My late Dad (Residing with my Mum in the memorial garden at The Valley now )inflicted it on me when he first took me to The Valley aged 6 in 1966. Dad was brought up In Charlton and had ended up in South Croydon for work and we lived above the shop. We went to all the home games and as I got older I went on the 75 or 54 bus from West Croydon on the rare occasion Dad couldn't take us in the car. Living in Croydon gave me many opportunities to despise Palace and made my bond to the Addicks even stronger. I moved to the South coast in 86 and I now live between Pompey and Southampton in Fareham.
Self... Lived in Beulah Hill at the time, bored one saturday, walked to Selhurst Park, hated everything about the stripy home team, bored another saturday, same walk, red team, couldn't stop laughing, walked home, realized I was looking in the mirror, and that was it...
Jokes about my therapist advising against reliving painful experiences aside…
I grew up a Villa fan due to my birth Dad being one, he left when I was 7 and my Step Dad proceeded to take me to The Valley sporadically. I never really showed that much interest until he got us tickets in the E Block of the Covered End against Millwall in 95/96. Bowyer scored after 5 minutes and Leaburn scored with 5 minutes to go and I remember walking up Charlton Lane with my (Step) Dad after the game and saying “That’s my team now”. It was an incredible day, and the last time we beat them, which is an absolute joke.
Anyway, fast forward 20 years and I met my Birth Dad again, he’s now an Arsenal season ticket holder, so if you can leave your kids, you can definitely leave your football team!
It’s in the blood. The whole family have supported Charlton from the word go. In fact, my uncle Harold helped excavate and build the Valley, or that’s what he used to tell me. I’m third generation Charlton and was first taken in 1965. Can’t say I remember much about it but in 1968 there was a blip. I watched Man Utd’s Euro cup win and thought it would be a good idea to support them. My dad found out from from my school mate over the road and I was told in no uncertain terms that I wouldn’t be supporting Man Utd and that was it. My son is fourth generation. His middle name is Charlton and so it goes on … Up the Addicks
Five uncles went to cup final in 47 all living in Charlton and always down The Valley. Not one of them took me to watch Charlton.It was left to a school mate we went with his father and brother and sat in west stand 1967. My father then took me to final game of that season Billy Bonds last game for Charlton. Since then it’s been in my blood .
Born in Brockley , my Uncles supported Millwall fortunately my Dad was an Addick. First game I remember was Derby at The Valley 68/69 in front of a 30,000 crowd.
It’s in the blood. The whole family have supported Charlton from the word go. In fact, my uncle Harold helped excavate and build the Valley, or that’s what he used to tell me. I’m third generation Charlton and was first taken in 1965. Can’t say I remember much about it but in 1968 there was a blip. I watched Man Utd’s Euro cup win and thought it would be a good idea to support them. My dad found out from from my school mate over the road and I was told in no uncertain terms that I wouldn’t be supporting Man Utd and that was it. My son is fourth generation. His middle name is Charlton and so it goes on … Up the Addicks
Good choice of middle name. Hope your son his as happy as mine.
After the Munich disaster I became a sympathetic Man Utd fan and my old man took me to several top games in London to watch the likes of Bobby Charlton. Then the crafty so and so started taking me to the valley and I got hooked on players like Sam Lawrie, Long John Hewie, Willie Duff, Daisy Edwards. So, sort of self inflicted. What was I thinking of!
Dad moved into Harvey Gardens as a kid and has been going since the mid 50’s - dragged me along since since 89 at Selhurst. My son is hooked now at the age of 7. it’s more up than downs but he can’t support anyone else.
My grandad (who first went in 1946) first took me to Charlton when I was 12 in 1996. October game vs Bolton. Many yellow cards and Phil Chapple got sent off. Since then I have been hooked. Unfortunately my grandad can't come to the games now due to mobility / age-related issues but my mum has rediscovered her Charlton bug and comes instead. My 1 year old son will have no choice. He will be a Charlton fan. As will my next child as soon as they are born 😅 I will definitely drag them along as soon as they are old enough!
My Irish Dad emigrated to England in early 1947. He was a big football fan and a decent player himself, playing for his local side Clara Town, as did my Grandfather. My Dad also represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level. He took up residence in Erith and adopted Charlton as his team. He took me to my first game in January 1967, second division Charlton against first division Sheffield United. Like others I've read about on here, I was interested in the usual suspects to make 'my team'. However experiencing the Valley atmosphere and the spirited Charlton display, despite losing 1-0, made a big impression on me. I lived in Belvedere at the time and here was a nice club with an amazing ground virtually on my doorstep. Haven't missed many games since and have lots of treasured memories of watching games with my old man on the east side of the covered end.
So many reasons never to return to the Valley of Tears but love is not as simple as that is it?
I've had girlfriends who have said "It's me or your s****y football team".(rejected) And jobs that demanded Saturday overtime (rejected) And there have been wedding invites (rejected) holiday opportunities (rejected) and a raft of other things to "entice" me away from my weekly 90minutes of misery.
The only thing [that has come close] is when footie interferes with Church by playing on Sundays. And even then, miraculously! It doesn't seem to hamper things.
It is simply the greatest thing this sorry mess of a world has to offer! ~ Charlton Athletic Football Club! Who knew?!
Comments
Lived in Beulah Hill at the time, bored one saturday, walked to Selhurst Park, hated everything about the stripy home team, bored another saturday, same walk, red team, couldn't stop laughing, walked home, realized I was looking in the mirror, and that was it...
I grew up a Villa fan due to my birth Dad being one, he left when I was 7 and my Step Dad proceeded to take me to The Valley sporadically. I never really showed that much interest until he got us tickets in the E Block of the Covered End against Millwall in 95/96. Bowyer scored after 5 minutes and Leaburn scored with 5 minutes to go and I remember walking up Charlton Lane with my (Step) Dad after the game and saying “That’s my team now”. It was an incredible day, and the last time we beat them, which is an absolute joke.
Anyway, fast forward 20 years and I met my Birth Dad again, he’s now an Arsenal season ticket holder, so if you can leave your kids, you can definitely leave your football team!
Cut me, I bleed Charlton red!
Not one of them took me to watch Charlton.It was left to a school mate we went with his father and brother and sat in west stand 1967. My father then took me to final game of that season Billy Bonds last game for Charlton.
Since then it’s been in my blood .
Hope your son his as happy as mine.
Unfortunately my grandad can't come to the games now due to mobility / age-related issues but my mum has rediscovered her Charlton bug and comes instead.
My 1 year old son will have no choice. He will be a Charlton fan. As will my next child as soon as they are born 😅 I will definitely drag them along as soon as they are old enough!
He took up residence in Erith and adopted Charlton as his team. He took me to my first game in January 1967, second division Charlton against first division Sheffield United. Like others I've read about on here, I was interested in the usual suspects to make 'my team'. However experiencing the Valley atmosphere and the spirited Charlton display, despite losing 1-0, made a big impression on me. I lived in Belvedere at the time and here was a nice club with an amazing ground virtually on my doorstep.
Haven't missed many games since and have lots of treasured memories of watching games with my old man on the east side of the covered end.
So many reasons never to return to the Valley of Tears but love is not as simple as that is it?
I've had girlfriends who have said "It's me or your s****y football team".(rejected) And jobs that demanded Saturday overtime (rejected)
And there have been wedding invites (rejected) holiday opportunities (rejected) and a raft of other things to "entice" me away from my weekly 90minutes of misery.
The only thing [that has come close] is when footie interferes with Church by playing on Sundays. And even then, miraculously! It doesn't seem to hamper things.
It is simply the greatest thing this sorry mess of a world has to offer! ~ Charlton Athletic Football Club! Who knew?!