Picture of Charlton's ground They Valley when it was abandonded

mdingwall

mdingwall

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Charlton fans fought a long campaign to get back to the Valley and spent years at Sellhurst Park as tenants.

I old the old East Terrace was said to be able to hold 44,000.

From a facebook page -

Ive finally found my old photo album with pics i took of The Valley when it was abandoned from 1985 to 1992. Here is a pic i took from the top of the massive east terrace.


 
I always remember as a kid wondering why a lower division club, like Charlton were then, had a ground with a record attendance of about 66,000, then I saw a picture of that terracing.
 
SB· said:
That's an awesome picture. There's something quite haunting about a deserted football stadium, knowing it used to hold huge crowds and is now abandoned. Cathkin Park was a great visit for the same reason, and Avanhard Stadium, too. Really eerie.
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Great picture. Wasn’t it the largest uncovered terracing in English football?

With regard to the appeal of abandoned football grounds, I used to work in Swansea, and took a look at the old abandoned Vetch Field. Definitely eerie with the wind whistling round it, the grass knee high, and the terraces overgrown, big padlock on the gates. I believe it is now redeveloped for market gardening.
 
Maybe a bit off topic, but a wee bit of trivia - when The Who did their Who Put The Boot In tour in 1976, they played three football stadiums across the UK. The Valley and Swansea’s Vetch Field are no more - the third was the Chamber of Secrets. Here’s hoping it’s an omen.
Edit - is it still the same stadium or is it now the”New Valley”?
 
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I remember having a football annual in the early ‘80s that listed all of the club grounds in Britain and The Valley had the biggest capacity in England at 67,000, something I always found odd as I think they were in the old third division at the time.
 
The Valley in 1947.

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Selhurst park?

Another team playing there that must be some record.

They are like the football ground hoor of the top flight.
 
The Valley was my first English ground visited, early 80's, Tattie holidays, midweek game v Sheff Wed, 3-0 home win.... remember it being massive terraces, but lucky if there was 10000 watching
 
Bit odd topic but the maracana in Brazil was some sight before they done it up for the world cup. Biggest stadium in the world at the time it was abandoned I'm sure. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong
 
Clicker said:
Maybe a bit off topic, but a wee bit of trivia - when The Who did their Who Put The Boot In tour in 1976, they played three football stadiums across the UK. The Valley and Swansea’s Vetch Field are no more - the third was the Chamber of Secrets. Here’s hoping it’s an omen.
Edit - is it still the same stadium or is it now the”New Valley”?
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Wonder why Pete Townshend decided to play there?
 
They're saying on that Charlton forum that their East terracing was the biggest in the UK.

Surely no way it was bigger than the North terrace at old Hampden!
 
bob1873 said:
Is it not a retail park now?
edit I’m sure there’s a site which shows deserted NFL stadiums one in Detroit springs to mind.
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It’s at the back of Currys. The owners are trying to sell it for housing but it’s in a shitehole of an area.
 
I went to the Valley when that East Terrace was open - it was jaw-droppingly massive. There were several large terraces around back then, but most were behind the goals and this was along the length of the pitch - and on a different scale to the others.

My old man was a Charlton fan and would tell me tales of how good they were in the forties, winning the FA Cup in 1946/47ish - hence the big ground I think.

Scattered his ashes two years ago in the memorial garden in the corner by the away end. Charlton told me at the time it’s the only memorial garden with a view of the pitch?

Was there before Christmas watching Cardiff and got to say, whilst it’s been modernised, it’s still a traditional football stadium and a far cry from the identikit stadia that spring up everywhere now. Proper ground.
 
Got a wee soft spot for Charlton. Ran a pub in Eltham SE9, and there were loads of Addicks who were regulars. Some helped with the early landscaping work(volunteers) before it re-opened in '92. At the first game back they played the Skids, think they may still do. Saw a few matches there the season they gained promotion.
eyalluvitt said:
Ahoy Ahoy ..........
skids55.jpg
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Christ, who knew Rob Brydon was in the Skids. That's him on the left isn't it?
 
Clicker said:
Maybe a bit off topic, but a wee bit of trivia - when The Who did their Who Put The Boot In tour in 1976, they played three football stadiums across the UK. The Valley and Swansea’s Vetch Field are no more - the third was the Chamber of Secrets. Here’s hoping it’s an omen.
Edit - is it still the same stadium or is it now the”New Valley”?
Click to expand...
It's the current stadium.
 
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