when he was between outlets, I tried a couple of times to woo him to write match reports for CL when we were getting quite high visitor levels (prob around 2006-2010). He was flattered, but i think he still saw online fan outlets as 2nd division to print then. @InspectorSands years later went on to be more successful in netting him!
It wasn't me that got Kev online initially - I hope I have the details right here, but I believe the Mercury dropped him as their regular reporter in the summer of 2011. At the time, there was a hyperlocal site called Greenwich.co.uk, which was run by a guy called Rob, and he picked up Kev's reports. The Greenwich.co.uk site faded somewhat over the years - because it's hard to make money online without either charging people or smearing ads all over the site - but Rob still kept running Kev's reports.
Fast forward to 2019, I was doing The Charlton Champion as a local site for SE7 - I'd always been wary of doing lots of football stuff because it would crowd out everything else, but after the playoff final win and that general sense of optimism, I thought I'd make enquiries. In the end Kev did the home match reports for the Champion, but did the aways and some other bits (like some cup matches) for Rob. When I closed the Champion last year the home reports moved over to The Greenwich Wire, but Kev was still doing the aways for for Rob.
He even did the Football League Trophy - his last report was at Greenwich.co.uk on the Chelsea U21 match. His last for The Greenwich Wire was Wrexham.
Rob got to know Kev well - better than I did. I know they spoke on the phone on Tuesday and Kev was complaining about his email not working (he was always worried about match reports not arriving).
I know he continued to do the odd Mercury/SLP report over the years - one time even doing separate reports on the same match for me and Rich Cawley after double-booking himself - but those ended in about three years back.
Referee Andy Madley’s final whistle brought with it not only pandemonium on the terraces but an outbreak of regrettable partisanship in the press box, where two Nolans are said to have taken diabolical liberties with the accepted code of neutrality.
There is in existence, apparently, film of our particularly spirited rendition of “Red Red Robin”. We deny everything, of course, but promise to tidy up our act for the Championship.
I spent many an hour in the car with Kev travelling to games during the 90's. I could tell you so many stories about him but one in particular sticks in my memory. We travelled up to Blackburn and we were running late, so Kev pulled down a street not far from Ewood Park and turned onto a driveway. I thought he had done it to turn round , but no, he turned off the engine and got out of the car, much to the bemusement of the home owner who was tending to his garden. Kev turned to the bloke and said do you mind if I park here mate as I'm late for the game. I think the bloke was so shocked, he just didn't know what to say. After the game he knocked on the door of the house and thanked the guy. He then turned to me and said give the guy a tenner for his hospitality, Deano. That was 2 people he had left speechless in 1 day. That just sums Kev up really, a cheeky bugger. He was such great company and a great character that made me laugh so much with some of his tales. Such a great reporter and was Charlton through and through, a proper legend. Thanks for the laughter and memories mate. Sleep tight my friend. Thinking of Hazel and the family right now. A very sad day.
Sad day for me with the news of Kevin who I have know for around 35 years. A truly great writer condolences to Hazel and Steve and rest of the family R.I.P
When we were at Selhurst I lived well out of the range of the Mercury, so it was thanks to Rick and VOTV bringing so many of us together that I got to know Kev and read his reports regularly. I always thought he could have written for a national paper, he was that good, but perhaps he was just happy to stay here in the Charlton community and be free to write great lines like the Neville Southall one. And to keep it going to 87- what an inspiration to us all. RIP Kev, and deepest condolences to your family.
Such sad news. An absolutely brilliant writer and man. Had a great sense of humour and was a lovely, lovely bloke to boot. RIP Kevin and my thoughts are with Hazel, Steve and the rest if their family.
A true one off. To make his reports must reads when they were published on a Thursday for a game that happened on the Saturday showed what a brilliant and unique writer he was.
When he was on radio years later, he was exactly what you wanted to hear, knowledgeable, humorous and opinionated.
What a man. As a youngster beginning supporting Charlton and soon becoming obsessed with all things Charlton. Kevin Nolan was my conduit to that, if I was lucky I'd get a copy of the SLP that had been left in a basket at Chatham Station to read about a game I'd watched with my own eyes or one I hadn't been able to get to. I've gotten to know one of Kevin's sons over a shared love of Charlton and boxing and he is a great guy too. Honest as a day is long and the apple fell close to the tree. I have been in the same breathing space as Kevin Nolan more than a handful of times and was never brave enough to say hello and this is coming from someone who felt that a urinal was a sensible place to tell Noel Gallagher how much of a fan I was. I was in absolute awe of Kevin Nolan.
My thoughts are with Kev's family at this terribly sad time. May he rest in peace
Always loved reading his accurate & humorous reports for many years in the Mercury & was pleased when his reports then popped up online. There won’t be another like him that’s for sure. We’ve lost a unique aspect of reliving the match through a very talented reporters eyes. He will be sadly missed by me & many other supporters.
RIP Kevin. I used to love reading his reports. I'm sad that I never got to meet him. From what I've read here he was a definite character. One of our own 😀.
RIP and condolences to family and friends. Kevin's Mercury reports kept me in touch while I was in the merchant navy thanks to my Mum's CG cutting service
Haven’t been on here for ages, but wanted to come on to record my absolute respect for one of the best blokes you will ever, ever meet in this life.
I was friends with Kevin’s youngest son, Danny, and got to know him really well, he even played in our cricket team at Marvels Lane, alongside Mercury editor Peter Cordwell.
As people on here will know, Kevin was simply the best company imaginable, his story telling was sublime and he could talk authoritatively about any subject under the sun, he was a tour de force.
His writing? Sweet Baby Jesus and the Angels, could he write, he could make the dullest game spring to life, but it was on those big occasions he was at his best, because Kevin knew what this club meant to our small but dedicated band of brothers and sisters, and that shone through his writing.
RIP mate, you were the best of us, the absolute ******* best of us.
I spent many an hour in the car with Kev travelling to games during the 90's. I could tell you so many stories about him but one in particular sticks in my memory. We travelled up to Blackburn and we were running late, so Kev pulled down a street not far from Ewood Park and turned onto a driveway. I thought he had done it to turn round , but no, he turned off the engine and got out of the car, much to the bemusement of the home owner who was tending to his garden. Kev turned to the bloke and said do you mind if I park here mate as I'm late for the game. I think the bloke was so shocked, he just didn't know what to say. After the game he knocked on the door of the house and thanked the guy. He then turned to me and said give the guy a tenner for his hospitality, Deano. That was 2 people he had left speechless in 1 day. That just sums Kev up really, a cheeky bugger. He was such great company and a great character that made me laugh so much with some of his tales. Such a great reporter and was Charlton through and through, a proper legend. Thanks for the laughter and memories mate. Sleep tight my friend. Thinking of Hazel and the family right now. A very sad day.
Yup, that is the Kevin Nolan that I knew, more front than Selfridges.
If you want to know how much front Kevin had, you only had to be at Wembley for the England v Ireland game at Wembley in 1991.
It was a poisonous atmosphere in the ground, lots of anti-Irish stuff going around, it was seriously unpleasant and you could sense there were quite a few Irish fans around us that were nervous and sitting on their hands.
Big Niall Quinn equalises for Ireland and who jumps up in celebration, about three rows in front of me? Mr. Kevin Nolan, all 5’ 8” and ten stone of him, he didn’t give a **** and wasn’t scared of anyone.
If you want to know how much front Kevin had, you only had to be at Wembley for the England v Ireland game at Wembley in 1991.
It was a poisonous atmosphere in the ground, lots of anti-Irish stuff going around, it was seriously unpleasant and you could sense there were quite a few Irish fans around us that were nervous and sitting on their hands.
Big Niall Quinn equalises for Ireland and who jumps up in celebration, about three rows in front of me? Mr. Kevin Nolan, all 5’ 8” and ten stone of him, he didn’t give a **** and wasn’t scared of anyone.
Back in the mid-90s, being a pressbox regular at the time, at some point I'd chat with Kevin at most home games. As a fresh school leaver at the time, and he such a well-respected correspondent, I can look back and recall him chatting with me, from day one, as though we were absolute equals. Which in his eyes I'm sure we were. For me, that's what stands him out even more than his excellent work.
Many years have passed, so I may be recalling some of this anecdote incorrectly, and certainly won't be retelling it as well as he, but the general sentiment sums up the man even if I have the detail wrong. He recounted being at a European cup final, one the Liverpool one's back in the 70s/80s, possibly Roma. Outside the ground, and in possession of a match ticket, what did he do? He gave it away to a Liverpool supporter for nothing.
Always with Hazel, a lovely man, and a lovely couple.
A life well lived. A Charlton legend. One of own. Rest easy Kev. I’m going to miss your contribution to our ongoing misery. My sincerest condolences to family and friends
Comments
Fast forward to 2019, I was doing The Charlton Champion as a local site for SE7 - I'd always been wary of doing lots of football stuff because it would crowd out everything else, but after the playoff final win and that general sense of optimism, I thought I'd make enquiries. In the end Kev did the home match reports for the Champion, but did the aways and some other bits (like some cup matches) for Rob. When I closed the Champion last year the home reports moved over to The Greenwich Wire, but Kev was still doing the aways for for Rob.
He even did the Football League Trophy - his last report was at Greenwich.co.uk on the Chelsea U21 match. His last for The Greenwich Wire was Wrexham.
Rob got to know Kev well - better than I did. I know they spoke on the phone on Tuesday and Kev was complaining about his email not working (he was always worried about match reports not arriving).
So there is a huge archive of Kev's reports here (various matches 2011-2024) courtesy of Rob's site: https://www.greenwich.co.uk/author/kevin-nolan/
Referee Andy Madley’s final whistle brought with it not only pandemonium on the terraces but an outbreak of regrettable partisanship in the press box, where two Nolans are said to have taken diabolical liberties with the accepted code of neutrality.
There is in existence, apparently, film of our particularly spirited rendition of “Red Red Robin”. We deny everything, of course, but promise to tidy up our act for the Championship.
That just sums Kev up really, a cheeky bugger. He was such great company and a great character that made me laugh so much with some of his tales.
Such a great reporter and was Charlton through and through, a proper legend.
Thanks for the laughter and memories mate. Sleep tight my friend.
Thinking of Hazel and the family right now. A very sad day.
35 years. A truly great writer condolences to Hazel and Steve and rest
of the family R.I.P
When he was on radio years later, he was exactly what you wanted to hear, knowledgeable, humorous and opinionated.
RIP
RIP
My thoughts are with Kev's family at this terribly sad time. May he rest in peace
Usual smiles & greetings exchanged - lovely, lovely people.
Today's 4 goals were for you, dear Kevin.
Sleep tight x
I was friends with Kevin’s youngest son, Danny, and got to know him really well, he even played in our cricket team at Marvels Lane, alongside Mercury editor Peter Cordwell.
As people on here will know, Kevin was simply the best company imaginable, his story telling was sublime and he could talk authoritatively about any subject under the sun, he was a tour de force.
His writing? Sweet Baby Jesus and the Angels, could he write, he could make the dullest game spring to life, but it was on those big occasions he was at his best, because Kevin knew what this club meant to our small but dedicated band of brothers and sisters, and that shone through his writing.
RIP mate, you were the best of us, the absolute ******* best of us.
It was a poisonous atmosphere in the ground, lots of anti-Irish stuff going around, it was seriously unpleasant and you could sense there were quite a few Irish fans around us that were nervous and sitting on their hands.
Big Niall Quinn equalises for Ireland and who jumps up in celebration, about three rows in front of me? Mr. Kevin Nolan, all 5’ 8” and ten stone of him, he didn’t give a **** and wasn’t scared of anyone.
R. I. P.
Many years have passed, so I may be recalling some of this anecdote incorrectly, and certainly won't be retelling it as well as he, but the general sentiment sums up the man even if I have the detail wrong. He recounted being at a European cup final, one the Liverpool one's back in the 70s/80s, possibly Roma. Outside the ground, and in possession of a match ticket, what did he do? He gave it away to a Liverpool supporter for nothing.
Always with Hazel, a lovely man, and a lovely couple.
RIP