Charlton fans - they get everywhere!

nigel

Just back from hol in south of France where I ran into not one but two Charlton S/T holders.

A special hello to the guy I met at Nimes airport who noticed the old yellow Joma away shirt I was wearing and approached me to inform me that if the takeover doesn't go ahead, we will be in administration before Xmas. Cheering words just as I was about to start two weeks of carefree Mediterranean living !

Not as impressive, though, as the time 20 years ago when I met an old-timer in a remote village high in the Atlas mountains in Morocco. He not only updated me on the Charlton scores I had missed but told me great stories of watching Sam Bartram play at the Valley and in the FA cup final...

Anybody else got good tales of bumping into CAFC fans in improbable/remote/unexpected places?

eaststandmike

I am expecting to bump into a few Charlton fans in a sparse empty space on the 8th August at 15.00, its called the East Stand :-)

falconwood_1

Bumped into a few CAC players at The Valley :o(

AllLeftFoot

I was in Brazil when we played Boro in the FA Cup quarter final replay a few years ago, and having found a bar in Sao Paulo where it was being shown was very surprised when a bloke in a Charlton shirt walked in a few minutes before kick-off.

The highlight was Bryan Hughes's goal being given the full Brazilian commentator treatment, in the style you hear their goals celebrated in World Cups.

It was also my birthday, so sorrows were drowned in suitable style for the rest of the evening.

Swisdom

Bumped into one of the directors on a beach in Turkey about 20 years ago - no idea who itwas but I got a mention in the programme

Saw a chap in a bar in New York in the shirt 2 years ago but was on a business lunch and couldn't get away

and I gave an old shirt to a waiter at a hotel in India (Goa) in 2000 and he emailed me a picture of him wearing it on the beach!

Stu_of_Kunming

Few months ago was pretty shocked to pull into the halls carpark up in Hull only to park next to a car with a nice big CAFC sticker in the back window!!

heavenSE7

Last year whilst in Oz, i was playing football in a small suburb around Sydney wearing the CAFC shirt. A guy came up to me who was a Charlton fan from Eltham. Such a small world.

collegeparkaddick

I landed on Baltra in the Galapagos a year and a half ago with a Charlton shirt on. While waiting for a bus to take us to Santa Cruz Island, we were approached by a man who inquired after whether I knew how the team had fared recently. When my response made obvious that I was (a) a supporter and (b) American, the rest of the conversation turned to why I would be dumb enough to choose to support the squad when others, like him, were born into misery.

SingaporeAddick

Dec 16 2003... Singapore Indoor Stadium, right after Duran Duran concert (yes, Simon Le Bon et al), I was wearing me Charlton shirt (Lisbie 23, don't ask) and a couple walked right up to me and started chatting. They were of course diehard Addicks. We met up in London in Nov 2005, Charlton vs Man U, we lost 4-1, the day after Keano walked out of Manure, I was in the media seats, covering the game for ESPN, listened to Curbs talking post-match, even then it felt like the adventure was coming to an end for Charlton. Here's a shout out to my friend Spencer, I'll be in London again in a few weeks, and taking in the game at Leyton Orient! Go the Addicks!

mascot88

[cite]Posted By: SingaporeAddick[/cite]Dec 16 2003... Singapore Indoor Stadium, right after Duran Duran concert (yes, Simon Le Bon et al), I was wearing me Charlton shirt (Lisbie 23, don't ask) and a couple walked right up to me and started chatting. They were of course diehard Addicks. We met up in London in Nov 2005, Charlton vs Man U, we lost 4-1, the day after Keano walked out of Manure, I was in the media seats, covering the game for ESPN, listened to Curbs talking post-match, even then it felt like the adventure was coming to an end for Charlton. Here's a shout out to my friend Spencer, I'll be in London again in a few weeks, and taking in the game at Leyton Orient! Go the Addicks!

I rememeber that.... old curbs was not a happy bunny after that game.....

I met a charlton fan on the streets of Melbourne, he gave me some change and a cigarette.... only joking!!!

Although I did meet him in Melbourne in his seagull and denim away shirt, quick sing of valley floyd road and he was off...

And thinking about it I saw another one in Surfers paradise at a set of traffic lights and gave it a "come on you addicks" which raised a smile...

And via Aussies Down Under Ive actually made a mate... who plays in my 5 a side team...

Danich bloke whos a nutter.... good bloke Sarj is his name.... I think he knows a few off here....

Friend Or Defoe

In Melbourne after a Victory V Perth game in the A-league and in Fiji when me and another bloke wished we were in Middlesbrough for the FA Cup 1/4 final instead! I never actually saw the guy in Fiji myself but had 2 confirmed sightings of another Charlton fan trying to find TV coverage.

thai malaysia addick

I was in a small Malaysian town called Klang (does it ring a bell?) and was walking through a market whereupon I spotted a Malaysian girl wearing a Charlton shirt. I had to tell her that I supported Charlton too. She looked at me blankly at first, so I pointed at the football shirt she was wearing. She smiled and said "Oh yes, my father give to me. He try to sell in shop and not want any more". Even fake replicas have no value once you've been relegated from the Premiership - her father knew his business.

T

I met a Charlton supporter in an Elephant sanctury in the mountains of Goa, literally in the middle of nowhere, nearest resort was about 3 hours away. He was wearing a Charlton Tshirt and was so excited he made his wife take a picture of us both.

AFKABartram

I love this thread.

If anyone is in Cancun and spots a Mexican wearing a Charlton shirt, then please kick him in the jacobs as the chances are he stole it from my room !

DA9

Not met anyone abroad, but a few years back sat in Dublin airport with a bad hangover, and had the ecru mesh shirt on, irish chap came up talking about Kinsella etc etc.

TEL

Met loads of people overseas over the years, the most recent was when I was wearing last seasons "new" red shirt when I went to watch the Central Coast Mariners play Melbourne Victory at the Bluetongue.....a guy nigh on fell over himself to come and have a chat....his son was so excited, he kept saying...who is he? He even came back and wanted his photo taken with me, as he said nobody would believe him...turns out he was on holiday and came from Tunbridge Wells. I quite often get people giving me a toot when Im in Sydney due to my number plate....CAFC

Oggy Red

Remember backpacking around Eastern Europe when it was still very '3rd world' years ago, soon after the Berlin Wall came down - and well before it all became 'Westernised' and EU sanitised.

I had just been to Auschwitz for the day and was now in Krakow in Poland, when a bloke sat at my bar table with his beer and we started talking about football. He asked me who I supported, and I said don't take the piss, Charlton.

He laughed and said, me too. Turned out he was brought up in Bexleyheath and we swapped Sellout Park horror stories.

Ha, those were the days when I had loadsa money and in fact, was a millionaire. Well, in Poland, anyway - as I had more than a million Polish Zloty in my moneybelt. Trouble was, a beer cost about 30,000 Zloty.


3 years ago I was on holiday in Turkey, and it was the first game of the season, Dowie was in charge, we were away to West Ham - and nearly every bar was showing Chel$ki or Manure. Except one, that had the Charlton match.

The GF went shopping, like GF's do, and I settled down with a beer to watch. The place was nearly empty, as obviously Manure games have a far greater pull for glory boy plastics than watching Charlton, but at halftime 2 blokes came over to me, and one said, "You're Rob, aren't you?"

I nearly fell off my stool with surprise as I didn't know anyone out there - but I'd been recognised alright.
Turned out it was someone I grew up with in Welling, played football in the same team in the Woolwich & District League - and his 80 year old father is a ST holder who sits together with my own dad at The Valley.

I hadn't seen him for 20 years.

Colin in Thailand.

Loads of em here in Thailand.

Eirik Bakke

Excellent thread!

I have met a few here in Perth WA (Addicksdownunder - Mick, Tel, Christian, Lee) when i first arrived.
Hopefully a few more times this season!

But will never forget walking through the Markets in Melbourne in Nov 2003, on my way to watch England in the rugby world cup vs Western samoa, With my Charlton shirt on.
This aussie stall holder run's over, and starts shaking my hand and talking about the addicks! Turn's out him and his mates had got right into the premier league, and wanted to start following a team. His dad, who had emigrated in the 60's or 70's from Eltham, said "why dont you follow my team?" Charlton!
When he asked where I was watching the game that night, (1-1 vs Arsenal, Di canio penalty anyone?), he said him and his mates were in a pub called The Keepers inn, next to the market.
So after watching England win it was off to the pub, to see about 7 or 8 aussie lads in an array of CAFC shirts!

Dazzler21

I have met them in....
England
Africa
Portugal
Spain (mainland)
Balearics
Canaries
France
and
Finland

TEL

[cite]Posted By: Eirik Bakke[/cite]Excellent thread!

I have met a few here in Perth WA (Addicksdownunder - Mick, Tel, Christian, Lee) when i first arrived.
Hopefully a few more times this season!

But will never forget walking through the Markets in Melbourne in Nov 2003, on my way to watch England in the rugby world cup vs Western samoa, With my Charlton shirt on.
This aussie stall holder run's over, and starts shaking my hand and talking about the addicks! Turn's out him and his mates had got right into the premier league, and wanted to start following a team. His dad, who had emigrated in the 60's or 70's from Eltham, said "why dont you follow my team?" Charlton!
When he asked where I was watching the game that night, (1-1 vs Arsenal, Di canio penalty anyone?), he said him and his mates were in a pub called The Keepers inn, next to the market.
So after watching England win it was off to the pub, to see about 7 or 8 aussie lads in an array of CAFC shirts!

Ian!!!!! I was asking after you the other day on ADU....how are you mate?

Eirik Bakke

G'day Tel,

How are you keeping mate?
I'm good thanks mate, been busy down here mate, working, drinking, travelling around WA, worrying about Charlton!
Just posted on ADU, ain't been able to log on to ADU for a while, this Telstra connection is crap! seem to have it sorted now.
Am back on August 8th mate for 2 weeks, land at 5am, so will be at the Wycombe, O's away and Walsall at home games.
Will you still be in the UK, would be good to meet for a beer.
Will give you a bell when I arrive back mate.

Nice one Tel, and well done to you and all the boy's on the Fans Forum, cant wait to hopefully come back to a happier(!) valley! (fingers crossed)

TEL

Ian, just left you a mesage on the ADU site...give me a call and we'll get together when you get back...will be good to see you and hear about what youve been up to since December....

See ya soon mate