“His tackling was better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
Keith Peacock is talking to South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition about midfielder Mike Bailey, who passed away on Monday at the age of 84.
Bailey, who joined from non-league side Gorleston in 1958, played 169 first-team matches for the Addicks, scoring 22 goals, before a transfer to Wolves in 1966.
Bailey captained Charlton in the old Second Division and played twice for England, both caps coming in 1964. He also featured four times at U23 level for his country.
Mike Bailey in July 1980/Picture: Tom Morris
Bailey returned to the south London club in October 1979 with the job title of chief coach but took charge of the first-team the following March following the dismissal of Andy Nelson, whose role had initially been amended to general manager.
“For the rest of the 1979-80 season I picked the team and did the manager’s job in all but name,” said Bailey in his autobiography The Valley Wanderer, published in 2015. “It was an uncomfortable time initially because I wasn’t officially announced as manager and it wasn’t in my nature to want to take someone else’s job.
“I was basically seeing out the rest of the season as the chairman (Michael Gliksten) had declared everyone had a price, effectively meaning that the whole team was up for sale. Gliksten kept pressing me to sell Derek Hales, the best striker I had.
“He wanted to get some money in for Derek and I was against it all. Fortunately it never happened and we kept our strike force intact for the new season.”
Bailey’s one full season as manager ended with instant promotion out of the Third Division as they finished third, only two points behind champions Rotherham United. They also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup, losing 2-0 to Ipswich Town at Portman Road. The Tractor Boys won the UEFA Cup and were Division One runners-up that same campaign.
“In spite of promotion, I felt that the storm clouds were gathering. I believed that Mr Gliksten really didn’t like me and sometimes I didn’t know what to do or what to say to him,” said Bailey in his book.
Bailey was appointed Brighton boss in the summer of 1981, effectively a swap with Alan Mullery taking charge of the Addicks. Bailey was dismissed in 1982 with Albion chairman Mike Bamber saying: “Our public need to be entertained and our style of play had become too boring.”
Bailey went on to run The Valley Club which was based on the corner of Harvey Gardens, in the area where the North Stand sits now, but Charlton moved to groundshare with Crystal Palace in September 1985.
“We were stuck with a bar with no fans coming in,” recalled Bailey in The Valley Wanderer. “What had once been described as ‘south London’s premier nightspot’ was now a white elephant’.”
He opted to take a job back in management at Greek club OFI, based on the island of Crete.
Bailey succeeded Malcolm Allison at Fisher in November 1989 and kept them in the Conference. Fisher’s story about his passing added Bailey “kept us up that season, against the odds, with an amazing run in”. They held a minute’s silence before their SCEFL Premier Division fixture against Phoenix Sports last night.
This website caught up with Keith Peacock, Colin ‘Paddy’ Powell, Steve Gritt and Peter Varney to get their recollections of Bailey, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017.
Mike Bailey poses for the camera in 1958
‘His timing when it came to tackles was terrific’
Keith Peacock is Charlton’s record appearance holder (591) and was a team-mate of Mike Bailey.
“He was a top-class player - what a player. He was great for me because I was just 17 and he was in the side.
“His tackling was better than anyone I’ve ever seen. He was so unlucky when he got injured (in 1964). He broke his leg and that set him back.
“Mike was short but powerful. He could run all day. His timing when it came to tackles was terrific. I could never do that - I used to get kicked and won a few penalties. He used to win the ball and set up chances for me.
“He is one of the best players that Charlton have ever had and that is sometimes forgotten because he wasn’t here for a long time. He went to Wolves and they won promotion (to the First Division). He got better and better for them. They loved him.
“Mike was barrel-chested and so strong. I remember my first game at The Valley, we played Luton and I scored. We won 2-0. The first man to come over was Mike and he gave me a hug. I had come from Erith Grammar School about six or seven weeks before that and I had always been told ‘you don’t run around or jump in the air’. You weren’t allowed to celebrate like that.
“Mike was a terrific fella. It helped me, being out there and playing with him.”
Mike Bailey enjoys an alcoholic tipple on the train back from Carlisle - a 2-1 win in April 1981 clinching promotion from the Third Division/Picture: Tom Morris
‘He treated everyone as men’
Colin ‘Paddy’ Powell played as a winger in the Charlton team which won promotion under Bailey.
“When he took over the club was not in a good place. It was a Charlton thing - one of those occasions when no-one knew what was going on for a little while. Mike came in as Andy’s assistant and then took over.
“Mike transformed us straight away. We had a really good team spirit and we had some good players as well. Paul Walsh was only a kid but a great player. We still had Halesy and Dick Tydeman.
“Mike was a good man and everyone loved playing for him. He managed how he would want to be treated. He fired the team up. He treated everyone as men. You couldn’t cross him, to be fair, he could have a bit of a nasty streak.
“I was 31 at the time and before he came in I thought that I was going to go. Andy Nelson had told me: ‘You can’t go another season in the league’. It’s a bit ironic - I played every game that season in the league and cup.
“Mike had Benny Fenton who used to put an arm around everyone. They were a good combination. Benny had a lot of experience. When Mike did go into one - which was pretty rare - he would calm things down.
“That season under Mike was one of my best seasons, apart from the 1974-75 one when we got promoted. The last one was even more rewarding.
“You could have a poor performance on a Saturday and you’d be worried about losing your place. But Mike would call you in on the Monday and say: ‘Don’t worry - you are playing next weekend. Everyone is entitled to have a bad game’.
“He was in his forties then and we would play five-a-side competitions where four captains all picked a team. We would have a laugh - you picked him first because he was our best player!”
‘His organisational skills were top notch’
Steve Gritt was a regular in the 1980-81 Charlton team which bounced back from relegation to finish third in the Third Division.
“Things went a little bit pear-shaped for Andy Nelson and Mike ended up taking over that season. We got relegated (bottom with 22 points) but I think there wasn’t really any chance for Mike to do any kind of wonder work to not get us relegated. We looked like we were doomed even before we got to Christmas.
“One of the first things he did was take us on a training camp to Bisham Abbey in October or November 1979, when he took over the coaching and Andy moved upstairs. He wanted to get to know the players better. He took us to Marlow for a team meal one night. That was his way of introducing himself.
“He was able to implement his ideas that following season. What I remember most is how organised Mike was. He had a hell of a reputation as a player in that great Wolves team, but we didn’t know much about as a coach or manager.
“I got the impression he knew what he wanted to get from his team. I was glad I played a very decent part in that. I think we went something like 18 or 19 games unbeaten. It seemed to roll along. Everybody knew their jobs and how he wanted us to play.
“I don’t recall him being an absolute shouter. He got his point across. I remember one episode in training once, where one of the players was playing up. In the end Mike had enough of it and stopped the session. He went: ‘Right lads - in you go. See you at two o’clock’. That didn’t go down too well, particularly with some players. He made his point - that you’re either going to do it how I want it done or, if you don’t, it’s going to be a very long day for you.
“That was probably one of the only times I can remember him being like that. He cemented what he was about.
“That season we didn’t lose many games and that is why we got promoted. He always came across as quite a personable manager.
“I wouldn’t say it was the perfect season because we probably should’ve won the league that year. We won promotion at Carlisle. It ended up being a lot tighter than it should have been, from our perspective, but ultimately we got the job done.
Mike Bailey shakes hands with Andy Nelson after his appointment as chief coach in 1979/Picture: Tom Morris
“Then, lo and behold, Mike leaves, which was quite a shock. It was understandable because he went to a club that was higher up at the time. Charlton certainly did him the world of good, in terms of his managerial career.
“I played right-back up until we played Ipswich and I got dropped for that one. I wasn’t very happy with that because it was a big game at the time for the club. But he had this thing about me, I’m sure it was Mike who said it, that because I was the type who could play in any position, and was willing to play in any position, he felt I got bored after playing about 10 games in a row in one position. I had never been told that before.
“It is something I’ve remembered ever since. I don’t think it was right. If you look at the amount of games I played that season at right-back, I was left out, I think, because Terry Naylor was brought in and I was keeping him out of the team. I don’t know whether he was put under any pressure to play Terry. He eventually took over my position and I came back into the team in another role during the second half of the season (and played 49 matches).
“The only time I saw Mike after I left was years later, when he used to come to The Valley and we’d have golf days. He was a particularly good golfer. He loved his golf.
“He was always a nice fella to talk to. I haven’t seen him for a few years. I was aware he had been ill, but it was still a shock when I heard he passed away.”
Mike Bailey playing for Wolves against Charlton in September 1976 - Mike Flanagan is also in the shot/Picture: Tom Morris
‘Sir Bobby Robson was a huge admirer of his skills’
Peter Varney, along with Keith Peacock, managed the Charlton Athletic Veterans Touring Squad in the 1990s. Their tours took them to Italy, Malta and Spain.
“Mike was an integral part of that whole set-up. He was our captain. That is how I got to know him and his wife, Barbara.
“He was still unbelievably professional, when you bear in mind this was an ex-players’ tour. We used to play him almost as a centre-half.
“We won a four-team tournament in Barcelona in 1997. In the final we were a bit stitched up against Espanyol. The deal was that the players had to be over-35. They played three or four younger players, which makes a big difference.
“Mike seemed to be in the backline on his own! He was an incredible player still, in his late fifties.
“We organised to go to Barcelona and we met up with Sir Bobby Robson and his assistant Jose Mourinho. One of the first things Bobby did was put his arm around Mike and say: ‘What a fantastic player this man was’.
“I saw my first game in 1960. Mike was a bit like Billy Bonds - one of those players who came along and you thought ‘oh my God, he is so good’. In those days Charlton were always a selling club. He just ran the midfield in games. It wasn’t a surprise he went. All his best years were probably at Wolves but he had a massive affection for Charlton.
“Before the Alzheimer’s hit him badly I would often see him in the car park at The Valley, coming to home games with Barbara. He was still a fan.”
Great piece Rich, I was 14 in 1980 but still remember my 1st upset at my club getting relegated to the Third Division! So upset but a great following season with the promotion feeling and jubulation after the sorrow as a young lad ! 🫢🙏🙏🦶
Nice words about Mike. Sadly I never saw him play, but I enjoyed his one full season as manager. Rest in peace Mike