Unsung Charlton heroes.....

Oakster

Mark Bowen - joined us early in the 97/98 season from some Japanese club - at 33 he wasn't the quickest around anymore but proved absolutely immense that season for us & I'm sure a certain Mr Konchesky learned a lot from him.

Lost his place to Chris Powell the following season & only played a handful of Premier League games.

Mills - Rufus - Youds - Bowen

Great back 4!

BlackForestReds

I'm sure a certain Mr Konchesky learned a lot from him.


..........

If he did he promptly forgot it.

ChicagoAddick

Shimizu.... bless you

Scoham

Graham Stuart, always worked hard, scored goals from midfield, played where ever we needed him, not talked about like Kinsella, Robinson etc are but he played an important part. Nearly helped us stay up, got us back up, helped establish us in the Prem.

ChicagoAddick

Richie Bowman.

LenGlover

Radostin Kishishev.

A constant throughout our time in the Prem. Played where and when asked and never chucked his toys.

We could do with the Kish of a few years back right now.

BlackForestReds

Mark Bright, signed at the end of his career, scored and set up goals and Newton seemed for one seemed to play better when he was around. A positive influence on and off the pitch.

BlackForestReds

George Shipley - midfielder who played an important role in our promotion season under Lenny, wasn't good enough really for what was then the First Division but always ran his socks off and scored a few goals. In a small underpowered squad his presence and ability, like Steve Gritt, to cover several different roles shouldn't be overlooked.

LenGlover

Peter Hunt did the "water carrying" and tackling for Hales, Flanagan, Colin Powell, Pee wee to some extent and Tydeman.

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]George Shipley - midfielder who played an important role in our promotion season under Lenny, wasn't good enough really for what was then the First Division but always ran his socks off and scored a few goals. In a small underpowered squad his presence and ability, like Steve Gritt, to cover several different roles shouldn't be overlooked.

Good call.

Addick Addict

[cite]Posted By: LenGlover[/cite]Peter Hunt did the "water carrying" and tackling for Hales, Flanagan, Colin Powell, Pee wee to some extent and Tydeman.

Seeing those names conjures up the image of when footballers were real men with proper beards. None of those goaty efforts for that lot.

ChicagoAddick

[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]George Shipley - midfielder who played an important role in our promotion season under Lenny, wasn't good enough really for what was then the First Division but always ran his socks off and scored a few goals. In a small underpowered squad his presence and ability, like Steve Gritt, to cover several different roles shouldn't be overlooked.

Loved George Shipley. Just Wikipedied him and he works for Newcastle U now.

Addick Addict

[cite]Posted By: ChicagoAddick[/cite]Richie Bowman.

Richie Bowman was my boyhood hero - a rottweiler in chiwawa's clothing.

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: Addick Addict[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: ChicagoAddick[/cite]Richie Bowman.

Richie Bowman was my boyhood hero - a rottweiler in chiwawa's clothing.

I thought he'd go all the way at one stage. Injuries and physique put paid to that though.

BlackForestReds

Good to hear that George Shipley is doing ok, I recall the match against Man City on New Year's day, Ithink we hadn't won a game in two months and were rock bottom, but stuffed Citeh 5-0 with Shipley playing a big role including scoring one of the goals. That is how you end a barren run.

Red_Pete_in_Dubai

Keith Jones, enabled Mark Kinsella to play his game.

March51

Peter Reeves: a stalwart in the 60's/70's, a defensive midfielder with a ferocious tackle which was probably why his knees gave out when he was 24 or 25 after something like 250 games.Eltham's best!

MCS

[cite]Posted By: Addick Addict[/cite]Seeing those names conjures up the image of when footballers were real men with proper beards. None of those goaty efforts for that lot.

Its true, real men have beards!! See!! Real man!!

Ormiston_Addick

[quote][cite]Posted By: Red_Pete[/cite]Keith Jones, enabled Mark Kinsella to play his game.[/quote]

Agreed, we took Jones for granted when he was there. God we could do with a clone of him now. Only 150K from Southend as well.....

I'd also add Simon Webster to that list. Top player, got us within a point of the PO's in 91/92.

aliwibble

Mark Reid - never got the adulation that John Humphrey did, but was just as important to us in the late 80s.

LenGlover

Luke Young - always gave his all and good enough to play for England whilst with us.

Sir Chris Powell was deservedly lauded but, rather like Ali says about Humphrey and Reid, Luke never got the same praise.

BlackForestReds

From that side of the mid-80s you can make a case for nearly all the players being unsung heros. Most of all from that era were those few fans that swallowed their pride and kept following the club despite having to trek over to Sellout Park- they were the real unsung heros.

Ormiston_Addick

[quote][cite]Posted By: LenGlover[/cite]Luke Young - always gave his all and good enough to play for England whilst with us.

Sir Chris Powell was deservedly lauded but, rather like Ali says about Humphrey and Reid, Luke never got the same praise.[/quote]


Young was a decent full-back but Johnny H was a much, much better all-round footballer and would have been an England player too if he hadn't played for us and been behind Stevens, Anderson, Parker and a couple more of the very decent English right-backs at the time.

Who was Young's competition? Gary Neville, who is a good player, but there were not many others.

BlackForestReds

Johnnie H's problem was that he played for Charlton, not that there was competition. I recall one England game when the usual suspects were injured or absent for some reason in theory giving Humphrey an opportunity. Instead in came Mel Sterland.

Spankie

John Bumstead and Steve Gatting - we were their last league club but they kept us going when we still didn't have a ground and had no money. They could have said "I don't care or give a sh!t" but they gave 100% for every game they played. I heard Johnny B ran from the mini bus stuck in traffic in the Blackwall Tunnel and ran to Upton Park to hand the team sheet in so we would avoid a fine.

Also Garry Nelson, a consumate professional right up to his last game, a true gent...

Friend Or Defoe

I consider myself somewhat or an unsung Charlton hero. ;-)

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: Ormiston Addick[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: LenGlover[/cite]Luke Young - always gave his all and good enough to play for England whilst with us.

Sir Chris Powell was deservedly lauded but, rather like Ali says about Humphrey and Reid, Luke never got the same praise.

Young was a decent full-back but Johnny H was a much, much better all-round footballer and would have been an England player too if he hadn't played for us and been behind Stevens, Anderson, Parker and a couple more of the very decent English right-backs at the time.

Who was Young's competition? Gary Neville, who is a good player, but there were not many others.

Agreed Johnny H is the best right back we've had in my time anyway. Luke Young and Billy Bonds are the other two contenders. I have vivid memories of Bonds, one of the first overlapping full backs, rampaging down the right wing but JH had everything and was desperately unlucky not to play for England.

bingaddick

[cite]Posted By: Addick Addict[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: ChicagoAddick[/cite]Richie Bowman.

Richie Bowman was my boyhood hero - a rottweiler in chiwawa's clothing.

I loved him as well. I couldn't fathom out why Andy Nelson wouldn't pick him after we were promoted. Maybe they fell out but during that promotion season in 74/5 he was a real star.

I'd also say that Robert Lee was before he left and became Rob Lee. He was such a skillful player but not a flamboyant one.

Jim Giles was also a player, somewhat agriculural on occasions but a real stalwart.

One of my all time favourites - Peter Reeves. What a great centre back he was. His injury in 1971/2 was the catalyst for our relegation.

nigel

BFR said: "From that side of the mid-80s you can make a case for nearly all the players being unsung heros.''.

Agreed and I had a particular affection for Steve Thompson, played alongside the more highly-rated Shirtliff in the centre of the defence, and was one of the most whole-hearted triers I've seen.

Did a great job in our promotion season of 85-86 and in our first two seasons back in the top flight, before losing his place as Miller, Caton and Pates arrived in quick succession...

Also thought Steve McKenzie did a good job for us when he arrived. He had a terrible start and I remember three or four games into his Charlton career, moaning like hell about him during a game at Selhurst.

The bloke in front turned round and said: "Give him time, he'll come good. He's a really top player.''

I did the usual : "Yeah, and what would you know?''

He politely answered : "I'm his dad''.

And he was right. By the end of the campaign, I thought McKenzie was challenging Bolder and Humphrey as our man of the season...

LenGlover

Les Berry much maligned but played nearly 400 games for us and always gave his all.

Alan Curbishley - a much underrated and unjustifiably criticised manager. Six consecutive seasons at English football's top table tells it's own story yet he was maligned for his boring football.

March51

You're not wrong NW, always think it a great pity that his great strike for Man City in the Cup replay against Spurs is so overshadowed by 'that' ricky Villa goal.