd. It was accepted for your dad to pass you over the heads to the front by the railings which was already packed but you squeezed in somehow.
Older kids had to get to the ground early to get a place near the front. The best spots were against a crush barrier above one of the walkways and most people had their favourite spots. Worst place was the corner between the old West Stand and the North Stand where the pitch was at eye level if you stood against the railings. This corner terrace with a poor view was normally the last to fill and was where all the late comers pushed in.
On quite days in later years it was empty and have seen people actually lying down on this terrace watching the game. Other random memories are of the hundreds of bicycles which people used to get to the ground. Its about to be demolished but there's a large shed standing at the end of the demolition site on the corner of Floyd Road with double wooden doors where you could park your bike for 6d. Most of the small front gardens were also stacked with bikes. There were separate turnstiles for children and adults but if the crowds were huge your dad took you through the adults entrance so as not to get split up and you were passed over the top for 9d instead of clocking up 1/6d (bunce for the turnstile man). If we stood behind the goal it was normal to move ends at half time to stand behind opponent's goal.
There was waste ground all around the east edge of the ground and you could bunk in over the wall quite easily. Only had the nerve to do it for a reserve game when it was quiet. You could guess the size of the crowd by how far the crowd stretched up the east terrace. When crowds of below 10k were the norm in the 60's it looked a pretty dismal place I must say but still sad to see it go.