Charlton Athletic’s fixture against Chelsea in the FA Cup Third Round on Saturday evening will be the highest-attended FA Cup Home game at The Valley for 50 years.

The last occasion when more than 25,000 attended The Valley for an FA Cup tie was on the 24th January 1976 on a Saturday afternoon when Charlton hosted Ian St John’s Portsmouth in the competition’s fourth round.

Bob Curtis put the home side 1-0 up from the Penalty Spot after 26 minutes, but a 88th minute equaliser from Norman Piper in front of 26,361 meant a replay would be held at Fratton Park 3 days later. Charlton won the replay by 3 goals to nil (Colin Powell, Derek Hales and George Hope) and went on to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fifth round at Molineux in front of a 7,000 away following. Sub John Richards with a Hat Trick for the First Division side.

Since that run in 1976, Charlton would go on to play in the famous cup competition at the Valley over the years and here are highlights of some of those memorable afternoons and nights at the Valley.

9th January 1979 v Maidstone United 1-1 Third Round

Memorable for the wrong reasons. Charlton a goal down to Non League Maidstone after 13 minutes would make the game level after 77 minutes thanks to Mike Flanagan but it was on 86 minutes when the 13.457 crowd on a Tuesday night witnessed something unprecedented in Charlton’s history.

Flanagan and Derek Hales were sent off for fighting when after arguing with each other over an offside call, Hales lashed out a couple of times before Flanagan replied with a punch.

Charlton won the replay six days later by 2 goals to 1, minus Flanagan and Hales.

2nd March 1994 v Bristol City 2-0 Fifth Round Replay

After a 1-1 draw at Ashton Gate, Charlton came back to the Valley knowing that they would face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Quarter Finals if they were to over come their fellow First Division opposition in Bristol City.

A penalty from Captain Darren Pitcher after 36 minutes put Charlton 1 up. The penalty was awarded for a foul on Steve Brown. Kim Grant would make the game safe after 89 minutes in front of a crowd of 8,205 on a Wednesday night. Highlights were shown later that evening on BBC One with commentary by John Motson.

Charlton reached the last eight for the first time since 1947 but would lose by 3 goals to 1 against a United side down to ten men just before Half time when Peter Schmeichel received his marching orders with the score goalless.

6th January 1996 v Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Third Round

Premier League Sheffield Wednesday were the visitors on a Saturday afternoon to the Valley in front of 13,765 to witness Charlton Athletic pull off a cup shock.

Paul Mortimer’s vision and pass to Kim Grant after 7 minutes saw Grant score pass Kevin Pressman to put Charlton one up and they doubled their lead after 36 minutes when Mortimer scored from the Penalty spot after Grant was pulled down in the area by Pressman.

Charlton would go down to ten men after 54 minutes after John Humphrey was sent off for 2 yellow cards both for fouls on Andy Sinton but the South London kept their lead intact and would go on to beat Brentford at the Valley (3-2 John Robinson, Lee Bowyer and David Whyte) in Round Four, before losing up at Anfield on a Wednesday night by 2 goals to 1 to Liverpool at the end of February in the last sixteen.

5th January 1997 v Newcastle United 1-1 Third Round

A Sunday lunchtime kick off live on Sky Sports would see Premier League Newcastle United enter the Valley with old boy Robert Lee making his return to SE7 where he made his Charlton debut just under 13 years earlier.

Lee would put Newcastle into the lead at Halftime with a goal after 33 minutes, but Charlton would equalise after 78 minutes when a strike from Mark Kinsella outside the box past Shaka Hislop in front of a crowd of 14,847.

Newcastle would go on to win the replay 10 days later by 2 goals to 1 after extra time, thanks to a goal from Alan Shearer after 100 minutes. Kenny Dalglish was appointed the new Newcastle manager the day before the game after Kevin Keegan resigned three days after the first game at the Valley.

6th January 2001 v Dagenham and Redbridge 1-1 Third Round

Non League Dagenham & Redbridge were 4 normal minutes away from one of the biggest shocks by beating a Premier League team in the FA Cup before Sub John Salako found his way with a shot passed Tony Roberts after 86 minutes. Junior McDougald put the visitors a goal up after 42 minutes in front of a crowd of 18.681 on a Saturday afternoon.

The replay took place 3 weeks later at Victoria Road on a Saturday afternoon, where a winning goal from Shaun Newton in the first minute of Extra Time saw the addicks go into the Fourth Round where they would lose by 4 goals to 2 to Tottenham Hotspur on a Wednesday night after being 2 nil up after 49 minutes.

23rd March 2006 v Middlesbrough 0-0 Quarter Final

After wins v Sheffield Wednesday, Leyton Orient and Brentford in the previous rounds, Charlton would face fellow Premier League side Middlesbrough on a Thursday night live on BBC Two in front of a crowd of 24,187 at the Valley.

Charlton were unable to find a way past Mark Schwarzer who made two important saves during the first half and would end up losing 4-2 in the replay at the Riverside the following month.