a monster game and a reasonable turnout for a game of such importance but for a club with our minimal (away) support it would be considered a lot...
it was a proper long stressful day...
probably the second longest game i've ever been to (if you know what i mean) after THE play off final , just blow your whistle ref.....
May 1987 - In preparation for an away match at Newcastle he called an unofficial meeting of the players before they departed for the ground from the overnight hotel.
He said to the assembled throng (players only, no management or coaches) "Listen here, I haven't worked my nuts off all season just to come up here and get ****ing relegated, any c*** who don't pull their weight out there today will have me to deal with in ****ing private".
Miller himself scored his debut goal after 16 minutes, with Crooks and Leaburn also scoring their first goals for us, in a remarkable 3-0 away win against a Newcastle side that fielded Roeder and Gazza. It was our first away league win in over 6 months (Jim Melrose 9 second goal against West Ham in October), but our 4 away wins that season were made up of victories at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge - bringing us round full circle!
We finished 2 points clear of relegation, but had to play-off to keep our place (Leeds match at St Andrews).
So regardless of the spitting incident, Miller always has a special place in my Charlton memories,thanks to that true story told to me personally by the immortal LL.
Remember it well...got a ticket with some Chelsea pals from a record company...had a great day out...I used to live in Chelsea....just off Sloane Square in those days.
I remember being with the Misses on the Kings Road wearing my Charlton shirt the day after Lisbie scored to beat them 1-0 in 2001 and not a thing was said, all the Chelsea fans seem to live in Sutton! ( I know this isn't about '88 tho, Just wanted to illustrate the emasculation of the modern Chelsea fan from those far flung days....)
niceone valiant phil... i was up at st. james for the debut goals that day... great story about miller.... i think the geordies had already achieved safety and got on the pitch at the end and smashed their crossbars , possibly a bank holiday monday as well ...
I actually watched this game with my Dad, and sis from high in the East Stand. I remember the chelsea fans being very noisy, until Miller equalised when you could hear a pin drop.
I'll tell you what. That's not a half bad line up IMO. In their day they'd all walk into our current side and most of them into our 'old' Premiership' sides. The fact that that team found itself needing to get a point that day makes a strong argument against the current standard of top level football supposedly being better than ever.
When the final whistle went, we were kept behind as was the custom for away fans in those days. Thing was, all the Chelsea fans stayed there as well, they were either waiting for details of the play offs or planning the biggest ambush ever. We had parked near the river and got back without any difficulties, although having seen Chelsea in action when we beat them there in 75 and also when they redeveloped The Valley it could have been different.
As for Miller, I heard something similar about his impromptu team talks, probably LL got a bit tired of it and the gobbing incident was the excuse to get rid of him, which was a shame as he certainly had his uses. However, I can't help wondering if he'd threatened everyone the day we played Millwall and then played that sliderule pass to Les Briley for their 3rd goal?
We actually got attacked by Chelski the season after at QPR (Shepherds Bush tube), we came down the steps at the end of the game, 20 or so Chelski with CS gas came at the first few at the front and sprayed the CS, had them on their toes again though when everyone else following up behind came down the steps.
A good West Ham mate of mine who is ITK told me that West Ham sang to them the next time they played them "Chelsea run from Charlton"
couldnt really miss Hammer mate even if peeps didnt know him. Shaved head with topknot and goti beard he had then. The neddle man told me he has been geting alot of work done lately.
Never forget him at Ian ps funeral turning up in a huge black Buwick 1930 gangster style motor.
Legend 100%. was there the day he bite a pub dog when it barked at him , was a german shephard dog as well.
Just reading some of the comments(makes the hairs on my neck stand up) was there as a 16yer old that & the 3rd game against Leeds in the play-offs the year be4 were games that I'll never 4get 4the tension, & I saw Carl Leaburn score away 2 Villa lol not many of us CAFC fans can say that, CATID!
I started the game in the West Stand seats but after the Chelsea goal was moved along with two mates , ironically another three of my mates stayed behind and were threatened following the game and needed a Police escort out of the Bridge that day .
I took the view that it probably would be safer standing behind the away end and accordingly I joined the seven thousand .
Garth Crooks said that if there ever was a game made for a player then this game was perfect for Paul Miller . That day Maxi was emense and his deflected goal was a suitable climax .
My memory was that it was a full hour that we were held back and as others have said there were still Chelsea fans in waiting . I was relieved to reach Charing Cross that afternoon.
Along with the Leeds Play offs the previous season it has to be the most ugly mood I have ever experienced.
we were no held back mate. I had a drink around Charring Cross with loads of others afterwards and still made a school re-union on time and after getting home and changing.
Chelsea were NOT outside or at Charring Cross we however were.
we were no held back mate. I had a drink around Charring Cross with loads of others afterwards and still made a school re-union on time and after getting home and changing.
Chelsea were NOT outside or at Charring Cross we however were.
I agree - I don't recall being held back any more than normal (remember in those days they'd keep you in for 20 minutes at almost ANY away game) nor do I remember it being that intimidating after the game - certainly no worse than being marched back down to Upton Park tube by the OB with Wet Spam 3 deep on the pavement...
That's a day Chelsea want to forget.........getting done both on and off the pitch. I got nicked that day and Fulham police station was full of Charlton. We all got released a few at a time and I was the last but 1, went into a pub that was full of Chelsea and thought " Oh shit" but they was just full of respect for our support!
That's a day Chelsea want to forget.........getting done both on and off the pitch. I got nicked that day and Fulham police station was full of Charlton. We all got released a few at a time and I was the last but 1, went into a pub that was full of Chelsea and thought " Oh shit" but they was just full of respect for our support!
I wonder if we will ever see days like this again mate.
I remember being in the bottom right hand corner with the old fella and my brother. Fighting started very close to us and what I found funny was four fella's wading in whilst there partners stood patientley waiting. The women did not bat an eyelid, as if was normal behaviour. Also remember a group of Scottish lads near us who were passing around a bottle of Buckfast. May have been the Dundee boys, can't remember if they used to go to games around this time. Someone will remember if it was them. Wonder if any of them still come to games.
I remember the crowd at this game. I was standing on the right hand side of our end and a bunch of 8-10 Chelsea hero's a few yards down from me just turned round and whacked whoever was standing next to them, women, kids and old men.
They thought they were very clever for about 1 minute and then our boys started arriving from all sides and taught them a lesson. They were suddenly pleading with the stewards to let them out of a gate in the fence!
To top it all, the old bill marched them round the pitch into the West stand where they were applauded up the steps and into the back.
I also remember the walk back to the tube, lots of verbal but no more trouble.
Thanks Aliwibble , just glanced at the key moments for those interested Miller's goal is around 37 minutes into the video , that was an awsome support we had that day . I'll be watching the whole video later on .
Surprised there were only 33,000 there . If our support was between 5 and 7 thousand it shows that Chelsea can't really claim that they were / are such a big club in those days that less then 30,000 of their fans would attend such a crucial game
This is a superb record of social history as well as the game itself , for example there were cars parked between the pitch and the Old Shed end by the disabled supporters .
In terms of significance this match sometimes gets forgotten between the two play off finals . Any chance of Maxi's finest moment being posted on U Tube ?
we were no held back mate. I had a drink around Charring Cross with loads of others afterwards and still made a school re-union on time and after getting home and changing.
Chelsea were NOT outside or at Charring Cross we however were.
Dunno if you were standing behind the goal, but I was there and remember being kept behind for much longer than was "usual" for the time - about an hour I seem to remember. I was only about 15 at the time (so not pished!) and couldn't work out what it was all about, so remember it distinctly.
I remember us being held back, as was the norm in those days, but don't remember it being quite as long as that? Then again it was 20 plus years ago and I can't remember what I had for breakfast so best to ignore me really.
I remember being kept in the stadium for about an hour after the game and then seeing the team bus drive past us as we left the stadium and could see the players applauding the fans. Not a Chelsea fan to be seen anywhere. It was as somebody said earlier, like 28 days later. The drive back through Old Kent Road was also one to remember and we soon pulled our scarves in while we passed the Millwalloogians who were dancing in the road and being a general nuisance. They had just got promoted under Graham or McCarthy I recall.
Comments
it was a proper long stressful day...
probably the second longest game i've ever been to (if you know what i mean) after THE play off final , just blow your whistle ref.....
I know, I was Joking
May 1987 - In preparation for an away match at Newcastle he called an unofficial meeting of the players before they departed for the ground from the overnight hotel.
He said to the assembled throng (players only, no management or coaches)
"Listen here, I haven't worked my nuts off all season just to come up here and get ****ing relegated, any c*** who don't pull their weight out there today will have me to deal with in ****ing private".
Miller himself scored his debut goal after 16 minutes, with Crooks and Leaburn also scoring their first goals for us, in a remarkable 3-0 away win against a Newcastle side that fielded Roeder and Gazza. It was our first away league win in over 6 months (Jim Melrose 9 second goal against West Ham in October), but our 4 away wins that season were made up of victories at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge - bringing us round full circle!
We finished 2 points clear of relegation, but had to play-off to keep our place (Leeds match at St Andrews).
So regardless of the spitting incident, Miller always has a special place in my Charlton memories,thanks to that true story told to me personally by the immortal LL.
I actually watched this game with my Dad, and sis from high in the East Stand.
I remember the chelsea fans being very noisy, until Miller equalised when you could hear a pin drop.
I'll tell you what. That's not a half bad line up IMO. In their day they'd all walk into our current side and most of them into our 'old' Premiership' sides. The fact that that team found itself needing to get a point that day makes a strong argument against the current standard of top level football supposedly being better than ever.
Good old days
As for Miller, I heard something similar about his impromptu team talks, probably LL got a bit tired of it and the gobbing incident was the excuse to get rid of him, which was a shame as he certainly had his uses. However, I can't help wondering if he'd threatened everyone the day we played Millwall and then played that sliderule pass to Les Briley for their 3rd goal?
A good West Ham mate of mine who is ITK told me that West Ham sang to them the next time they played them "Chelsea run from Charlton"
Never forget him at Ian ps funeral turning up in a huge black Buwick 1930 gangster style motor.
Legend 100%. was there the day he bite a pub dog when it barked at him , was a german shephard dog as well.
Only see him on st Georges Day these days.
This was one of my favourite away days.
I started the game in the West Stand seats but after the Chelsea goal was moved along with two mates , ironically another three of my mates stayed behind and were threatened following the game and needed a Police escort out of the Bridge that day .
I took the view that it probably would be safer standing behind the away end and accordingly I joined the seven thousand .
Garth Crooks said that if there ever was a game made for a player then this game was perfect for Paul Miller . That day Maxi was emense and his deflected goal was a suitable climax .
My memory was that it was a full hour that we were held back and as others have said there were still Chelsea fans in waiting . I was relieved to reach Charing Cross that afternoon.
Along with the Leeds Play offs the previous season it has to be the most ugly mood I have ever experienced.
I remember being in the bottom right hand corner with the old fella and my brother. Fighting started very close to us and what I found funny was four fella's wading in whilst there partners stood patientley waiting. The women did not bat an eyelid, as if was normal behaviour. Also remember a group of Scottish lads near us who were passing around a bottle of Buckfast. May have been the Dundee boys, can't remember if they used to go to games around this time. Someone will remember if it was them. Wonder if any of them still come to games.
They thought they were very clever for about 1 minute and then our boys started arriving from all sides and taught them a lesson. They were suddenly pleading with the stewards to let them out of a gate in the fence!
To top it all, the old bill marched them round the pitch into the West stand where they were applauded up the steps and into the back.
I also remember the walk back to the tube, lots of verbal but no more trouble.
Thanks Aliwibble , just glanced at the key moments for those interested Miller's goal is around 37 minutes into the video , that was an awsome support we had that day . I'll be watching the whole video later on .
Surprised there were only 33,000 there . If our support was between 5 and 7 thousand it shows that Chelsea can't really claim that they were / are such a big club in those days that less then 30,000 of their fans would attend such a crucial game
This is a superb record of social history as well as the game itself , for example there were cars parked between the pitch and the Old Shed end by the disabled supporters .
In terms of significance this match sometimes gets forgotten between the two play off finals . Any chance of Maxi's finest moment being posted on U Tube ?