Nothing beats that night. Maybe nothing beats that season.
We were probably down if we lost to Newcastle away (won 3-1); down if we lost to QPR (won 2-1); down if we lost to Ipswich in play-off (0-0 and won 2-1); down if we lost to Leeds (1-0, 0-1, 2-1).
When Shirtliff scored the diving header, I went on a mazy run around the concourse at the top of the terrace....even legged it in one end of the open-air khazi and out the other. There were people hiding in there because they couldn't watch the last few minutes!
All the pubs around the ground were closed but we stumbled across one in between the factories that had a chink of light coming through the door. We knocked and were greeted by a load of Blues fans. We couldn't buy a drink....they were all so happy that we'd beaten Leeds! Got out of there about midnight and the Blues fans gave us a lift to New Street, where we got a very late train.
That is so true about the Newcastle and QPR games.
If my memory serves me correctly, we played Luton at home in our 2nd last home game, and Robert Lee played as our Number 9, proceeding to miss a string of second half chances that would have won us the game comfortably.
He got an absolute hammering from the Holmesdale Terrace, which clearly got to him, and I have often thought that that game, and the fans reaction to him, was the reason behind Rob Lee's obvious ambivalence towards Charlton.
Anyhow they then scored in injury time through big Mick Harford, and I remember thinking then, that our goose was well and truly cooked.
Also in that QPR game in the final minutes, with us clinging on, they sent on Big Les Ferdinand and he was involved in one of the biggest goal mouth scrambles I have ever seen - how they never scored is beyond me!
I was living in Birmingham at the time and went to both previous legs of the final so this became a home game of sorts.
If memory serves correctly many of the Leeds supporters had brought banners and scarfs etc. proclaiming victory before the game had kicked-off.
Not sure why I was watching from the stand - the vastly outnumbered Charlton fans were behind the goal to my left. The Stand was mostly Leeds with small knots of Charlton scattered around with no segregation.
I was still there over 10 years later (how did that happen?) for the thrilling and incident packed 4-3 away win at Villa which saw us stave off relegation for one more game, and was driving around Birmingham for days afterwards with a red and white scarf dangling from the window.
Nothing beats that night. Maybe nothing beats that season.
We were probably down if we lost to Newcastle away (won 3-1); down if we lost to QPR (won 2-1); down if we lost to Ipswich in play-off (0-0 and won 2-1); down if we lost to Leeds (1-0, 0-1, 2-1).
When Shirtliff scored the diving header, I went on a mazy run around the concourse at the top of the terrace....even legged it in one end of the open-air khazi and out the other. There were people hiding in there because they couldn't watch the last few minutes!
All the pubs around the ground were closed but we stumbled across one in between the factories that had a chink of light coming through the door. We knocked and were greeted by a load of Blues fans. We couldn't buy a drink....they were all so happy that we'd beaten Leeds! Got out of there about midnight and the Blues fans gave us a lift to New Street, where we got a very late train.
That is so true about the Newcastle and QPR games.
If my memory serves me correctly, we played Luton at home in our 2nd last home game, and Robert Lee played as our Number 9, proceeding to miss a string of second half chances that would have won us the game comfortably.
He got an absolute hammering from the Holmesdale Terrace, which clearly got to him, and I have often thought that that game, and the fans reaction to him, was the reason behind Rob Lee's obvious ambivalence towards Charlton.
Anyhow they then scored in injury time through big Mick Harford, and I remember thinking then, that our goose was well and truly cooked.
Also in that QPR game in the final minutes, with us clinging on, they sent on Big Les Ferdinand and he was involved in one of the biggest goal mouth scrambles I have ever seen - how they never scored is beyond me!
That's right about Luton; played them at home 2nd May. Lost 1-0 (Harford 86 mins).
Bank Holiday Mon 4th May away to Newcastle. Won 3-0 (Miller, Crooks, Leaburn)
Sat 9th May home to QPR. Won 2-1 (Walsh pen, Crooks) (Rosenoir).
You're possibly thinking of Leroy Rosenoir for the QPR goal-moth scramble (doesn't look like Ferdinand was in the team).
Took my (then) two young boys plus one of their pals. When the final whistle blew a Leeds fan (who had somehow got a ticket for our part of the stand) lost it grabbed me - then just as suddenly calmed down, apologised profusely, and shambled off! Becalmed in the traffic jam on the motorway the boys had the windows down - stifling night - and were singing a chorus of 'Here we go, here we go' etc when a very disgruntled Leeds fan (a woman no less) wound her window down shouting 'Where are you going then?' and in one of those rare moments of inspiration I replied ' Oh, Old Trafford, Anfield, Highbury- where are you going? She wound her window up slowly, in defeat.
Nothing beats that night. Maybe nothing beats that season.
We were probably down if we lost to Newcastle away (won 3-1); down if we lost to QPR (won 2-1); down if we lost to Ipswich in play-off (0-0 and won 2-1); down if we lost to Leeds (1-0, 0-1, 2-1).
When Shirtliff scored the diving header, I went on a mazy run around the concourse at the top of the terrace....even legged it in one end of the open-air khazi and out the other. There were people hiding in there because they couldn't watch the last few minutes!
All the pubs around the ground were closed but we stumbled across one in between the factories that had a chink of light coming through the door. We knocked and were greeted by a load of Blues fans. We couldn't buy a drink....they were all so happy that we'd beaten Leeds! Got out of there about midnight and the Blues fans gave us a lift to New Street, where we got a very late train.
That is so true about the Newcastle and QPR games.
If my memory serves me correctly, we played Luton at home in our 2nd last home game, and Robert Lee played as our Number 9, proceeding to miss a string of second half chances that would have won us the game comfortably.
He got an absolute hammering from the Holmesdale Terrace, which clearly got to him, and I have often thought that that game, and the fans reaction to him, was the reason behind Rob Lee's obvious ambivalence towards Charlton.
Anyhow they then scored in injury time through big Mick Harford, and I remember thinking then, that our goose was well and truly cooked.
Also in that QPR game in the final minutes, with us clinging on, they sent on Big Les Ferdinand and he was involved in one of the biggest goal mouth scrambles I have ever seen - how they never scored is beyond me!
That's right about Luton; played them at home 2nd May. Lost 1-0 (Harford 86 mins).
Bank Holiday Mon 4th May away to Newcastle. Won 3-0 (Miller, Crooks, Leaburn)
Sat 9th May home to QPR. Won 2-1 (Walsh pen, Crooks) (Rosenoir).
You're possibly thinking of Leroy Rosenoir for the QPR goal-moth scramble (doesn't look like Ferdinand was in the team).
Yep sorry meant Leroy Rosenior - don't think that big Les debuted for QPR until the 90's possibly.
Still an incredible escape though, and if I remember correctly that's season Billy McNeil was responsible for TWO clubs getting relegated - Man City and Aston Villa.
Nothing beats that night. Maybe nothing beats that season.
We were probably down if we lost to Newcastle away (won 3-1); down if we lost to QPR (won 2-1); down if we lost to Ipswich in play-off (0-0 and won 2-1); down if we lost to Leeds (1-0, 0-1, 2-1).
When Shirtliff scored the diving header, I went on a mazy run around the concourse at the top of the terrace....even legged it in one end of the open-air khazi and out the other. There were people hiding in there because they couldn't watch the last few minutes!
All the pubs around the ground were closed but we stumbled across one in between the factories that had a chink of light coming through the door. We knocked and were greeted by a load of Blues fans. We couldn't buy a drink....they were all so happy that we'd beaten Leeds! Got out of there about midnight and the Blues fans gave us a lift to New Street, where we got a very late train.
That is so true about the Newcastle and QPR games.
If my memory serves me correctly, we played Luton at home in our 2nd last home game, and Robert Lee played as our Number 9, proceeding to miss a string of second half chances that would have won us the game comfortably.
He got an absolute hammering from the Holmesdale Terrace, which clearly got to him, and I have often thought that that game, and the fans reaction to him, was the reason behind Rob Lee's obvious ambivalence towards Charlton.
Anyhow they then scored in injury time through big Mick Harford, and I remember thinking then, that our goose was well and truly cooked.
Also in that QPR game in the final minutes, with us clinging on, they sent on Big Les Ferdinand and he was involved in one of the biggest goal mouth scrambles I have ever seen - how they never scored is beyond me!
That's right about Luton; played them at home 2nd May. Lost 1-0 (Harford 86 mins).
Bank Holiday Mon 4th May away to Newcastle. Won 3-0 (Miller, Crooks, Leaburn)
Sat 9th May home to QPR. Won 2-1 (Walsh pen, Crooks) (Rosenoir).
You're possibly thinking of Leroy Rosenoir for the QPR goal-moth scramble (doesn't look like Ferdinand was in the team).
Yep sorry meant Leroy Rosenior - don't think that big Les debuted for QPR until the 90's possibly.
Still an incredible escape though, and if I remember correctly that's season Billy McNeil was responsible for TWO clubs getting relegated - Man City and Aston Villa.
He was also responsible for me.tearing my fucking hair out for two months cos his was the last bastard sticker I needed for my Panini album that year
Some kid got all my doubles for him when word went round - about 300 in total
To this day, I think I speak for all concerned, with the possible exception of that first year boy, when I say 'fuck Billy McNeil'
went to the game on the coach with @golfaddick and @jimmymelrose. Had to go back into work in the City afterwards as in those days overnight computer runs involved someone pressing a button every now and then. Remember finishing about 7am and driving home stopping in the Old Kent Road to buy every newspaper possible for the reports. A magical night, never to be forgotten if there. That was a proper TEAM.
Comments
If my memory serves me correctly, we played Luton at home in our 2nd last home game, and Robert Lee played as our Number 9, proceeding to miss a string of second half chances that would have won us the game comfortably.
He got an absolute hammering from the Holmesdale Terrace, which clearly got to him, and I have often thought that that game, and the fans reaction to him, was the reason behind Rob Lee's obvious ambivalence towards Charlton.
Anyhow they then scored in injury time through big Mick Harford, and I remember thinking then, that our goose was well and truly cooked.
Also in that QPR game in the final minutes, with us clinging on, they sent on Big Les Ferdinand and he was involved in one of the biggest goal mouth scrambles I have ever seen - how they never scored is beyond me!
If memory serves correctly many of the Leeds supporters had brought banners and scarfs etc. proclaiming victory before the game had kicked-off.
Not sure why I was watching from the stand - the vastly outnumbered Charlton fans were behind the goal to my left. The Stand was mostly Leeds with small knots of Charlton scattered around with no segregation.
I was still there over 10 years later (how did that happen?) for the thrilling and incident packed 4-3 away win at Villa which saw us stave off relegation for one more game, and was driving around Birmingham for days afterwards with a red and white scarf dangling from the window.
Bank Holiday Mon 4th May away to Newcastle. Won 3-0 (Miller, Crooks, Leaburn)
Sat 9th May home to QPR. Won 2-1 (Walsh pen, Crooks) (Rosenoir).
You're possibly thinking of Leroy Rosenoir for the QPR goal-moth scramble (doesn't look like Ferdinand was in the team).
Becalmed in the traffic jam on the motorway the boys had the windows down - stifling night - and were singing a chorus of 'Here we go, here we go' etc when a very disgruntled Leeds fan (a woman no less) wound her window down shouting 'Where are you going then?' and in one of those rare moments of inspiration I replied ' Oh, Old Trafford, Anfield, Highbury- where are you going? She wound her window up slowly, in defeat.
It should be in the museum ffs, or letting me have it.
Still an incredible escape though, and if I remember correctly that's season Billy McNeil was responsible for TWO clubs getting relegated - Man City and Aston Villa.
Some kid got all my doubles for him when word went round - about 300 in total
To this day, I think I speak for all concerned, with the possible exception of that first year boy, when I say 'fuck Billy McNeil'