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Most random football fixture to be played at the Valley

In a moment of boredom I decided to search google for a list of the Worlds worst International Football teams and I came across this...

"Montserrat: Managed by former Dagenham & Redbridge midfielder Kenny Dyer, Montserrat are ranked 174th. They have struggled to play many matches at home because of the volcanic activity on the Caribbean island and claimed their first victory since 1995 with a 7-0 win over the British Virgin Islands in 2012. The same year, though, they were held to a 4-4 draw by a Network Rail XI at The Valley in Charlton. Their most famous player is Ruel Fox, who scored one goal in two games and went on to coach his adopted nation."

Does anyone remember the game against Network Rail in 2012? Was anyone actually there!?! Attendance?

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this and any other bizarre fixtures the Valley has hosted in the past.
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Comments

  • Reigate priory rented the pitch and played a match between first team and reserves this pre season gone! but the match you found is a good one! But i dont remember it
  • I found a match report...

    4) Network Rail 4-4 Montserrat, 19 May 2012
    Last Saturday, just before most football fans in England watched West Ham and Blackpool compete for the "most lucrative prize in football" and then tuned in to see Chelsea lift arguably the most prestigious, 300 punters journeyed to the Valley to observe the worst country in the world. Montserrat have good reasons for being joint bottom of Fifa's world rankings – the island's population of around 11,000 was halved when the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995, causing thousands to flee abroad. Only some have come back, and part of the island is still uninhabitable. Efforts to get the country's football league up and running have foundered. Hence, it is difficult for the national team to improve on a record of just two competitive victories since their first senior match in 1991. It is also difficult to find teams willing to play Montserrat in friendlies. So manager Kenneth Dyer was delighted to accept an invitation to play against an XI of employees of Network Rail, including Kenneth's brother, engineer Lloyd.

    Montserrat have not played a competitive match since last July when they became the first team to be eliminated from the 2014 World Cup, beaten 8-3 on aggregate by Belize. But their only other match between then and Saturday brought a rare victory, a 2-0 friendly triumph over Antigua. A star was born in that match. "A college student from Massachusetts called Alvin Poteen was on holiday in Montserrat, where his father is from, and he saw the national team training and asked if he could join in, so I said yes," Kenneth Dyer tells the Joy of Six. "It turned out he was a very good central midfielder so he played against Antigua." Dyer welcomes such chance encounters, as harnessing the diaspora is key to Montserrat's progress. And progress there truly is. "When I played we didn't have anything, not even towels or shampoo but I've now got us a kitman, physio, goalkeeper coach and so on, and we're making strides."

    For the game at Charlton last Saturday he selected a squad of players based mainly in England, though few play at a level as high as the captain, Anthony Griffith of Leyton Orient. The proceeds from the game went to charity but this was a Fifa-recognised match whose football merits were appreciated. "This was an important game for us and a tremendous opportunity for our guys to play at a ground such as Charlton," says Dyer, who enjoyed a 17-year playing career in Cyprus. "The Federation and I have a long-term plan, looking 20 to 25 years ahead. Cyprus used to be in a similar situation to the one Montserrat is now in, insofar as they used to lose matches 7-0 or 8-0 and they found it very tough to find anyone interested in playing against them, but they kept going and developing and now they are serious opponents."

    Montserrat were not looking like particularly daunting opponents on Saturday when they went 3-0 down to the railway workers by half-time and then conceded a fourth early in the second half. Then Dyer introduced three local-based players for their first international cap, players who, because of the lack of a local league, have to arrange informal games amongst themselves and their mates back home. They stormed back to make it 4-4. "Their superior fitness did us in the end," said the Network Rail goalkeeper Paul Smith.

    With such youngsters to call on, plus several stalwarts who missed the game at Charlton either through injury or to club commitments in Australia, Dyer says he is confident of unprecedented success at the Digicel Caribbean Cup that takes place later this year. In the last edition Montserrat lost all three group games and did not score a goal. "This year I think we can get out of the group at least," says Dyer, who invites any good players with Montserrat heritage to get in touch. "Just Google me or the Montserrat FA, we absolutely want to hear from you."
  • In almost positive someone on here said they played in that game on another thread recently.
  • I'm sure I watched Nigeria v Jamaica at the Valley a few years back.
  • I'm sure I watched Nigeria v Jamaica at the Valley a few years back.

    Unity Cup...Jamaica, Nigeria & Ireland.
  • Don't - some people still have nightmares over that!
  • England v Ireland Amatuer International & Charlton v Italian Olympic XI, both late 60's. Has there ever been an FA Cup Second Replay between two other league teams with the Valley as a neutral ground?
  • http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamGB/Matches/GBAmateur.html

    Couple of Valley obscurities on there - two games v the British Olympic team, managed by one Charles Hughes.
  • Tutt-Tutt said:

    England v Ireland Amatuer International & Charlton v Italian Olympic XI, both late 60's. Has there ever been an FA Cup Second Replay between two other league teams with the Valley as a neutral ground?

    I've got the programme for the Ireland game at my mums somewhere.
  • Actually didn't New Zealand play an International against Australia at the Valley a few years ago too?
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  • some of the London Broncos games must be a bit random
  • Think Charlton v New Zealand was a bit bizarre what with them being an International side though I went to the Unity Cup myself (think it was Jamaica v Ireland)
  • Think Charlton v New Zealand was a bit bizarre what with them being an International side though I went to the Unity Cup myself (think it was Jamaica v Ireland)

    What was the score against NZ? I must have missed that one!
  • Think Charlton v New Zealand was a bit bizarre what with them being an International side though I went to the Unity Cup myself (think it was Jamaica v Ireland)

    What was the score against NZ? I must have missed that one!
    1-1, I think Marcus Bent scored, can't be too sure though
  • Was that the game that Christiano Bolanos played for Charlton at The Valley, during his trial?

  • Charlton v The People's Repulic of China. I think it was in '81.
  • Oggy Red said:

    Was that the game that Christiano Bolanos played for Charlton at The Valley, during his trial?

    Thats the one, shocking how we couldnt get him a work permit when you compare him to Willian (who's barely played for Brazil) who someone how manages it for Chelsea!!
  • My boy has scored in the covered end goal for Danson Albion
  • Turns out there was an England u21 game at the Valley in 1997 v Georgia and an England u20 game in 2005 vs Russia. Be great if we could get more of these at the Valley, but its unlikely we do the required amount of FA arse kissing to get selected as a host these days. 
  • England v Ireland Amatuer International & Charlton v Italian Olympic XI, both late 60's. Has there ever been an FA Cup Second Replay between two other league teams with the Valley as a neutral ground?
    I've got the programme for the Ireland game at my mums somewhere.
    Did you ever come across it……would be one for the museum maybe?
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  • CAFCTrev said:
    Turns out there was an England u21 game at the Valley in 1997 v Georgia and an England u20 game in 2005 vs Russia. Be great if we could get more of these at the Valley, but its unlikely we do the required amount of FA arse kissing to get selected as a host these days. 
    Might need a  better pitch as well!
  • England v Ireland Amatuer International & Charlton v Italian Olympic XI, both late 60's. Has there ever been an FA Cup Second Replay between two other league teams with the Valley as a neutral ground?
    I've got the programme for the Ireland game at my mums somewhere.
    Did you ever come across it……would be one for the museum maybe?

    Knowing @DaveMehmet I'd expect many a time. Bet the museum would be reluctant to take it for that reason.
     
    The moment I posted I just knew it was only a matter of time before someone would make the association. 🤭
  • Think Charlton v New Zealand was a bit bizarre what with them being an International side though I went to the Unity Cup myself (think it was Jamaica v Ireland)
    What was the score against NZ? I must have missed that one!
    1-1, I think Marcus Bent scored, can't be too sure though
    Yes, 1-1. Marcus Bent for us, a player called Banks for them. If I remember correctly, they played in all white which seemed a bit random.

    Seeing Charlton beat Feyenoord 2-0 seems a bit strange now. Surely the most random though are those weird games they put on of the kids that are played by YouTubers (not that I'd ever see one). Not even footballers playing - you can't get much more random than that.
  • England v Ireland Amatuer International & Charlton v Italian Olympic XI, both late 60's. Has there ever been an FA Cup Second Replay between two other league teams with the Valley as a neutral ground?
    I've got the programme for the Ireland game at my mums somewhere.
    Did you ever come across it……would be one for the museum maybe?
    I’ve got the programme from that game.
  • edited March 2023
    CAFCTrev said:
    Turns out there was an England u21 game at the Valley in 1997 v Georgia and an England u20 game in 2005 vs Russia. Be great if we could get more of these at the Valley, but its unlikely we do the required amount of FA arse kissing to get selected as a host these days. 
    Might need a  better pitch as well!
    Id love an England u21 or an u20 game at the Valley, I think you'd probably get more in the ground than a Charlton game these days, 10-15k ish if its a tenner a ticket. Not sure if the hosting club makes much money from these though if any. 
  • Stig said:
    Think Charlton v New Zealand was a bit bizarre what with them being an International side though I went to the Unity Cup myself (think it was Jamaica v Ireland)
    What was the score against NZ? I must have missed that one!
    1-1, I think Marcus Bent scored, can't be too sure though
    Yes, 1-1. Marcus Bent for us, a player called Banks for them. If I remember correctly, they played in all white which seemed a bit random.

    Seeing Charlton beat Feyenoord 2-0 seems a bit strange now. Surely the most random though are those weird games they put on of the kids that are played by YouTubers (not that I'd ever see one). Not even footballers playing - you can't get much more random than that.
    Darren Bent scored his first goals for charlton that evening.
  • Stig said:
    Think Charlton v New Zealand was a bit bizarre what with them being an International side though I went to the Unity Cup myself (think it was Jamaica v Ireland)
    What was the score against NZ? I must have missed that one!
    1-1, I think Marcus Bent scored, can't be too sure though
    Yes, 1-1. Marcus Bent for us, a player called Banks for them. If I remember correctly, they played in all white which seemed a bit random.

    Seeing Charlton beat Feyenoord 2-0 seems a bit strange now. Surely the most random though are those weird games they put on of the kids that are played by YouTubers (not that I'd ever see one). Not even footballers playing - you can't get much more random than that.
    Not really, their nickname is the all whites!
  • England v Ireland Amatuer International & Charlton v Italian Olympic XI, both late 60's. Has there ever been an FA Cup Second Replay between two other league teams with the Valley as a neutral ground?
    I've got the programme for the Ireland game at my mums somewhere.
    Did you ever come across it……would be one for the museum maybe?
    Thanks but we already have it in the Museum.
  • Didn't Gillingham play Tottenhams under 21s at The Valley in one of the cups a couple of years back?
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