Five memorable opening day Charlton victories

Charlton will travel to Sunderland on the opening day of the 2018/19 campaign and, ahead of the beginning of the new season, we have searched the unrivalled Valley Pass archive. 

The Addicks received their fixture list on Thursday morning and after a trip to Wearside we will host Shrewsbury Town at The Valley. To view our fixture list in full, please click here.

Charlton earned a 3-1 win over Sunderland on the first day of the 2005/06 campaign. Below, highlights from that victory and four other opening-day crackers are available to watch…

Sunderland 1 Charlton 3 (2005/06)

The Stadium of Light

The 2005/06 Premier League season saw Charlton finish 13th, in the Premier League in a successful campaign for the Addicks. New striker Darren Bent hit 18 league goals and 22 in all competitions and he hit the ground running at the Stadium of Lights.

Two goals from debutant Bent and another from Danny Murphy secured the win, despite Darren Ambrose’s red card in the second half. The Addicks will return to Wearside for the first time since 05/06 next season. 

Charlton 4 Manchester City 0 (2000/2001)

The Valley

Another memorable opening day win came against the current champions of England at The Valley in August 2000. Goals from Andy Hunt, John Robinson, Mark Kinsella and Graham Stuart sealed all three points in style. A teenage Kevin Lisbie earned a start in the absence of more strikers and he came close to scoring when he rattled the crossbar in the second half. 

Charlton 3 Barnsley 1 (1999/2000)

The Valley

In front of 20,000 fans, Charlton opened the 1999/2000 season with a convincing win over Barnsley. A Clive Mendonca hat-trick, including a stunning left-footed volley, gave the Addicks a perfect start to the title-winning campaign. 

Charlton 3 Grimsby Town 1 (1992/1993)

Upton Park

This season would, of course, be remembered for Charlton’s long-awaited return to The Valley. That had to wait until December, however, and before that the Addicks started the season off brightly by going unbeaten in their first 10 games. Grimsby Town visited for the season’s opener but came away with nothing as goals from Garry Nelson, Carl Leaburn and Alex Dyer gave Charlton the win. 

Charlton 1 Bristol Rovers 0 (2017/18)

The Valley 

The opening day of last season started with a win as 10-man Charlton overcame Bristol Rovers, courtesy of a Patrick Bauer goal. Lee Novak’s red card, just seven minutes into the game, didn’t stop the Addicks from grabbing all three points in SE7. 

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