Favourite Charlton Era Abiding Memories

[blobbyblob]

Out of all the Charlton years, what are your favourite abiding memories?

[HarpoJoyce]

Breaking the duck and actually qualifying for a World Cup.

Then retreating and supporting club football for a decade.

[Superhoops]

Stuttgart
Genoa
Giants Stadium v Italy

[NeilMcD]

Beating England 1-0

[supasparx]

Italia '90

[Claret Murph]

Wow so many how could you pick one .

[Greenforever]

Gary mcays goal as it was the start of the party, after that so many you could write a book

[jbyrne]

a game we didnt actually win but made the world sit-up and take notice.... v ussr '88

[Paulie]

I think that we would all agree on the obvious highs so I'll go for something else. For some reason Quinner's goal against Denmark always stands out for me as a great memory. Denmark had just won Euro '92 and we were up against them and Spain to qualify. Their goal was due to a defensive mix up between Packie and Paul McGrath. Having said that it was a great finish by the Danish lad (can't remember his name). The relief when Quinn scored though was immense. It was one of those games where there were very few chances and I just couldn't see where a goal was going to come from. It was a very welcome draw in the end.

[superfrank]

John Aldridge at the Mexico game.

[Block G Raptor]

IHaving said that it was a great finish by the Danish lad (can't remember his name).

I think It was fleming Polvsen

[Wolfie]

Alan McLoughlin's life saver against Norn Iron in Belfast 1993

Our absolute dismantling of Turkey (albeit a poor Turkish side) 5- 0 (including an Aldo Hat-trick) in 1991 always sticks in my memory as a thoroughly enjoyable match. A smug (albeit slightly deluded feeling) of "we are the dogs!!!").

The performance against England at Wembley.

[Hibernian]

As I was still bit too young to appreciate Euro 88 and World Cup 1990 (taught it was going to be that easy all the time).

I remember we played Spain away and should have won Aldo scored perfect goal.

Also Windsor Park 1993 when Alan Mcloughlin scored I remember I could not watch it (was only ten and nervous as hell) and went to my room I heard a noise from TV and my Dad was quiet so I presumed Norn Iron had scored and think I cried myself to sleep. All I remember next was my dad came in and told me we were through the sheer joy I felt and also the fact I got to stay up till about 11.00 on school night my parents did not care even my Dad told me I could take day off next day if I liked which I could not turn down :))

Also Italy 1994 stands out of course and as does any game against England

[Greenforever]

Dublin Airport fogbound Nov 89, waiting to take off, just made it with an hour to spare unlike the Faroes!!

[John83]

I was only 7 during Italia 90, but I have a strong memory of watching Packie Bonner saving the penalty against Romania. I was sitting on the floor in my sitting room, my whole family watching with me.

[SUB of the day]

As I was still bit too young to appreciate Euro 88 and World Cup 1990 (taught it was going to be that easy all the time).

I remember we played Spain away and should have won Aldo scored perfect goal.

Also Windsor Park 1993 when Alan Mcloughlin scored I remember I could not watch it (was only ten and nervous as hell) and went to my room I heard a noise from TV and my Dad was quiet so I presumed Norn Iron had scored and think I cried myself to sleep. All I remember next was my dad came in and told me we were through the sheer joy I felt and also the fact I got to stay up till about 11.00 on school night my parents did not care even my Dad told me I could take day off next day if I liked which I could not turn down :))

Also Italy 1994 stands out of course and as does any game against England....really catches the National mood at that time when the football team was rockn and all seemed well .We literally became intoxicated with the recognition and reflected glory of their exploits on the pitch.Every failure to qualify subsequently, brings with it the fear that my own kids will never experience that unique tournament atmosphere, flags on houses, cars, pubs, World Cup songs, being literally sick with excitement and fear in the days leading up to a game, watching through your fingers or behind the couch....sound familiar?.My own favourite memory was Stuttgart '88.Leaving the stadium that day we were high on life, the **** up that followed included several rounds bought by Germans, who were almost as pleased as we were.

[Drumcondra 69er]

Attending
1) Razor v Italy Giants Stadium 94
2) Cas's equaliser against England at Lansdowne 90
3) Spanish og at Lansdowne 89

Special mention to the 10 minutes after David Kelly's goal v England in 95 before the riot!

Watching on telly
1) Razor in Stuggart
2) Bonner's save and Dolly's penalty
3) Sheedy v England Italia 90

Too many others to mention, fantastic times....

[Hibernian]

....really catches the National mood at that time when the football team was rockn and all seemed well .We literally became intoxicated with the recognition and reflected glory of their exploits on the pitch.Every failure to qualify subsequently, brings with it the fear that my own kids will never experience that unique tournament atmosphere, flags on houses, cars, pubs, World Cup songs, being literally sick with excitement and fear in the days leading up to a game, watching through your fingers or behind the couch....sound familiar?.My own favourite memory was Stuttgart '88.Leaving the stadium that day we were high on life, the **** up that followed included several rounds bought by Germans, who were almost as pleased as we were.

Yes I suppose when I was that age I taught it was going to be all good all the time. watching past clips of Italia 90 or even Euro 88 (I loved the bit just after Houghton scored and they show the fans going mental v England Euro 88). I just hope those good days will come back again here is too hoping.

[NeilMcD]

....really catches the National mood at that time when the football team was rockn and all seemed well .We literally became intoxicated with the recognition and reflected glory of their exploits on the pitch.Every failure to qualify subsequently, brings with it the fear that my own kids will never experience that unique tournament atmosphere, flags on houses, cars, pubs, World Cup songs, being literally sick with excitement and fear in the days leading up to a game, watching through your fingers or behind the couch....sound familiar?.My own favourite memory was Stuttgart '88.Leaving the stadium that day we were high on life, the **** up that followed included several rounds bought by Germans, who were almost as pleased as we were.

I remember travelling up to Dublin for the game against Spain in 89. My Dad took us all out of school and we drove up from Clare on the morning of the game, it was an afternoon Wednesday night game. The teachers in the Christian Brother school I went to were not too happy about me missing a day at school for a garrisson game.

The atmosphere that day was amazing but I thought that was normal as that was one of my first competitive games, my Dad told me later that days like that were pretty rare and he only remembers the 3-0 win against Russia at Dalymount as a similar day.

The next day in school the teacher asked me to get up in front of the class and tell the class about my trip to Dublin to watch the game which I did in my strong Dublin accent at the time. I finished it by saying that I though Kevin Moran was the Man of the Match. My teacher disagreed with me and when I explained why I thought Moran was great that day, he kicked me out of class and sent me to the principal. The principal was a Christian Brother and like something out of the dark ages who constantly had a hurl in his hand and he sent me home for going to a foreign sport.

They just could not handle an argumentative opinionated 11 year old into soccer.

[Wolfie]

The next day in school the teacher asked me to get up in front of the class and tell the class about my trip to Dublin to watch the game which I did in my strong Dublin accent at the time. I finished it by saying that I though Kevin Moran was the Man of the Match. My teacher disagreed with me and when I explained why I thought Moran was great that day, he kicked me out of class and sent me to the principal. The principal was a Christian Brother and like something out of the dark ages who constantly had a hurl in his hand and he sent me home for going to a foreign sport.

They just could not handle an argumentative opinionated 11 year old into soccer.

Amazing that you'd have that carry on in 1989.

Never came up against any of that small minded nonsense but I can remember a teacher was refusing to let me leave school early to attend the Bulgaria match in 1987.

I had forgotten a note from my parents and it wasn't looking like he was going to let me go. He let me worry about it for about an hour and let me go then. Great result that day too :)

[gspain]

Amazing that you'd have that carry on in 1989.

Never came up against any of that small minded nonsense but I can remember a teacher was refusing to let me leave school early to attend the Bulgaria match in 1987.

I had forgotten a note from my parents and it wasn't looking like he was going to let me go. He let me worry about it for about an hour and let me go then. Great result that day too :)

We had a school halfday cancelled at short notice when somebody blurted out that a Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland football match was live on tv from windsor Park that afternoon (1979). As the teachers were already promised the halfday all the school were supervised by one brother in a big hall. Thankfully the guy left at the end of that school year.

Liam Brady was expelled from school for disgracing his school. He captained the Irish schoolboys v Wales at some dastardly foreign game.

[Dr. Ogba]

Also Windsor Park 1993 when Alan Mcloughlin scored I remember I could not watch it (was only ten and nervous as hell) and went to my room I heard a noise from TV and my Dad was quiet so I presumed Norn Iron had scored and think I cried myself to sleep. All I remember next was my dad came in and told me we were through the sheer joy I felt and also the fact I got to stay up till about 11.00 on school night my parents did not care even my Dad told me I could take day off next day if I liked which I could not turn down :))



very similar to myself, was 11 at the time and could barely watch after Jimmy Quinn struck to put them ahead.
I remember it being the first ever time that I cried while watching a football match when McLoughlin popped up for the equaliser...bloody hell it still gets me a little emothional to this day! :o :)

[gspain]

My favourite memerios of the Charlton era

1) Stuttgart - no contest.

2) Genoa and reaching the quarter finals of the World Cup.

3) Beating Italy in New Jersey

Best home game - Spain 89 (Holland 2001 did come close) - home games in the early 90's were full of suits and disappointing atmosphere.

Some fantastic away trips - communist Hungary in 89, Albania 93, Wrexham 91 in the snow, 1,000 Irish fans singing Daniel O'Donnell songs at the U21 game in Copenhagen in 92 (you needed to be there :D), realising I'm the only one in the north Stand at Windsor Park in 1993 celebrating THAT goal. outsing the home support just about everywhere, the parties with the Dutch fans, getting Louis Kilcoyne arrested in Turin,

Disappointments - throwing away our Euro92 group - failing to win at Wembley then throwing away a 3-1 lead in Poznan, Jack going to Belfast to watch NI v Latvia 4 days before the Austria game in Dublin and the subsequent happenings in Limerick that cost us the Austria game. Drawing with Liechtenstein, FIFA forcing us to play Mexico in the midday heat of Orlando.

[RogerMilla]

highs, paul mcgraths goal against hungary. michel og and the 1-0 win , timofte, fishing with jack and his engine broke down and spending the day in the boozer with him, his mate , my dad ,the barman and I. every time we beat northern ireland , mcloughlins goal.

lows , holland game in 94 , that was gutting , poznan , utter disaster. far more highs really.

[OwlsFan]

Gary MacKays goal as it was the start of the party, after that so many you could write a book

Agree with that. Never got so excited than after that game. We had arrived at last and unlike many here, I and my friends had waited a LONG time.

Next best was under Mick beating Holland at Lansdowne. I remember going home from that game singing "My mamma always told me there'd be days like this".

[Block G Raptor]

....really catches the National mood at that time when the football team was rockn and all seemed well .We literally became intoxicated with the recognition and reflected glory of their exploits on the pitch.Every failure to qualify subsequently, brings with it the fear that my own kids will never experience that unique tournament atmosphere, flags on houses, cars, pubs, World Cup songs, being literally sick with excitement and fear in the days leading up to a game, watching through your fingers or behind the couch....sound familiar?.My own favourite memory was Stuttgart '88.Leaving the stadium that day we were high on life, the **** up that followed included several rounds bought by Germans, who were almost as pleased as we were.

Dito. My little one was born in september 2002 so during the world cup I made up a time capsule type thing for the impending baby with posters, stickers, an Ireland world cup 2002 football, news paper cuttings etc to show her when she gets old enough

[gustavo]

Genoa

[Kingdom]

:D


They just could not handle an argumentative opinionated 11 year old into soccer.

We still have to listen to him on foot.ie

[Wangball]

The penalty shootout against Romania sticks out for me, I watched it sitting on the floor in front of a projection screen in the Hartstown House in Blanchardstown with my whole family there, I was 9 years old & wearing a very snazzy short & t-shirt combo emblazoned with Jack's face & my own face was painted green - Good times

[NeilMcD]

:D

We still have to listen to him on foot.ie

Ha ha fair play. I stuck my paw out waiting for that.

[NeilMcD]

[QUOTE=OwlsFan;890520]Agree with that. Never got so excited than after that game. We had arrived at last and unlike many here, I and my friends had waited a LONG time.
/QUOTE]

Fair play to you for being born before some other people.

[Greenforever]

Dito. My little one was born in september 2002 so during the world cup I made up a time capsule type thing for the impending baby with posters, stickers, an Ireland world cup 2002 football, news paper cuttings etc to show her when she gets old enough


My little one was born in 89, dressed her up in all that gear for Italia 90, now she hasnt missed a game home or away in years! Worse fanatic than me:D

[OwlsFan]

Fair play to you for being born before some other people.

Yes, I am from the generation that waited many years for an Irish team to qualify for anything while many now in their 20s/30s think it is our divine right to qualify having seen or remember us playing in 4 tournaments.

We honestly thought the day would never come and when it did, wow! Not just qualifying but giving us so many highs at the same time, and only the few lows from Gelsenkirchen, Rome, Orlando and the game against Spain in Suwon, all of which apart from Rome (couldn't make that for sad family reasons) I was at.

This is the saddest though of that lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfU_0xcZ7Gg

Spain miss two and we still go out. Apart from the fact that we just scored 2 of ours, Given was really poor going the wrong way everytime. The last kick by Mendieta is poor, just goes up the middle. Still get disappointed everytime I see it.

[NeilMcD]

That is the way Mendieta takes his penalties, if you watch how he took the penalities throughout his career for Valencia you would see that he waits until the keepr dives and then puts it down the middle.

[Block G Raptor]

The penalty shootout against Romania sticks out for me, I watched it sitting on the floor in front of a projection screen in the Hartstown House in Blanchardstown with my whole family there, I was 9 years old & wearing a very snazzy short & t-shirt combo emblazoned with Jack's face & my own face was painted green - Good times

That's my local. watched all the previous games there until me aul-lad heard there was an even bigger screen and a kiddies-disco type thing on in the Spa Hotel

[OwlsFan]

That is the way Mendieta takes his penalties, if you watch how he took the penalities throughout his career for Valencia you would see that he waits until the keepr dives and then puts it down the middle.

Should Given not have known that as well :confused:

[blobbyblob]

I was 12 when Euro 88 came around. Never forget when Houghton scored against the English. My father who is an out and out old school GAA head started screaming and my brother ran outside and did a lap of the garden roaring. The neighbours were out sunning themselves (it was a scorching afternoon) and thought something terrible had happened and came running in to make sure everything was alright. Sure things could not have been better.

Spent many an evening that summer with friends trying to recreate Ronnie Whelan's goal in a farmers field across from my house using two color gas cans for goals.

I remember I got a poster that summer with all the team and their signatures underneath. It was my pride and joy. It stayed up on the wall until I moved out 6 years later. I think my mother still has it in the attic. I also had a Kevin Moran soccer skills poster which instructed you on the proper way to head the ball according to Kevin. Clench your teeth and keep your eyes wide open he said. Sure i looked like a freak in the school yard with bulging eyes and flashing teeth but Kevin Moran said so, so i was happy.

[Kingdom]

very similar to myself, was 11 at the time and could barely watch after Jimmy Quinn struck to put them ahead.
I remember it being the first ever time that I cried while watching a football match when McLoughlin popped up for the equaliser...bloody hell it still gets me a little emothional to this day! :o :)

Did it make you develop a lisp too??? :D

[geysir]

I'd go along with Owls, Scotland beating Bulgaria was the biggest sporting high in the Charlton era, it was my 8th qualifiers since '74 wcq. By 1987 my tether was then hanging on by some invisible magic thread.

Beating Holland 2001 comes next but just tempered by the background noise of the (indelible) nagging doubt of a play off looming.

[paul_oshea]

I was 12 when Euro 88 came around. Never forget when Houghton scored against the English. My father who is an out and out old school GAA head started screaming and my brother ran outside and did a lap of the garden roaring. The neighbours were out sunning themselves (it was a scorching afternoon) and thought something terrible had happened and came running in to make sure everything was alright. Sure things could not have been better.

Spent many an evening that summer with friends trying to recreate Ronnie Whelan's goal in a farmers field across from my house using two color gas cans for goals.

I remember I got a poster that summer with all the team and their signatures underneath. It was my pride and joy. It stayed up on the wall until I moved out 6 years later. I think my mother still has it in the attic. I also had a Kevin Moran soccer skills poster which instructed you on the proper way to head the ball according to Kevin. Clench your teeth and keep your eyes wide open he said. Sure i looked like a freak in the school yard with bulging eyes and flashing teeth but Kevin Moran said so, so i was happy.

great post blob, great post.

[paul_oshea]

i can remember being in the burlington ( I think ) when I was 8 years old, and my brother was there too as my father left us in the pub ( on our own, my brother was about 13 ) to watch the game, as he had something to do, i cant remember too young, but it stopped him watching it ( he would have been the old gaa head too, but he would always make a huge effort ensuring that we got to see these sorta games, i spose he knew how much the atmosphere and everything else would mean to us, not the love of soccer as such ), anyhow i was only ickle and my brother could see and tried putting me up on a stool but i still couldn't see, so this man ( i wonder what age he is now, but he seemed really old then ) saw my predicatment, grabbed me under the arms and swooped me onto his shoulders ( i was always scared of going on peoples shoulders on their back was ok but not shoulders ), anyhow i remember the penalties, watching on this little small screen, and i dont think this man could see completely but i could thanks to him. I wouldn't have been very aware of all the players then, but I remember hamilton saying timofte against bonner, and then wooh i was holding onto the curls from the mans head and pulling htem out of his head with fear and excitement - fear of falling off him and excitement as bonner had saved a penalty. I must have pulled out a few hundred hairs and ruined his curls!! And then oleary scores - but the memory goes somewhat after that. We left the pub sometime after and i remember ( my father hates being behind slow cars, really really impatient ) all the cars beeping and it took us about 2 hours to get out of dublin, and these lads on the street were stopping all the cars and tried to get my sister and cousin out to dance with them/kiss them. It was very funny. But that memory was one of my first footballing memory and from then on I was always very attached to Ireland and never missed a chance ( taking off school etc ) of seeing them play on TV. So thats why I would put it down there as one of the greatest charlton era moments for me. I would also put down the game v Italy, as I was in some crap place in France on holidays ( France is so crap its so boring unless you go to brittany - as a kid i mean ), in some chalet in the middle of nowhere with nothing at all to do, but my Father did his utmost to get a TV ( Cos it was all his fault we were in France and he felt guilty i think!) and we got one, and it was me and my brother watching it again, we stayed up till 2.30 or something like that, and I remember Cantona saying Ireland were giong to win 1 - 0. It was class when houghton scored, that was a great thrill for us given how "far" away i thought i was and thinking we wouldnt get to see it. It was brilliant. Would have been far greater if we were at home though :( I was always away somewhere for the big matches.

In terms of pure enjoyment and relief and excitement it would have to be alan mcloughlins goal against NI, as I was coming to the age where I could watch soccer "sensibly" and understand everything etc. Plus i was in my neighbours and it was great craic.

[paul_oshea]

I think that we would all agree on the obvious highs so I'll go for something else. For some reason Quinner's goal against Denmark always stands out for me as a great memory. Denmark had just won Euro '92 and we were up against them and Spain to qualify. Their goal was due to a defensive mix up between Packie and Paul McGrath. Having said that it was a great finish by the Danish lad (can't remember his name). The relief when Quinn scored though was immense. It was one of those games where there were very few chances and I just couldn't see where a goal was going to come from. It was a very welcome draw in the end.

Ya I can also remember that sitter he missed again spain when 1 on 1. He always seemed to do that for Ireland, he was so frustrating to watch.

[Dublincelt67]

I think It was fleming Polvsen

It was actually Kim Vilfort. Dont ask me how the hell I remember that!! A chip from about 20 yards I think

[Pauro 76]

Campaiging for the school i was in for showing afternoon games instead of class. Great days! I think Ireland v Norn Iron '93 was an afternoon weekday kick off, I may be wrong. Also Jack Charlton seemingly endorsing every product under the sun in adverts at the time.

[bennocelt]

I had a stand-off with the school principal. If i didnt come into school then detention. Stayed home but got the call, went in but they were showing the denmark game anyway in school
I regularly got into trouble for missing school when ireland played. Seems strange now to think of 3.00 ireland games

[Block G Raptor]

It was actually Kim Vilfort. Dont ask me how the hell I remember that!! A chip from about 20 yards I think

You're right y'know wilfort it was

[pineapple stu]

It was actually Kim Vilfort. Dont ask me how the hell I remember that!! A chip from about 20 yards I think
Poor clearance from McGrath (sacrilege to say, I know!!) when Bonner had come to collect; clearance was sent first-time over Bonner's head. Great finish in fairness.

[Jamjar]

Being in a second hand bookshop in Blackrock, Dublin, sometime in the early '90s. I picked up a book about Italia '90. I think it was called 'We were There' or some such . I looked at the back cover and got quite excited as it showed a crowd scene from one of the matches. I spotted my brother and beside him another friend who was there and then searched in franticly to see my own picture before realising I was hidden behind some gob****ttes tricolour.

Another great memory was travelling to the Olympic Stadium for the Italia 90 quarter final and I was convinced we were going to beat Italy and win the world cup. I also liked the fact that I could tell my boss I'd be back whenever Ireland got knocked out, spent 3 or 4 weeks on holidays. Can't see the same thing happening again.

[Wolfie]

Reeling in the Years yesterday on RTE - 1987.

Showed Lawrenson's goal against the Scots and the all important Gary McKay goal agains the Bulgarians. Still warms the heart :)