Sunday 4 November 2001 - Arsenal vs Charlton
I went off to see the Addicks play Arsenal at Highbury (back in the days when I was able to go to every away game).
With the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieria playing for Arsenal, even the greatest Charlton fan thought we were going to get thumped that day.
8 mins into the game and Thierry Henry puts Arsenal ahead. You knew the onslaught was coming, could we just hang on and make it respectable?
Shot after shot was cleared off the line, with Charlton players hurling themselves in front of the ball like their lifes depended on it. The post and crossbar had taken a battering. It was close to half time, and everyone just wanted it to end ... we should have been 11-0 down.
Then it happened ....
A cross into the box and Steve Brown scores a wonderful headed. One shot on target .... one goal. Charlton were level.
Then within minutes, another hopeful ball thrust forward was chased by Jason Euell and Richard Wright punched the ball into his own net. Charlton were 2-1 up. No one could quite believe it!
The second half started and you could see the confidence running through the Charlton players. It was a reverse of the first half. Charlton were now buzzing and you sensed something amazing was going to help.
Claus Jensen received the ball on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area. He looked up, saw Richard Wright a little of his line. He chipped the ball with precision off the crossbar, on to the post and in. The Charlton fans went crazy!
Then in what seemed like no time at all, Claus Jensen played a through ball for Jason Euell, which he slotted past Richard Wright for 4-1. Charlton hadn't won at Highbury since the 1950's, so this was becoming something special.
I remember Scott Parker running up to the Charlton fans and going absolutely potty !!! The rest was just a haze, I was in wonderland and I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
I looked up at the score board and I will remember the vision as clear as anything for the rest of my life. It read 60 mins - Arsenal 1-4 Charlton 4.
I remember the Charlton fans pinching themselves to make sure this was actually happening. All them still expecting us to lose horribly. We are Charlton, we don't and beat teams like Arsenal or Manchester United, or do we?
The game ended 4-2 with another goal from Thierry Henry.
I could not believe what I had just witnessed, so I went out and bought the game on VHS video tape from the club shop a few days later. I had to re-watch the game to make sure it was real.
It is probably one of the best Charlton performances I have ever seen. Players like Steve Brown don't come along too often. He would give everything for our club, no matter the damage his caused to his own body. A true Charlton legend.
Mark Hill
Iwade, Kent
Memory added on October 25, 2013
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