JIMMY TROTTER Born 25 November 1899 Died 17 April 1984 (84)
After his playing career finished - he played for Bury, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford - he joined Charlton as their trainer, a position he held for 22 years, as well as being trainer for the England national team. After Jimmy Seed's sacking he was appointed Manager in 1956 but was unable to prevent relegation in 1957. He was at the helm for the 7-6 win over Huddersfield. He came close to taking the Addicks back into the top flight that season, but we lost 3-4 to Blackburn in the final match of the season, when a draw would have been enough to take us up.
In October 1961 after a disastrous start to the season with eight defeats and just one win in the first 11 games, Jimmy Trotter was axed. The final straw for the directors was a 0-4 defeat at the Valley at the hands of Liverpool. However, with their usual "Stalinist" desire to gloss over unpalatable news Trotter - like Seed before him - was said to have resigned. Charlton historian Colin Cameron says "Fans expecting to find a tribute in the next programme were to be disappointed because the only action Charlton took was to delete his name as Manager". Quite why Charlton adopted this revisionist stance is unclear, but it would have been perfectly at home in George Orwell's "1984" - Charlton Athletic on this Day by Matthew Eastley
JIMMY TROTTER Born 25 November 1899 Died 17 April 1984 (84)
After his playing career finished - he played for Bury, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford - he joined Charlton as their trainer, a position he held for 22 years, as well as being trainer for the England national team. After Jimmy Seed's sacking he was appointed Manager in 1956 but was unable to prevent relegation in 1957. He was at the helm for the 7-6 win over Huddersfield. He came close to taking the Addicks back into the top flight that season, but we lost 3-4 to Blackburn in the final match of the season, when a draw would have been enough to take us up.
In October 1961 after a disastrous start to the season with eight defeats and just one win in the first 11 games, Jimmy Trotter was axed. The final straw for the directors was a 0-4 defeat at the Valley at the hands of Liverpool. However, with their usual "Stalinist" desire to gloss over unpalatable news Trotter - like Seed before him - was said to have resigned. Charlton historian Colin Cameron says "Fans expecting to find a tribute in the next programme were to be disappointed because the only action Charlton took was to delete his name as Manager". Quite why Charlton adopted this revisionist stance is unclear, but it would have been perfectly at home in George Orwell's "1984" - Charlton Athletic on this Day by Matthew Eastley
JOHN HEWIE Born Pretoria on 13 December 1927 died Lincolnshire 11 May 2015 age 88 Played for Charlton between 1946-66 Capped 19 times for Scotland 1956-60
Jimmy Seed knew a good player when he saw one and was positively effusive in his praise of 23 year old debutant John Hewie - "Hewie ranks as one of the finest backs I've ever seen. He has everything, physical and mental, a great footballer needs".
Apart from a fleeting spell back in South Africa during 1960, John Hewie remained an Addick until 1966, when he departed at the age of 38, having played 530 games and contributed 38 goals for his only English League club. He was Charlton's most capped player at the time of his retirement.
He was a total footballer long before the term was coined. The tall resilient South Africa-born Scottish international played for Charlton in nine different positions, including goalkeeper, aquitting himself in arguably his most effective role, as full-back, during the World Cup Finals.
He became a regular first-choice player in 1951-52, helping an entertaining Charlton finish in the top half of the then First Division. For the next five seasons he was one of the most reliable performers in the top flight helping Charlton during their best season 1952-53 when they came fifth behind champions Arsenal. Scotland became aware of his eligibility through his Scottish father and when he made his Scottish debut in a B-team game at Edinburgh in 1953 Hewie recounted with a chuckle it was the first time he had set foot in the country.
COLIN COWDREY Born 24 December 1932 on his father's tea plantation at Ootacamund, Madras, India Died 4 December 2000 at Littlehampton age 67
Another boyhood hero. I saw him bat a few times but as I watched most of my cricket at Lords and the Oval, it was mostly Middlesex and Surrey. But I saw him bat at Canterbury on one occasion, sweetly hitting a six into the tree to close the Kent innings against the West Indies (I think it was).
A memorable innings which I remember but unfortunately didn't see was his 151 against the West Indies against the mesmerising spin of Ramadhin especially and Valentine in the 1950s which - before that - England simply had no answer to. He and Peter May put on 411 to lay low the threat the WI had over England.
As if being a master batsman, great slip fielder and captain of England wasn't enough Colin Cowdrey was also a director at Charlton for a time.
He wasn't a favourite of all the family though. My Dad never forgave him for getting out of his compulsory national service on account of flat feet. He was reckoned to be one of the fastest batsmen between the wickets despite his generous size. My brother was doing his national service in Malaya at the time.
Anyway, here is an excerpt from the foreword of Cowdrey's 1976 autobiography "M.C.C. - The Autobiography of a Cricketer":
".......There are innings which I would love to play again and disappointments I would wish to avoid. But if I was given a choice as my last act on earth, it would be to walk to the wicket on the lovely St Lawrence Ground at Canterbury in the sunshine, with the pavilion chattering and the small tents buzzing. I would then lean into a half-volley just outside the off stump, praying that the old timing still lived in the wrists to send it speeding down the slope past cover's left hand for four. The cover drive is the most beautiful stroke in batsmanship. Does that throw any light as to why I am a self-admitted lover of all things British and traditional? I don't know. It is certainly why I became a cricketer"
SAM BARTRAM (my hero) Born 22 January 1914 at Simonside, County Durham Died 17 July 1981 (67) at Harpenden, Hertfordshire
Sam played in goal for Charlton for 22 years and was never dropped from the team until he retired in 1956
He holds four Charlton records - Most FA Cup appearances (44) Most appearances (623) Most league appearances (579) Oldest league player (42 years)
On 7 February 1948 Charlton lost 2-0 away to Manchester United. Sam was chaired off the pitch by both sets of players after the FA Cup 5th Round defeat. Bartram called it his greatest performance. "One match, and one moment, that stood out from all the others and remained carved in my memory. No Aunt Sally at a fairground event ever underwent so prolonged and furious a peppering".
Jimmy Seed wrote in his preface to Sam Bartram's autobiography - "When for the last time he took the goalkeeper's gloves from his gnarled hands - rough-hewn in service to Charlton - and hung up his worn and dilapidated cap, it gave me cause for reflection. I remembered his loyalty. No more faithful, constant and true-hearted man has played the game of football".
On 9 June 2005 Charlton legends paraded at the Valley for the Club's 100th anniversary and for the unveiling of the bronze Sam Bartram statue.
From: Charlton Athletic - A Nostalgic Look at a Century of the Club by Michael Walsh and Charlton Athletic on this Day by Matthew Eastley.
Sam's birthday on the 22nd
This picture was taken from the 2005 centenary calendar and shows him emerging from the Valley tunnel as he made his 500th appearance for the club against Portsmouth on March 6th, 1954.
Sir Stanley Matthews Born 1 February 1915 at Stoke on Trent Died 23.2.2000
I don't usually stray too far from the Valley for these "would have been their birthdays" but Sir Stanley - surely one of England's greatest ever footballers
Sir Stanley Matthews Born 1 February 1915 at Stoke on Trent Died 23.2.2000
I don't usually stray too far from the Valley for these "would have been their birthdays" but Sir Stanley - surely one of England's greatest ever footballers
Tom Crean was a member of three major expeditions to Antarctica during what is known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, including Captain Scott's 1911–13 Terra Nova Expedition. This saw the race to reach the South Pole lost to Roald Amundsen and ended in the deaths of Scott and his polar party. During this expedition, Crean's 35 statute miles (56 km) solo walk across the Ross Ice Shelf to save the life of Edward Evans led to him receiving the Albert Medal for Lifesaving.
Crean had left the family farm near Annascaul to enlist in the Royal Navy at age 15 but he lied about his own age as he had to be 16. In 1901, while serving on Ringarooma in New Zealand, he volunteered to join Scott's 1901–04 Discovery Expedition to Antarctica, thus beginning his exploring career.
After his Terra Nova experience, Crean's third and final Antarctic venture was as second officer on Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, on Endurance. After Endurance became beset in the pack ice and sank, Crean and the ship's company spent 492 days drifting on the ice before a journey in boats to Elephant Island. He was a member of the crew which made a small boat journey of 800 nautical miles (1,500 km) from Elephant Island to South Georgia, to seek aid for the stranded party.
COLIN CAMERON Born in Farnborough Hospital on 23 March 1940
He became Charlton's official historian for nearly 40 years and one of the club's most devoted supporters. He started following Charlton in 1947, the year we won the Cup.
Mr Cameron suffered a stroke early December 2015 and had a relapse on Christmas Eve. He died the following day in Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The Valley faithful held a minute's applause before the game against Ipswich on Boxing Day as a mark of respect.
COLIN CAMERON Born in Farnborough Hospital on 23 March 1940
He became Charlton's official historian for nearly 40 years and one of the club's most devoted supporters. He started following Charlton in 1947, the year we won the Cup.
Mr Cameron suffered a stroke early December 2012 and had a relapse on Christmas Eve. He died the following day in Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The Valley faithful held a minute's applause before the game against Ipswich on Boxing Day as a mark of respect.
Born 25 March 1895 in Blackhill, a small mining village nearConsett, County Durham Died in Farborough Hospital on 16 July 1966 aged 71.
Jimmy Seed the player was spotted by Sunderland in April 1914 and was being tipped for a first team slot when war broke out. He was badly gassed while serving on the front line, an injury which scuppered his career at Roker Park but in 1920 he joined Spurs and spent seven fine years there before enjoying success at Sheffield Wednesday. He was Manager at Clapton Orient before accepting the Charlton job in 1933 (Charlton Athletic on this Day by Matthew Eastley).
Between 1933 and 1936 he led Charlton to successive promotions from the Third Division to the First Division where they minis he'd runners up to Manchester City in 1937. Under Seed Charlton reached two wartime Cup Finals at Wembley and he was in charge for the 1946 and 1947 Finals.
Ironically, it was after an 8-1 pasting at Roker Park that Jimmy Seed was sacked. He paid the ultimate price for Charlton's lack of ambition and investment - in the Valley, in players, and in the future. The attitude doc the directors is summed up by chairman Stanley Gliksten, who commented after Seed had been thwarted in his attempt to buy England's finest footballer - "A good job we didn't buy Matthews. It would have been money down the drain" (Charlton Athletic - a nostalgic look at a century of the club by Michael Walsh).
Always enjoy bringing up Charlton heroes from yesteryear
C B Fry Born 25 April 1872 at Croydon Died 7 September 1956 at Hampstead aged 84
C B Fry is best remembered as a classic right hand batsman who played for Hampshire, Sussex and England between 1894 and 1922. He batted near the top of the order scoring nearly 31,000 runs at an average of 50.22. He scored 94 first-class centuries including an unprecedented six consecutive hundreds. When he retired in 1922 he had the second highest average of any retired player with over 10,000 runs. He was also a right arm fast-medium bowler and twice took 10 wickets in a match.
John Arlott described him as " probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age". Apart from cricket he as a politician, diplomat, academic, teacher, writer, editor and publisher who excelled at other sports.
He represented England and Southampton at football and played in the 1902 Cup Final against Sheffield United which they lost 2-1 in a replay after the first match was drawn 1-1. He held the world record for the long jump and was an outstanding high jumper - talents which no doubt helped him achieve his party-piece feat of leaping from a stationary position backwards onto a mantelpiece (which he did well into his seventies).
Add to all this C B Fry was an outstanding sprinter and hurdler and was not bad as a shot putter, hammer thrower. He was an ice skater and a proficient golfer. He also played 10 games of rugby for Blackheath and made three appearances for the Barbarians.
He stood as a Liberal candidate for Brighton in the 1922 election but his 22,059 votes were 4,785 short of the Conservative candidate.
His broadcasting career began in 1936 with commentary on a match between Middlesex and Surrey. He declined to join the panel of Any Questions but in 1945 began a successful stint on The Brains Trust. In 1955 he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews for an episode of This Is Your Life and among the friends to re-live his best moments were Jack Hobbs and Sydney Barnes.
C B Fry was mentioned on QI by his distant descendant Stephen Fry - prompting this entry into CharltonLife.
We were on a conducted bus tour round Manhattan and passing the Apollo Theatre in Harlem when the guide told us the story of Ella Fitzgerald as a young girl queuing up at the Apollo Theatre for a dancing audition. The girl in front of her was so good that she decided to have a sing instead ..
Remember that great night at Wembley when 'Enery put Cassius Clay down. One of my "sporting moments"
When he died there was a short tribute to Cooper on NZ telly 6 o'clock news showing 'Enery disposing of Joe Erskine with poor old Joe suspended over the bottom rope. I was at the stadium for that fight. Memories.
Comments
Nah we got the other one!
Born 24 December 1932 on his father's tea plantation at Ootacamund, Madras, India
Died 4 December 2000 at Littlehampton age 67
Another boyhood hero. I saw him bat a few times but as I watched most of my cricket at Lords and the Oval, it was mostly Middlesex and Surrey. But I saw him bat at Canterbury on one occasion, sweetly hitting a six into the tree to close the Kent innings against the West Indies (I think it was).
A memorable innings which I remember but unfortunately didn't see was his 151 against the West Indies against the mesmerising spin of Ramadhin especially and Valentine in the 1950s which - before that - England simply had no answer to. He and Peter May put on 411 to lay low the threat the WI had over England.
As if being a master batsman, great slip fielder and captain of England wasn't enough Colin Cowdrey was also a director at Charlton for a time.
He wasn't a favourite of all the family though. My Dad never forgave him for getting out of his compulsory national service on account of flat feet. He was reckoned to be one of the fastest batsmen between the wickets despite his generous size. My brother was doing his national service in Malaya at the time.
Anyway, here is an excerpt from the foreword of Cowdrey's 1976 autobiography "M.C.C. - The Autobiography of a Cricketer":
".......There are innings which I would love to play again and disappointments I would wish to avoid. But if I was given a choice as my last act on earth, it would be to walk to the wicket on the lovely St Lawrence Ground at Canterbury in the sunshine, with the pavilion chattering and the small tents buzzing. I would then lean into a half-volley just outside the off stump, praying that the old timing still lived in the wrists to send it speeding down the slope past cover's left hand for four. The cover drive is the most beautiful stroke in batsmanship. Does that throw any light as to why I am a self-admitted lover of all things British and traditional? I don't know. It is certainly why I became a cricketer"
One of my favourite profiles.
This picture was taken from the 2005 centenary calendar and shows him emerging from the Valley tunnel as he made his 500th appearance for the club against Portsmouth on March 6th, 1954.
Saved Photo

Thought this article was interesting, if a little sad
Born 1 February 1915 at Stoke on Trent
Died 23.2.2000
I don't usually stray too far from the Valley for these "would have been their birthdays" but Sir Stanley - surely one of England's greatest ever footballers
Born 1 February 1915 at Stoke on Trent
Died 23.2.2000
I don't usually stray too far from the Valley for these "would have been their birthdays" but Sir Stanley - surely one of England's greatest ever footballers
Croaked it due to gout.
Tom Crean was a member of three major expeditions to Antarctica during what is known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, including Captain Scott's 1911–13 Terra Nova Expedition. This saw the race to reach the South Pole lost to Roald Amundsen and ended in the deaths of Scott and his polar party. During this expedition, Crean's 35 statute miles (56 km) solo walk across the Ross Ice Shelf to save the life of Edward Evans led to him receiving the Albert Medal for Lifesaving.
Crean had left the family farm near Annascaul to enlist in the Royal Navy at age 15 but he lied about his own age as he had to be 16. In 1901, while serving on Ringarooma in New Zealand, he volunteered to join Scott's 1901–04 Discovery Expedition to Antarctica, thus beginning his exploring career.
After his Terra Nova experience, Crean's third and final Antarctic venture was as second officer on Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, on Endurance. After Endurance became beset in the pack ice and sank, Crean and the ship's company spent 492 days drifting on the ice before a journey in boats to Elephant Island. He was a member of the crew which made a small boat journey of 800 nautical miles (1,500 km) from Elephant Island to South Georgia, to seek aid for the stranded party.
Just heard on the radio it would have been his birthday today
Born 17.3.19 at Montgomery, Alabama
Died 15.2.65 at Santa Monica, USA
Enjoy his voice as much now as 40 years ago. Consummate performer and - like Sinatra, Elvis, Streisand Eric - an instantly recognisable voice
Born 25 April 1872 at Croydon
Died 7 September 1956 at Hampstead aged 84
C B Fry is best remembered as a classic right hand batsman who played for Hampshire, Sussex and England between 1894 and 1922. He batted near the top of the order scoring nearly 31,000 runs at an average of 50.22. He scored 94 first-class centuries including an unprecedented six consecutive hundreds. When he retired in 1922 he had the second highest average of any retired player with over 10,000 runs. He was also a right arm fast-medium bowler and twice took 10 wickets in a match.
John Arlott described him as " probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age". Apart from cricket he as a politician, diplomat, academic, teacher, writer, editor and publisher who excelled at other sports.
He represented England and Southampton at football and played in the 1902 Cup Final against Sheffield United which they lost 2-1 in a replay after the first match was drawn 1-1. He held the world record for the long jump and was an outstanding high jumper - talents which no doubt helped him achieve his party-piece feat of leaping from a stationary position backwards onto a mantelpiece (which he did well into his seventies).
Add to all this C B Fry was an outstanding sprinter and hurdler and was not bad as a shot putter, hammer thrower. He was an ice skater and a proficient golfer. He also played 10 games of rugby for Blackheath and made three appearances for the Barbarians.
He stood as a Liberal candidate for Brighton in the 1922 election but his 22,059 votes were 4,785 short of the Conservative candidate.
His broadcasting career began in 1936 with commentary on a match between Middlesex and Surrey. He declined to join the panel of Any Questions but in 1945 began a successful stint on The Brains Trust. In 1955 he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews for an episode of This Is Your Life and among the friends to re-live his best moments were Jack Hobbs and Sydney Barnes.
C B Fry was mentioned on QI by his distant descendant Stephen Fry - prompting this entry into CharltonLife.
Born 3 May 1934
Died 1 May 1911
Remember that great night at Wembley when 'Enery put Cassius Clay down. One of my "sporting moments"
When he died there was a short tribute to Cooper on NZ telly 6 o'clock news showing 'Enery disposing of Joe Erskine with poor old Joe suspended over the bottom rope. I was at the stadium for that fight. Memories.
https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=20&ved=0ahUKEwi06rvomO3aAhUCupQKHcuECfcQt9IBCF4wEw&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CtvHK2eJho&usg=AOvVaw1tbJtgSy40l_c3K_20fIoL