In 1985-6 Charlton, playing in exile at Selhurst Park, were promoted to the top flight. Speaking to The League Paper Rob Lee recalled, 'They were tough times at Charlton, so without a doubt I rate it as one of the highlights of my career.'
Rob recalled, 'I knew that the club needed to get back to the Valley and we were getting low crowds for a team pushing for the top league. Pre-season we didn't think promotion was a possibility. I wouldn't have expected us to go up, I don't think any of us did, but results seemed to go our way, we played very well and had some good players.'
'We bought about five or six players that summer but no big names, just players [Sir] Lennnie [Lawrence] thought could do a good job for us. We had a few youngsters coming through and it gelled a lot quicker than we thought it would.'
'There were problems off the field but Lennie got together a good side. He was very meticulous in what he did and always organised the team very well. Even with that range of money he bought very well and often sold players on for more than he paid for them.'
'It was a well balanced team without any outstanding players. John Humphreys was one of the best right full backs I've seen. He used to bomb forward like full backs do now.'
'Peter Shirtliff was an outstanding defender and Mark Reid was also a good left back. We had a decent back four which is really the foundation of a good team. You get a defence that is organised and work together and work forward from them. That was our main strength.'
'We had John Perason as well who was a natural goalscorer. He did well for us but he also did well for me as I was playing up front at the time.'
'Promotion was sealed away at Carlisle. Would you believe, we won 3-2 after being 2-0 down. We celebrated by having a few cans of lager in the coach but nothing like they do nowadays.'
'Getting promoted was a massive boost for the club achieved against all the odds. Selhust Park is only seven miles from The Valley but it's a dog of a journey for Charlton fans'.
'The crowds were small but we had a great team spirit. We got Charlton into the top league and we stayed there.'
4 comments:
'It was a well balanced team without any outstanding players.'
'Peter Shirtliff was an outstanding defender'
Good work Rob
I did notice a few contradictions in his statements, but it's always possible that the interviewer garbled what he said.
Contradiction's or not, what we would do for that back four now. Going up to hillsborough brought back memories of Shirtliffe, which led me to think about Humphrey and Reid. If Chris can instill that sort of work ethic back into our club and a couple of new signings who knows maybe just maybe.... And we can watch it at the valley!
That Saturday in May 86 was an extradordinary delight. The gateman insisted my 9-y-0 shd go in for nothing and Jim Tolmie scored as long-range an own goal as can ever have been seen. But there were no celebrating Addicks in town afterwards; assume everyone else was/were on the coach(es) home. A gem, orchestrated by Mr No-Nonsense Aizlewood.
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