With John Robinson’s episode of Valley Stories set to be released exclusively on Valley Pass on Friday, we are this week looking back at some bite-sized Valley Stories clips featuring other Addicks legends.
Yesterday, Johnnie Jackson looked back to being a Tottenham trainee whilst also an Arsenal supporter and today Alan Curbishley remembers how he secured the signing of Claus Jensen in 2000…
Legendary Charlton Manager Alan Curbishley literally went the extra mile to sign Claus Jensen from Bolton Wanderers in the summer of 2000.
The Addicks had just been promoted as champions and, having had a taster of the top flight in 1998/99, the boss was determined to build a squad that was capable of holding its own in the Premiership.
In the close season, Curbishley heard that one of his targets – Claus Jensen at Bolton Wanderers – looked as if he may be set to sign elsewhere. At that point, he had to act swiftly to secure the Dane's signature.
“Claus was set to go to Ipswich,” Curbishley remembered in his exclusive Valley Stories interview. “We intercepted it.
“We found out he was in a hotel in Ipswich, so I drove down there and managed to get to him before he met George Burley. Sometimes that is what you have to do!
“We knew that Ipswich had agreed a fee, so that wasn’t going to change and we just had to get to him. He still spoke to Ipswich but fortunately we managed to do the deal.
“No disrespect to Ipswich at that time but they had just been promoted, while we went up as champions. People knew who we were and we had a bit of a reputation.
“We wanted to buy players who would be around for some time and have a bit of longevity and Claus was one of those.”
Supporters can watch Curbishley’s Valley Stories interview in full on Valley Pass.