For 9th December a return to famous players, and they don't come any better than Stuart Leary The best Charlton player Colin Cameron said he ever saw, Leary played over 400 games for the Addicks in all competitions from 1951 to 1962, scoring over 160 goals in that time. Barely missed a game in the last five seasons of his time with Charlton. He also made 381 appearances for Kent County Cricket Club.
For 10th December it's the man who scored the first goal back at the Valley, Colin Walsh A decade of great service to CAFC, 1986 to 1996 242 league starts, many of those in the top flight while the homeless Addicks were forced to play in exile. and of course Walsh wrote himself forever into our history on 5th December 1992. One of the most popular Charlton players of all time...
Apologies for the late post! For 11th December another departure from the 'classic', but one of the more unusual contributors to our Premiership era; Paolo Di Canio Played 31 times in our best ever season finish in the modern era - 2003-04 (7th place) Not everyone's cup of tea perhaps, but most will remember his outrageous penalty against Arsenal... He certainly had some swagger.
I have ideas penciled in for 16th 19th (thanks Elfs) 21st 24th December, But if anyone has any more suggestions please post them
For 12th December we have a 12 goal thriller; 22nd October 1960 (2nd Division) Charlton Athletic 6-6 Middlesbrough Dennis Edwards (pictured above) scored a hat-trick, The game was tied 4-4 at half time, then Boro scored twice to go 4-6 up. Johnny Summers scored Charlton's last equalising goal in the 89th minute. I wouldn't have minded being at this game! My Father probably was there.
For 13th December here's legendary Charlton trainer (and later manager) Jimmy Trotter Jimmy Trotter joined CAFC in 1934 as trainer under the great Jimmy Seed. It was Trotter's coaching and man-management skills that were as much the reason for Charlton's 1st Division Golden Age from the mid 1930's to 1957 as Jimmy Seed's skills as a manager. Trotter took over as CAFC manager after Seed was sacked, serving until 1961. As this 13th December is a Friday, the link is bad luck Jimmy Trotter was unlucky enough to be Charlton's Gaffer when the Addicks suffered their worst ever League defeat; Away at Villa Park on November 14th 1959; Aston Villa 11 - 1 Charlton Athletic Charlton were 4-1 down by half time, Dennis Edwards scored the visitors' only goal - an equaliser when they were 1-0 down.
For 14th December we have the longest unbeaten run of games in Charlton Athletic history; Fourteen, including twelve straight wins, during season 1999-2000 when the Addicks became Champions of the Football League 1st Division and won promotion back to the Premiership Mark Kinsella (pictured above) captained Alan Curbishley's glorious Millennium team, which went unbeaten from 4th December 1999 (against Barnsley) to 11th March 2000 when they slipped to an unexpected 0-1 defeat against Swindon Town. Kinsella made 208 league appearances for Charlton between 1996 and 2002. Andy Hunt was top scorer that season with 24 league goals. Hunt joined Charlton on a free transfer in 1998. During his 86 league games for the Addicks he scored 35 goals in total.
For 15th December here's Charlton player and later manager Chris Powell For no better reason than he was a great Charlton player and a decent manager who entertained us all with that wonderful 101 point campaign during the 2011-12 season and he was our squad No.15 during the 2007-08 season after returning to the Club. Chris played 217 league games in total for the Addicks.
For 16th September, European Footballer of the Year (1978) it's Allan Simonsen Made sixteen league appearances and scored nine goals for Charlton Athletic during the 1982-83 season (plus one appearance in the FA Cup against Ipswich Town) Over 40 caps for Denmark, UEFA Cup Winner's Cup medal winner twice European Cup medal winner with FC Barcelona Quite simply the most audacious signing in CAFC history...
For 17th December, one of the greatest servants of CAFC of all time, Keith Peacock Played seventeen seasons for Charlton Athletic between 1962 and 1979, 567 appearances and 107 goals in all competitions for the first team, Served under six Charlton managers from Jimmy Trotter right through to Andy Nelson. First ever substitute in English Football, 21st August 1965. Exemplary disciplinary record; "Keith led by example both in terms of ability and the manner in which he conducted himself" (Colin Cameron). A magnificent ambassador for the Club.
For 18th December one of Charlton's star players of the 1980's Rob Lee Lee is eighteenth in the all-time table of Charlton appearances with 314, scoring 59 goals. Many of his starts were with Lennie Lawrence's exiled 1st Division side of the late 1980's. He earned 2 England U21 caps during his time at CAFC and 21 senior caps after moving on to Newcastle United. Lee's sale to the Toon for £700,000 helped to fund Charlton's return to the Valley.
