For me Andy Nelson was a hero! In my first full season at Charlton (and his) I saw him guide us to promotion. In Derek Hales we had a striker that you KNEW was going to score when he had a chance. Apart from Sir Clive and moments with Darren Bent I've never had that feeling since. The last day of the season win over Preston was a fabulous moment for me and saw us clinch promotion from Div 3. Maybe it's why I still go now.
After our first game in Div 2 (which I can't recall if we drew or lost but I don't think we won it) I recall him saying 'we'll do ok in this division'. And we did. Hales was on fire and then Flanagan took over the goalscoring the following season. Those were the days when you just wondered how many we'd score and would it be enough to outweigh the number of goals we let in through our sieve-like defence! If you wanted to see goals you came to Charlton. Happy days!
If Nelson hadn't been forced out where would we be now? Also don't you think he looked like he should have been an extra in a Kray's film?
0
Comments
That forward line with Hales, Flanagan, Peacock and Powell, not forgetting King Arthur, will never be beaten in my mind.
And the atmosphere at the Valley for the Friday night games was fantastic.
What's dear old Andy doing these days? Last I heard he was living in Spain and playing bowles.
He answered the phone to me soon afterwards.
What about Ron Saunders? You didn't need a Head of Sports Science then. Players running up and down the old east terrace wearing sandbags.
Some say that was Theo Foleys team. But Nelson got that team winning.
First game in div 2 was Notts County, I think we lost 1-2. First game I went to without an adult.
After our first game in Div 2 (which I can't recall if we drew or lost but I don't think we won it) I recall him saying 'we'll do ok in this division'. And we did. Hales was on fire and then Flanagan took over the goalscoring the following season. Those were the days when you just wondered how many we'd score and would it be enough to outweigh the number of goals we let in through our sieve-like defence! If you wanted to see goals you came to Charlton. Happy days!
If Nelson hadn't been forced out where would we be now? Also don't you think he looked like he should have been an extra in a Kray's film?[/quote]
Some say that was Theo Foleys team. But Nelson got that team winning.
First game in div 2 was Notts County, I think we lost 1-2. First game I went to without an adult.[/quote]
Ritchie Bowman pen if memory serves correctly
Absolutely Theo's team that Nelson inherited.
But Nelson did come in and get them organised, with good team discipline.
We nearly cocked it up at the end though after being a dozen points clear, when we couldn't get a win to save our life.
But it all finally came good with that 3-1 last match win against Preston Both Ends.
Bobby Charlton was player manager for them, Bobby Curtis missed a penalty, Preston took the lead, and a concussed 'Arry Cripps meandering around the park with a bandaged head not knowing what day of the week it was. We had to win or bust ...... and naturally in typical Charlton fashion, we were ballsing it all up.
Crippsy didn't start the 2nd half, replaced by midfielder Peter Hunt who came on and ran the show.
Centre half Bobby Goldthorpe hit the bar with a header, the referee gave a goal and we never looked back with Halesy clinching the win.
Good old fashioned pitch invasion on the final whistle, singing and dancing under the floodlights in front of the Grandstand chanting for the team to come out. Then the players appeared in the Directors Box, barely half dressed with celebratory drinks in raised hands and we went wild.
My first ever promotion!
Ha, got a bit carried away there. What was the topic again ......?
Oh yeah, Andy Nelson. First couple of seasons he did very well, attacking team with loads of goals at both ends.
Stayed well beyond his sell-by date, fell out with players, lost the dressing room, head in the sand decisions and it all turned to ratshit.
"NELSON OUT!", was the chant during his last 2 seasons, before he was finally sacked with the team predictably and hopelessly rooted at the bottom of the league. The players had long given up.
Mike Bailey was brought in as coach iduring the last gasp of Nelson's tenure, and with Nelson finally gone, promoted to Acting Manager ...... to oversee the death throes of the team and inevitable relegation.
But the next season was a different story.......!
"Andy Nelson's fu**ed it up again" was another popular little ditty from those days.
Yep.
And he must of heard what we called him........!!
(couldn't resist the pun .....sorry!)
Went completely loopy at the end. I remember asking him once why he had signed a "limited" full back by the name of Geoff Hammond to replace one of my all time heroes, Bob Curtis (God rest his soul). Dear old Andy went apopletic with me for daring to ask.
Think I've still got a "Nelson out Peacock in" badge somewhere that someone gave me at the last game of the season (Oldham I believe?)
Geoff Hammond was limited in taste as well. I remember him signing my program after he got out of his car, an Allegro estate. Even as a kid I thought all footballers should have nice cars.
She had nothing but trouble with it .......It wasn't called the All Agro for nothing!