[Archived] Charlton Athletic 1 0 Rovers

[den]

Two previews this week. Grizfoot is submitting his Charlton preview shortly.

I asked around to see whether anyone on this site had recollections of the famous game at the Valley around 1958 that saw rovers promoted. I'm very grateful to Bazza for giving us an insight of that afternoon.

Bazza:

I have been asked to submit something that I can remember about the Rovers away game against Charlton Athletic at the Valley in 1958.

This was a game that Rovers had to win. The fixture list had decreed that the last game of the season would be Charlton Athletic away.

West Ham United were already champions of the (old) second division.

Only two clubs were to be promoted. No play-offs in those days.

Charlton, in second place, were one point above Rovers who had to win. Charlton needed only a draw.

For several previous seasons Rovers (and Liverpool, for that matter) had played well and come very close to winning promotion but had come third best to the likes of Birmingham City, Leicester City, Everton, Sheffield Wednesday, Luton Town, Leeds Utd, and Nottingham Forest.

And so it came to pass..................

Where was I on that final Saturday of the 1957-58 season?

I had just turned 15 years old! I was at boarding school in Blackpool. This was a school that was dedicated to playing football with an egg-shaped ball. They never won me over because nobody ever explained the rules to me.

On THAT Saturday I was somewhere in the school grounds when a fellow Rovers supporter, who came from Whalley or Langho or somewhere near, came up to me and said, “Rovers are winning 3-1 at half time.”

I said, “You’re having me on”.

He denied it and went on his way. My spirits rose. WOW!! Is he telling me the truth?

Communication via the media was almost non existent.

Someone must have access to a radio which had second half commentary of one of the league matches of the day,usually a First Division match (always kept secret and never announced in case everyone heard and stayed at home to listen to the commentary, leaving the ground empty!!!) ; that’s all you could get in those days.

Later that day, in the early evening, I was kneeling in a pew in St Kentigerns Church, Newton Drive, Blackpool , when another schoolmate came in and whispered in my ear, “Rovers are in the first division”.

HALLELUIA.....reverberated many times in my mind.

We’re up. We’re up; we’re up we’re up we’re up,

Eee Aye Engio, we’re up we’re up we’re up.

Complete and utter euphoria, which, translated into modern language, means ROVERS........PROMOTED.......YEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH YEEAAAAAHHHH!!

Things I’ve heard or read about that day which may or may not be true, but have stayed in my memory ever since are:-

1) BBC radio’s 2nd half commentary was THAT game. The commentator’s opening remarks, at half time,were that the most significant words of the Charlton signature tune, “When the red, red robin comes bob, bob bobbing along”, were “wake up, wake up little sleepy head”. Rovers had outplayed them totally.

2) In the 2nd half we got a penalty early on and Douglas duly converted. But Charlton were not 2nd in the Division for nothing.

They got themselves back into the game 4-2 and had Rovers on the back foot. 4-3. All they needed was one last goal to win promotion.

Rovers were hanging on.

In Blackburn town centre, maybe the market, the commentary was broadcast through loudspeakers. During a late frenzied Charlton attack the shoppers went quiet and one lone voice yelled out “For God’s sake ref, blow thi ruddy whistle!”

3) At The Valley itself the final whistle blew and one large lady Rovers supporter ran onto the field and picked up Bryan Douglas, lifting him clean off the ground. Jack Weddle who was the trainer, the man with the bucket of water and “magic” sponge. had his water tipped all over him.

Later that year, in August, I was on Leeds City railway station when I found out the score of Rovers first Div 1 game away at Newcastle. But that’s another story.

And so to the present day.

Charlton are in many ways similar to ourselves, needing to stay in the premier league yet hoping to qualify for European competition.

Alan Curbishley is a much respected manager and is astute in selection, formation, tactics and motivation. However, they have lost their playmaker, Scott Parker, to Chelsea, like we did Duffer, and we all know what a big blow that was.

Last season Brad equalised in the last minute only for them to snatch victory with the last kick of the game. I hope we can get a better result this season and gain a victory.

I think we will.........2-1 to Rovers.

Thanks Bazza and if anyone else has recollections, let us have them on here

[bubblerrovers]

Early reports suggest amo and emerton may miss the game. Judging by our defensive performances away so far and that amo and short are out i predict a 6-7 win for rovers.

[Scotty]

Nice post Bazza. My dad's always banging on about that Charlton game.

Can't wait for Grizfoot's match preview.

[Tango]

My predictions this season have been utterly hopeless so I'm not gonna bother (predicted Everton and Bolton to go down for example and find them now in 3rd and 4th ).

Previously I have predicted Leeds to win the league - the year they went bankrupt and nearly got relegated, Arsenal to have a poor season due to lack of squad depth - the year they go unbeaten, and Blackburn to make Europe - the year we end up 15th and surviving only by the skin of our teeth.

So I'm going for a Charlton victory. 5-0, something like that.

[modes98]

Can't wait for Grizfoot's match preview.

I can

[rock steady]

..........jansen..........stead

mgp........fergy.....tugay........emo

gray......matteo.....todd(if he still exists)......neill(oh dear)

...................brad

is short injured? please someone give us a new defence

4-2 rovers

emerton

stead

jansen

dickov

blind faith!

[grizfoot]

Match Preview – Charlton (Away)

Well last season at the Valley it was a thrilling game and I’m sure we’ll all be hoping for more of the same on Monday, but hopefully this time we’ll be celebrating getting some points.

Previous Meetings

Charlton 3-2 Rovers (21/02/2004) – Last Seasons game and what a gem it was, a second half comeback from Rovers saw Brad score in injury time to equalizer the game only for Charlton to go down the other end and score to win the match.

Charlton 3-1 Rovers (24/11/2002) - Thommo with the goal for Rovers.

Charlton 0-2 Rovers (22/12/2001) – Duff & Dunn scoring back in 2001 for Rovers at the Valley.

Back to the Present

After winning our first game of the premiership season last Saturday, Mark Hughes will be hoping to continue on winning ways.

It will be Mark Hughes’ first away game in charge and the team he’s goin to pick is totally open for debate. But I suspect we will play our normal 4-4-2 formation or he may opt for a 4-5-1 formation, only time will tell.

The team is also sure to be determinted to make up for the early mid-week cup exit.

Charlton

Charlton have started of the season fairly average with 8 points from 6 games. The latest being a 1-1 draw away to Birmingham. The team is sure to be high on confidence after beating Grimsby 2-0 in mid-week.

Charlton Star Man – Dennis Rommedahl – Very pacey, sure to give Rovers right side problems

Predication

Right Here’s my prediction for the game:

Charlton 2-2 Rovers

Friedel

Neill, Amo, Matteo, Gray

Emo, Bazza, Flitty, MGP

Stead, Dickov

COME ON ROVERS !!!

Edited September 23, 2004 by den

[stegraham]

Rommedahl will run rings around Neill. 3 seems to be the magic number, we've played 3 away games and in each one we've conceeded 3 goals. I'd love to say that Hughes' influence will change our away troubles, but I don't think so:

3-1 to Charlton (Dickov for us)

[AndyC]

great post bazza.

enjoyed that!

Edited September 23, 2004 by AndyC

[AlanSheppard]

Rommedahl will run rings around Neill.

Rommedahl seems to have struggled to make much of an impact so far I thought. Rather like Emerton last season.

[1864roverite]

There is no doubt that Rommedahl has pace to burn but at the moment he is struggling like our own Emo. Can beat a man but cant cross !

The Rovers defence have shown the watching football world that our lapses from last year were no fluke and they are there for all to see.

Charlton have a player up front who is not a fantastic goalscorer, just a plodder who can score goals and who seems to enjoy scoring against Rovers.

Rovers have a young lad up front, short on confidence, down in the dumps without Cole his sidekick and also have a mixture from Bothroyd,Jansen,Gally and the preverbial pain in the arse in Dickov.

Cant see anything other than a draw if Rovers can stifle the Charlton wingers in Rommedahl and Lisbie. if they cant then we can expect to lose 2-0

I await to be corrected on Monday evening

[McClarky]

Attention any Scottish based Rovers fans.

A few of us will be watching the game on Monday in the Queens Arms on Frederick Street in Edinburgh. This is the usual meeting place for TV games and there is usually a crowd of several hundred (about 10 actually). Come along and drown your sorrows.

My prediction : 1:0 Rovers. Reason : the laws of football dictate that you will win when you least expect to and we usually do well in London.

[Glenn]

McClarky,

Were you one of the two Edinburgh (well Falkirk I seem to remember) based Rovers fans that kindly gave me a lift from Edinburgh (were I was on a staff Christmas do) back to Ewood for the Man Utd game a couple of seasons ago ?

Whoever it was I lost their contact details and never had the chance to say Thanks properly.

[American]

Anyone in the Boston, Mass area, Roaming Rover, Philly Rover and I will be meeting up in Cambridge to watch the match on FSW Monday afternoon. PM me for details!

[greggyk]

I feel the rovers first team will get a decent draw against Charlton on monday.

Charlton 1-1 Rovers

(Jeffers 23) (Flitcroft 61)

Its time to show some bouncebackability

Edited September 23, 2004 by greggyk

[frosty]

Team:

Freidel

Neill Amo ? Gray

Emerton Ferguson Flitcroft Pedersen

Dickov Stead/ Jansen/ Bothroyd

1-1 scoreline.

100th post by the way!!!!!!

[tcj_jones]

Do we know if Amoruso and Emerton will be fit for Monday? I'll wait to leave my prediction until I know who will be available for selection.

[McClarky]

McClarky,

Were you one of the two Edinburgh (well Falkirk I seem to remember) based Rovers fans that kindly gave me a lift from Edinburgh (were I was on a staff <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=Christmas&v=56">Christmas</a> do) back to Ewood for the Man Utd game a couple of seasons ago ?

Whoever it was I lost their <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=contact&v=56">contact</a> details and never had the chance to say Thanks properly.

Glenn,

No that wasn't me. I think I know who you mean though. There were 2 brothers from falkirk but I can't remember what they were called.

[MCMC1875]

McClarky,

Were you one of the two Edinburgh (well Falkirk I seem to remember) based Rovers fans that kindly gave me a lift from Edinburgh (were I was on a staff <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=Christmas&v=56">Christmas</a> do) back to Ewood for the Man Utd game a couple of seasons ago ?

Whoever it was I lost their <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=contact&v=56">contact</a> details and never had the chance to say Thanks properly.

Glenn,

No that wasn't me. I think I know who you mean though. There were 2 brothers from falkirk but I can't remember what they were called.

Which McClarky are you?

[evukovic]

For an Aussie Rover who barely gets the opportunity to see a highlight package of the team, this weeked bodes as a wonderful surprise. Seeing as the game starts at 5am on a Tuesday morning and I don't have cable, I'm not going to watch it live, but I'm getting it taped and by gum I'll be firmly planted on my leather couch Tuesday evening watching it.

The loss on Wednesday was disappointing, let's not kid ourselves. It was a display of deplorable finishing, abysmal defence and docile abilities. The only positives were Gally knocking one in and Emerton's confidence boosting performance. Knowing that Hughes has left the majority of the first team squad out for this game allows me to once again be filled with bridled enthusiam for the Charlton game. There is quite obviously some dead wood at the club and Hughes has witnessed it first hand now and against some rather lacklustre opposition. No disrespect to Bournemouth, but they're no quality Premiership side now are they.

I feel that Emerton is beginning to show the abilities and skills that he exemplified at Feyenoord and in the UEFA Cup, with each game lifting the dreaded albatross from his confidence. Bazza is in good form and getting better and Dickov has been surprisingly promising for mine. Charlton haven't themselves been lighting up the league with great performances, so I sense a come back performance by Rovers will afford them a three pointer this week. Emerton and Ferguson the scorers.

[Blue and White]

Hughes is gonna have to do something special to get the confidence back in the team. I'm not expecting something great, but hopefully we'll stabilize a bit and play respectable football. I have no idea who will start upfront besides Dickov, it could be anyone between Stead, Gally, Jansen and Bothroyd. Whoever it is, we need goals. Charlton aren't something special, so we can manage atleast a 1-1 draw.

I'd love a win though.

[AndyC]

Any ideas on meeting up in pub before the match?

[mattyc2422]

Good to see another Aussie on board, evukovic.

5am start for me. Hopefully worth it, like the Fulham game last season.

[Duff's Minder]

Hughes knows it's all about the defence and Charlton have had some shaky results.

I'm going to take a good book with me, it's got to be 0:0 with 3 world class saves from Brad, Jansen hitting the post and Bothroyd missing a sitter in the last minute.

sad to say I'd actually be quite happy with that..

[SAS]

I reckon a thrilling match that will end 2-2.