Took a long time to adopt a Czech club. Early days here a colleague tried to get me into Bohemians, but I never took to them. A young marketing guy called Lubos from Plzen started to talk about his team Viktoria which in those days was a poor second division side but with a good academy (Cech, Nedved). Charlton were in the Prem and we talked about Viktoria supplying young talent to the big Prem team. Come 2010 and Viktoria's renaissance was in full swing, Lubos got me down there for a big game with Sparta and I was hooked. Great European nights with epic celebrations in the pub afterwards. A small step towards integration as a foreigner...
Regrettably, I must declare a Crystal Palace link in my family. Can't blame me, however, as my grandfather (Fred Lucas) was forced out of Charlton for no reason. He arrived at the club's old training ground, handed an envelope and told that he'd been signed by Palace and had the door shut on him. Another player was involved in the deal, can't remember for the life of me who this other player was.
Luckily, he got injured after a mere sixteen or so games and was forced to retire at the age of 32/33. Funnily enough, my grandfather has always supported Charlton, from his youth right to this day.
The only other link to a non-Charlton club is my father being a boyhood Tottenham fan.
Moved to St.Pauls Cray when I was eight and just getting interested in football, so I used to regularly go to watch Cray Wanderers play at Grassmeade and when I was a little older I had the odd foray to Park View Road to watch Bexley United.
After being dragged off to Palace, Millwall and Fulham by my dad I settled on Charlton (a mates dad took me there) but did venture off to watch Arsenal and Chelsea on occasion. Late 70's when I was married we bought our first house in Swanscombe and I wandered down to Gravesend & Northfleet fairly regularly midweek and having lived in Gravesend for the last 29 years I go there on rare occasions.
My partner's late uncle was a Cheltenham fan and used to follow them (somewhere I have various programmes from away games when he lived in London). My son (8) has declared an allegiance to them over Charlton, primarily to wind me up I think. I've promised to take him to a Robins' game when they play a London team on a Saturday when I'm not busy. Their start to this season is currently mirroring ours and I do look out for their results.
Orient - Good mate of mine at uni is massive orient, went to the play off semi and final last year with him, both great days but sadly didn't end how we wanted it to, always looking out for their results and he does the same with me.
Leeds - Uni in Leeds and went to Elland road last year, terrible atmosphere (was mid-week v Wigan), not been back since and don't intend to until 4th November.
Man United - Always had a soft sport for united, perhaps because i loved Fergie so much, don't like seeing them doing this badly unlike most!
First game was taken by a mates dad to Millwall vs Birmingham in the 1970/71 season. Millwall won 3-0 and the game was on The Big Match the following day. Obviously, living in Charlton Church Lane was always going to see the Addicks as my team, especially as I could see 2 thirds of the pitch from my bedroom window. Part own a place in Brittany, so En Avant De Guingamp are my other team, French Cup holders and playing in Ligue 1. Also in Europe this season. I think I saw that one of the players we were rumoured to be after has gone to them but seen nothing on their website.
My dad, my granddad and my godfather are all Glasgow Rangers fans so I used to support them in the SPL, but the club known as Rangers has folded and I refuse to support anything to do with Scottish football or the SFA.
The other team apart from Charlton that I go to see play regularly are Everton due to a mixture of old family ties and also one of my good friends supports them and his grandparents are Charlton fans so it is kind of a quid pro quo thing.
Regrettably, I must declare a Crystal Palace link in my family. Can't blame me, however, as my grandfather (Fred Lucas) was forced out of Charlton for no reason. He arrived at the club's old training ground, handed an envelope and told that he'd been signed by Palace and had the door shut on him. Another player was involved in the deal, can't remember for the life of me who this other player was.
Luckily, he got injured after a mere sixteen or so games and was forced to retire at the age of 32/33. Funnily enough, my grandfather has always supported Charlton, from his youth right to this day.
The only other link to a non-Charlton club is my father being a boyhood Tottenham fan.
That may have been Brian Whitehouse he joined us about that time from Palace.
Went to see Ramsgate once when on holiday - there was an ex Charlton player playing but for the life of me I have no recollection of who it was. But you could get so close to the players I went up and said "hello- you were good for us mate, good luck" or something similar. Would have been early 70s I reckon.
Dartford are my non league team, and I travelled home and away in the eighties. Living in Spain, my Spanish team are Deportivo La Coruña, who I try to see when they are in the Barcelona area. Plus my dad was an Arsenal fan, so bit of a soft spot there.
Dartford for me too, Ken although my supporting home & away was during the early 60's !
Don't look out for any other teams results really.
My mrs is a west ham season ticket holder and I've been a few times. I pretend I enjoy it. I don't. Hearing 'I'm forever blowing bubbles' 2357 times on 90 minutes really starts to grate on you, add that to the bubble machine when they score and that twat poyet, they're a team I've started to dislike.
Mind you id rather they won than lose because the mood in the house when they lose is no fun either
'Supported' Newcastle as a wee'un... think I liked their kit at the time.
Bayswater City in Australia I've always kept an eye out for..
Was the first in my football family to properly support a club, glad I chose Charlton :-)
How come Bayswater City? My son plays against them in the semi pro League and I have coached against them many times. Chris Coyne is the Manager and Bayswater is now our equivalent of Chelsea/City......money buys success even in the outpost of Perth! They are a very good side though
Welling United... Only live round the corner Hailsham Town... Nan lives there yet have never been to see them
Never thought my hometown of Hailsham would be mentioned on here. I remember going to watch them play about 9 years ago when a 20 year old called Leon Legge was captain. A couple of years later he moved to Lewes FC who I used to go watch with a mate from school. Then a few years back I was at the Vallley when a certain Leon Legge scored a 90th minute winner for Brentford. Other teams, grew up supporting united as my uncle and Grandad would buy me the kit for my birthday. Then I have family that support Villa who I usually see play once or twice a season. Other side of the family support the local team- Brighton. I was the only Charlton fan in my family but have converted my Dad.
Ebbsfleettt as i come from gravesend. Cowdenbeath as i used to live near there and off to see them next month. Celtic and bayer leverkusen as they have a fantastic setup there.
Grew up in Bognor and used to go to a lot of home games so still look for their results. Other half's family are all season ticket holders with Donny Rovers so last season was interesting!! Have managed to convert step daughter to the Charlton cause mainly because she has a massive crush on Johnnie Jackson - he has replaced 1D in her bedroom!
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Grew up following Partick in Glasgow
Luckily, he got injured after a mere sixteen or so games and was forced to retire at the age of 32/33. Funnily enough, my grandfather has always supported Charlton, from his youth right to this day.
The only other link to a non-Charlton club is my father being a boyhood Tottenham fan.
Moved to St.Pauls Cray when I was eight and just getting interested in football, so I used to regularly go to watch Cray Wanderers play at
Grassmeade and when I was a little older I had the odd foray to Park View Road to watch Bexley United.
After being dragged off to Palace, Millwall and Fulham by my dad I settled on Charlton (a mates dad took me there) but did venture off to watch Arsenal and Chelsea on occasion. Late 70's when I was married we bought our first house in Swanscombe and I wandered down to Gravesend & Northfleet fairly regularly midweek and having lived in Gravesend for the last 29 years I go there on rare occasions.
Dartford, Malaga, Toulouse,Hamburg and Ajax.
Leeds - Uni in Leeds and went to Elland road last year, terrible atmosphere (was mid-week v Wigan), not been back since and don't intend to until 4th November.
Man United - Always had a soft sport for united, perhaps because i loved Fergie so much, don't like seeing them doing this badly unlike most!
Part own a place in Brittany, so En Avant De Guingamp are my other team, French Cup holders and playing in Ligue 1. Also in Europe this season. I think I saw that one of the players we were rumoured to be after has gone to them but seen nothing on their website.
The other team apart from Charlton that I go to see play regularly are Everton due to a mixture of old family ties and also one of my good friends supports them and his grandparents are Charlton fans so it is kind of a quid pro quo thing.
Went to uni in Pertsmouth & lived within earshot of Fratton Park so have a soft spot for them
My sister lived in Valencia for a while and bought me a shift so they are my European team
My mrs is a west ham season ticket holder and I've been a few times. I pretend I enjoy it. I don't. Hearing 'I'm forever blowing bubbles' 2357 times on 90 minutes really starts to grate on you, add that to the bubble machine when they score and that twat poyet, they're a team I've started to dislike.
Mind you id rather they won than lose because the mood in the house when they lose is no fun either
Poor old jamrags