Charlton Athletic: The Greatest Game (1998)
3h 0min
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- Synopsis:
The stakes were high when Charlton met Sunderland in the 1998 First Division play-off final, but no one who travelled to Wembley on that May afternoon could possibly have anticipated the dramatic spectacle that was about to unfold before them. More than 77,000 supporters - and an international television audience - were treated to one of the most remarkable contests ever staged at England's national stadium, as the promotion hopes of each team ebbed and flowed during an afternoon that left spectators, officials and players exhilarated and emotionally drained. The sides shared 8 memorable goals over 120 tense minutes, before the outcome was finally decided on sudden-death penalties. For Charlton striker Clive Mendonca, scorer of a hat-trick against the club he supported, it was a bitter-sweat highlight of a fine career. The match proved a pivotal afternoon in the history of the Addicks, providing a financial platform for manager Alan Curbishley to build a squad that could compete at the highest level. After so many years of frustration for a club that had haemorrhaged support from the 1950s onwards, repeatedly sold it's best players and eventually lost it's ground, Charlton's prospects were transformed in a single afternoon. But this would probably have been true however the Addicks had won. The extraordinary thing was that they did so in the most enthralling contest anyone present could remember. For Charlton supporters and more than a few others across the world, this was indeed The Greatest Game. - Studio:
- Cornerstone
- Genres:
- Documentary, Special Interest, Sports & Sport Films