It's absolutely fascinating to have a peek back at ourselves 25 years ago and note the changes. Some of the things that stand out: the tight short shorts, mullet barnets, fenced-in terracing, keepers allowed to pick up back-passes, jostling the ref, and flying tackles that went unpunished. What especially struck me about the Leeds play-off replay was the admirably high quality on show: end-to-end moves with attackers taking on defenders and shooting on sight. I was there on the night but my memory of the game is hazy partly due to the preceding afternoon's heavy boozing in the Victorian pubs of Brum. The extraordinarily high tempo is all the more remarkable since it was at the end of a hard season; compare with last weekend's play-off final when both Palarse and Grotford looked dead on their feet. Thanks for posting these highlights, aliwibble: a really captivating window on the past.
It's absolutely fascinating to have a peek back at ourselves 25 years ago and note the changes. Some of the things that stand out: the tight short shorts, mullet barnets, fenced-in terracing, keepers allowed to pick up back-passes, jostling the ref, and flying tackles that went unpunished. What especially struck me about the Leeds play-off replay was the admirably high quality on show: end-to-end moves with attackers taking on defenders and shooting on sight. I was there on the night but my memory of the game is hazy partly due to the preceding afternoon's heavy boozing in the Victorian pubs of Brum. The extraordinarily high tempo is all the more remarkable since it was at the end of a hard season; compare with last weekend's play-off final when both Palarse and Grotford looked dead on their feet. Thanks for posting these highlights, aliwibble: a really captivating window on the past.
I wonder what sort of reaction Peter Shirtliff's deliberate knee into the back of Ian Baird's head would get these days?! Alan Gunn let it go with a slight talking-to because he knew Baird had been acting the c*** for the entire game and deserved it. These days, Shirtliff would be off and we'd be relegated! Superb reffing.
It's absolutely fascinating to have a peek back at ourselves 25 years ago and note the changes. Some of the things that stand out: the tight short shorts, mullet barnets, fenced-in terracing, keepers allowed to pick up back-passes, jostling the ref, and flying tackles that went unpunished. What especially struck me about the Leeds play-off replay was the admirably high quality on show: end-to-end moves with attackers taking on defenders and shooting on sight. I was there on the night but my memory of the game is hazy partly due to the preceding afternoon's heavy boozing in the Victorian pubs of Brum. The extraordinarily high tempo is all the more remarkable since it was at the end of a hard season; compare with last weekend's play-off final when both Palarse and Grotford looked dead on their feet. Thanks for posting these highlights, aliwibble: a really captivating window on the past.
I wonder what sort of reaction Peter Shirtliff's deliberate knee into the back of Ian Baird's head would get these days?! Alan Gunn let it go with a slight talking-to because he knew Baird had been acting the c*** for the entire game and deserved it. These days, Shirtliff would be off and we'd be relegated! Superb reffing.
Yes, amazing what was tolerated in those days. I think it's on the Battle of Stamford Bridge video that Bob Bolder gets blatantly kicked in the gob by Kerry Dixon; free-kick given, but not even a booking....
It's absolutely fascinating to have a peek back at ourselves 25 years ago and note the changes. Some of the things that stand out: the tight short shorts, mullet barnets, fenced-in terracing, keepers allowed to pick up back-passes, jostling the ref, and flying tackles that went unpunished. What especially struck me about the Leeds play-off replay was the admirably high quality on show: end-to-end moves with attackers taking on defenders and shooting on sight. I was there on the night but my memory of the game is hazy partly due to the preceding afternoon's heavy boozing in the Victorian pubs of Brum. The extraordinarily high tempo is all the more remarkable since it was at the end of a hard season; compare with last weekend's play-off final when both Palarse and Grotford looked dead on their feet. Thanks for posting these highlights, aliwibble: a really captivating window on the past.
I wonder what sort of reaction Peter Shirtliff's deliberate knee into the back of Ian Baird's head would get these days?! Alan Gunn let it go with a slight talking-to because he knew Baird had been acting the c*** for the entire game and deserved it. These days, Shirtliff would be off and we'd be relegated! Superb reffing.
Great point but I am not sure Gunn saw it, if he had I am sure he would have sent him off, it was pretty poor from Shirtliff even on a prick like Baird.
This really deserves a thread of its own, but the game that kept us out of the relegation play-offs the following season was excruciatingly tense, too. Seventh of May 1988 at Stamford Bridge: we needed a draw to avoid the dreaded relegation play-offs, while for Chelsea nothing short of a win would make them safe. Attendance 33,000 in an undeveloped ground; we had the open end terracing backed by the railway line. Gordon Durie scored a penalty for Chelsea in the first half, and Paul Miller equalised around the 60th minute. The final half-hour was the most obvious and prolonged period of time-wasting on our part that I have ever witnessed. Skirmishes and disputes erupted all over the pitch, Carl Leaburn feigned unconsciousness, and the ref called his two linesman on for a crisis meeting. In the third minute of injury time, Chelsea swung over a corner and Paul Miller had a nibble at Kerry Dixon: the ref looked long and hard, but waved away claims for a pen. So we survived in the top flight to fight another day; Chelsea, who had been second in the league at the start of October, beat Blackburn easily in the first play-off tie but then lost on aggregate to Middlesbrough and were relegated. Oh, happy days....
Never forgotten that ginger t*** Durie diving from about 10' away from the area and getting the penalty
Has anyone come across highlights of the Battle of Stamford Bridge on Youtube? I have looked but to no avail.
I have the video of the game, minimum 60 minutes that I do know, could be the whole game
I watched it last night thanks, from Ali's links. I didn't realise John Bumstead was in the opposition side that day.
As mentioned, there were some right horrible bastards in that side. I'd like to know what was done to Leaburn to make him go mental. I've never seen him like that, he actually kept his cool pretty well considering there was (I'm pretty sure) a really audible racist chant soon after.
Also watched the Leeds match, again not much that I can add. We must have had some great, memorable days out in the 80s, despite all the crap off the pitch.
Has anyone come across highlights of the Battle of Stamford Bridge on Youtube? I have looked but to no avail.
I have the video of the game, minimum 60 minutes that I do know, could be the whole game
I watched it last night thanks, from Ali's links. I didn't realise John Bumstead was in the opposition side that day.
As mentioned, there were some right horrible bastards in that side. I'd like to know what was done to Leaburn to make him go mental. I've never seen him like that, he actually kept his cool pretty well considering there was (I'm pretty sure) a really audible racist chant soon after too.
Also watched the Leeds match, again not much that I can add. We must have had some great, memorable days out in the 80s, despite all the crap off the pitch.
Steve Wicks punched Leaburn in the face off the ball - Carlo was briefly knocked out as it was a "King Hit" and he wasn't even looking.
Strangely Wicks wasn't so brave after the game when Carlo was keen for a rematch on more level terms.
There is a separate thread about the Battle of Stamford Bridge and I think I remember reading that Leaburn was knocked unconscious by an off-the-ball assault. I must admit that at the time I assumed it to be a ploy at disrupting Chelsea's rhythm and wasting time. Yes, he went totally mental when he came round, had to be restrained. Apparently after the match Leaburn was hammering on the Chelsea dressing-room door, threatening to murder the assailant if he ever showed his face in Lewisham High Street.
Loads of aggro on the terraces, too. Someone on the other thread recalls a Charlton bird decking at least two Chelsea fans and being hauled off by the Old Bill. Great stuff.
In terms of on-pitch aggro the game at Elland Road was far worse than St Andrews - I don't think anyone would have even noticed Shirtliffs assault on Baird that night. Ipswich tried a similar approach in the second half in the first play off game in 98, Youds , Kinsella et al weren't having any of it....
In terms of on-pitch aggro the game at Elland Road was far worse than St Andrews - I don't think anyone would have even noticed Shirtliffs assault on Baird that night. Ipswich tried a similar approach in the second half in the first play off game in 98, Youds , Kinsella et al weren't having any of it....
Shirtliff's knee in the back of Baird's head would be played over and over again on Sky if it happened now.
I was listening to it on the radio, until Sheridan scored when I turned the radio off in disgust. In the days before the internet, I was very pleasantly surprised when I watched the TV highlights later on
Shirtliff was a bit of a nutter really, I remember his flying two footed leap to take out two players by kicking them both in the nuts simultaneously.
how outnumbered were we that night - put in that corner of the ground - Leeds had huge numbers - that night leaving the ground was a mix of joy and fear !!
An amazing evening. Thought the game was dead and buried when Sheridan scored for them, and even contemplated walking out the ground. Thankfully, I didn't, and thankfully Lennie had filled the team with real characters. Put this game on a par with the Pompey game in 1992, and Sunderland in 1998. Can't seeing these games ever being bettered - certainly not in my lifetime.
Drove up with my two (then) young boys. Atmosphere electric. Truthfully, we played them off the park for most of the game but thought we were going to lose it until Shirts got involved. Remember the drive home, the motorway was really busy - and it was really hot - and as we crawled along the boys were singing 'here we go, here we go' in the car and a female passenger in a car full of Leeds fans sneeringly remarked "Where are you going then?" and my retort? "Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, Anfield, where are you going?" She wound the window up.
About this time 33years ago we had just pulled off the M6 and heading in the direction of St Andrews
Birmingham looking for a pub where we could get a meal and afew drinks before the match.
We got lucky found one without any Leeds fans in. Four of us, one of whom had been pulled from his sick bed only 5 hours before. His wife was not pleased but what could see do. This was and still is the greatest match i have seen in Charltons history.
Little did we know as we shared a few pints together what this night would hold and Charltons future would depend on this one result.
Just had to bump this.............The Long Good Friday for all you fans of a certain age.....enjoy.
Comments
As mentioned, there were some right horrible bastards in that side. I'd like to know what was done to Leaburn to make him go mental. I've never seen him like that, he actually kept his cool pretty well considering there was (I'm pretty sure) a really audible racist chant soon after.
Also watched the Leeds match, again not much that I can add. We must have had some great, memorable days out in the 80s, despite all the crap off the pitch.
Strangely Wicks wasn't so brave after the game when Carlo was keen for a rematch on more level terms.
Loads of aggro on the terraces, too. Someone on the other thread recalls a Charlton bird decking at least two Chelsea fans and being hauled off by the Old Bill. Great stuff.
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Username The Boat Joined February 2007 Visits 0 Last Active October 2007 Roles Member
http://www.ozwhitelufc.net.au/29-05-1987 Charlton Athletic v LUFC.htm
My list (in chronological order only) would be
??/8/21
26/4/47
29/5/87
5/12/92
25/5/98
Shirtliff was a bit of a nutter really, I remember his flying two footed leap to take out two players by kicking them both in the nuts simultaneously.
This was THE most important game in our history. I dread to think where we would have gone with division 2 football at Sainsburys with gates of 3,000
Birmingham looking for a pub where we could get a meal and afew drinks before the match.
We got lucky found one without any Leeds fans in. Four of us, one of whom had been pulled from his sick bed only 5 hours before. His wife was not pleased but what could see do. This was and still is the greatest match i have seen in Charltons history.
Little did we know as we shared a few pints together what this night would hold and Charltons future would depend on this one result.
Just had to bump this.............The Long Good Friday for all you fans of a certain age.....enjoy.