Charlton - Mid/Late 70s

[Questions]

You could walk all the way round The Valley in those days and it did mean for a lot of pwoper nawtie stuff. We won there 4-0 one year with Ronnie Howell getting a hatrick and I can tell you the locals where not pleased.
I remember being surrounded by a group of them at a night game when a solitary figure as wide as he was tall told them to f off and leave us alone. They scurried off as quick as you like and it was only when we got into a conversation with this chap after (offering our thanks)that we found out he was more than a little respected from that other lot across the river. Not often I`ve been glad to have been next to a Millwall loony but I was that day.

 

[wolfie]

I was there for that 4-0. The manager was a Mr B. Clough (I think it was his best win) The open terrace at the Valley was massive - probably the biggest in the league. I remember standing on it almost alone for a Sunday morning 3-3 draw with Shrewsbury during the "Three Day Week" in the early 70s (due to power shortages)

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

We were in the other end from the Roker End - but with the home supporters. It was a nightmare. One of those when a 1-0 up you wouldn't mind the home team equalising. And then we got the second .......................

What I found funny was that the fans on the Seagulls Special were given a police escort to and from the ground but once inside all the coppers stood around and did nothing regarding the non existent segregation. Needless to say all the bobble hatters had opted for a seat in the stand no doubt knowing the situation.

 

[Gwylan]

This talk about compulsory segregation - I presume people just didn't go to places like Millwall back then? Or did they simply have away ends well before their time?

I remember Millwall in Easter 1976 (I think). We lost 3-1 and the atmosphere was the most menacing I can remember at a game. All the Brighton were certainly bunched together whether it was an official away end or not.

You could walk all the way round The Valley in those days and it did mean for a lot of pwoper nawtie stuff. We won there 4-0 one year with Ronnie Howell getting a hatrick and I can tell you the locals where not pleased.
I remember being surrounded by a group of them at a night game when a solitary figure as wide as he was tall told them to f off and leave us alone. They scurried off as quick as you like and it was only when we got into a conversation with this chap after (offering our thanks)that we found out he was more than a little respected from that other lot across the river. Not often I`ve been glad to have been next to a Millwall loony but I was that day.

That's a great story but [pedant alert]Millwall is not across the river from Charlton, they're both sarf London.

I remember when you could walk all the way around the Goldstone too. I certainly remember at least one game when I watched the 1st half in the North Stand and the second half in the South.

 

[Billy the Fish]

This talk about compulsory segregation - I presume people just didn't go to places like Millwall back then? Or did they simply have away ends well before their time?

Someone posted on here the other day that they went to the Den pre segregation and saw an Albion fan get a bicycle chain around the face.

 

[Questions]

I remember Millwall in Easter 1976 (I think). We lost 3-1 and the atmosphere was the most menacing I can remember at a game. All the Brighton were certainly bunched together whether it was an official away end or not.




That's a great story but [pedant alert]Millwall is not across the river from Charlton, they're both sarf London.

I remember when you could walk all the way around the Goldstone too. I certainly remember at least one game when I watched the 1st half in the North Stand and the second half in the South.

I`ll claim a draw there Gwylan. Millwall is north of the river but they do draw most of their support from the south side. Bermondsey, Peckham, New Cross, Depford etc.

 

[gjh1971]

I`ll claim a draw there Gwylan. Millwall is north of the river but they do draw most of their support from the south side. Bermondsey, Peckham, New Cross, Depford etc.

Correct. Millwall the place is north of the river in the Isle of Dogs,

but Millwall fc is south of the river in Bermondsey

 

[Lincolnshire Seagull]

I was at the 4-0 win at Charlton. It was the only time I have been punched by an oppo supporter. No segregation on that vast terrace and he just appeared from nowhere, punched me and (fortunately) slunk off into the crowd. I had been cheering our third goal at the time.

Regarding the 2-0 win at Sunderland people have referred to above, I remember one passage of one-touch passing from us which brought applause from all round the ground. A real moist eye moment.

 

[Nottseagull]

I had been to Sunderland on the Saturday.

We won 2-0.

We got there late (Seagull Special) went into the wrong section of the ground, and I got hit a few times after we scored!

Are you talking about the Charlton game? I was on that Seagull Special to Sunderland. It wasn't late.

 

[KNC]

The Charlton train was very late. I remember Wardy being less than happy, walking up the platform. Was Jeff Woods their goalie that night?

 

[Ringmer Seagull]

that made me chuckle at the time,proper noughty afterwards

The hot dog stand was done on the way out as I recall. Certainly had to have your wits about you that night. Managed to make it back to Revs coach for the trip back to Sussex.

 

[Nottseagull]

The hot dog stand was done on the way out as I recall. Certainly had to have your wits about you that night. Managed to make it back to Revs coach for the trip back to Sussex.

It's not obvious in this thread that it was our mob who forced over the hotdog stand (one of those stainless steel dispensers on wheels, not a hut). I was yards away as it occurred; I remember feeling quite sorry for the trader.

 

[portlander]

Didn't Malcolm Poskett score a hat-trick at the Valley once upon a time. Or is my memory playing me up again?

 

[Hiney]

Didn't Malcolm Poskett score a hat-trick at the Valley once upon a time. Or is my memory playing me up again?

Yes he did

23 December 1978

We won 3-0

 

[Nottseagull]

This talk about compulsory segregation - I presume people just didn't go to places like Millwall back then? Or did they simply have away ends well before their time?

I remember one warm Saturday match at the Den in the late 70s where I was astonished to find that hardly any Albion fans had made the journey; the end I was in (with Millwall's Finest in the side stand to the right) was almost completely empty. One of MFC's stewards actually criticised me for attending the match! The few of us got no police escort at the end of the match, and I can remember shitting myself walking away from the ground, even though I had no colours on. I was inevitably sussed and was chased across a busy road through a shopping area, with traffic screeching to a halt and horns ablaze. I got my (cheesecloth!) shirt ripped at the back as I (literally) tore free from the clutch of my attacker. Another car screeched to a halt and someone urged me to get in. It was a black family, and they whisked me away to their nearby maisonette. They let me stay there for half an hour or so, and when things had calmed down, the well-built son gave me an escort to one of the New Cross stations. So, thanks again Lee-Roy, or whatever your name was!

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

The 4-3 defeat was one of the best losses I'veever seen, a cracking game with an atmosphere to match.

We were top of the league following that win at Sunderland the previous Saturday. Sunderland had just come down from Div 1 whereas we were new up from Div 3 so it was quite a result and we played them off the park with Wardy at his magical best, which was not much fun for us left on the terrace to our fate!

Anyway, mixed fortunes at Charlton but quite a few wins.

 

[Lurker]

The 4-3 defeat was one of the best losses I'veever seen, a cracking game with an atmosphere to match.

Yeah, agreed, great game.
I stood on the vast terrace that night too.
My lasting memory of that game was Wardy's performance.
I was standing next to a couple of old boy Charlton fans .. complete with cloth caps .. probably been regulars at the Valley for 50 years?

Towards the end of the game, after yet another mazy dribble from Wardy, one of the old boys turned to the other and just said to him "best player you've ever seen here?".
The other old boy just nodded and said "I reckon".

These old boys must have been watching Charlton through some fantastic years, and witnessed some exceptional players in that time ... yet still they recognised Wardy as special.

I remember it was a great feeling that we had a player that everybody else wished they had.

Happy days.

 

[Bish Bosh]

Our penalty in the 3-4 loss was taken three times...a rarity.

1. Horton had shot saved but their 'keeper moved so retaken.
2. Not sure, but think that was scored (again Nobby) but disallowed due to encroachment by us.
3. Wardy took the third. BACK OF THE NET!

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Ths Sunderland fans wer also drooling about Wardy's ability.

Incidentally, Sunderlands great hope was a young Scot who they had high hopes of but he failed....Ally McCoist.

 

[Fungus]

The 4-3 defeat was one of the best losses I've ever seen, a cracking game with an atmosphere to match.

One of the best games I've seen, full stop.

Seem to remember we were quickly 2-0 down, then 3-2 up, before finally losing. Fast, open, attacking game.