I was working at Allders Bromley. For some reason I was asked to work in menswear for the first time ever. It was sales time and I was surrounded by hundreds of godawful own brand poly cotton shirts, with very unfashionable flappy collars. I look down and there is the great man selecting a few shirts in biege. He paid his £10 for three shirts, and was off before I had a chance to ask him what he did to end up playing for Charlton.
I lived in Hampshire at the time, but I still used to go to the dentist (Mr Ferris) in Woolwich, who used to be the CAFC club dentist. I had a dental appointment the evening of that reserve game v Swansea, so stayed on and watched the game, and mighty releved to see him appear in the second half - only time I saw him play - clearly a class act.
I do remember something going on, a load of our lot left the bit of terracing between the seats and the Covered End to confront some Boro fans who had walked around the back of the Covered End.
Saw him on the Danish version of Strictly Come Dancing a few years back and wasn't all that impressed TBH
Incidentally I'm sure there is an amusing video of Alan "dancing" somewhere on YouTube if anyone's interested. Just type in "Simonsen . Vild med dans" and you'll find it.
When we scored our 2nd goal about 40-50 Boro got out of the away section and came steaming across the East terrace. They got to the back of the covered end and got done. They also took a battering down by the station. They had a coach full of lads that day that caused trouble on the way back with a mob of Sheff Weds at a service station
I was at Swansea reserve game & story I heard on the day was he just got off plane & wanted to come on for second half. Total different class. I seem to remember he scored as well but not sure on that I was also at Chelsea game when some Chelsea mates from work tapped me on shoulder on small terrace after Simmo scored his first & said if that little gentlemen (or words to that effect) scores again were all gonna kick off & sure enough both of the above happened.
I was at Swansea reserve game & story I heard on the day was he just got off plane & wanted to come on for second half. Total different class. I seem to remember he scored as well but not sure on that I was also at Chelsea game when some Chelsea mates from work tapped me on shoulder on small terrace after Simmo scored his first & said if that little gentlemen (or words to that effect) scores again were all gonna kick off & sure enough both of the above happened.
Re the reserve game I'm sure he played a couple of 1-2's with Killer which led to a great cross which Killer just failed to convert & if scored would have been one of the greatest goals seen at The Valley.
Shortly after Alan Simonsen joined Charlton, the ship I was serving in at that time was in the Med and we had a stop in Genoa. The British Embassy arranged for Trevor Francis and Liam Brady, who were both playing for Sampdoria at the time to come on board for a bit of PR. After they'd done the photo thing with the skipper, they both ended up down the messdeck I was living in for a few beers. British beer. Gets 'em every time. They can't resist it.
Naturally, the talk got round to football and I managed to winkle Charlton Athletic into the conversation. Francis just rolled his eyes up and said "Allan F***ing Simonsen." I smiled. I knew what he meant. Simonsen had played for Denmark against England at Wembley in a European Championship qualifier and scored the winner for Denmark which effectively eliminated England.
I was joshing him about it and Brady was laughing his head off, but Trev wasn't seeing the funny side. Oh, he was smiling, but not with his eyes, if you know what I mean.
At this point, one of the lads, a Brummie lad, spoke up in his best Brumwegian (he was nicknamed "Well Spoken From Walsall") and in a vain attempt to soothe Trevor Francis' ruffled feathers, said "I'm sure England would have won if you'd been playing, Trev," to which Francis replied. "I f***ing was playing, you twat."
It was all a bit surreal when he had Simonsen playing in the team. I remember a Division 1 Luton player appearing as a ringer for our Sunday team when I was young. At half time, we had to tell him to tone it down a bit as he looked far far too good. It was the same with Simonsen except that it was totally legitimate - he really did play for us.
The other players in the team didn't really know what he was going to do next, so he was left to keep dribbling with the ball until he eventually lost it on many occasions.
I recall a story that he was sponsored by Danish Bacon (there was a regular advert on TV at the time). I am not sure if it was a) Complete nonsense b) It was true c) It was a rumour but no one was sure.
I was at Swansea reserve game & story I heard on the day was he just got off plane & wanted to come on for second half. Total different class. I seem to remember he scored as well but not sure on that I was also at Chelsea game when some Chelsea mates from work tapped me on shoulder on small terrace after Simmo scored his first & said if that little gentlemen (or words to that effect) scores again were all gonna kick off & sure enough both of the above happened.
Re the reserve game I'm sure he played a couple of 1-2's with Killer which led to a great cross which Killer just failed to convert & if scored would have been one of the greatest goals seen at The Valley.
I remember the reserve game, as an 11/12 year old I sat in what is now F block of the covered end and two skinheads sat behind me and glue-sniffed their way through the first half. During the break in play a policemen asked them to leave which they did without fuss, probably a little oblivious to where they were anyway.
At present I sit in front of a group that hate Gudmundson (the sort that complain about his ability to tackle or lack of height right after curling the ball in from twenty-five yards) and no matter how irritating it gets I can always console myself that at least they are not breathing eau de Evostick down my neck.
I was at the england v Denmark game when he scored the winning penalty. Just about remember the pen but don't remember too much when he played for us ( only 11 years old at the time )
A couple of us bunked off school to go and watch them train at New Eltham just after we signed him. We'd chatted to a few of the players while we were waiting for him and then someone said they'd switched the session to the valley. Terry Bullivant gave us a lift (in a yellow Datsun Cherry) to the ground and we managed to get Simmo's autograph just before they started. If I remember rightly, it looked like Don McCallister had been given the job to look after him and show him the ropes.
I've still got the single sheet programme for his first game for the reserves against Swansea and also a newspaper clipping of the match report.
imagine cristiano ronaldo playing for gillingham,the gulf in class was embarrassing.
Couldn't agree more.
He'd be in the opponents penalty area, while his team mates were just getting out of their own, it was hilarious sometimes!
But I have to say, he's the only player I've ever stayed behind to see after the match and was there to see him walk away for the last time. I was almost in tears, ok I was sobbing like a baby.
How the hell we managed to secure his services, it must have bankrupted Huyler?
Had I known Sir Clive's career would be cut short, I probably would have stayed behind to see him.
A couple of us bunked off school to go and watch them train at New Eltham just after we signed him. We'd chatted to a few of the players while we were waiting for him and then someone said they'd switched the session to the valley. Terry Bullivant gave us a lift (in a yellow Datsun Cherry) to the ground and we managed to get Simmo's autograph just before they started. If I remember rightly, it looked like Don McCallister had been given the job to look after him and show him the ropes.
I've still got the single sheet programme for his first game for the reserves against Swansea and also a newspaper clipping of the match report.
Great story that.
I went to the Swansea game, from memory there was about 2,000 people there and our record crowd for a reserve game.
He was indeed tiny. My uncle who had the faggot stand in Floyd Road at the time invited him home to Sunday tea and he had to sit on three cushions to reach the table comfortably, amazing.
Faggot van? Was this the 70's equivalent to a burger and sausage van?
Comments
Incidentally I'm sure there is an amusing video of Alan "dancing" somewhere on YouTube if anyone's interested. Just type in "Simonsen . Vild med dans" and you'll find it.
He said he was always two passes ahead of the other players .
Total different class. I seem to remember he scored as well but not sure on that
I was also at Chelsea game when some Chelsea mates from work tapped me on shoulder on small terrace after Simmo scored his first & said if that little gentlemen (or words to that effect) scores again were all gonna kick off & sure enough both of the above happened.
Naturally, the talk got round to football and I managed to winkle Charlton Athletic into the conversation. Francis just rolled his eyes up and said "Allan F***ing Simonsen." I smiled. I knew what he meant. Simonsen had played for Denmark against England at Wembley in a European Championship qualifier and scored the winner for Denmark which effectively eliminated England.
I was joshing him about it and Brady was laughing his head off, but Trev wasn't seeing the funny side. Oh, he was smiling, but not with his eyes, if you know what I mean.
At this point, one of the lads, a Brummie lad, spoke up in his best Brumwegian (he was nicknamed "Well Spoken From Walsall") and in a vain attempt to soothe Trevor Francis' ruffled feathers, said "I'm sure England would have won if you'd been playing, Trev," to which Francis replied. "I f***ing was playing, you twat."
Chippy Brady nearly fell off the chair laughing.
The other players in the team didn't really know what he was going to do next, so he was left to keep dribbling with the ball until he eventually lost it on many occasions.
I recall a story that he was sponsored by Danish Bacon (there was a regular advert on TV at the time). I am not sure if it was a) Complete nonsense b) It was true c) It was a rumour but no one was sure.
I remember the reserve game, as an 11/12 year old I sat in what is now F block of the covered end and two skinheads sat behind me and glue-sniffed their way through the first half. During the break in play a policemen asked them to leave which they did without fuss, probably a little oblivious to where they were anyway.
At present I sit in front of a group that hate Gudmundson (the sort that complain about his ability to tackle or lack of height right after curling the ball in from twenty-five yards) and no matter how irritating it gets I can always console myself that at least they are not breathing eau de Evostick down my neck.
Maybe Charlton could step in and run an academy in Denmark instead..?
I've still got the single sheet programme for his first game for the reserves against Swansea and also a newspaper clipping of the match report.
He'd be in the opponents penalty area, while his team mates were just getting out of their own, it was hilarious sometimes!
But I have to say, he's the only player I've ever stayed behind to see after the match and was there to see him walk away for the last time. I was almost in tears, ok I was sobbing like a baby.
How the hell we managed to secure his services, it must have bankrupted Huyler?
Had I known Sir Clive's career would be cut short, I probably would have stayed behind to see him.
I went to the Swansea game, from memory there was about 2,000 people there and our record crowd for a reserve game.
38 years ago today
I had Mr Brain's Faggots once, never again.