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Your memories of the 'old Valley'

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  • [cite]Posted By: Rodex[/cite]Sheffield Wednesday game.
    Anyone here remember this being shouted as they came into the coverd end.
    "STAND YOUR GROUND,STAND YOUR GROUND" then we all legged it out LOL.

    You must have been in there early mate as they took an empty stand at 2.15pm
  • [quote][cite]Posted By: pattaya addick[/cite]my 1st game at the valley was against maidstone in the cup,i remember scuffle in covered end and my little brother getting carried over peoples heads and on to the pitch.Also having been to flamingos on a friday nite,i thought i take a bird home for a bit of the other and decided to take her to covered end instead at 3 in the morning.
    Never forget the old place,some gr8 memories.[/quote]

    You sure knew how to give a girl a good time ;-)
  • Standing in the "dip" as we called it, next to the West stand, at the away end side. Loved watching Friday night games under floodlight from there with about 20 teenage mates! Had one mate who sold the pies round the edge of the pitch - a walk back to Samuel Street SE18 was easy when you had all the left over pies to share out! Simple pleasures!

    (oh and we had probally just won 5 -4 ! :) )
  • I first went to the Valley in 1978 I think, my old man took me, we stood on the East Terrace and saw us play Stoke (and lost!). That terrace seemed massive when I was a young kid at the time.

    Later years (early 80s) I used to go in the North stand with my mates and get there as soon as the ground opened, reading the programme whilst the seats were all empty until the crowd (?!) turned up!!! I remember once some bloke who used to sit near us (they'd installed seats by then) turned up one week severely hungover and laid across several seats (there was plenty of room in them days!) trying to recover and then he threw up around half time, clearing even more seats near him! Still, when we got the winner, he was soon up jumping and cheering!

    Other memories include watching Allan Simonsen make his 'debut' in a reserve outing one evening and there was some bloke talking to us who said he was in the B-mob and telling us that in a couple of years time we could 'fight for charlton'! Two skinny, 'small for their age' lads fight for charlton? Yeah right!

    Another memory, was after watching a friendly against Liverpool in '85 (when they'd closed off the East terrace by then) and after the game doing autograph hunting, getting the likes of Dalglish, Rush, Molby, etc ., we heard Mike Flanagan talking to someone, saying how we fancied our chances of promotion that season! Me and my mate walked away laughing, shit charlton, get promotion, he's having a laugh.........

    Also remember the scoreboard that was never finished - but the frame looked solid though, very well built.....
  • Many fond memories from the old place.The first impressions when looking at the vast terracing as a newcomer around 1974 (Fulham i think)when at Junior school.
    From that day it ensured the next 40 years as a supporter expriencing so many ups and downs.
    Remember the Preston promotion match and the 24k gate (largest crowd i'd ever seen at the time!)being on the pitch at the end and remembering Harry Cripps
    victory speech while holding and drinking a bottle of champagne in one hand and i think the microphone in the other.
    The QPR league cup replay(lost 3-0 after a 1-1 at Loftus Rd)a packed ground with an official crowd of 30k(having been brought on being told the capacity was
    66k at the time)I couldn't get my head round the fact that there was not a clear bit of terracing in the place and being squashed in the covered end for the whole game? This was the first time my dad had ever mentioned the 'Tax Man'and why the true crowd was unlikely to be posted due to the'cash'being Mr Glikstein's unofficial bonus for the season!
    Parents used to sell Charlton scratch cards so i enjoyed a free season ticket and used to feel quite important going through the same turnstile as the press and other club pass holders behind the covered end.
    Shef Wed cup game when the covered must have been taken when it was empty,remember going into the ground quite early and around 2pm and finding it full
    off their supporters.An apple being thrown onto the pitch an Jimmy Giles picking it up and pretending to take a bite!can go on4 ages as i think back over those times,various matches West Ham,Chelsea,Sunderland etc being quite memorable and obvioulsy more bonuses
    for Mr Glikstein!
  • edited November 2008
    The first time I went to the Valley was in 1966 for a friendly against Ostend. I was at Chis & Sid GS and somehow we got free tickets through the school - presumably some sort of promotion to bring in 'the fans of tomorrow'.

    I'm quite surprised the school accepted the tickets because we were a rugby-playing institution and had a Welsh sports master called Bert Williams and another sports teacher called John Mawbey, who played rugby in the Blackheath first XV, and they both hated football and taught us it was a uncivilised game only fit for the oafs and rufians who went to Hurstmere secondary modern up the road. And that's not me paraphrasing - as far as I can remember, that's exactly how they expressed it.

    Can't remember much about the ground from that day , but I do remember that one of the Ostend defenders wore spectacles on the pitch and Keith Peacock scored.

    I have much more vivid memories of seeing The Who there eight years later in 1974, despite being very very stoned! There's a clip of their performance that day on YouTube at:

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XPysDYBChHY
  • [cite]Posted By: nigel w[/cite]The first time I went to the Valley was in 1966 for a friendly against Ostend. I was at Chis & Sid GS and somehow we got free tickets through the school - presumably some sort of promotion to bring in 'the fans of tomorrow'.

    I'm quite surprised the school accepted the tickets because we were a rugby-playing institution and had a Welsh sports master called Bert Williams and another sports teacher called John Mawbey, who played rugby in the Blackheath first XV, and they both hated football and taught us it was a uncivilised game only fit for the oafs and rufians who went to Hurstmere secondary modern up the road. And that's not me paraphrasing - as far as I can remember, that's exactly how they expressed it.

    Can't remember much about the ground from that day , but I do remember that one of the Ostend defenders wore spectacles on the pitch and Keith Peacock scored.

    I have much more vivid memories of seeing The Who there eight years later in 1974, despite being very very stoned! There's a clip of their performance that day on YouTube at:

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XPysDYBChHY


    Oi Nige - I was one of those ruffians at Hurstmere School in 1966 (I was 13 at the time)

    My Brother went to Chis & Sid. At least we had a nice black blazer to wear, you had bright purple - yuk!
  • Various daft things spring to mind - the old West stand roof that looked like an antique even when I first went down there in 1969....LANGTON WILL DIE painted on the railway arches for years opposite where the shop is now, I wonder who he was and if he got away... building the South Stand which seemed to take about 25 years....friday night matches under the lights....Jimmy Giles having an apple chucked at him by Sheff Weds fans and taking a bite out of it....walking down Harvey gardens a peering over the fence to see if the game was on telly - you saw this very unstable assembleage on the East terrace with the camera and commentator, a good gust of wind would have had it down
  • [cite]Posted By: Big William[/cite]...LANGTON WILL DIE painted on the railway arches for years opposite where the shop is now, I wonder who he was and if he got away...

    Langton was one of the covered end boys in the 1970's, lived on Thamesmead and was a general nusiance. Rumour was that it was West Ham fans who were looking for him. Not sure if he got away though.
  • The house at the end of Floyd Rd (not the staion end) that had all the wood and rubbish in the garden. It was renovated a few years ago
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  • an older fan last night told me that at virtually every home game in the 70's, at half time they would read out over the tannoy that it's someones birthday and they would like a certain record played.
    then the announcer would say 'i'm sorry we haven't got that tune at the moment, but here's......'
    either
    congratulations by cliff richard.
    spanish eyes by al martino. or
    little ol' wine drinker by dean martin.
  • Don't know about the birthdays but they did always play "Mouldy Old Dough" by Lieutenant Pigeon.
  • [cite]Posted By: Valley McMoist[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Big William[/cite]...LANGTON WILL DIE painted on the railway arches for years opposite where the shop is now, I wonder who he was and if he got away...

    Langton was one of the covered end boys in the 1970's, lived on Thamesmead and was a general nusiance. Rumour was that it was West Ham fans who were looking for him. Not sure if he got away though.

    I used to Know Gal Langton. I must of been about 14 at the time. He did a lot ot talking.
    Even at that age I was a good judge of character.
    I always thought he painted that message, he certainly enjoyed others reading it.
  • edited May 2009
    I attended my first Game early in 1966 , a games against Crystal Palace. Charlton had Ron Saunders at Centre Forward and a geriatric pairing at Centre Backs in Colin Appleton and Ian King , both came from Leicester I think.
    In the side was a youthful Billy Bonds sold later that season to West Ham, soon to be followed by Lenny Glover to Leicester.
    My resounding memory of that 1st Season was the FA Cup 3rd Round against Sheffield United , a First Division side
    we lost 0-1 and they had Mick Jones at Centre Forward. I remember coming in the Bartram Gate and seeing for the first time a really packed Valley .
    AS for The Valley itself to an 11 year old it was massive , in those days the South Bank (Now the SEED stand )

    went up further toward the heights before the Tower block was built .The East Terrace was slightly lower but still huge.
    With a stilted hut at the top with the 'lettered' half time score board on it.
    Dick Neve on Tannoy , welcoming 'Ladies gentlemen boys and girls welcome to The Valley for this Division Two Fixture against
    . Then the Red Red Robin as the teams came out , no false build up of atmosphere in those days!
    The feeling overall was of a ground and to a degree a club who were in decline , something very 1940's about the place.
  • [cite]Posted By: charltonkeston[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Valley McMoist[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Big William[/cite]...LANGTON WILL DIE painted on the railway arches for years opposite where the shop is now, I wonder who he was and if he got away...

    Langton was one of the covered end boys in the 1970's, lived on Thamesmead and was a general nusiance. Rumour was that it was West Ham fans who were looking for him. Not sure if he got away though.

    I used to Know Gal Langton. I must of been about 14 at the time. He did a lot ot talking.
    Even at that age I was a good judge of character.
    I always thought he painted that message, he certainly enjoyed others reading it.

    Gal was ok but, as you say, a lot of talk. At the time, he was one of the younger lot who used to follow us around when we all lived on Cherry Orchard Estate in Charlton. To give him his due, he turned up at a lot of places when there were few others around, however, knowing him, he possibly did paint it lol
  • Ive just had all my old slides returned to me from my ex wife.....will scan them and post some of the old Valley pics Ive got...
  • [cite]Posted By: Nelsenout[/cite]I attended my first Game early in 1966 , a games against Crystal Palace. Charlton had Ron Saunders at Centre Forward and a geriatric pairing at Centre Backs in Colin Appleton and Ian King , both came from Leicester I think.
    In the side was a youthful Billy Bonds sold later that season to West Ham, soon to be followed by Lenny Glover to Leicester.
    My resounding memory of that 1st Season was the FA Cup 3rd Round against Sheffield United , a First Division side
    we lost 0-1 and they had Mick Jones at Centre Forward. I remember coming in the Bartram Gate and seeing for the first time a really packed Valley .
    AS for The Valley itself to an 11 year old it was massive , in those days the South Bank (Now the SEED stand )

    went up further toward the heights before the Tower block was built .The East Terrace was slightly lower but still huge.
    With a stilted hut at the top with the 'lettered' half time score board on it.
    Dick Neve on Tannoy , welcoming 'Ladies gentlemen boys and girls welcome to The Valley for this Division Two Fixture against
    . Then the Red Red Robin as the teams came out , no false build up of atmosphere in those days!
    The feeling overall was of a ground and to a degree a club who were in decline , something very 1940's about the place.

    Colin Appleton's ears made Franny Jeffers' look small!

    King was an awful centre half probably decent in his day but awful for us.
  • [quote][cite]Posted By: nigel w[/cite]The first time I went to the Valley was in 1966 for a friendly against Ostend. I was at Chis & Sid GS and somehow we got free tickets through the school - presumably some sort of promotion to bring in 'the fans of tomorrow'.

    I'm quite surprised the school accepted the tickets because we were a rugby-playing institution and had a Welsh sports master called Bert Williams and another sports teacher called John Mawbey, who played rugby in the Blackheath first XV, and they both hated football and taught us it was a uncivilised game only fit for the oafs and rufians who went to Hurstmere secondary modern up the road. And that's not me paraphrasing - as far as I can remember, that's exactly how they expressed it.

    Can't remember much about the ground from that day , but I do remember that one of the Ostend defenders wore spectacles on the pitch and Keith Peacock scored.

    I have much more vivid memories of seeing The Who there eight years later in 1974, despite being very very stoned! There's a clip of their performance that day on YouTube at:

    [url]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XPysDYBChHY[/url][/quote]

    Im there now in the sixth form, still not a football school, but sadly Mr Horrobin (director of rugby for about 30 odd years) passed away, bit of a Bert Willaims by the sound of it, always used to say football was a yobs game...

    I'm quite saddened actual, reading all these memories has really opened my eyes to how great this club really is, and how I never got the opportunity to experience some of the memorable events you all have (far too young!), What was the record attendance from the old valley? heard it was around 70k, sounds pretty epic.
  • 75,000 odd against Villa...think it was a 1938 cup game....
  • I think you'll find that Rugby is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen and Football is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans (that's what I was told at Dulwich).
    Maybe that should now read Rugby WAS a game...
    They're all thugs these days!
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  • [quote][cite]Posted By: stonemuse[/cite][quote][cite]Posted By: charltonkeston[/cite][quote][cite]Posted By: Valley McMoist[/cite][quote][cite]Posted By: Big William[/cite]...LANGTON WILL DIE painted on the railway arches for years opposite where the shop is now, I wonder who he was and if he got away...[/quote]

    Langton was one of the covered end boys in the 1970's, lived on Thamesmead and was a general nusiance. Rumour was that it was West Ham fans who were looking for him. Not sure if he got away though.[/quote]

    I used to Know Gal Langton. I must of been about 14 at the time. He did a lot ot talking.
    Even at that age I was a good judge of character.
    I always thought he painted that message, he certainly enjoyed others reading it.[/quote]

    Gal was ok but, as you say, a lot of talk. At the time, he was one of the younger lot who used to follow us around when we all lived on Cherry Orchard Estate in Charlton. To give him his due, he turned up at a lot of places when there were few others around, however, knowing him, he possibly did paint it lol[/quote]
  • The text on the bridge wall "Langton will die" West Ham United. The person in question is still season ticket holder at Charlton. Now lives to the north of London. Oz still goes to as many away games as possible and he is still leaving and breathing. There was only 1 Langton and it is Oz that this text refers to. He has been a good friend of mine for many a year.
  • Evening game vs Portsmouth in late 70's or early 80's standing on East Terrace as a kid, with Dad and family from up the road, when Portsmouth came from south stand and kicked off with those down that end of the east. Just remember dad walking us along the terrace saying 'concentrate on the game and not over there'
  • edited May 2009
    [cite]Posted By: MrOneLung[/cite]Evening game vs Portsmouth in late 70's or early 80's standing on East Terrace as a kid, with Dad and family from up the road, when Portsmouth came from south stand and kicked off with those down that end of the east. Just remember dad walking us along the terrace saying 'concentrate on the game and not over there'
    LOL. That is what my old man used to say as well.

    Actually I am surprised that my Dad even took my again after the Chelsea game in 1977.
  • Been going since '74, the promotion season. So many memories..the players...Killer, Flash, Powell, Berry, Naylor, Johns

    The atmosphere at the night matches

    The half time board

    Aizlewood's v sign

    Simonsen

    Paul Elliott's piledriver against Reading...does anyone else remember that...think we won 4-2???
  • edited May 2009
    [cite]Posted By: alan dugdale[/cite]Been going since '74, the promotion season. So many memories..the players...Killer, Flash, Powell, Berry, Naylor, Johns

    The atmosphere at the night matches

    The half time board

    Aizlewood's v sign

    I recall a 4-3 win against Brighton underlights from that period when the ground was rockin.
  • edited May 2009
    Remember Elliott's goal well, absolute beauty. Probably my all time favourite centre-back.
  • Only went to one game at the old Valley.

    My uncle was the club GP at the time so got taken in the Directors box for a game against Oxford United that I think ended 3-3? I remember thinking as a kid that I'd never seen so many people in a crowd although in reality I'm sure that the crowd was tiny compared to todays standards.

    Got taken to a few more when we moved to Selhurst and got my first 'independent' season ticket at Upton Park.
  • [cite]Posted By: (1984)[/cite]Only went to one game at the old Valley.

    My uncle was the club GP at the time so got taken in the Directors box for a game against Oxford United that I think ended 3-3? I remember thinking as a kid that I'd never seen so many people in a crowd although in reality I'm sure that the crowd was tiny compared to todays standards.

    7,154

    Was last home game of the 84/85 season, 7th May 85.

    Flash got 2 and Rob Lee the other. Both Kimble brothers started.

    Curbs scored an own goal, and a young John Aldridge scored for Oxford.
  • edited May 2009
    5 things stick in my mind

    1 - thumping Chelsea 5-2 (Simonsen and Hales amongst the scorers if I recall correctly)

    2 - beating Man City 1-0 once and they had a black goalkeeper (Alex Williams was his name I think - first black goalie I could remember)

    3 - Kevin Keegan powering a header downwards only to see if hit the crossbar from a dodgy bounce

    4 - Kevin Keegan's last match as a professional player

    5 - The "last" game against Stoke and people hanging on the crossbars at half time trying to snap them

    I'd love to know the years of all this because I was only born in 1976 so some of this was pretty early memories for me
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