Amazing Addick Turns 80

AlecB · December 15

Charlton and Beatles fan Rosemary Hutton has turned 80 today (Monday 15 December). It's been a magical mystery tour ................

A day in the life - Saturday 20 December 1980

My brother Duncan (aged 7) & I (aged 5) had obviously been winding our mum (Rosemary) up sufficiently enough for her to feel she needed to get us out of the house. I can’t imagine going to a football match was top of the list for many divorced single mothers in the 1980’s, but something (insanity probably) must have led her to the Valley.

Perhaps it was a vague memory of passing there with her dad when they lived near the ground or maybe there was encouragement for her to take us from her brother and lifelong Addick Stuart.

Our first game was against Carlisle (who had a young Peter Beardsley in their line-up). Little did Mum know that the walk down Floyd Road, the smiling lady selling programmes, the single goal standing on the mound between the West and South Stands, the magnificent but crumbling East Terrace, the half-time walk from the South Stand to the ram-shackled North Stand where there was a man selling ‘Monkey Nuts’, would captivate all three of us.

Here, there and everywhere

Following Charlton, our favourite team, soon became ‘our thing’ to do as a family on a Saturday. Money was tight so there was no demand for pocket money – Duncan and I just hoped there was always just enough in the purse to buy tickets and Mars Bars!

After a few more home games and promotion back to Division 2 in 1980/81 we started going to Away matches.

A woman going to away matches, particularly a single parent, was rare. Facilities were appalling (a singular ladies toilet if you were lucky) and sexism, racism and hooliganism were prevalent. One particular game at Craven Cottage turned nasty on the terraces when ‘Killer’ was sent off and we had to be protected by a policeman.

That incident didn’t deter us. We had found somewhere we belonged home and away.

I saw her standing there

Then, on 7 September 1985, ours and all Charlton fans worlds were turned upside down. A leaflet distributed during the home match with Crystal Palace announced the club would be leaving the Valley to ground share with their opponents and rivals.

Mum could have easily told us that she couldn’t be bothered or afford to traipse across South London. She worked as a social worker so was always juggling childcare and lifts for us if she had to be called to an emergency at work. Instead, she realised Charlton was the glue that held our broken family together and ensured we hardly missed a game.

She sacrificed having a social life so that Duncan and I could experience what a lot of our school friends were doing with their dads.

One memorable night in March 1987 Mum drove to Selhurst Park after working late to pick us up after the Full Members Cup semi-final. Luckily, the stewards saw her standing outside the ground waiting for us and let her in for free just in time to witness us beating Norwich in extra time and sending us to Wembley (which was the last time we lost there).

The long and winding road

The final years of our Valley exile coincided with Duncan and I reaching the end of our teens and naturally not being as reliant on Mum. However, Charlton and the ongoing battle to get back to The Valley, was the common denominator in our changing and hectic lives.

Upton Park was the next stop during our exile. We had a new companion joining us in the queue for the Woolwich Ferry in the shape of Mum’s new, but slightly older, boyfriend Bill. Bill was from the generation that used to watch Charlton at home one Saturday and Millwall at home the next.

After spending time in our company, Bill soon realised that to be part of our family he’d need to become as dedicated to Charlton as us! Luckily, Capital Gold proved the perfect soundtrack to those early journeys with him to and from Upton Park with Jonathan Pearce covering the football for us followed by golden oldies for Bill.

Mum and Bill would go on to marry and pooled resources to invest in VIP 10-year season tickets in the West Stand to help fund the eventual return to The Valley.

Two of Us

Duncan and I went off to universities in different parts of the country, taking in as many home and away matches as we could. We didn’t need to worry though about Mum being on her own as her and Bill became a fixture in the West Stand and enjoyed numerous away matches and weekend breaks together.

As the club grew on and off the pitch, eventually getting promoted to the Premier League, so did Mum’s family. Partners and grandchildren arrived with some of them becoming regular fixtures at The Valley.

In 2012 Bill sadly passed away. Like other challenging periods in her life Mum drew strength from the Charlton family and was determined to carry on going to The Valley and sit in the same seat. Various grandchildren have occupied ‘Grandads’ seat next to her over the years and created their own bonds with the club and more importantly their Nanny.

A day in the life - Saturday 20 December 2025

Mum has turned 80 this week and will be taking her usual seat in the West Standfor the Oxford matchwith my daughter Jess. When she looks across towards the two-tiered Covered End she will see me in the lower tier, sitting next to Stuart with my son Jacob a few seats along and no doubt other members of our family nearby. I hope she has time to reflect on that first match 45 years ago when the three of us sat in the ram-shackled North Stand and be proud of making that brave decision to get us out of the house and drive us to SE7. Our Charlton journey has created so many cherished memories and we are a better family for it.

Happy 80th Mum.
x

SporadicAddick · December 15

Great story - Happy birthday Rosemary.

Fanny Fanackapan · December 15

Wow ! A fantastic story - thanks for sharing with us.

Hope you've arranged for a birthday message to be read out for her at half time. We'll be listening for it .

Have a great day, Rosemary & fingers crossed the lads win for you.

bobmunro · December 15

Wonderful Happy Birthday Rosemary

Henry Irving · December 15

Happy birthday

KBslittlesis · December 15

Beautiful 😍
Happy Roundy Birthday Rosemary xxxx

charente addick · December 15

I loved that and a great salute to your mum.

It brought back memories for me. My mum too got divorced when me, my sister and brother were very young. She was not a perfect person (who is?!) but, my god, the strength she showed in bringing us up and teaching us the right values including money sounds exactly the same as your mum has done for you. That, to me, is what strong women are all about.