Dad was from other side of the water and was really West Ham, but moved to SE18. Lived in Samuel Street eventually, 10 minutes walk from Valley, so he started going and CAFC was now his club and remained so until his death in the late 70s. I came along in the 60s and that was that, I too was hooked. Its my Son whom I now go with I feel sorry for, my Daughter had a lucky escape lol....................
Lived just around the corner from Samuel Street in Rideout Street from 1953 to 1958. Didn't see my first game until 1962 though, taken by my uncle.
Conceived in Charlton, born in Charlton, raised in Charlton. Grandparents lived nearby and used to provide accommodation to several Charlton players. Never considered any other team.
3rd generation. Been a member of my family going since at least 1934 (first recorded in a diary). My kids have fallen for it hook line and sinker at 7+9 too now which is just as good as I have told them it's the only thing they don't get to choose in life.
Dad was born and brought up in Greenwich and I guess started going to Charlton in the mid 1930s when he was in his teens I was also born in Greenwich and we lived in Blackheath. Dad first took me in the 1962/63 season when I was 7. Haven't lived in SE London since i left uni in 1976 but you can never change your team.
Lived in East Greenwich, so Charlton was my local club. My Dad was a referee and used to train at The Valley.
I was taken along by my Dad and his brother to Charlton games. The first one I actually remember was 5-2 vs Cardiff in 1963 when I was 11 but there were games before that where I really remember the walk to the ground, the crowd, the peanuts and the roasted chestnuts rather than the football.
I don't remember any coercion to go, it just seemed the natural thing to do. If I wasn't at a match, you could hear the magic of the roars from the crowd from my back garden. Of course the A102(M) didn't exist then!.
Inflicted from my mum’s side of the family. Both my Nan & Grandad were mad keen addicks, my grandad went to Charlton on their wedding day. Had the ceremony at Greenwich in the morning then the men went to The Valley while the women sorted the food out for the evening reception. I was first taken in ‘78 by my uncle (their son) and my cousin and was hooked from the 1st game. Went with my grandad a few times after but the full members cup final in ‘87 was the only time we had 3 generations together at a game.
Dad a fan, took my Cousin, who in turn took me, rest is history, although the elaborate lengths I have subsequently gone to are a bit self-inflicted. No offspring myself but have indoctrinated one or two members of family, friends, acquaintances, tourists many more over many years and will continue to do so. When are Accrington tickets on sale?,😊
During the lockdown I asked some Charlton fans to look up my father as I had no idea about his family or him to that matter as he died early in my life.(I was 8) This led me to trace the daughter of my mothers oldest friends who filled in some of the details surrounding his death, but on a brighter side told me how I came to go the The Valley, some of which I knew but not all the details. I was shipped off to a friend of my mothers locally as our house was off limits for a police investigation, apparently the husband of this friend was going to a game that weekend a took me along and I loved it, but I never returned again until was 10/11 when I ran away from home and was found by the police up by the laundry/Sam Bartram entrance where I’d made a camp. Id always assumed it was an uncle that took me as no one in the family liked football at all. The nearest home game to that date was Chelsea, I also found out the address my dad was found at but have resisted looking into his death any further than copy of his death certificate as it’s quite local and I’d hate to find out someone I knew was now living there.
I started bunking in when I was around 11/12 over the bogs wall at the Sam Bartram entrance, something that reduced me to tears on my first visit back with my dog when I found myself up there.
Pretty sure this has been dragged up before but everyone loves a sob story, even their own!
As it goes dad's dad was Millwall but dad had Millwall and Charlton mates and they'd inter mix and go to a game each week to whoever was playing. It wasn't until about 14 that he started to lean towards Charlton. Much to his mates delight of threatening to out hon at the Den, even in the early 50's those dockers had a reputation and rivalry was alive and a kicking wasn't beyond possibility.
Dad was a regular or season ticket holder until we left London.
My own Charlton story began in Sheffield. We moved from London when I was age 5. The youth teams would come around the schools and try to recruit young fans into a life of misery. At 6 I joined both Young Owls and Junior Blades as my hometown mates were pretty much either or. One close mate was Leeds as his family were from there, so being different didn't seem so bad. Anyway crunch time came when one day in 77 I believe some free tickets came through the post for a game down at The Lane. I excitedly showed them to dad when he got home from work. "Right that's enough" I think was his response and before long I was taken to Mansfield Town v Charlton. 0-3 I think and that's my DNA changed forever.
My eldest had no interest so I wasn't going to let my youngest daughter off the hook. She got taken in SCP's promotion season. She did 14 away games and saw 13 wins and a draw. Poor girl never understood as a 10 year-old that it was a once in a lifetime run. She proudly wears her Charlton shirt and it makes me smile that she still sleeps in it (and her boyfriend is Wednesday).
1964 was taken along to the Valley by my Uncles and an Aunt, one of whom had a trial at the club as a youngster and one of his boys is also a known Charlton fan too. My great grandmother told me lots of tales about working for the club in the 30's and after the war. My great aunt also worked at the Valley.
So it was inflicted and I'm really happy with that. I took all three of my boys to football from a young age, the eldest used to kick a ball around with some kids in the Sainsbury's terrace. The middle boy never really took to football as he was a top swimmer as a kid. The youngest was hooked and as far as I know still follows the club from afar. My eldest boy must have seen 100's of games with me over the years but when I saw him last month he said he rarely even looked for the result which saddens me a little. I saw a clip on fb of Kim Grants goal at Liverpool in 96... I took my eldest to that game, he was 11 then. I had a business meeting in Manchester so flew up for the game and took a chance that the company I visited didn't mind my son sitting in reception during my meeting. It was the first time he flew in a plane and got air sick. I still remember how excited he got for away games. There's a well known photo of us in the crowd at Bristol City... happy memories for me, so no regrets on Charlton being inflicted on me.
There was never going to be an alternative for me. I’m third generation at least and mum and dad both from big Charlton families. My first game was 5th December 1992 at five year’s old. I’m not sure I even knew England had a team at that point! Charlton or nothing.
Third generation here too through my dad's side of the family, was never going to be allowed to support anyone else. Mum's side of the family were more into Cricket.
First game was a 3-2 win over Oxford in I want to say 1997? (Think Konchesky made his debut that day).
My dad tried to get my brother and sister as well but to not as much avail as me, Last game I managed to get to was just after the ESI takeover against Barnsley and then my dad suddenly passed away last September.
Going to football was very much mine and his thing , was very very fortunate to be presented with a shirt from the club in his memory when the U18s came down to Worthing in the FA Youth Cup last season which was an amazing gesture.
Very much self inflicted. Started going when we were at Selhurst as I had recently moved to Thornton Heath. Got involved in the back to the Valley campaign and the rest is geography...
None of my family liked football, but as a kid I did and followed Arsenal as they were often on telly. A Charlton supporting friend took me to see the Gunners a few times, but in the Nelson era, he also took me to the Valley, banging on about it being our local Club. I'll never forgive him 😡
One of my early games was the FA cup tie versus Maidstone, notable for the Hales / Flanagan punch up IIRC, but for us it was also the day one of our school teachers, Mr Glen Coupland, scored a beauty for The Stones, past Jeff Woods I think it was.
It took a few matches before I realized my allegiance was to Charlton. I started going home and away and, although I've spent more than half my life now living in the Midlands, I can't shake the obsession, even though I've tried and rarely go to games any more. I did have a ST during the Curbs reign, but not since.
I've become disillusioned with football in general, but with Charlton it feels like I'm worrying about an ailing relative most of the time.
Under Powell, I attended the Hartlepool end of season celebration, (sat not too far from the Smurfs actually) and left that day thinking that might be it for me. I looked round the Valley at the end thinking I'd be unlikely to go again, but happy they were ailing no longer and I was leaving them on the up.
4th Generation for my sins my dad decided to move north when we were kids meaning, Ive been that weird kid who supports Charlton in my area all my life
My old man first took me back in 1977/78 season. Had a ST ever since, a habit I can’t break
inflicted it on my kids now, Wembley apart they’ve never known many good times. They watch the prem years on sky and in the main can’t believe it
thankfully they love going. If I tell the missus on a Saturday that I’m going down the pub at midday and will be back at 6 I get a short sharp look…..take the kids with me and the world is all good - haha
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Didn't see my first game until 1962 though, taken by my uncle.
I was taken along by my Dad and his brother to Charlton games. The first one I actually remember was 5-2 vs Cardiff in 1963 when I was 11 but there were games before that where I really remember the walk to the ground, the crowd, the peanuts and the roasted chestnuts rather than the football.
I don't remember any coercion to go, it just seemed the natural thing to do. If I wasn't at a match, you could hear the magic of the roars from the crowd from my back garden. Of course the A102(M) didn't exist then!.
Those kind of things stick with you.
At this stage it's like a car crash, I can't look away
This led me to trace the daughter of my mothers oldest friends who filled in some of the details surrounding his death, but on a brighter side told me how I came to go the The Valley, some of which I knew but not all the details.
I was shipped off to a friend of my mothers locally as our house was off limits for a police investigation, apparently the husband of this friend was going to a game that weekend a took me along and I loved it, but I never returned again until was 10/11 when I ran away from home and was found by the police up by the laundry/Sam Bartram entrance where I’d made a camp.
Id always assumed it was an uncle that took me as no one in the family liked football at all.
The nearest home game to that date was Chelsea,
I also found out the address my dad was found at but have resisted looking into his death any further than copy of his death certificate as it’s quite local and I’d hate to find out someone I knew was now living there.
As it goes dad's dad was Millwall but dad had Millwall and Charlton mates and they'd inter mix and go to a game each week to whoever was playing. It wasn't until about 14 that he started to lean towards Charlton. Much to his mates delight of threatening to out hon at the Den, even in the early 50's those dockers had a reputation and rivalry was alive and a kicking wasn't beyond possibility.
Dad was a regular or season ticket holder until we left London.
My own Charlton story began in Sheffield. We moved from London when I was age 5. The youth teams would come around the schools and try to recruit young fans into a life of misery. At 6 I joined both Young Owls and Junior Blades as my hometown mates were pretty much either or. One close mate was Leeds as his family were from there, so being different didn't seem so bad. Anyway crunch time came when one day in 77 I believe some free tickets came through the post for a game down at The Lane. I excitedly showed them to dad when he got home from work. "Right that's enough" I think was his response and before long I was taken to Mansfield Town v Charlton. 0-3 I think and that's my DNA changed forever.
My eldest had no interest so I wasn't going to let my youngest daughter off the hook. She got taken in SCP's promotion season. She did 14 away games and saw 13 wins and a draw. Poor girl never understood as a 10 year-old that it was a once in a lifetime run. She proudly wears her Charlton shirt and it makes me smile that she still sleeps in it (and her boyfriend is Wednesday).
First game was a 3-2 win over Oxford in I want to say 1997? (Think Konchesky made his debut that day).
My dad tried to get my brother and sister as well but to not as much avail as me, Last game I managed to get to was just after the ESI takeover against Barnsley and then my dad suddenly passed away last September.
Going to football was very much mine and his thing , was very very fortunate to be presented with a shirt from the club in his memory when the U18s came down to Worthing in the FA Youth Cup last season which was an amazing gesture.
One of my early games was the FA cup tie versus Maidstone, notable for the Hales / Flanagan punch up IIRC, but for us it was also the day one of our school teachers, Mr Glen Coupland, scored a beauty for The Stones, past Jeff Woods I think it was.
It took a few matches before I realized my allegiance was to Charlton. I started going home and away and, although I've spent more than half my life now living in the Midlands, I can't shake the obsession, even though I've tried and rarely go to games any more. I did have a ST during the Curbs reign, but not since.
I've become disillusioned with football in general, but with Charlton it feels like I'm worrying about an ailing relative most of the time.
Under Powell, I attended the Hartlepool end of season celebration, (sat not too far from the Smurfs actually) and left that day thinking that might be it for me. I looked round the Valley at the end thinking I'd be unlikely to go again, but happy they were ailing no longer and I was leaving them on the up.
So that went well. How wrong can you be? 😥
inflicted it on my kids now, Wembley apart they’ve never known many good times. They watch the prem years on sky and in the main can’t believe it
thankfully they love going. If I tell the missus on a Saturday that I’m going down the pub at midday and will be back at 6 I get a short sharp look…..take the kids with me and the world is all good - haha