fantastic day and goes down in memory with the birth of my 3 boys !!! On the beer from 6am.... getting booted out of all the eltham boozers late in the evening for singing !!! what a day!!
Woke up on Blackheath in the early hours after the conga. Slept in the mini bus, dont remember a bloody thing. Couldn't watch the pens and commented '' Why is bloody Rufus coming forward, he never scores''. ( so they tell me ). Spent 3 hours in the pub with fantastic Sunderland fans. One of the best days ever and the way we won something similar to Man City last Sunday. We went from being a small club to a big club in one kick ( or one save ). !!!
Hard to believe it was 14 years ago, remember if as if it was yesterday. So many things to remember - the brilliant mendonca hat trick, one of the best you'll ever see, richard rufus first goal for charlton, not to mention the Pens. Also one of the longest games ever at wembley. Game started at 3 but we didn't get the trophy until just before 6
I was 16 at the time and was away that weekend for my sisters 18th. On the Saturday night there was a Sunderland fan in the club house and I went over to have a chat and asked if he was going to the game. He said I sure am my nephew is playing for them he is called Michael Gray . At the time I did not realise the significance here, but we all know what happened.
Monday I went to game and after I left the ground (after the celebrations) I was walking down a packed Wembley way and literally out of the crowd bumped into the same Sunderland fan (what are the chances). He shook my hand and said well done you deserved it and enjoy the day.
Still the best day of my life in football terms. Saying that thoroughly enjoyed the last game of the season (5th Hartlepool) and that is still nice and fresh in the memory bank
Would be pretty boring supporting one of the top four!
Have to admit to this, if you listen to the audio cassette, just after the 2nd half, you hear them mentioning trouble in the Charlton end near to the wembley step/bench, that was me and a few pals. We got into our section (after being 2nd in line for tickets at the Valley on the Sunday morning after camping out all night in the car park) to find 4-5 mackems sitting in front of us bold as brass with shirts on, which really pissed us off as we had mates who could not get tickets. We told them in no uncertain terms to cover up their shirts and dont take the piss, and then mentioned it to a steward that they shouldnt be in there and it had potential for trouble if they stayed, he just shrugged his shoulders.
We let it lye until second half when I think they went ahead, and they all started gettting leary, and jumping about, one of my pals approached a senior steward (different coloured bib/hi/viz) to complain once again, who basically told him if he didnt like it he could f*** off, which my pal didnt take to kindly too and called him an unprofessional w***** Well, this Senior steward then pushed my mate and a shoving match ensued, more stewards arrived, we went to his aide and were basically holding them off my mate, OB arrived, we tried to explain what had happened and the stewards attitudes and shoving etc, they were having none of it and we got turfed out. We listened on a radio at a burger van outside but did manage to run in when they opened the gates towards the end and ran to the olympic gallery underneath the roof to see the trophy being lifted.
A mate of mine ( not CAFC ) went with his CAFC bird and a few other Charlton and sitting a few rows in front of them was 2/3 mackems in their shirts . Few verbals went on , then the mackems call the stewards over and complain that someone was lobbing coins their way and they point out my mate as the chief culprit . He protested his innocence but ended up getting nicked and banged up for the whole game , eventually being let out and made it to a pub to see Sasa save the pen . Old bill were keeping all in the cell updated with the scores , obviously no-one believing a word they said .
It went to court but he got off through lack of evidence and the fact that he never actually threw any coins . Still remind him now that he missed every single goal and one of the best ever matches at Wembley ever .
To answer the original question I believe our allocation was 35,000 . Truly a once in a lifetime game, the only game I've been at as a spectator where I felt physically drained at the end. Given that this result at Wembley meant a place in the Premier League for the first time, I don't think there could ever be a greater game in our lifetime. The attitude of Sunderland fans before the game sucked - people older than me who should have known better were taking the mickey in an unpleasant way, not banter - as if the result was a foregone conclusion and they were already up.
It was a fantastic game but also felt a bit like operating on yourself! I'm not sure I can say I really enjoyed it until it was over. I remember the penalty where Ilic got a hand to it but it still went in - some fans behind me started celebrating thinking he had saved it! I remember Keith Jones walking tiredly up to take his spot kick with the certainty that he would miss, but he scored!!! When it got past the norminated penalty takers you were sort of expecting everybody to miss. I certainly had a strong feeling Gray was going to. The release of tension when Sasa saved it will never be equalled - we were put through the mill as much as it was possible to be during that epic game.
I had a flag I had bought at Wembley and was waving it dementedly, and the celebrations went on for ages. I remember 'the only way is up playing', the players holding hands and diving in front of us and the feeling of ecstacy and that I didn't want it to end - supporting a football team could never get better than that - no matter which team- it was a totally special day. As we left the stadium there were a few Sunderland fan/s here and there -most had gone and to be fair those we saw wished us the best, and I felt a bit sorry for them. It could have so easily have been us.
On the way back, my brother and I got a train to where we had parked the car and missed our stop by two stations. We weren't chatting or anything - just totally drained. As we left the station, we got loads of congratulations from people in the street and in passing cars.
For the final bit of the journey home in the car, we had the flag out of the window as I was driving on the motorway. When we got back, it was in shreds and the stick was broken. I wish I had kept it but still have the Charlton Wembley baseball cap. I had taped it on sky and watched it all again - unfortuantely the tape ended as they were about to interview Rufus and I really wanted to hear that interview- Rufus was and is my favourite ever Charlton player.
My wife and 11 year old son commented how much they enjoyed the League One Championship celebrations. I told them, if only you could have experienced the play off final, it was the best day ever.
I have to say that all the Sunderland fans that I saw were top notch. One woman who was a school teacher brought me a pint in the boozer and gave me a kiss after the match! This was great as I was 18 and still at school. Classic!
I spent the entire penalty shoot out trying to calm, the now SKY News City Editor Mark Kleinman, down, he was convinced the worst was about to happen whilst for some reason I (normally the biggest pessimist of all) just couldn't see us losing on Pens.
Muttley above gets it exactly right with this...."supporting a football team could never get better than that - no matter which team- it was a totally special day".
Get butterflies in me belly just thinking about it!
Best game I have ever seen, the kind of game that people hear about in legend -the kind of game all fans hope to witness once in their lives. Best £18.50 I have ever spent!
Other than birth of kids and marriage, the best day of my life. Topped off an unexpectedly brilliant season with a bunch of players you could connect with much like our team now.
We'd kept about eight clean sheets in a row before that day so remember feeling very smug having a beer at half time and being ahead-within five minutes we were losing! The extra time and pens drained the life out of me and, although we tried our hardest, having massive celebrations that evening was beyond me and my pals. I still get goose bumps hearing 'Rocking all over the World' and 'Walking on Sunshine' and would give anything to go through it all again.
What a game. The most emotional point of my life up to that point. The total euphoria one minute followed with devastation the next followed by euphoria again then followed by severe nerves and your heart beating at 100 beats per second. Up to that point in ky life although I was a charlton regular already, I never knew a football match could have that much of an emotional impact. I also remember the walk back to the station, although most had left already there was still the odd sunderland fan around and although we felt great better than ever we were respectful to them as we knew they went through it all too just with a different ending. I remember man united, chelsea, arsenak, Liverpool and other teams running through my head saying wow I will be watching us play them next season it didn't seem real.
Genuinely one of the best days of my life....18 years old at the time with face painted and red hair!! Cannot put the emotions of that day into words........
I was there and it was a great day.....but strangely my favourite game ever was the Semi Final against Ipswich at the valley. I was with my best friend and to know i was going to wembley to see charlton was immense!!
He broke you're nose, he broke you're nose He broke it Heane
I was there and it was a great day.....but strangely my favourite game ever was the Semi Final against Ipswich at the valley. I was with my best friend and to know i was going to wembley to see charlton was immense!!
He broke you're nose, he broke you're nose He broke it Heaney Broke you're nose!!!!!
Can't say more than some have said to be honest... it was emotionally draining... I remember being stunned and in shock afterwards. We got some some stick from some Sunderland fans as we sat in the curry house at Lee in the evening because we were'nt singing and dancing.. we were just sitting in stunned silence. On a more emotional note... had been going through a long period of reconciliation with my dad (he has since passed away), and I can look back with a happy tear in my eye to say that I went to wembley with my dad, and saw charlton lift a trophy.. and no one can take that away. )
Comments
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Monday I went to game and after I left the ground (after the celebrations) I was walking down a packed Wembley way and literally out of the crowd bumped into the same Sunderland fan (what are the chances). He shook my hand and said well done you deserved it and enjoy the day.
Still the best day of my life in football terms. Saying that thoroughly enjoyed the last game of the season (5th Hartlepool) and that is still nice and fresh in the memory bank
Would be pretty boring supporting one of the top four!
I then cycled from Watford to Charlton for the parade the following day despite being too hungover to keep my eyes open!
We got into our section (after being 2nd in line for tickets at the Valley on the Sunday morning after camping out all night in the car park) to find 4-5 mackems sitting in front of us bold as brass with shirts on, which really pissed us off as we had mates who could not get tickets. We told them in no uncertain terms to cover up their shirts and dont take the piss, and then mentioned it to a steward that they shouldnt be in there and it had potential for trouble if they stayed, he just shrugged his shoulders.
We let it lye until second half when I think they went ahead, and they all started gettting leary, and jumping about, one of my pals approached a senior steward (different coloured bib/hi/viz) to complain once again, who basically told him if he didnt like it he could f*** off, which my pal didnt take to kindly too and called him an unprofessional w***** Well, this Senior steward then pushed my mate and a shoving match ensued, more stewards arrived, we went to his aide and were basically holding them off my mate, OB arrived, we tried to explain what had happened and the stewards attitudes and shoving etc, they were having none of it and we got turfed out. We listened on a radio at a burger van outside but did manage to run in when they opened the gates towards the end and ran to the olympic gallery underneath the roof to see the trophy being lifted.
Eventful day all round
It went to court but he got off through lack of evidence and the fact that he never actually threw any coins . Still remind him now that he missed every single goal and one of the best ever matches at Wembley ever .
Fantastic day , will never forget it
i could write a book of my own about that day ..perhaps one day i will !
I had a flag I had bought at Wembley and was waving it dementedly, and the celebrations went on for ages. I remember 'the only way is up playing', the players holding hands and diving in front of us and the feeling of ecstacy and that I didn't want it to end - supporting a football team could never get better than that - no matter which team- it was a totally special day. As we left the stadium there were a few Sunderland fan/s here and there -most had gone and to be fair those we saw wished us the best, and I felt a bit sorry for them. It could have so easily have been us.
On the way back, my brother and I got a train to where we had parked the car and missed our stop by two stations. We weren't chatting or anything - just totally drained. As we left the station, we got loads of congratulations from people in the street and in passing cars.
For the final bit of the journey home in the car, we had the flag out of the window as I was driving on the motorway. When we got back, it was in shreds and the stick was broken. I wish I had kept it but still have the Charlton Wembley baseball cap. I had taped it on sky and watched it all again - unfortuantely the tape ended as they were about to interview Rufus and I really wanted to hear that interview- Rufus was and is my favourite ever Charlton player.
My wife and 11 year old son commented how much they enjoyed the League One Championship celebrations. I told them, if only you could have experienced the play off final, it was the best day ever.
Muttley above gets it exactly right with this...."supporting a football team could never get better than that - no matter which team- it was a totally special day".
Get butterflies in me belly just thinking about it!
We'd kept about eight clean sheets in a row before that day so remember feeling very smug having a beer at half time and being ahead-within five minutes we were losing! The extra time and pens drained the life out of me and, although we tried our hardest, having massive celebrations that evening was beyond me and my pals. I still get goose bumps hearing 'Rocking all over the World' and 'Walking on Sunshine' and would give anything to go through it all again.
Still I got it back and took it to Newcastle for our very first match in the Premier League.
I also remember the walk back to the station, although most had left already there was still the odd sunderland fan around and although we felt great better than ever we were respectful to them as we knew they went through it all too just with a different ending. I remember man united, chelsea, arsenak, Liverpool and other teams running through my head saying wow I will be watching us play them next season it didn't seem real.
He broke you're nose, he broke you're nose
He broke it
Heane
He broke you're nose, he broke you're nose
He broke it
Heaney Broke you're nose!!!!!
On a more emotional note... had been going through a long period of reconciliation with my dad (he has since passed away), and I can look back with a happy tear in my eye to say that I went to wembley with my dad, and saw charlton lift a trophy.. and no one can take that away.