Hostilities began in 1936/37 in the League when the Addicks were promoted to Division 1. From then until 1969/70, apart from the War Years the only blank seasons were 1952/53 when the Terriers were in Division 2 and1956/57 when Town had been relegated the previous season.. Charlton fell the following season and the sides met every year until Town was promoted in 1969/70. We met again during the Great Slide when Town stayed in Division 3 for 2 years. The teams met again in Division 3 in 1980/81 and yet again for 3 years beginning in 1983/84 in Division 2. We have met in only 4 seasons since in Division 1 (old Div 2) in 1995/96-1997/98 and finally in 1999/2000.

The first match was actually an FA Cup 3rd Round tie in 1925/26 which Town won 1-0 at The Valley in front of 21,184 fans. Roy Goodall scored from a penalty.

The League start was less satisfactory as the Addicks won the first of 5 “doubles”, winning at Leeds Road 2-1 on 5th December 1936 (Richardson – gate 11,609) and 1-0 on their own turf 10th April 1937 – gate 24,995. The Addicks finished runners up to Manchester City while Town languished in 15th place. The following season was not much better as the games ended 1-1 at home and 0-4 away. Next season saw Town finally win a game; after losing 1-2 at The Valley on15th October 1938 – Price – gate 28,038 revenge was gained at Leeds Road on 18th February 4-0 (Price, Hayes(P), Mills and Barclay – gate 16,163). Immediately after The War, in 1946/47 Town won its first “double” with the best results ever against Athletic. At Leeds Road on 2nd November the score was 5-1 (Rodgers(3), Bateman and Glazzard – gate 16,944), this was the only time Town has scored more than 4 goals at home against these opponents. The return match on 8th March ended 3-0 (Thompson, Bateman and Doherty – gate 27,805); this was the best ever win away from home. After that until Town was relegated at the end of 1951/52 Town won only 2 games at home 2-1 in 1949/50 (my final year at Oakes Elementary) and 1-0 in the relegation season the other 3 games went 0-1-2 2-4. Away only 2 draws were gained, 0-0 in 1947/48 and 2-2 in 1949/50. In Fact the 2-1 win in 1949/50 started Town on its best ever home run against Charlton. The 10 meetings beginning then saw Town win 6 and draw 4. This run came to a crashing halt in 1961/62 with a 0-2 loss, yet the away game season was won 2-0. The next 9 home games ended up with a record for Town of 6-2-1 17-5 with 2 wins 4-1 and one by 4-0. Town actually won its two other “doubles in that sequence, 4-1 and 2-1 in 1966/67 and 4-0 and 2-1 in the Championship winning season of 1969/70. Charlton’s other doubles have come, with Town home games first, in 1948/49 2-1, 3-1, 1974/75 3-1, 1-0, 1985/86 2-0, 3-0 and finally in 1997/98 3-0, 1-0. The 1948/49 match at the Valley was watched by the best gate ever totalling 38,437 on 28th August.

In the 3 year stay back in Division 1 Town won at home 4-1, drew 0-0 in front of the best ever home gate of 26,996 and won 4-0 in the relegation season. The away games were all lost 1-2, 1-2 and 1-4. When the Addicks followed Town down into Division 2 at the end of 1956/57 the next meetings provided an amazing match up. On opening day Bain, Simpson and Taylor scored in a 3-3 draw at Leeds Road. Then on 21st December came the game for the history books. Town led 5-1 at The Valley with only 20 minutes left then the Terriers fell apart and of the 7 (SEVEN) goals scored in the final 20 minutes Athletic claimed 6 of them. Leading 6-5 and finally winning 7-6 they condemned Town to be the only side in League history to score 6 goals and lose! I was amazed when I heard the score on the BBC and horrified when I read the match report in the Examiner. It did not get better in the only other FA Cup meeting, again in the 3rd Round. 20,223 turned up at Leeds Road to see Law and Massie score in a 2-2 draw. The replay four days later ended up 0-1 in front of 26,637. Having missed the 13 goal thriller the TV cameras were at the Valley the next season but they saw only 3 goals in a 2-1 (Massie) win for the Addicks on 27th December. Town had won by a score of 1-0 at home on Christmas Day with Howard scoring.

Since the 1969/70 promotion season Town has not fared too well in the contest. At home the record is only a poor 3-2-5 10-14 and away an even poorer 3-1-6 10-15.

Who will likely forget the last home fixture on 28th December 1999? Town was flying high but came unstuck 1-2 with Stewart scoring in the losing cause. We did not know it at the time but that was effectively the end of Town’s promotion bid and they slid down the table to finish 8th and out of the play-offs. Some sort of revenge was gained at the Valley on 14th April when Town won 1-0 (Wijnhard) but it was too little too late.

The first meeting in this century in 2009/10 did not go well for Town. The lads played quite well but, as usual, defensive slips cost the game. Two silly goals given up with only a Pilkington free kick to show in a 1-2 defeat. The return game was a fairly poor affair. Town had failed to win in 5 home games, had not beaten a top 6 side and the Addicks had failed to beat a top 6 side in their travels. Inevitably it ended up as a 1-1 draw. After Rhodes gave Town the lead they switched off and the Addicks duly equalised.

The Addicks have started well this season, undefeated and having conceded only 2 goals. Town unfortunately still suffer from the perennial disease of making silly defensive errors and have leaked 9 goals in 2 games, admittedly 5 coming against Greedy League opposition. Since the great double in the 1969/70 promotion year results against Charlton have been poor both home and away. At home Town has a record of 3-3-5 11-15. Seemingly without a clear plan B it will be tough on Saturday I think a 1-1 draw is likely.

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