 In his first season at The Valley, Charlton won the FA Cup, defeating Burnley 4–0 in the Final.Purves was not in the team for the semi-final match against his boyhood heroes, Newcastle United, and turned up to watch the match at Elland Road, Leeds wearing a Newcastle United rosette, much to the displeasure of Charlton's manager, Jimmy Seed.After five years at Charlton Athletic for whom he made 46 Football League appearances, scoring four goals, he was signed for Southampton in June 1951.