I was a Liverpool fan at School(Primary), Because all my friends supported them. And in my eyes Owen was the gods gift at football. I remember I kept asking my Dad to take me up to Liverpool to watch them play, (He hates Football but was brought up in Woolwich and family where Charlton Fans) So one day he said '' Rather then going all the way up to Liverpool, How would you like to go watch a Premier League side that is only half hour away? '' So he took me to my first Charlton game Charlton vs Leicester, Finished 2-2 was hooked from then on, Remember having a season ticket in the NWQ for awhile and seeing Charlton beat Liverpool 2-0 was Brilliant Young & Benty! then got a season ticket in the north upper and never looked back.
It would have been interesting to see how things would have panned out in my family had Crawley been a league side back in the early 80s.
Thank Christ they weren't.
No, I didn't have a choice and didn't want one anyway. Very happy to support what was then a big 1st. Division club (& recent Cup-winners).
To paraphrase Brian Clough, if JiMMy85 had said he was thinking of supporting another team, we'd have had a talk about it , a full and frank exchange of views, and then we'd agree that he had no choice at all and there was really nothing to discuss!
I should have been a Chelsea fan, everyone & I mean everyone in my family are Chelsea fans - then Bob Bolder came to my Junior School & we got free tickets to Charlton v Southampton at Selhurst & I was hooked from then on
When we moved to Crawley from Charlton I wasn't allowed to go to London on my own but was allowed to go and Watch Brighton with my West Ham mate, so very nearly became a Seagull
No and no. My old Dad supported them for 75 years man and boy so there was no chance I was going to be allowed to follow anyone else. My first recollection was watching from on high 1959 ish near the old scoreboard up by the Lansdowne Mews entrance with Dad and grandad (on my mothers side) and I was smitten. Likewise RedChaser junior was indoctrinated just prior to the clubs exile in 1985. Three generations over land and sea and Leicester like many families on here and I am sure some have managed a fourth generation all watching at the same time. My first away game I can remember was by coach to Ipswich Town, organised by the social club my Dad belonged to, one Easter time 1960 ish. Have I enjoyed the ride? Hell yeah, It's sure has been bumpy and always will be I guess but Dad never envisaged the bad times ahead after we dropped out of the old first divisionn until 85/86 so I don't bear any grudges. It was beyond his wildest dreams when we won the play off final and went back to the prem as champions, Charlton till I die!
My neighbour introduced me to Chelsea in the late 60's and I used to go quite regularly with him until I was old enough to go to the Valley on my own on the train. Abiding memory: Being part of a heaving 61,000 crowd seeing Charlie Cooke score the only goal of the game v Spurs. #sardines
My father used to squeeze me under the turnstiles at Millwall, after "tipping" the bloke there. Then I saw a poster for the LT "excursion" bus from Forest Hill to Charlton and got on it, turned out to be the day of the 7-6 Huddersfield win, never went to Millwall after that in spite of my father's constant piss-taking. Later I lived on Ifield Road in Fulham, the Stamford Bridge floodlights used to light up my kitchen, was never tempted to start going there, though.
Supported Spurs as a kid because of Glenn Hoddle but never went. Then at 11 I moved house and be name friends with the lad across the road who was a Charlton fan. We were playing at Selhurst at the time but immediately I was hooked. Joined the Junior Reds and went to away games at Hull, Newcastle etc. Great days and the lure is still as strong nowadays.
Being a Charlton fan has been passed down in my family from generation to generation. My Dad once told me of how he had wanted to be a Chelsea fan after watching them in an FA Cup final, but my grandfather soon saw to that. However, sometimes I think how different it could've been - mind you I'm enough of a a*sehole without supporting that bunch as well.
So did you, or could you have ever supported anyone else and do you have any second clubs?
The answer is no!
When I first became aware of football Spurs won the double and then, the following season, the FA Cup back in the days it meant something. I consequently decided that I was a Spurs 'supporter.' My late father worked a lot of weekends and played sport on others. However I still remember the occasion he was home, although possibly on duty, one Saturday afternoon and we were watching Grandstand when the teleprinter started up with the results. I said something like Spurs are our team aren't they to be told in no uncertain terms no they are not! Well who are? said I. Charlton Athletic he said. I'll take you with Nanna and Grandad in the New Year to watch them. Meanwhile I sat rapt with attention watching the stuttering old teleprinter waiting for the Charlton result. Eventually (no change there then since 1962!) the result came through. Charlton Athletic 3 Middlesbrough 4. Bloody typical came a voice from across the room and that was my first lesson of life as a Charlton fan!
My first match live was meant to be the FA Cup third round tie against Cardiff City which set a record for postponements in that notoriously cold, snowy winter. I never actually saw that game as I think it ended up as an evening match. However I did see a few matches in the second half of season 1962/3 and, family, school, work and my own sporting commitments permitting, have got to The Valley ( and a few games at Selhurst when we were there) as often as possible.
As for second clubs I took an interest in Leicester City (as did a few I suspect) when my childhood hero Len Glover was transferred to them in 1967. I also knew a few Gillingham players, having moved many years ago to the Medway area, so take an interest in them.
In non-league I follow Margate (family connections) and in Scottish football Berwick Rangers (I've seen them play and they are an English club).
Chelsea was my team, but started to watch Charlton with my sisters boyfriends brothers in 69, at some stage I realised I knew more about Charlton than Chelsea, had never been to The Bridge. I thought this happened when I was 13/14 but recently came across photos of me in a Chelsea shirt when I was 24.
Have followed Dulwich Hamlet since my neighbours son played for them in the 70's, but did not ever go and watch until about 5 years ago.
As a kid Chelsea was my team mid 60s until a school friend took me down The Valley April 1967. Cheers for that Tony Denton,i have never looked back since..
Was three when we moved from London to Kidderminster. The old man never actually told me I had to be a Charlton fan, he just took me to as many games as possible until I submitted. It's a good job I did, I'm really not sure what we'd have talked about when I was a teenager otherwise!
Had he not been into football I suspect I'd have ended up a Baggies fan, they are the West Midlands club with the most 'Charlton like' attitude, or maybe I'd have been a Villa fan as they were easily the biggest and most successful Birmingham club at the time. I have a soft spot for Kiddy Harriers but I can't imagine I'd have ever been able to care enough about conference football to get into it in the same way. One thing for certain it would never have been Wolves or Birmingham, both pretty scummy clubs imho, and I don't think I'd have got dragged into the glory hunting Man Utd gang - pretty much all the Utd fans I schooled with were twats.
I was a Luton fan until I moved to Sarf London, so the answer's yes. I couldn't have supported any big club though, even if I lived in Anfield Road I would have been a fan of Tranmere.
My Dad is a Spurs supporter and took me to see them once but we lived in Plumstead and once he took me to see Charlton, I was hooked despite the fact that we were in a lower division. Can't even remember making a choice. I just knew I was a Charlton supporter.
My Dad took me regularly from when I was 4 years old so never realised you could choose a club. Still not entirely sure how that works. But supporting Charlton in the 60's and 70s whilst at school in Silvertown and then East Ham is character building.
Both my sons and nephew support Charlton. They didn't get a choice either.
I'm scared of the team changes and going off with mates to support other clubs or going to different clubs from your fathers team that I've read about here ....... My dad never went to Fulham once he'd moved to Eltham (before I was born) and Charlton became his team... With four sons living in Essex , none of their mates will support Charlton ..... I don't think I'm mentally strong enough to handle any of my boys following anyone else......
My old man was born and brought up in Tottenham in the 1920s, so naturally he supported the Spuds. In 1964 he took me, aged eight, to my first ever game: Tottenham v Blackpool, 4-1.
Think I was at that game too. My Dad took me because at the time Jimmy Greaves was my hero whilst he had an interest in Blackpool and wanted to see their new star player Alan Ball.
I don't think I'm mentally strong enough to handle any of my boys following anyone else......
That's why it is your responsibility as a father to make sure they continue on the right path. I'm quite proud that my son living in Toronto gets up early to listen to the commentary of every game.
My old man was born and brought up in Tottenham in the 1920s, so naturally he supported the Spuds. In 1964 he took me, aged eight, to my first ever game: Tottenham v Blackpool, 4-1.
Think I was at that game too. My Dad took me because at the time Jimmy Greaves was my hero whilst he had an interest in Blackpool and wanted to see their new star player Alan Ball.
Small world isn't it.
You had an exemplary hero in Jimmy Greaves, Mundell. I've still got the programme: Spurs v Blackpool, 4-1; 13 March 1965. The teams are listed as: Spurs - W. Brown; Knowles, Henry; Mullery, L. Brown, Clayton; Robertson, Greaves, Saul, Gilzean, Jones. Blackpool - Waiters; Armfield, Thompson; McPhee, James, Green; Moir, Ball, Charnley, Rowe, Horne.
A fortnight later at White Hart Lane, Spurs beat Wolves 7-4.
Thanks for posting the teams - I checked on line, but couldn't find a reference.
The Blackpool side is a reminder of how much the game has changed. Pre the abolition of the maximum wage they were able to compete for top players (Matthews, Mortensen), but were already beginning to struggle by the mid sixties.
Nevertheless, their team that day included World Cup winner Alan Ball, fifteen times England captain Jimmy Armfield (who missed the World Cup through injury) as well as Tony Waiters and Ray Charnley who were also capped.
Significant that whilst Armfield spent his entire career at Blackpool, Ball (and later Emlyn Hughes) quickly moved on to bigger and better things.
Also, nearly all of the players were either English or Scottish!! Probably some Welshmen and Irishmen in there too, but I'm not sure who they might be.
Comments
if I never supported a team and started now it would probably be Ebbsfleet.
To paraphrase Brian Clough, if JiMMy85 had said he was thinking of supporting another team, we'd have had a talk about it , a full and frank exchange of views, and then we'd agree that he had no choice at all and there was really nothing to discuss!
I followed on :-)
I supported Barnet (as well as Charlton) in the 1980s as it was great fun under Barry Fry, and a two minute drive from where I grew up.
When I first became aware of football Spurs won the double and then, the following season, the FA Cup back in the days it meant something. I consequently decided that I was a Spurs 'supporter.' My late father worked a lot of weekends and played sport on others. However I still remember the occasion he was home, although possibly on duty, one Saturday afternoon and we were watching Grandstand when the teleprinter started up with the results. I said something like Spurs are our team aren't they to be told in no uncertain terms no they are not! Well who are? said I. Charlton Athletic he said. I'll take you with Nanna and Grandad in the New Year to watch them. Meanwhile I sat rapt with attention watching the stuttering old teleprinter waiting for the Charlton result. Eventually (no change there then since 1962!) the result came through. Charlton Athletic 3 Middlesbrough 4. Bloody typical came a voice from across the room and that was my first lesson of life as a Charlton fan!
My first match live was meant to be the FA Cup third round tie against Cardiff City which set a record for postponements in that notoriously cold, snowy winter. I never actually saw that game as I think it ended up as an evening match. However I did see a few matches in the second half of season 1962/3 and, family, school, work and my own sporting commitments permitting, have got to The Valley ( and a few games at Selhurst when we were there) as often as possible.
As for second clubs I took an interest in Leicester City (as did a few I suspect) when my childhood hero Len Glover was transferred to them in 1967. I also knew a few Gillingham players, having moved many years ago to the Medway area, so take an interest in them.
In non-league I follow Margate (family connections) and in Scottish football Berwick Rangers (I've seen them play and they are an English club).
Have followed Dulwich Hamlet since my neighbours son played for them in the 70's, but did not ever go and watch until about 5 years ago.
Cheers for that Tony Denton,i have never looked back since..
Had he not been into football I suspect I'd have ended up a Baggies fan, they are the West Midlands club with the most 'Charlton like' attitude, or maybe I'd have been a Villa fan as they were easily the biggest and most successful Birmingham club at the time. I have a soft spot for Kiddy Harriers but I can't imagine I'd have ever been able to care enough about conference football to get into it in the same way. One thing for certain it would never have been Wolves or Birmingham, both pretty scummy clubs imho, and I don't think I'd have got dragged into the glory hunting Man Utd gang - pretty much all the Utd fans I schooled with were twats.
Both my sons and nephew support Charlton. They didn't get a choice either.
My dad never went to Fulham once he'd moved to Eltham (before I was born) and Charlton became his team...
With four sons living in Essex , none of their mates will support Charlton ..... I don't think I'm mentally strong enough to handle any of my boys following anyone else......
Small world isn't it.
A fortnight later at White Hart Lane, Spurs beat Wolves 7-4.
The Blackpool side is a reminder of how much the game has changed. Pre the abolition of the maximum wage they were able to compete for top players (Matthews, Mortensen), but were already beginning to struggle by the mid sixties.
Nevertheless, their team that day included World Cup winner Alan Ball, fifteen times England captain Jimmy Armfield (who missed the World Cup through injury) as well as Tony Waiters and Ray Charnley who were also capped.
Significant that whilst Armfield spent his entire career at Blackpool, Ball (and later Emlyn Hughes) quickly moved on to bigger and better things.
Also, nearly all of the players were either English or Scottish!! Probably some Welshmen and Irishmen in there too, but I'm not sure who they might be.