The older boys on our estate decided we would all go to Charlton so off we went. The train from Blackheath went straight into a tunnel and stayed in there all the way to Charlton. For an 8 year old that was SOOO exciting. Then we won 5-0. Hooked.
My Dad’s family is from Woolwich/Greenwich and my Mum’s from Blackheath. My parents emigrated to Germany in 1964 when I was 2, so I didn’t see or hear about London footie until I was about 7 or 8 when my uncle who lived in Woolwich took me to see a match at The Valley. It must have been over the Xmas holiday period as that was only time we were in the UK. It was a dull and dreary day and the floodlights were already on as we come up and over the East Terrace. That was me hooked: the vibrant green of the grass, the bright floodlights and the singing from the Covered End!
I didn’t get to see another match until 1976 when I was sent to boarding school in Blackheath. The school required every boarder to have a legal guardian and my parents chose my uncle, a lifelong Addick. From 1976 until we left the Addick I went to every home game!
It just had to be, Dads family being Addicks, few mates at school and easy to get to the Valley, 89 bus and a walk down Charlton Park Lane, so glad I chose wisely over Millscum & Hammers, my mental anguish began 1968 (lost 3-4 against....... you know who). Been able to coerce others along the way, family & friends, they can all suffer as I have done,
My Dad was not interested in football. One of his cousins lived in Plumstead and promised to take me to a game when I turned 7. He was a Palace supporter who also went to see Charlton. Late August 1954 he took me to The Valley. Then it was games to watch CP and some at Charlton. I picked Charlton as my team and followed ever since. When I turned 11 was allowed to go by myself and went to most home games with some away if local. Went until April 1963 when parents dragged me of to Australia. Last game was home game against Huddersfield which we won. I remember getting results on the boat, but could not get result of the last game against Walsall which we had to win to stay in Div 2. Took me a month to find out. Been to few games over the years when returned on holiday, but, not since 2006. I very much doubt I will be able to travel in future due to health issues but remain committed Addick. Go Robins
My Dad’s family is from Woolwich/Greenwich and my Mum’s from Blackheath. My parents emigrated to Germany in 1964 when I was 2, so I didn’t see or hear about London footie until I was about 7 or 8 when my uncle who lived in Woolwich took me to see a match at The Valley. It must have been over the Xmas holiday period as that was only time we were in the UK. It was a dull and dreary day and the floodlights were already on as we come up and over the East Terrace. That was me hooked: the vibrant green of the grass, the bright floodlights and the singing from the Covered End!
I didn’t get to see another match until 1976 when I was sent to boarding school in Blackheath. The school required every boarder to have a legal guardian and my parents chose my uncle, a lifelong Addick. From 1976 until we left the Addick I went to every home game!
Was the boarding school Christs College? I was there from 1958 to1963
True story, I fell in love in love with Charlton for the glory in ‘88. If we hadn’t have won the Soccer Sixes at the G-Mex then I’m not sure it would’ve happened.
Little bit of background to this. Although I was born in Salisbury my family moved to Canada when I was just over a year old and lived there until I was seven. Up until moving back to England I had never kicked a football or even watched a game so a new sport opened up to me and at the time every boy in my new school seemed to support Liverpool because they were winning everything. I had no family influence as no one (not my parents, nor uncles) was into football. I think my mum’s dad may have supported West Ham as he was a Bethnal Green boy but I never met him so I called myself a Liverpool supporter because it was easy although I never got taken to any games. I fell in love with football but hadn’t really found a club that meant anything.
Of course I knew about Charlton, they were that club who had no ground and were a bit shit but that was about it. That all changed when I watched the Soccer Sixes. I found myself rooting for this club I knew virtually nothing about, cheering them on as they came back from 3-0 down against Liverpool to win 6-3 and ultimately triumphing over Forest in the final. Lead by Lawrence and Flanagan on the touchline I had found my heroes in Bolder, Gritt, Humphrey, Mortimer and especially a 19 year old named Carl Leaburn. My love affair with CAFC began at the age of fifteen.
My Dad's side of the family weren't into football but my maternal Grandparents were addicks. My Grandad was at the 47 cup final and he even went to Charlton on his wedding day. They got married in the morning and whilst the women prepared the food for the evening, the blokes all fucked off to Charlton (still all in their suits).
My nan always used to keep updated on scores, especially when I started going. She stayed up to watch the highlights of the play off final at Birmingham and even though she knew the score, she was still a bag of nerves watching it and jumping up and down.
She was hospitalised after a stroke but even on the day before she passed away, she still wanted to know how Charlton had got on the night before.
My Uncle is also a huge fan and went home and away in the 70's.
My parents moved down from Aberdeen in the mid 80s, my dad was quite open to support any London side. He had a red and white scarf as he was an Aberdeen fan and would preferably like a team who played in red and white to save his money buying another coloured scarf (proper Scottish).
He saw Brentford, Arsenal, Spurs, West Ham the lot, but felt really at home watching Charlton and knew it was the right fit. Would then go to all the games.
He ended up as a steward at Selhurst in the move and made some great mates aswell as getting to watch Charlton. When we got back to the Valley he has had the same seat in the East ever since.
He took me to my first game in the 93/94 season against Peterborough and we won 5-1, I will never forget the night before being so excited and the high after. I was 8 so genuinely thought we were world beaters. Gary Nelson hatrick, Leaburn and Pardew all scored.
Came crashing down 2 weeks later for my second game when we got beat 5-2 at home by Middlesborough....bloody John Hendre.
7-6 aggregate after two games, nothing easy, Charlton all over.
What a journey ever since, love it,no regrets and so grateful to my dad for money saving over a scarf.
My Dad’s family is from Woolwich/Greenwich and my Mum’s from Blackheath. My parents emigrated to Germany in 1964 when I was 2, so I didn’t see or hear about London footie until I was about 7 or 8 when my uncle who lived in Woolwich took me to see a match at The Valley. It must have been over the Xmas holiday period as that was only time we were in the UK. It was a dull and dreary day and the floodlights were already on as we come up and over the East Terrace. That was me hooked: the vibrant green of the grass, the bright floodlights and the singing from the Covered End!
I didn’t get to see another match until 1976 when I was sent to boarding school in Blackheath. The school required every boarder to have a legal guardian and my parents chose my uncle, a lifelong Addick. From 1976 until we left the Addick I went to every home game!
My mother and her parents were born in Woolwich although me and my father were born in Kent(Sheerness) During the Summer holidays and Christmas we as a family we
used to visit my Grandparents in Woolwich. As my Father liked football, he supported the local team Sheppey Utd so during our stay at Woolwich he would take me
to see Charlton. My first game would have about 1952,cant remember who against.So from then on they have always been my team. From the late 70s I was a season
1st day at Our Lady of Grace in Charlton. The teacher asked all the boys what their favourite football team was and asked the girls what their favourite doll was. She was obviously not teaching in the PC / Woke era (this was 50 years ago).
I had just come back to England from living and going to nursery in Belgium. I had grown up with only rugby teams bandied about and no footie teams mentioned.
One of the boys on the desk near me said his Dad worked at Charlton. Thanks to Sean Foley I then said Charlton as at least I knew that was where we were so was probably a real team. For the gratitude of having an answer to my first question at school (bar probably answering my name on a register) I have supported them ever since.
Interestingly most of the class were Arsenal fans. As I hadn’t heard that name before I swerved that one. To be fair to the kids in the class many of their grandparents were Arsenal fans at that time so could justifiably be deemed to be following a tradition of supporting their local club.
Comments
The train from Blackheath went straight into a tunnel and stayed in there all the way to Charlton.
For an 8 year old that was SOOO exciting.
Then we won 5-0.
Hooked.
When I turned 11 was allowed to go by myself and went to most home games with some away if local. Went until April 1963 when parents dragged me of to Australia. Last game was home game against Huddersfield which we won.
I remember getting results on the boat, but could not get result of the last game against Walsall which we had to win to stay in Div 2. Took me a month to find out.
Been to few games over the years when returned on holiday, but, not since 2006. I very much doubt I will be able to travel in future due to health issues but remain committed Addick. Go Robins
Little bit of background to this. Although I was born in Salisbury my family moved to Canada when I was just over a year old and lived there until I was seven. Up until moving back to England I had never kicked a football or even watched a game so a new sport opened up to me and at the time every boy in my new school seemed to support Liverpool because they were winning everything. I had no family influence as no one (not my parents, nor uncles) was into football. I think my mum’s dad may have supported West Ham as he was a Bethnal Green boy but I never met him so I called myself a Liverpool supporter because it was easy although I never got taken to any games. I fell in love with football but hadn’t really found a club that meant anything.
Of course I knew about Charlton, they were that club who had no ground and were a bit shit but that was about it. That all changed when I watched the Soccer Sixes. I found myself rooting for this club I knew virtually nothing about, cheering them on as they came back from 3-0 down against Liverpool to win 6-3 and ultimately triumphing over Forest in the final. Lead by Lawrence and Flanagan on the touchline I had found my heroes in Bolder, Gritt, Humphrey, Mortimer and especially a 19 year old named Carl Leaburn. My love affair with CAFC began at the age of fifteen.
My nan always used to keep updated on scores, especially when I started going. She stayed up to watch the highlights of the play off final at Birmingham and even though she knew the score, she was still a bag of nerves watching it and jumping up and down.
She was hospitalised after a stroke but even on the day before she passed away, she still wanted to know how Charlton had got on the night before.
My Uncle is also a huge fan and went home and away in the 70's.
He saw Brentford, Arsenal, Spurs, West Ham the lot, but felt really at home watching Charlton and knew it was the right fit. Would then go to all the games.
He ended up as a steward at Selhurst in the move and made some great mates aswell as getting to watch Charlton. When we got back to the Valley he has had the same seat in the East ever since.
He took me to my first game in the 93/94 season against Peterborough and we won 5-1, I will never forget the night before being so excited and the high after. I was 8 so genuinely thought we were world beaters. Gary Nelson hatrick, Leaburn and Pardew all scored.
Came crashing down 2 weeks later for my second game when we got beat 5-2 at home by Middlesborough....bloody John Hendre.
7-6 aggregate after two games, nothing easy, Charlton all over.
What a journey ever since, love it,no regrets and so grateful to my dad for money saving over a scarf.
Mine’s Stuart Bray.
I had just come back to England from living and going to nursery in Belgium. I had grown up with only rugby teams bandied about and no footie teams mentioned.
One of the boys on the desk near me said his Dad worked at Charlton. Thanks to Sean Foley I then said Charlton as at least I knew that was where we were so was probably a real team. For the gratitude of having an answer to my first question at school (bar probably answering my name on a register) I have supported them ever since.