The best game I attended was the 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham in 1977 with Flan's hattrick and the biggest Valley crowd I've ever been in. The second was 3-0 away victory at Fratton Park the previous season - an FA Cup replay and another massive attendance. George Hope scored a memorable goal in the second half when Charlton ran riot.
I haven't got my reference books with me at the moment. The crowd in the region of 31,000, when both the east and south terraces were still open. At the time I couldn't believe the ground was still only half full by pre-war standards. I couldn't see any spaces anywhere.
The effect of the great bowl of people was that everything on the pitch seemed to happen in slow motion.
So many obvious favourites, Chelsea 4-2 at the Valley stands out at home.
As for away games something different for me, went to Carlisle last season, never travelled anywhere near as far to watch us and winning 4-3 in the last minute whilst being as pissed as I've ever been stands out for me. The longer the train journey the better(if you win of course). Bring on Hartlepool next season.
3-2 win over Liverpool was pretty great. I still think I'm going to wake up from a dream where Lisbie got a hattrick. My mum's a Chelsea fan so I couldn't really enjoy the Chelsea win on Boxing Day that much. Seemed inappropriate to gloat at the woman cooking the family a roast in the other room
Anyone who can't agree that the Wembley Final was the "best" Charlton game (of modern times) needs their heads testing. The drama, the tension, the importance, the prize, the Mendonca hatrick, Rufus' first goal - and all followed by a penalty shoot-out of epic proportions.
The St Andrews game was probably more significant in terms of the clubs future - but not a "better" game of football - and some of the others mentioned on here are quite laughable.
Leeds play off is the best but to answer your question...Charlton 2 Ipswich 3 3rd Round FA Cup 1983. Superb entertainment from first to last minute (in which john Wark got the winner), watched from the East Terrace. Ipswich were still good in those days and we were cr*p but had an almighty go in a great atmosphere. One of Lennie's very early games and you got the feeling he was going to get the best out of a very ordinary (Simonsen apart) bunch of players. He did just so and we stayed up by beating Bolton in a thriller in the last game of the season (without Simonsen who had left a few matches before that). We were pretty poor that season but we really did play in some entertaining matches.
Definitely the 4-3 Villa game, to come back from having Petterson sent off, and Stevie Brown (the cat) replacing him. I just remember having to stand on my seat, and the only way in which I knew we had scored a goal was by all the rest of our fans going mental.
Then to get home that evening and to be able to lip read a good 30 seconds of just me in the camera on MOTD singing Valley Floyd Road just after Millsys free kick. That moment will never be forgotten for the rest of my life.
Im not sure whether its the same for some of your guys, maybe it is just an age thing, but i actually dont remember much from the play-off final. It was all a bit of a blur for me.
Beating Preston 3-1 at end of season in 1975 to get promoted from 3rd to 2nd division. We went 1-0 down, then the normally unflappable Bobby Curtis missed a penalty, but it all came good in the end.
Beating Liverpool 3-2 on my birthday (Lisbie hat tirck)
Beating Preston 3-1 at end of season in 1975 to get promoted from 3rd to 2nd division. We went 1-0 down, then the normally unflappable Bobby Curtis missed a penalty, but it all came good in the end.
Beating Liverpool 3-2 on my birthday (Lisbie hat tirck)
Good shout Weegie, I was at both those games, at the Preston game everyone on the pitch at the end, great atmosphere, I dont remember too much of the 3-2 against Liverpool, it was one of the few games that I did not drive to, and ended up completely spannered!!
That takes the edge off the result for me. With most of the other matches cited (St Andrews, play-off Final etc) we got something strategically positive from the result. That was a great game and win, but ultimately and sadly it meant nothing.
A neutral would probably have switched the St Andrews play off final off before extra-time. It was 0-0 and not that many chances at either end. There were lots of things that made it a great game for Charlton fans - the importance, the injustice of finishing 7 places above Leeds, the fact that we were the better side over the three games and we looked dead and buried when Sheridan scored. For those reasons I would probably put it second but the Wembley final is way out in front. It was a great game that even neutrals still talk about.
Home win against Aston Villa in 1960 (2-0 I think).................we were thrashed 11-1 away in the away game. I'm not sure what size the crowd was, but it was buzzing with expectation that day and CAFC performed.
Comments
The effect of the great bowl of people was that everything on the pitch seemed to happen in slow motion.
As for away games something different for me, went to Carlisle last season, never travelled anywhere near as far to watch us and winning 4-3 in the last minute whilst being as pissed as I've ever been stands out for me. The longer the train journey the better(if you win of course). Bring on Hartlepool next season.
4 to choose from
4-4 ipswich away
millwall in the snow
st andrew play off
newcastle away 4-3
Definitely the 4-3 Villa game, to come back from having Petterson sent off, and Stevie Brown (the cat) replacing him. I just remember having to stand on my seat, and the only way in which I knew we had scored a goal was by all the rest of our fans going mental.
Then to get home that evening and to be able to lip read a good 30 seconds of just me in the camera on MOTD singing Valley Floyd Road just after Millsys free kick. That moment will never be forgotten for the rest of my life.
Im not sure whether its the same for some of your guys, maybe it is just an age thing, but i actually dont remember much from the play-off final. It was all a bit of a blur for me.
Beating Preston 3-1 at end of season in 1975 to get promoted from 3rd to 2nd division. We went 1-0 down, then the normally unflappable Bobby Curtis missed a penalty, but it all came good in the end.
Beating Liverpool 3-2 on my birthday (Lisbie hat tirck)
prob with that it meant fuck all in the end
That takes the edge off the result for me. With most of the other matches cited (St Andrews, play-off Final etc) we got something strategically positive from the result. That was a great game and win, but ultimately and sadly it meant nothing.
Agreed, these two must be the best and most important games ever played.
I also loved the FA Cup games at Coventry and Britol City.
A neutral would probably have switched the St Andrews play off final off before extra-time. It was 0-0 and not that many chances at either end. There were lots of things that made it a great game for Charlton fans - the importance, the injustice of finishing 7 places above Leeds, the fact that we were the better side over the three games and we looked dead and buried when Sheridan scored. For those reasons I would probably put it second but the Wembley final is way out in front. It was a great game that even neutrals still talk about.