Ten Years Ago: bore draw at The Valley

Charlton faced Stoke City on 1st April 1995 and the game ended 0-0. My notes recall, 'Stoke defended resolutely. Charlton had a couple of good chances, but failed to score.' Referee Graham Barber booked Robbo and Sweaty Balmer for dissent on 26 minutes.

Something of a pall was cast over the warm spring day by the news that Lee Bowyer and Dean Chandler had failed a random drug test. However, five players were offered extended contracts, including Rufus, Steve Brown, Jamie Stuart and Paul Sturgess. Anyone remember the fifth? Alan Pardew's fate remained uncertain, but he appeared in the programme illustrating his failure to apply Grecian 2000 thoroughly.

Also in the programme was a desperate appeal from Chris Tugwell who feared that his money making scratchcard scheme was being undermined by the National Lottery. 'It is essential that you buy our lottery scratchcard. It is important because it could be vital to our existance [sic].' Strange to think that our fate ten years ago rested on a scratchcard with a snowman, Father Christmas and reindeer on the front (as per illustration), but perhaps it was a new way of marking Easter.

Just to add to the sophistication of the occasion, the match was sponsored by Trax Cafe Bar, Bexley.