This is a question for those who are angry about the standard of football played at The Valley under The Doctor.
Speaking for the youngish generation... 2003/04 and 2004/05 and 2005/06 were very optimistic. 2003/04 we had Euell and JJ, Paolo and Claus for the skill, Scotty Parker and Paul Konchesky, and Herman signed. 2004/05 we had the most exciting summer with Murphy, Rommedhal and Jeffers all joining. 2004/05 we had that midfield of Smertin, Kish and Murphy with Bent up front. Reaching the cup quarter finals was a highlight. There was always the hope of Europe then too, and never the fear of relegation. That said I have thoroughly enjoyed the trauma of the past 5 years - it has always been exciting in a masochistic way!
Anytime when we had standing and monkey nuts. I did enjoy watching Steve Brown, Jorge Costa and Derek Hales. I would sell all my children's toys to be able to see them three line up all together in a cafc shirt. I mean I don't play with children toys unless you count Buckaroo, Action Man, and the Harry Potter gown and wand kit.
As a young fan, mine was the 03/04 season, watching Parker, Jenson and Di Canio was fantastic, the following seasons were good, I particularly enjoyed watching Alex Song and Smertin playing but 03/04 season wins it for me
They were from 1937 to 1947. In the three pre-war years we finished in the top four of the top tier and were the most successful team in England. We had over 75,000 at the Valley for a Cup match. In 1946 and 1947 we reached the FA Cup Final when that meant a lot more than nowadays. During the war years we reached various "unofficial" Wembley finals. The war ripped the heart out of our best decade and stopped us building up the sort of momentum of cash and support that Busby later achieved with Man Utd and Shankly with Liverpool which can carry a club through the ups and downs of succeeding decades. In the fifties we had another good phase when we had a stream of good players from South Africa, Leary, Firmani, Hewie, O'Linn and others. I enjoyed the early sixties when we were in the second tier, as now, and for many seasons were neck and neck with Millwall and Palace. Some of my personal favourite players date from that period, such as Alan Campbell and Charlie Wright. Even then we could summon a crowd of 45000 for a Cup match with Fulham, also in the second tier. But throughout the post-war years the club was betrayed by its owners. Massive support and some excellent cheap signings were frittered away and Charlton greats like Jimmy Seed and Stuart Leary were stabbed in the back. Since then it has been a series of false dawns.
A thought provoking thread that Ed. Given the many heinous crimes committed by the Nazis in WW2 was knocking the wheels of CAFC at a time when they had begun to build a fantastic team combined with the largest support in England, a forgotten crime of the twentieth Century? I recall reading about Chris Duffy who served as a welsh Fusilier ? and had been front line and was highly regarded as a soldier and I also recall reading about 4 other Cafc players who really got stuck into Gerry. Jimmy Seed himself was gassed during ww1. I also heard a tale that three bombs intended for the docks or Woolwich landed on the valley during ww2 and none went off. So I suppose it all balanced itself out, the valley could have got flattened, what would have happened then? Actually just checked the bomb census. In the 2nd world war 70 high explosive bombs and three mine bombs were dropped on the ward of charlton.
I believe the deleterious effect on Charlton was briefly raised at Nuremburg. Talking about military service, Stuart Leary was deemed British enough to get called up for National Service, thus losing two of his best years, but not English enough to be eligible for the England team. And it was not because he had been previously capped for South Africa either. Usual FA incompetence and hypocrisy.
Charlton were on the verge of signing stan Matthews in September 1939. that could of changed everything! In my opinion the Charlton 'golden years' were 97-03 the organic growth. Our club, our players, our manager. After that it all went a bit Pete tong.
Throughout the 'thirties and 'forties Crystal Palace were in the Third Div South and usually near the foot of the table (there was no automatic relegation then or they would have ended up in the Athenian League). I don't think it would have even occurred to their fans to presume to rivalry with Charlton. It would be like Barnet claiming to be Arsenal's local rivals today. Society was better organized then and proles knew their place. Crystal Palace fans would step off the pavement into the gutter, while doffing their flat caps, to allow Charlton fans to pass by.
Golden age for me was the Powell Flanagan hales peacock era...rose coloured specs maybe but loved those days.
We should remember the organic nature of this success and the our club, our players, our manager aspect of it. In the 96-97 season Curbs' team finished 15th after a mediocre season. We kept the faith, the board kept the faith. All we need is Kinsella, Sir Clive and Eddie Youds to sign and next season is ours!
I must have bought my specs in the same shop then, Mike - my favourite time as well. Every time I see Killer's third goal against Hull City in the build-up video before kick-off at The Valley, my mind just replays the move in photographic detail from start to finish. Classic goal. Classic Killer.
Yep Mike, Tewks, I asume we're all of an age, as that was the time for me. Beating Sunderland at home and watching it on the big match the next day! Hales, Horsfield, Peacock, Flanagan, Richie Bowman and Colin Powell! Not that I will ever forget the years when Curbs had us face to face with the big boys, beating Arsenal away and Chelsea at home, but who will forget the day we beat Spurs 4-1 with a Les Berry header.
My favourite Season was in early sixties when we just missed out on promotion to Palace.The team had great characters and also some excellent players.I can still reel off the team. Wright Curtis Went Reeves,Kinsey Gregory,Campbell,Moore,Peacock Tees,Treacy There are other players through the years that I have loved watching,Eddie Firmani was a wonderful player.I also enjoyed the attacking play of Powell Hales and Flanagan.It was a team where we used to score a lot but we conceded a few as well.
Some of my fav players Richy Tydeman Phil Walker Tony Burman Killer Never keen on Flash, not sure why? just wasn't
Teams which thrash Chelsea get a special place in my heart. I'm not sure which one I prefer, the one which beat them 4-2 on Boxing Day live on TV, or the one which beat them 4-0 when the Chelsea fans smashed up the turnstiles and tried to burn down the stand.
They were my "golden years" as well. Newly married and much in love with my work and my wife. I grew up in Surrey in a family of Chelsea supporters but had always followed Charlton. So when I moved to Blackheath/Lewisham in 1966 it was like coming home although I didn't know the area apart from Charlton BR station and Floyd Road.. England won the World Cup and the first Wilson administration seemed to be blowing away the cobwebs. Everything turned sour later but then I was on top of the world. I think fans' personal circumstances colour their perceptions of the team a lot. Not surprising, looking at that line-up. Shows how formations have become more defensive. Only one CB, Reeves was a defensive MF similar to Hughes, two genuine wingers, two CFs, and Campbell and Moore were both fairly attacking midfielders. I don't think Alan Campbell ever got capped for Scotland? Ironic when you look at the rubbish they have to field these days.
