When we beat Boro 8-1

There are some Charlton matches you wish for ever that you had not missed. First and foremost for me was the 7-6 victory over Huddersfield Town. We were Christmas shopping in Woolwich! A close second from that period was the 8-1 victory over Middlesbrough on 12 September 1953 in my first season supporting Charlton.

We weren't alone in not going as 23,790 attended the match, while I was among the crowd of 31,258 that saw Charlton beat Liverpool 6-0 a fortnight later, in the interim having beaten Tom Finney's Preston North End 2-1 away and West Brom 3-2 at The Hawthorns.

Attendances at Charlton were attracting some attention. Writing in the Yorkshire Post Richard Ulyatt commented, 'Charlton Athletic officials may ruefully comment that quality of football does not count for much in public opinion: popularity depends upon a whim, a name, or the colour of the players' shirts.

They have every reason to grouse. On a fine night last night only 18,000 watched the home match in which by beating Preston North End 2-1, they became the highest placed London club in the First Division of the Football League, just above Tottenham on goal average, and handsomely situated compared with Chelsea and Arsenal, whose desperate meeting at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday was watched by 80,000 people.

In the provinces First Division clubs need at least 25,000 spectators to pay their way: in London the figure will be higher. The other three clubs are wealthy, but for Charlton every season is a struggle, though none as seemed as quite as bad as this. Even the visit of Tom Finney, one of the two most brilliant wingers in the game, Baxter and the other clever Preston players could not attract a paying attendance.'

Using the British Library online newspaper archive I was unable to track down many accounts of the win over Boro, other than of the 'Elsewhere, Charlton won 8-1' variety. However, I did find an account in a Birmingham paper of the first half which gave no indication of what was to come.

'Middlesbrough went ahead after five minutes when from a fine through pass by Fitzsimons centre forward Spuhler set in a shot which Bartram touched but could not hold. Charlton gradually gained more of the play. Midway through the half O'Linn equalised with a header from Hurst's corner.

Near half time O'Linn with a fine run on the right and a fierce shot, put Charlton ahead. Half-time: Charlton 2, Middlesbrough 1.'

It was 64 minutes before Firmani scored the third goal, but Boro then collapsed. Hurst scored three minutes and later and then again on 80 minutes to make it 5-1. There were then three goals in as many minutes: Firmani, 82; Leary 84; Firmani, 85.

Jimmy Seed said afterwards: 'The forward were rampant and towards the end they were unstoppable.'