100 YEARS of the VALLEY from Hat-Tricks to the Who, Charlton Athletic’S Famousfamous Homehome Hashas Seenseen Itit All.All
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匀䄀䴀 䈀䄀刀吀刀䄀䴀 䌀䠀刀䤀匀 匀伀䰀䰀夀 㤀㌀㐀 ጠ 㤀㔀㘀 ㈀ 㤀 ጠ 倀刀䔀匀䔀一吀 ㈀ 㤀⼀㈀ 匀䔀䄀匀伀一 吀䤀䌀䬀䔀吀匀 夀䔀䄀刀匀 伀䘀 吀䠀䔀 嘀䄀䰀䰀䔀夀 倀刀䤀䌀䔀匀 䘀刀伀䴀 ꌀ㈀ 䈀伀伀䬀 夀伀唀刀匀 䈀䔀䘀伀刀䔀 伀唀刀 䔀䄀刀䰀夀ⴀ䈀䤀刀䐀 䐀䔀䄀䐀䰀䤀一䔀 伀一 䴀伀一䐀䄀夀 㘀吀䠀 䴀䄀夀 100 YEARS OF THE VALLEY From hat-tricks to The Who, Charlton Athletic’s famousfamous homehome hashas seenseen itit all.all. RisingRising fromfrom thethe shellshell ofof It would be mostly Second Division football on show for the next few decades, but the football was an abandoned sand and chalk pit in SE7 (locally known as ‘the swamp’) an army of volunteers, not the only attraction during the 1970s as The Valley played host to two legendary rock concerts, including the club’s early supporters, helped dig out the area for the pitch, using the materials to headlined by The Who, with well over 76,000 squeezed in, legitimately or otherwise. build up makeshift stands in what was already a natural bowl. The second gig, which took place on May 31st, 1976, made it into the Guinness Book of Records for On September 13th, 1919, the ground officially became home when the club played its first game at the loudest ever gig, measured at 120 decibels from 50 metres away. what was then simply referred to as the Charlton Enclosure. Charlton’s ‘A’ team beat Summerstown 2-0 in the South Suburban League on that day. By 1985, The Valley had fallen into physical decline and out of the hands of the club – a combination that would have a devastating effect. For some years, the chalk-pit stadium remained basic and The Valley was still without even a stand by the time the Addicks were elected into the Football League in 1921. But an article in the On September 7th, 1985, fans arrived in SE7 for the Addicks’ game against Crystal Palace to be influential Athletic News, which boasted the virtues of the Floyd Road ground as the potential future informed by leaflet that the club would be leaving their home and would take up residence at home for the Football Association’s national stadium, was said to have helped sway the vote in Selhurst Park, home of the opponents that day. Two weeks later, Charlton beat Stoke City 2-0 in what favour of Charlton’s election. was thought to be the last ever game to be played at The Valley. Incredibly, Lennie Lawrence would lead his side back to the First Division that season. The article read that the site in SE7 was one that could be made into “such a ground as men dream of.” Indeed, over the next century, that would prove to be the case. The Valley’s first grandstand, Seven years of fighting by the club and its loyal supporters, including the formation of political party which included dressing rooms, was completed in 1922 at a cost of £14,000 and its distinctive The Valley Party, would eventually lead to the dream of returning home being realised and, on multi-span roof would remain in place until it was replaced by a flat, modern cover in 1979 and, December 5th, 1992, Colin Walsh scored the first goal back at The Valley as Charlton beat Portsmouth as the football club grew in stature, so too did The Valley. on a hugely emotional day for all concerned. A short-lived move away to Catford South End’s Mount Stadium in 1923 was followed by a swift By that time, the east terrace was condemned, the West Stand was a temporary structure and the return home. The vast East Stand terrace began to take shape and it stretched round behind to the dressing rooms and offices were portacabins and, although it was slightly ramshackle, it was home. south end of the ground to form an imposing sight and one of the largest single terraces in all of Like a phoenix from the flames, The Valley rose again. The crumbling east terrace was replaced by the football, with the ground holding one of the biggest capacities in Europe. modern East Stand in 1994, while the West Stand was redeveloped into a two-tier structure in 1998, just in time for the Addicks’ promotion to the Premier League as top-flight football returned to SE7 for Jimmy Seed’s appointment as manager in 1933 was the beginning of something special and it was the first time in 41 years. not long before the north end of the ground became the famous Covered End, with a roof added to the terrace to protect fans from the elements. Three years later, the Covered End saw a second tier added and the north corners of the ground were filled in to create what we have today – a 27,111 capacity, first-class stadium which is fit for Premier Seed’s successful team began getting the crowds to match as the Addicks raced through the divisions League football. to the top flight before The Valley recorded its highest ever attendance on February 12th, 1938 when 75,031 packed into SE7 to watch Charlton share a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa in the fifth round of Although its aesthetics have changed in many ways over the past 100 years, one thing has always the FA Cup. remained the same: The Valley is the very heart of the identity of Charlton Athletic. For generations of supporters it has been, and it will always remain, home, sweet home. The most famous ground in south London would host 15 years of top-flight football (interrupted by the Second World War) until 1957 with relegation to the Second Division, but it was that year that The Valley would host arguably its most incredible game, when Charlton staged one of the greatest comebacks football has ever seen against Huddersfield Town. Having been 5-1 down with just 28 minutes remaining, and down to 10 men, Charlton scrapped back to earn an incredible 7-6 victory. 100 YEARS OF THE VALLEY From hat-tricks to The Who, Charlton Athletic’s famousfamous homehome hashas seenseen itit all.all. RisingRising fromfrom thethe shellshell ofof It would be mostly Second Division football on show for the next few decades, but the football was an abandoned sand and chalk pit in SE7 (locally known as ‘the swamp’) an army of volunteers, not the only attraction during the 1970s as The Valley played host to two legendary rock concerts, including the club’s early supporters, helped dig out the area for the pitch, using the materials to headlined by The Who, with well over 76,000 squeezed in, legitimately or otherwise. build up makeshift stands in what was already a natural bowl. The second gig, which took place on May 31st, 1976, made it into the Guinness Book of Records for On September 13th, 1919, the ground officially became home when the club played its first game at the loudest ever gig, measured at 120 decibels from 50 metres away. what was then simply referred to as the Charlton Enclosure. Charlton’s ‘A’ team beat Summerstown 2-0 in the South Suburban League on that day. By 1985, The Valley had fallen into physical decline and out of the hands of the club – a combination that would have a devastating effect. For some years, the chalk-pit stadium remained basic and The Valley was still without even a stand by the time the Addicks were elected into the Football League in 1921. But an article in the On September 7th, 1985, fans arrived in SE7 for the Addicks’ game against Crystal Palace to be influential Athletic News, which boasted the virtues of the Floyd Road ground as the potential future informed by leaflet that the club would be leaving their home and would take up residence at home for the Football Association’s national stadium, was said to have helped sway the vote in Selhurst Park, home of the opponents that day. Two weeks later, Charlton beat Stoke City 2-0 in what favour of Charlton’s election. was thought to be the last ever game to be played at The Valley. Incredibly, Lennie Lawrence would lead his side back to the First Division that season. The article read that the site in SE7 was one that could be made into “such a ground as men dream of.” Indeed, over the next century, that would prove to be the case. The Valley’s first grandstand, Seven years of fighting by the club and its loyal supporters, including the formation of political party which included dressing rooms, was completed in 1922 at a cost of £14,000 and its distinctive The Valley Party, would eventually lead to the dream of returning home being realised and, on multi-span roof would remain in place until it was replaced by a flat, modern cover in 1979 and, December 5th, 1992, Colin Walsh scored the first goal back at The Valley as Charlton beat Portsmouth as the football club grew in stature, so too did The Valley. on a hugely emotional day for all concerned. A short-lived move away to Catford South End’s Mount Stadium in 1923 was followed by a swift By that time, the east terrace was condemned, the West Stand was a temporary structure and the return home. The vast East Stand terrace began to take shape and it stretched round behind to the dressing rooms and offices were portacabins and, although it was slightly ramshackle, it was home. south end of the ground to form an imposing sight and one of the largest single terraces in all of Like a phoenix from the flames, The Valley rose again.