Tiger Hill was the manager the first time I was taken down The Valley.
As far as I can recall, he came in mid-season and somehow saved us from certain relegation when we'd looked dead and buried, culminating in winning away on the last day of the season against Walsall - a match that we were losing when it was originally abandoned; we would have been relegated if that had been a result. Walsall were relegated instead.
The following season we finished 4th.
He had star player, defender Marvin Hinton sold under him, to Chelsea. The next season, brilliant midfielder and skipper Mike Bailey was capped by England - and soon after flogged to top flight Wolves for big money.
And then he brought back Italian international and ex-Charlton legendary striker Eddie Firmani. A player with terrific touch, vision and movement - and who could score wonder goals.
Tiger Hill created a team that scored goals for fun, but one poor start to a season and he was fired. And in came Bob Stokoe.
Because of a terrible winter the 1962/63 season was a long one and it became longer still when one vital match was abandoned. At the bottom of Division 2 with one match left the final relegation spot was between Walsall and Charlton Athletic and those two sides met at Fellows Park on Tuesday 21st May 1963. A win for Charlton would see them stay up, any other result and Walsall would survive. A crowd of 18,820 assembled but at half-time, with the score at 0-0, the match was abandoned because of a waterlogged pitch. That was bad luck on Walsall but was nothing when compared to what happened when they played the match three days later. The 16,761 crowd who were at Fellows Park on Friday May 24th saw the home side go close after just five minutes, a shot from Graham Newton hitting the woodwork. But just minutes later Newton was carried off with a broken ankle and things got even worse half an hour later when Walsall keeper Alan Boswell suffered a broken jaw. No substitutes in those days and with just nine players Walsall lost 2-1 and were relegated to Division 3 on goal average.
Nelson - Too young to form an opinion but didn't like the look of him Bailey - He was great Mullery - Twat Craggs - Liked him for some reason but thought he was hopeless Lawrence - Loved him, legend Gritt & Curbs - Loved them Dowie - Thought it was a big mistake from day 1 Reed - Pitied him Pardew - Liked then hated him Parkinson - Didn't dislike him but should never have been given the job Peacock - loved him Powell- loved him Riga - liked him and was sad to see him go Peeters- jury's out
Bailey - 7 out of 10 Mullery - 2 out of 10 Craggs - 3 out of 10 Lawrence - 9 out of 10 dropping to 4 for going to The Nigels Gritt & Curbs -7 out of 10 Curbs - 10 out of 10 Dowie - 1 out of 10 Reed - 2 out of 10 Pardew - 1 out of 10 Parkinson - 6 out of 10 Powell- 8 out of 10 Riga - 7 out of 10 Peeters- 5 out of 10 at the moment
Looking back, on a 'like' factor.. Riga was up there, it may have been the situation we were in at the time more than the man himself, but people didn't open him with open arms (probably myself included), he was managing floored football to play on a rubbish pitch, with SOME poor players and we had a mammoth task of survival. He did it, and you could tell just how much it meant to him as well as us, the fans, lot of respect for him and it's a shame about the Blackpool situation. Think his training methods weren't so far fetched after all, they obviously worked.
The media tried to do a job on Riga. They introduced him as a man with whacky 'cognitive brain training' methods and as a liar who pretended to know Jose Mourinho.
Turns out he was just a hard working manager who really cared about Charlton during his short stint.
Len:-):-):-) Curbs :-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-) Dowie: :-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-( Reed no comment my mum would have done better Pardew :-(:-(:-(:-(:-( cock back then and still is Parky :-):-):-):-):-):-):-) shouldnt have been appointed or sacked Powell :-):-):-):-):-):-)bit clueless at times but loves him Riga :-):-):-):-):-):-) acted with class and saved us so extra :-):-):-) Big bad bob :-):-) for tactics :-):-):-):-):-) passion :-):-):-):-):-):-):-) because hé wants to beat millwall more we do
Comments
Bailey - He was great
Mullery - Twat
Craggs - Liked him for some reason but thought he was hopeless
Lawrence - Loved him, legend
Gritt & Curbs - Loved them
Dowie - Thought it was a big mistake from day 1
Reed - Pitied him
Pardew - Liked then hated him
Parkinson - Didn't dislike him but should never have been given the job
Peacock - loved him
Powell- loved him
Riga - liked him and was sad to see him go
Peeters- jury's out
Mullery - 2 out of 10
Craggs - 3 out of 10
Lawrence - 9 out of 10 dropping to 4 for going to The Nigels
Gritt & Curbs -7 out of 10
Curbs - 10 out of 10
Dowie - 1 out of 10
Reed - 2 out of 10
Pardew - 1 out of 10
Parkinson - 6 out of 10
Powell- 8 out of 10
Riga - 7 out of 10
Peeters- 5 out of 10 at the moment
Craigs - clueless - 2
Lennie - god - 9
Curbishley & Grint - decent - 7
Curbishley - legend - 9.5
Davros - laughable - 2
Reed - nonmanager - N/A
Pardew - shitstain - 2
Parky - likable - 6
Powell - decent - 7
Riga - suave - 8
Big Bob - scary - 6.5
Curbs - marry
Dowie - avoid
Turns out he was just a hard working manager who really cared about Charlton during his short stint.
Curbs: Massive like and a Legend.
Dowie: Dislike Palace scum, took over a poor side and spend a load of money and made us worse.
Reed: N/A
Pardew: Scumbag big nosed prick. Delighted at the start, pure hate now
Parkinson: Should never of got the job. Right man at the wrong time. Like for me
Peacock: N/A
Powell: Playing Legend, IMO Still believe he is the right man for us and hope will come back one day. Like
Riga: Did what he had to do and keep us up. Got out at the correct time so Like.
Peters: On the fence
I like the way 'legend' scores higher than 'god'
Actually, now I think of it, are you saying Curbs and Lawrence don't exist?
Also, when Parky and Pardew worked together, were they a 'likable shitstain'?
Curbs :-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-)
Dowie: :-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(
Reed no comment my mum would have done better
Pardew :-(:-(:-(:-(:-( cock back then and still is
Parky :-):-):-):-):-):-):-) shouldnt have been appointed or sacked
Powell :-):-):-):-):-):-)bit clueless at times but loves him
Riga :-):-):-):-):-):-) acted with class and saved us so extra :-):-):-)
Big bad bob :-):-) for tactics :-):-):-):-):-) passion :-):-):-):-):-):-):-) because hé wants to beat millwall more we do
Looking back, yeah blokes a complete weapon.
Parky was sound, and could of left us in a much worse state than he did so I have a lot of time for him.