Some really great stories in this thread, even though I wasn't there and even though I wasn't a Charlton fan at the time, still a very emotional read.
My uncles took me to my first game in 2001 vs Arsenal at home, would love to have been at the play off final as I really feel I missed out but I'm sure I'll see us have another great day.
I was living in Tenerife in 1998, although I had a Charlton season ticket, a ten year one from the VIP scheme I think. After we beat Ipswich in the second semi (1- 0 I think), my son phoned to see if I wanted tickets for the final. Unfortunately I was committed to preach at a church service that weekend, and that made it rather difficult. After my son was off the phone I remember saying to my wife, 'we must go, this could be history in the making'. I made a few phone calls, reorganised my weekend, and phoned my son to get the tickets. We flew home on the Friday, bought silly hats and wigs and stuff at the club shop on the Saturday, and got the coach from Well Hall on the Monday. The atmosphere at Wembley was incredible! we had several photos taken with Sunderland fans outside the ground, and the game was unbelievable. We were emotionally drained, and it was the most exciting game I have ever witnessed. When the penalty score was on the scoreboard as 7-6, I screamed to my friends '7-6, its an omen, we must do it', 7-6 being a famous scoreline to all true Charlton fans. I then remember hugging perfect strangers when Gray missed and we all went mad! The drive home was full of joy and happiness, and the bit through Millwall territory at New Cross with bystanders cheering and waving at the coach will never be forgotten. The next day we went to Woolwich, in all our Charlton gear to watch the team parade in the open top bus and get the freedom of Woolwich borough, and we flew back to Tenerife in the afternoon. You would not believe the number of people at the airport who wanted to congratulate us and say what a super game it was. What a fantastic weekend. We still have the Limited edition Chris Cheverst painting, 'Such a perfect day' hanging on the wall. One day.................................!
Just found the thread and read a lot of great posts, though not all yet, so sorry if repeating what others may have said already. Sunderland were a great side and we were the underdogs going in, and that feeling continued throughout for most of the game. We always knew though with the spirit and commitment of the side and the great quality of certain individuals in the side, in particular Mendonca, that we always had a chance. The game was always on a knife edge, and of course it could have gone either way....there was so much riding on it was there not. For me, when I look back, the main memories are of the accuracy of Rufus's header, the sheer bloody world-class quality of Mendonca's finishes, but the real memory that will always abide with me is of the great Shaun Newton looking a nervous wreck as he walked up to take the kick.....I was sure he was going to miss. And when you contrast Newton's cool, being able to perform when it mattered in the way that he did, and you contrast that with the pathetic record of taking penalties by our national England side, who are meant to be better players than Shaun Newton, it makes it all the more special, and it makes you think about the nature of how you define what a top footballer is.
What a memorable day, more so as I have just got in from seeing my dad, it's very likely I will lose him to alcoholism this year but nothing can take that day away from us, I flew in from Oz the day before and fell asleep on the grass bank outside the stadium, I could hear my dad moaning about the lack of Addicks as I dozed and heard him say 'here they are' coming up Wembley way was a sea of red, it's like our support had arrived on mass and a sight I shall never forget.
Great atmosphere inside the stadium, awful away kit for Sunderland made me feel confident, I just couldn't see a winner in that horrible shirt of theirs
At 1-0 my dad said the most stupid thing I have heard during a game 'next goals the winner' & so it ended 4-4, 7-6 on pens!
My dad doesn't go to football anymore, I might not have much time with the miserable sod but he is my dad and we will always have that day....
Last thing mum and him live on a narrow boat in Huntingdon these days, she said that he hit his head jumping up when Utd scored against the Nigel's last week so there is still an Addick in there somewhere.
I hope I get to experience something similar with my son again one day, (we had Carlisle)
Only time I've ever been to Wembley - years ago I said I'd only go there if Charlton were in a competitive match at the ground.
Feeling at 4-4 that I couldn't take much more of it.......surprised there weren't people having a heart attack or something.
Went with my son, then 13, now 31 and inducted into the cult as a result. Celebrated afterwards by taking him along for a few beers and a ''shandy''.
We did seem to get games like that under Curbishley when we were unbeatable. The Aston Villa away game a year later? And Coventry away in the cup the season afterwards?
Remember standing having a beer inside Wembley around 1.30 with family and friends when a guy stuck a dirty great grey furry microphone under my nose. He was from Capital Gold and was strolling round getting opinions on the outcome.. remaining cool (as one does) I predicted that with two such good sides but with our superb defence (and of course Mendonca up front) it would be a tight contest with us edging it 1-0. After he left I called my brother-in-law (West Ham fan) to tell him I had been interviewed. He laughed and wished us luck. Come half time I'm thinking "well, there isn't too much to this football prediction lark" and then the rest as they say was history! Like most Lifer's who were there, we were totally knackered after the game, hardly a word spoken on the coach back to the Bull at Chislehurst and people on another coach said the same.
The next day we had a celebratory BBQ and my brother-in-law came round and asked if he could play a music tape .... yup, it was my interview, the cheeky bugger had taped it!
To sum up, I don't think I will ever see another game like it and after 50 years following the Addicks I've seen a few special matches and occasions.
Sadly with these people in charge it will probably be anther 50 years before we have anything comparable to celebrate and by then I won't be around to worry!
I had my biggest bet ever £1500 to win purely on the basis that if we lost I would be incredibly miserable and it wouldn't really make me any more miserable and if we won , it would pay for the pre and post match party for my family and mates which is what I did in a hotel next to the stadium .
I had my biggest bet ever £1500 to win purely on the basis that if we lost I would be incredibly miserable and it wouldn't really make me any more miserable and if we won , it would pay for the pre and post match party for my family and mates which is what I did in a hotel next to the stadium .
I had my biggest bet ever £1500 to win purely on the basis that if we lost I would be incredibly miserable and it wouldn't really make me any more miserable and if we won , it would pay for the pre and post match party for my family and mates which is what I did in a hotel next to the stadium .
Took my ten year old son and when Summerbee scored he started crying and said thats it we have lost. I did not enjoy the second half at all, we were hardly allowed to celebrate before they scored again. In fact I was relieved when it went to penalties, I could not stand the thought Sunderland might get another. How did Mark Bowen a 33/34 old managed to play 120 minutes at Wembley I will never know. Great professional.
The day before I flew in from Spain with the realisation that my golf dreams had ended, but despite a truly horrendous hangover the boys turned me round, all we can do now is hope for a return one day.
Took my ten year old son and when Summerbee scored he started crying and said thats it we have lost. I did not enjoy the second half at all, we were hardly allowed to celebrate before they scored again. In fact I was relieved when it went to penalties, I could not stand the thought Sunderland might get another. How did Mark Bowen a 33/34 old managed to play 120 minutes at Wembley I will never know. Great professional.
Nah I thought we'd lost it with about 10-mins to go of normal time... Never saw the Rufus goal coming.
Took my ten year old son and when Summerbee scored he started crying and said thats it we have lost. I did not enjoy the second half at all, we were hardly allowed to celebrate before they scored again. In fact I was relieved when it went to penalties, I could not stand the thought Sunderland might get another. How did Mark Bowen a 33/34 old managed to play 120 minutes at Wembley I will never know. Great professional.
Nah I thought we'd lost it with about 10-mins to go of normal time... Never saw the Rufus goal coming.
Yes your right; however, to claw your way back and then have to deal with going behind again was just to much for my son to bear. If someone had told me beforehand, that the only way you may win and it is not guaranteed, is that if one of your players gets a hattrick I would have been very miserable in the week beforehand.
I queued up for for my ticket all night outside The Valley the week before, there were loads of us playing football in the street outside the club shop and locals bringing out tea,
Traveled up with friends but had a seat separate from them, remember being completely outnumbered by Sunderland fans when we arrived and thinking we could be in for a long afternoon.
The previous 2 games that weekend finished 1-0 and I reminder phoning home at half time to tell my mum that it will probably end up being the same!!!!!!
Once they went ahead I feared the worst but when Phillips went off I thought we had a chance, I don't think I have ever screamed and cheered at a football match as much as I did in that second half and the hugs from strangers when Rufus scored was unbelievable.
I pretty much smoked a whole packet of fags in extra time and had no voice left for the shootout.
Journey back to Bexleyheath was almost in silence and disbelief at what we had just witnessed, got back the Camden pub and everyone was talking about it and I knew it would go down as one of the greatest ever games of football.
My 10 year old has watched it more than me and knows all the quotable lines of commentary, I just hope he gets the chance to experience the same feeling of utter joy and pride supporting Charlton as I did that day.
I was 15 and my brother 12. I remember saying to him 'we cant expect Mendonca to do it again' my brother looked at me with absolute defiance in his eyes and said 'YES WE CAN'.
I was at school when tickets were on sale... Wasn't a Season Ticket holder yet had attended the required amount of matches (Had the ticket stubs) to ensure that I could get a ticket - Yet to do so my Mum had to get up and go down the Valley around 4am one morning.
Whilst standing in the queue apparently there were a lot of people talking about Clive Mendonca and the season that he'd had, my Mum being my Mum (and not very knowledgeable about Football / Charlton) turned around and explained: "Who's this Clive Mendonca your all talking about" apparently a load of people turned round and stared open mouthed at her and even to this day is a popular joking phrase to say around the house when one of us hasn't understood something obvious
He's a west ham fan and went along with his girlfriend ( now wife ) . 10 minutes into the game there was some commotion going on with some sunderland fans in our end , nothing major but someone sitting behind my mate had thrown some coins at them . The sunderland fans accused my mate of doing it and he got nicked despite his protests that it was nt him . So he got locked up until the evening , with a totally mangled Charlton fella in nick with him who was letting the old bill have it . They took great pleasure in walking past the cells telling them the score every 10 minutes , obvs my mate just thought they were winding him up . He's still gutted to this day that he missed the game but he ended up getting off the charge
He's a west ham fan and went along with his girlfriend ( now wife ) . 10 minutes into the game there was some commotion going on with some sunderland fans in our end , nothing major but someone sitting behind my mate had thrown some coins at them . The sunderland fans accused my mate of doing it and he got nicked despite his protests that it was nt him . So he got locked up until the evening , with a totally mangled Charlton fella in nick with him who was letting the old bill have it . They took great pleasure in walking past the cells telling them the score every 10 minutes , obvs my mate just thought they were winding him up . He's still gutted to this day that he missed the game but he ended up getting off the charge
And he's hated Sunderland ever since
My question is did his Girlfriend stay and watch the game ?
He's a west ham fan and went along with his girlfriend ( now wife ) . 10 minutes into the game there was some commotion going on with some sunderland fans in our end , nothing major but someone sitting behind my mate had thrown some coins at them . The sunderland fans accused my mate of doing it and he got nicked despite his protests that it was nt him . So he got locked up until the evening , with a totally mangled Charlton fella in nick with him who was letting the old bill have it . They took great pleasure in walking past the cells telling them the score every 10 minutes , obvs my mate just thought they were winding him up . He's still gutted to this day that he missed the game but he ended up getting off the charge
And he's hated Sunderland ever since
My question is did his Girlfriend stay and watch the game ?
He's a west ham fan and went along with his girlfriend ( now wife ) . 10 minutes into the game there was some commotion going on with some sunderland fans in our end , nothing major but someone sitting behind my mate had thrown some coins at them . The sunderland fans accused my mate of doing it and he got nicked despite his protests that it was nt him . So he got locked up until the evening , with a totally mangled Charlton fella in nick with him who was letting the old bill have it . They took great pleasure in walking past the cells telling them the score every 10 minutes , obvs my mate just thought they were winding him up . He's still gutted to this day that he missed the game but he ended up getting off the charge
And he's hated Sunderland ever since
My question is did his Girlfriend stay and watch the game ?
She did ! Shagged her before she Went and got him later on
This match is a major part of why for me, from the 50s until now, the 90s is my favourite decade - actually the definitive Charlton decade. I've just been watching the 1994/95 season's video - not really a special season but if only we could see the likes of DWWW once again. And Keith Jones. Carlo. Sweaty. Morts. Nelse. The POF was the cherry on the cake, but what a cake !!
When my son asks me what is the reason for supporting Charlton, I tell him about that day. We may not have Premier League titles or Champions League trophies but it makes the days we do have all the more special. Nobody can take the memories of that day from us, and we all knew we were part of it. Roland and Meire certainly can't take that away from us. He may have to wait I while- as I did, but I hope that day comes to him!
I recall never being so drained coming home from a football match. It was like I had kicked every ball, but it was emotionally draining! I went with my brother and parked the car at his girlfriends house near Old Street. I recall on the way back we went three stops past our stop - we just were so zonked out. Everybody who wore our colours and our management gave their all. Alan Curbishley is a Legend.
Dont mean to spoil the mood, but seeing this game makes me so depressed now. It highlights how far weve fallen, and Charlton being in a playoff final to get to the Prem seems like a million miles away now.
Comments
My uncles took me to my first game in 2001 vs Arsenal at home, would love to have been at the play off final as I really feel I missed out but I'm sure I'll see us have another great day.
After we beat Ipswich in the second semi (1- 0 I think), my son phoned to see if I wanted tickets for the final. Unfortunately I was committed to preach at a church service that weekend, and that made it rather difficult.
After my son was off the phone I remember saying to my wife, 'we must go, this could be history in the making'. I made a few phone calls, reorganised my weekend, and phoned my son to get the tickets.
We flew home on the Friday, bought silly hats and wigs and stuff at the club shop on the Saturday, and got the coach from Well Hall on the Monday.
The atmosphere at Wembley was incredible! we had several photos taken with Sunderland fans outside the ground, and the game was unbelievable. We were emotionally drained, and it was the most exciting game I have ever witnessed.
When the penalty score was on the scoreboard as 7-6, I screamed to my friends '7-6, its an omen, we must do it', 7-6 being a famous scoreline to all true Charlton fans. I then remember hugging perfect strangers when Gray missed and we all went mad!
The drive home was full of joy and happiness, and the bit through Millwall territory at New Cross with bystanders cheering and waving at the coach will never be forgotten.
The next day we went to Woolwich, in all our Charlton gear to watch the team parade in the open top bus and get the freedom of Woolwich borough, and we flew back to Tenerife in the afternoon. You would not believe the number of people at the airport who wanted to congratulate us and say what a super game it was.
What a fantastic weekend. We still have the Limited edition Chris Cheverst painting, 'Such a perfect day' hanging on the wall.
One day.................................!
For me, when I look back, the main memories are of the accuracy of Rufus's header, the sheer bloody world-class quality of Mendonca's finishes, but the real memory that will always abide with me is of the great Shaun Newton looking a nervous wreck as he walked up to take the kick.....I was sure he was going to miss.
And when you contrast Newton's cool, being able to perform when it mattered in the way that he did, and you contrast that with the pathetic record of taking penalties by our national England side, who are meant to be better players than Shaun Newton, it makes it all the more special, and it makes you think about the nature of how you define what a top footballer is.
They still talk about that game and, tongue in cheek, the traitor Mendonca.
Great atmosphere inside the stadium, awful away kit for Sunderland made me feel confident, I just couldn't see a winner in that horrible shirt of theirs
At 1-0 my dad said the most stupid thing I have heard during a game 'next goals the winner' & so it ended 4-4, 7-6 on pens!
My dad doesn't go to football anymore, I might not have much time with the miserable sod but he is my dad and we will always have that day....
Last thing mum and him live on a narrow boat in Huntingdon these days, she said that he hit his head jumping up when Utd scored against the Nigel's last week so there is still an Addick in there somewhere.
I hope I get to experience something similar with my son again one day, (we had Carlisle)
Feeling at 4-4 that I couldn't take much more of it.......surprised there weren't people having a heart attack or something.
Went with my son, then 13, now 31 and inducted into the cult as a result. Celebrated afterwards by taking him along for a few beers and a ''shandy''.
We did seem to get games like that under Curbishley when we were unbeatable. The Aston Villa away game a year later? And Coventry away in the cup the season afterwards?
A memorable day!
Like most Lifer's who were there, we were totally knackered after the game, hardly a word spoken on the coach back to the Bull at Chislehurst and people on another coach said the same.
The next day we had a celebratory BBQ and my brother-in-law came round and asked if he could play a music tape .... yup, it was my interview, the cheeky bugger had taped it!
To sum up, I don't think I will ever see another game like it and after 50 years following the Addicks I've seen a few special matches and occasions.
Sadly with these people in charge it will probably be anther 50 years before we have anything comparable to celebrate and by then I won't be around to worry!
I did not enjoy the second half at all, we were hardly allowed to celebrate before they scored again. In fact I was relieved when it went to penalties, I could not stand the thought Sunderland might get another. How did Mark Bowen a 33/34 old managed to play 120 minutes at Wembley I will never know. Great professional.
If someone had told me beforehand, that the only way you may win and it is not guaranteed, is that if one of your players gets a hattrick I would have been very miserable in the week beforehand.
Traveled up with friends but had a seat separate from them, remember being completely outnumbered by Sunderland fans when we arrived and thinking we could be in for a long afternoon.
The previous 2 games that weekend finished 1-0 and I reminder phoning home at half time to tell my mum that it will probably end up being the same!!!!!!
Once they went ahead I feared the worst but when Phillips went off I thought we had a chance, I don't think I have ever screamed and cheered at a football match as much as I did in that second half and the hugs from strangers when Rufus scored was unbelievable.
I pretty much smoked a whole packet of fags in extra time and had no voice left for the shootout.
Journey back to Bexleyheath was almost in silence and disbelief at what we had just witnessed, got back the Camden pub and everyone was talking about it and I knew it would go down as one of the greatest ever games of football.
My 10 year old has watched it more than me and knows all the quotable lines of commentary, I just hope he gets the chance to experience the same feeling of utter joy and pride supporting Charlton as I did that day.
Whilst standing in the queue apparently there were a lot of people talking about Clive Mendonca and the season that he'd had, my Mum being my Mum (and not very knowledgeable about Football / Charlton) turned around and explained: "Who's this Clive Mendonca your all talking about" apparently a load of people turned round and stared open mouthed at her and even to this day is a popular joking phrase to say around the house when one of us hasn't understood something obvious
"MAY 25TH 1998
CLIVE MENDONCA
OUR DREAMS CAME TRUE "
Has anyone seen it ??
He's a west ham fan and went along with his girlfriend ( now wife ) . 10 minutes into the game there was some commotion going on with some sunderland fans in our end , nothing major but someone sitting behind my mate had thrown some coins at them . The sunderland fans accused my mate of doing it and he got nicked despite his protests that it was nt him . So he got locked up until the evening , with a totally mangled Charlton fella in nick with him who was letting the old bill have it . They took great pleasure in walking past the cells telling them the score every 10 minutes , obvs my mate just thought they were winding him up . He's still gutted to this day that he missed the game but he ended up getting off the charge
And he's hated Sunderland ever since
This match is a major part of why for me, from the 50s until now, the 90s is my favourite decade - actually the definitive Charlton decade. I've just been watching the 1994/95 season's video - not really a special season but if only we could see the likes of DWWW once again. And Keith Jones. Carlo. Sweaty. Morts. Nelse. The POF was the cherry on the cake, but what a cake !!
I recall never being so drained coming home from a football match. It was like I had kicked every ball, but it was emotionally draining! I went with my brother and parked the car at his girlfriends house near Old Street. I recall on the way back we went three stops past our stop - we just were so zonked out. Everybody who wore our colours and our management gave their all. Alan Curbishley is a Legend.