I remember Chris Eagles featuring in this match at The Valley for Man Utd. He was one of the standout players that night along with Giuseppe Rossi.
Just for interest I have looked to find the teams but can't find a list anywhere on the web.
Anyone have them?
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Charlton 2 Manchester United 4
Charlton's reserve side were denied the ultimate honour of becoming the country's finest second XI at The Valley on Thursday night after running into a Manchester United outfit that were simply too good.
Glynn Snodin's southern division title winners showed glimpses of the kind of form that saw them romp to successive championships and the Charlton coach would have been delighted that his team actually finished a pulsating match in the ascendancy.
Young player of the year Lloyd Sam came to life in the second half and scored the home side's first and created the second.
But the classy Red Devils - for whom impressive young striker Giuseppe Rossi scored a breathtaking hat-trick - ran out worthy winners and United thoroughly deserved to land the inaugural play-off showdown.
With Jerome Thomas and Shaun Bartlett on the way back from illness and injury respectively, Snodin was afforded the luxury of including the two first teamers.
Bartlett, who injured his knee at Portsmouth last month, paired up with youngster James Walker and Thomas slotted into the left midfield position he occupied prior to his progression to the first team in October.
There was further experience in the form of Mark Fish, who made his 14th second string start of the season but, other than that, it was the club's young professionals that were handed the task of taking on the cream of the Manchester United undercard.
From the outset, the 7,102 supporters that turned up for the clash would not have been impressed with the ease with which the visitors took control.
Showing the kind of confidence and invention you would expect from aspiring Red Devils, Ricky Sbragia's side fizzed the ball about with pace and precision and a Charlton side not used to long spells without the ball struggled to cope.
After just four minutes Spanish central defender Gerard Pique linked up well with silky striker Rossi only to fire tamely at Darren Randolph, and even though United suffered a setback moments on when Frenchman David Bellion had to be withdrawn after feeling the full force of a Barry Fuller tackle, Sbragia's side continued to press.
It didn't take long for Bellion's replacement Fraizer Campbell to make his mark and on eight minutes he embarked on a mazy dribble across the edge of the box before touching a deft ball off to Chris Eagles.
Well placed, the winger looked sure to register but his shot was sliced harmlessly past the near post.
Much as they tried, Charlton couldn't retain enough possession to buy themselves a breath and United took the lead on 14 minutes.
A crunching tackle on Bartlett in the centre circle allowed Eagles to mop up the loose ball and he duly found Rossi's untracked dash through the middle.
A dazzling piece of skill from the American-born hitman - scorer of 13 goals from 19 games this year - was enough to create a yard for the shot and his effort curled delightfully into the far corner.
Charlton's best chance of the period fell to Stacy Long six minutes later but, unluckily for the young midfielder, the ball dropped to a left foot for which the England U20 international has little renown.
A cross from the subdued Sam was palmed out the edge of the box by United keeper Tom Heaton, but a defender flung himself in front of Long's effort.
United should have doubled their advantage nine minutes before half-time when Charlton were left hopelessly outnumbered at the back following a quick break, but overlapping full-back Phil Picken again couldn't find the target.
Charlton could have gone in with undeserved parity after a Sam flick inside presented Bartlett with a free shot from the edge of the area but the South African, rusty from a month on sidelines, dragged his strike wide.
After some first-class penalties from Barclays Bank officials at the break, the clinical finishing continued into the second half.
Five minutes into the restart, United's second did arrive; David Jones' fiercely struck free-kick from the right edge of the box seeming to catch Randolph cold.
There couldn't have been many people in the stadium that didn't have the visitor's lead down as a winning one, but Charlton were back in it less than a minute later.
A combination of Sam's skill and persistence eventually drew a foul from a United defender - David Fox the culprit - and a penalty was the only outcome.
Adam Gross had his strike saved by Heaton, but referee Steve Bennett wasn't happy with the keenness of the United players' encroaching and ordered a retake.
If anything, Sam's spot-kick was a poorer strike than Gross' but there was sufficient disguise on it to send Heaton the wrong way and the home side's deficit was halved.
For the first time in the match there was a spring in the Charlton step, and Snodin's men had one chance to get on terms before the floodgates opened.
Thomas showed great pace to race on to the return ball of fellow winger Sam and when the connection of his left-footed shot was a true one, you felt Charlton were level. Heaton had other ideas, though, and an outstretched left leg preserved United's lead.
The third came only a minute later; Rossi bursting into the box and firing a brilliant shot into the far corner, and the striker, whose work oozed class all evening, completed his hat-trick on 72 minutes.
Sneaking on to Fox's far-post delivery, his header was superbly blocked by an improving Randolph but the young keeper could do nothing to prevent Rossi prodding home the rebound.
It was actually a cue for Charlton to show a little bit of what they've been about this year and the Addicks had the better of the game's final 15 minutes.
Long's 25-yard belter was tipped over the top and with Sam suddenly coming to life, Snodin's men began to look a genuine threat.
The youngster was predictably at the heart of the 78th-minute move that cut the lead back to two.
An awesome turn in the box preceded a trademark dip of the shoulder that must have fooled the whole of the west stand and paved the way for a low cross, and James Walker was there to turn home from close range.
Lengthy celebrations followed, but the trophy was already Manchester-bound.
Charlton: Randolph, Wilson, Gross, Fuller, Ricketts, Fish, Sam, Long, Bartlett (John 46), Walker, Thomas (Weston 71).
Subs (not used): Ashton, Royce, Phillips.
Goals: Sam 51, Walker, 78
Booked: Fuller 5 (foul on Bellion). Thomas 30 (foul on Picken), Gross 56 (throwing ball away).
Manchester United: Heaton, Picken, Tierney, Pique, McShane, Fox, Eagles, Jones, Bellion (Campbell 7), Rossi, Martin.
Subs (not used): Ngalula, Crockett, Bardsley, Jones.
Goals: Rossi 14, 55, 72. Jones, 50.
Booked: Pique 4 (foul on Thomas)
Tom Heaton: Now Goalkeeper for Burnley
Gerard Pique: Barcelona defender with a huge trophy cabinet
Paul McShane: Defender for Hull City
David Fox: Now at Colchester but used to be with Norwich in the Prem
David Jones: Premier League experience with Wigan
Fraizer Campbell: Striker having played for a few Premier League clubs
Guiseppe Rossi: Italian Striker who is with Fiorentina and countless caps for his country
Lawrie Wilson: Back at Charlton after a spell in the Lower-Leagues
Adam Gross: Wiki has him at Thurrock but that was in 2010
Barry Fuller: Spell in Lower-Leagues mainly with Gillingham now at Wimbledon
Mark Ricketts: Currently at Woking since 2009
Stacey Long: Spell in the Lower-Leagues now unknown after being released by Ebbsfleet
Alistair John: Last seen with Chessington & Hook United
James Walker: Bit of a journeyman last with Bishops Stortford
Myles Weston - Another with spells in the Lower-Leagues currently @ Southend
Mark Fish / Shaun Bartlett: Both now retired
Jerome Thomas: Consistantly in the Premier League, now at Crystal Palace
Interesting to see the comments gravitating to the manure side.
We had quite a few ex England youth players in that side. Sadley they never made it.
2 cracking goalies though.
gettyimages.com/search/2/image?family=editorial&phrase=CHARLTON+MANCHESTER+UNITED+RESERVES+2005+MAY
Overwhelmingly the most striking thing about this thread is the realisation that the number of home supporters for full first team matches today has almost dropped to a level which our reserve team could attract a decade ago.
On that Man Utd team I forgot David Bellion even existed.
Fail at Man U and you have a decent career at prem/champ level.
Fail at Charlton and end up in Non-League :-)
Who was the manager back then? I want him OUT!
He says they are looking over their shoulders nervously expecting to be in the mix for the last relegation place - and he isn't a typically negative fan.
He is absolutely gutted they didn't go in for Eagles.
their much lauded takeover is stalling and they have a dozen bits of deadwood to clear out.
Interesting to hear how amazed he has been with our signings.
Guiseppe Rossi has 30 caps for his country, which considering his extensive injury problems is a decent amount