'Beating Arsenal at Highbury was the ultimate highlight' - Mark Fish on his Charlton Athletic career, early retirement due to injury and hoping another South African star graces Valley turf

Defender played more than a century of matches for the Addicks

“FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

It is almost a Pavlovian reaction for Charlton Athletic fans when a goldfish swims across the big screen at The Valley. Each time it does, a big section of the home support elongate the surname of one of their former defenders.

It’s still a thing on a matchday in SE7, despite the fact that it is more than two decades since Mark Fish last played for the Addicks.

Nowadays the visual is used to advertise the club’s TV channel as well as serving as a dose of nostalgia.

Mark Fish/Picture: Keith Gillard

The former centre-back retired at the age of 31, while still on the books of Charlton. He had made a month-long loan move to Ipswich Town in August 2005 but played just 45 minutes, against QPR, before announcing he was hanging up his boots.

“I went to see a knee specialist and he said if I carried on training I would need a knee replacement,” said the former South African international. “I had young kids. I took the decision.

“Charlton had sent me on loan to Ipswich, where I was looking to get match fit. I played 45 minutes for Joe Royle. At half-time we looked at each other. I knew he was going to substitute me - because my brain could do it but my body couldn’t. I couldn’t turn and run, which was one of my best attributes in my prime.”

Fish, now 52, joined Charlton from Bolton Wanderers in November 2000 for a £700,000 fee. The Addicks had tried to seal a transfer in June but it broke down right at the point of completion.

Then Bolton boss Sam Allardyce claimed that Fish, due to be a free agent at the end of the 2000-01 season, reneged on a three-year contract extension that had been verbally agreed.

“He said so many things and we did so many things but then he failed to sign the contract, for whatever reason,” said Allardyce, who subbed Fish off in the 56th minute of a 1-1 draw against Birmingham City, at the time. “You accept that but then his performances have shown everybody at the club that he doesn’t want to be here. I had to act very, very quickly. I moved him on as quickly as I possibly could.

"He knew about the Charlton situation. I knew they were in for him, he knew they were in for him and it looked like he didn’t want to play for us.”

So how does Fish recall that period?