Why would anyone be selling conkers at a football ground?
Unless your on a wind up, they are totally different, loved the monkey nuts on the east terrace left a bit of a mess though. Used to love the smell of horse chestnuts when walking down Floyd Road and sometimes the smell of burnt sugar from across the Thames....happy memories of the 70's.
My old man relented and let me make my first solo trip to the valley from abbey wood in the late 60's, I was under 10 yrs of age. I was so scared of losing my train ticket so I held it in my hand during the game until I dropped it on to the cinder track around the pitch. Being a very non street wise kid, jumping over the little red railings was not an option!!
Sorry to say but I cried thinking I would never see home again. Then along came the peanut seller who picked my ticket up and returned it to me. That peanut seller was my hero!!
As an aside, to top my first solo trip to the valley off, I forgot my dads advise not to get the first train home but to wait for the second because the first only stopped at woolwich then went fast to dartford. More tears as the train sped through abbey wood and left me stranded at dartford!! Dartford might as well have been on another planet!! Thanks to a couple of Charlton fans who saw my tears and scarf I managed to make it home.
Amazes me that I ever attempted that trip again !!
Great story. First solo trip under the age of ten! I was about 15 before I was allowed to do that.
My old man relented and let me make my first solo trip to the valley from abbey wood in the late 60's, I was under 10 yrs of age. I was so scared of losing my train ticket so I held it in my hand during the game until I dropped it on to the cinder track around the pitch. Being a very non street wise kid, jumping over the little red railings was not an option!!
Sorry to say but I cried thinking I would never see home again. Then along came the peanut seller who picked my ticket up and returned it to me. That peanut seller was my hero!!
As an aside, to top my first solo trip to the valley off, I forgot my dads advise not to get the first train home but to wait for the second because the first only stopped at woolwich then went fast to dartford. More tears as the train sped through abbey wood and left me stranded at dartford!! Dartford might as well have been on another planet!! Thanks to a couple of Charlton fans who saw my tears and scarf I managed to make it home.
Amazes me that I ever attempted that trip again !!
Great story. First solo trip under the age of ten! I was about 15 before I was allowed to do that.
If that train ticket had fallen down the back of the sofa we might have lost a fan.
If we're talking east terrace, what about the gate half way up about in line with the penalty box (JS end). It cost you nine pence to get through to the halfway line, was free later on in the game.
What year would you be talking about,can see the gate and fence but 9d/p transfer never heard of that.
If we're talking east terrace, what about the gate half way up about in line with the penalty box (JS end). It cost you nine pence to get through to the halfway line, was free later on in the game.
What year would you be talking about,can see the gate and fence but 9d/p transfer never heard of that.
When we used to get about 9,000-11,000 gate, late 50's and very early 60's Can't think I imagined this.....but possible. The JS end was definitely cheaper. There was a little guy on the gate who would let people through. The turnstiles at the JS end I think there were split prices cheaper up the slope to the JS end and a bit more to go towards the covered end behind the stand. Soon after I think the prices were all the same, so I would go in via the turnstiles next to the main/players and officials entrance. Then progressed to the half way line via Sam Batram/Lansdowne . Wow, you could do a PhD on all this!
My pitch was very close to the players almost on the pitch!!! I remember being gobbed on several occasions when passing along the Jimmy Seed end with my tray of peanuts, early sixties I think.
If we're talking east terrace, what about the gate half way up about in line with the penalty box (JS end). It cost you nine pence to get through to the halfway line, was free later on in the game.
What year would you be talking about,can see the gate and fence but 9d/p transfer never heard of that.
When we used to get about 9,000-11,000 gate, late 50's and very early 60's Can't think I imagined this.....but possible. The JS end was definitely cheaper. There was a little guy on the gate who would let people through. The turnstiles at the JS end I think there were split prices cheaper up the slope to the JS end and a bit more to go towards the covered end behind the stand. Soon after I think the prices were all the same, so I would go in via the turnstiles next to the main/players and officials entrance. Then progressed to the half way line via Sam Batram/Lansdowne . Wow, you could do a PhD on all this!
If we're talking east terrace, what about the gate half way up about in line with the penalty box (JS end). It cost you nine pence to get through to the halfway line, was free later on in the game.
What year would you be talking about,can see the gate and fence but 9d/p transfer never heard of that.
When we used to get about 9,000-11,000 gate, late 50's and very early 60's Can't think I imagined this.....but possible. The JS end was definitely cheaper. There was a little guy on the gate who would let people through. The turnstiles at the JS end I think there were split prices cheaper up the slope to the JS end and a bit more to go towards the covered end behind the stand. Soon after I think the prices were all the same, so I would go in via the turnstiles next to the main/players and officials entrance. Then progressed to the half way line via Sam Batram/Lansdowne . Wow, you could do a PhD on all this!
Okay cheers for that info,first visit for me at The Valley was just after England had won the world cup.
Hi Ben.....noticed a recent thread on CL regarding the peanut man. I have more info about him and maybe you could pass this on to the message board.
First off his name was Adam......he wore a somewhat grubby long white cotton coat (like a doctors coat) which made him easier to spot in the crowd. He was around 6ft+ tall and built like a brick shyte house. He had a large bull like head and face which was always red and sweaty due to his considerable exertions getting around those enormous terraces. He carried a large wicker basket over one arm. He never stopped for a conversation and was a man of very few words, which gave him (to us youngsters anyway) a certain air of mystery....you got your peanuts he took your money and was off like a shot. Shouting "Peanuts, peanuts..... tanner a bag." You really had to keep your eye out or you'd end up having to chase after him, he moved surprisingly quickly for such a bulky fella. The Kentish Mercury did a half page article on him many many years ago, complete with photo.....that's how I remember his name was Adam....I don't remember his surname though....maybe some other poster can? He was certainly there in late 1957 and most likely well before that.
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Hi Ben.....noticed a recent thread on CL regarding the peanut man. I have more info about him and maybe you could pass this on to the message board.
First off his name was Adam......he wore a somewhat grubby long white cotton coat (like a doctors coat) which made him easier to spot in the crowd.
He was around 6ft+ tall and built like a brick shyte house.
He had a large bull like head and face which was always red and sweaty due to his considerable exertions getting around those enormous terraces. He carried a large wicker basket over one arm.
He never stopped for a conversation and was a man of very few words, which gave him (to us youngsters anyway) a certain air of mystery....you got your peanuts he took your money and was off like a shot. Shouting "Peanuts, peanuts..... tanner a bag."
You really had to keep your eye out or you'd end up having to chase after him, he moved surprisingly quickly for such a bulky fella.
The Kentish Mercury did a half page article on him many many years ago, complete with photo.....that's how I remember his name was Adam....I don't remember his surname though....maybe some other poster can?
He was certainly there in late 1957 and most likely well before that.