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That Chico Moment


BowenBoys
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Just found out that my work will bring me into contact with one Chic Charnley.

Got me thinking about favourite Chico moments. I guess mine would be v Celtic at Hampden in '95, the quick free kick that fooled the Celtic defence and resulted in Wayne Foster's first goal. That win kept us up that season.

 

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Remember a game at Brockville Chic had been getting pelters from the locals who were delighted when he got clattered right in front of the home section of the shed. When the physio came on the great man who was lying flat out on the pitch was delighted to show where he was hurting by hauling his shorts down and mooning the home fans

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The ball he played to Geordie Shaw in the 1-0 win over Celtic at Firhill. I think it was a free kick from way out, but what a ball it was. He'd taken pelters from our support in the 1st half as he was playing poorly. Also what seemed like a 40 yard free-kick goal at Forfar one night in the Cup

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So many moments.  Probably when he was waiting to take a corner at Kilbowie.  The ref is sorting out a 'melee' in the box.  I'm just a youngster, leaning on the wall beside him.  'Here wee man, that pie any good?'   Aye Chic, no bad.  'Gies a bit'.  He takes a bite, ref blows the whistle, he takes the corner.  

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Away to St Mirren in a cup replay at love street when we were struggling in the first division and they were in the premier. We were lucky to hold them 0-0 in the first tie and I didn't have high expectations going to the replay.

Then Chico started to play and we won 3-1. He hit so many 30/40 yard passes that landed to perfection every time. First time I'd seen a player in a thistle top who could play passes like that and totally control a game. It could have been as many as Chico wanted and it was the nearest to watching Jim Baxter extract the urine v England at Wembley that I've seen. Only found out later that he had been on St Mirren's books before and wanted to show them what they missed out on.

He'd only just signed at that point but watching him that night you knew we had something special.

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Pinned in against the touchline surrounded by three players against Queens Park, Hampden on a sunny night. Chic did some crazy turn to got himself out and start a move. Left the three QP players completely confused about what he'd done and where he'd gone. The turned to us, bowed and waved

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1 hour ago, michael m said:

Thistle 2 Falkirk 0 - both goals scored by John Buckley - the second Chic took to the byeline before putting his foot on the ball, stopping and looking up before placing it right on Buckley's napper while the Bairns defenders just stood back and watched (with great admiration!)

This was one of my favourite ever games. We were outstanding that night and should have been 6-0.

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Beating Kilmarnock 1-0 at home. With the clock ticking down  in injury time, the ball comes to Chic on the edge of the Killie box. With most of the crowd urging him to shoot, he turns round and pings a 70 yard pass back to the Thistle keeper (can't remember who, maybe Cammy Duncan)..

A lot of fans were going mental with him for not having a pop at goal. I just remember turning to my pal and saying "Only Charnley could have done that."

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During his spell in coaching he was walking along the goal line at the bing end when the players were warming up. He had got to about 10 yards of the corner flag at the tunnel side of the ground when a loose ball started to come up behind him.  Someone must have shouted on him to knock the ball back because in one movement he turned round 180 degrees, shot left footed,  "scored" direct from the (almost) corner and disappeared down the tunnel.

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At the old Parkhead, we're 1-0 down and time is running out.  Chico takes a corner from the right, straight in front of us.  Inswinger, right on to Tom Smith's napper at the back post, into the net it goes, we go wild, ref chalks it off for some obscure reason.  A minute later, in injury-time now, another corner from the right, exactly the same delivery and result, this time the goal stands.  Happy days.

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I wasn't there and it wasn't for thistle but i temeber the 5live phone in the following week discussing this wee fat guy who'd played for celtic v man utd in a "glamour" friendly. And i saw rhe photo in the daily ranger...when chico nutmeged cantona.

 

Once, standing with my mates in the enclosure, right side of the dugouts. Chjco was having a horror. That's all i remember. Not the score not the team we were playing. Chico was about 20 yards away from me in a break in play. He'd just blootered it out the park and i shouted somerhing negative at him. He heard it. Stared right at me. My mates shuffled away from me. He lifted the index finger of his left hand and, still staring right at me ran it down his left cheek. I pure shat mysel. Still do even now when i think of it. 

Most skillful player i've seen in thistle jersey

 

 

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2 hours ago, laukat said:

Away to St Mirren in a cup replay at love street when we were struggling in the first division and they were in the premier. We were lucky to hold them 0-0 in the first tie and I didn't have high expectations going to the replay.

Then Chico started to play and we won 3-1. He hit so many 30/40 yard passes that landed to perfection every time. First time I'd seen a player in a thistle top who could play passes like that and totally control a game. It could have been as many as Chico wanted and it was the nearest to watching Jim Baxter extract the urine v England at Wembley that I've seen. Only found out later that he had been on St Mirren's books before and wanted to show them what they missed out on.

He'd only just signed at that point but watching him that night you knew we had something special.

Funny how you see things differently. I felt we had been robbed in that 1st game. Can’t remember now why.

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3 hours ago, Lenziejag said:

Funny how you see things differently. I felt we had been robbed in that 1st game. Can’t remember now why.

We didn't play badly in the first game. I just remember St Mirren having the better chances. Also have a vague recollection of John Mitchell missing our best chance.

St Mirren had a very decent support at the time (almost 9000 at the firhill game and nearly the same at the replay) and part of the reason I didn't have much optimism for the replay was it felt like we had our chance at Firhill against the premier league team.

The fact it was so one-sided in the replay was testament to what Chico did that night.

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Met the great man today. There are three Jags fans on our crew and we've been excited about meeting Chic. We all had a good chat about him, Lambie, Thistle, then and now. A former footballer from a different era just getting on with his post-playing life. Looking forward to the next time we meet when we'll probably behave less like starstruck teenagers.

A player with great skill & vision and a tremendous character. You don't see those often these days.

His parting remark, "Football's fu<ked now anyway."

Edited by BowenBoys
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I remember being outside Killie one day, well before kick-off. I reckon my Dad might have been in hospitality. So just me and my brother killing time, both hunched over one match programme, oblivious to the world around us, as teenagers generally are.

Then just heard, "Alright lads?" Looked up, there he was, big beaming smile, heading in to the stadium. So yeah, we literally were "starstruck teenagers". Don't even remember whether I said anything back. Maybe like "Ehh, hullo".

 

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Have a nice photo of Chic with me just before a game at Firhill.

Remember once at Firhill his wife Mary (I think), shouting that his boy wanted a pie but hudnae ate his dinner. Was an hilarious exchange between the three of them as Thistle were about to take a throw in. The 'thrower' stopped and waited until they'd finished.

1-0 at the Commonwealth Stadium against Meadowbank when Chic scored a late penalty with the outside of his foot. Keeper didn't move.

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I met Chic at a sort of 'meet the players' night at Maryhill Town Hall.   He asked me and the guy I was with  to stand in front of the table with the tea and coffee, basically to form a defensive wall and hide him while he filled his plate with custard creams and bourbons.   He said that Lambie had caught him earlier and warned him about not eating any more biscuits.   The dedication of the professional sportsman :D

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