Why Charlton ?

WasCharleyOne

Reading the earlier post by Orpington made me think with regards to earlier allegiances and why we got into Charlton.

I was also a 'late developer' so to speak. I saw a pre-season friendly at Gravesend & Northfleet in around '85/'86 then almost nothing until around '91 (ish ???) as I was in Bristol for a few weeks and went to see us done 1-0 by Rovers. It slowly grew on me and I appeared, albeit rarely, at The Valley through till the '96/'97 season then started going with some frequency.

In my earlier years I loved the game of football more than having any particular allegiance.

AFKABartram

few mates got into it, started to go over Selhurst with them, but then what cemented it crazily was when the Charlton Chat radio programme started up on a Sunday night on Radio Thamesmead. At least something on a Sunday night other than songs of praise. Started to listen every week and before i knew it i was following Charlton all round the country.

carlsberg

my dad took me to my first game at smelhurst park wen i was about 5. my dad used to take me along with ketmans dad alot. dont remember much about smelhurst tho i do remember the upton park era. i remember playing football with a coke can at the front of the terrace pretending to be gordon watson.

used to get a lot of stick from other kids back then as there were no such things as charlton fans at my school. i came home from primary school once and said to my dad 'can i support liverpool and charlton?' and he beat the living shite out of me!!!!!! that was me nailed on from there. wouldnt change my team for the world.

does anyone remember or know the big guy who everyone used to lift up without his shirt on at the away games an sing 'who ate all the pies'? like a ritual. would love to know wat happend to him?

Tavern

Feel sorry for u lot!just continue supporting Charlton thats all that counts1

Charlton_Charlie

Family - dad and grandad both born in Plumstead and regulars thru 40s / 50s (grandad) and 60s (dad)...dad took me to my first game in about 77...then spent most of my school years 'supporting' Liverpool or whoever was winning most games whilst always seeing what Charlton did, but never admiting it (was living in north herts at this point and used to go regularly to Luton with the football team I played for).

Moved to Greenwich in 94 after college (where I used to go watch Coventry City) and abroad (where I didn't) and then started going regularly in about 95 when I finally embraced my addiction....

browny

Whole family born in the se,i was born in Lewisham and had a northern grandad so too followed Liverpool til the early 90's then i saw the light and have been a season tkt holder down the Valley for the last ten years.

browny

went to every game home n away between 99 n 2004 n still attend every home game n cos ov the expense ov kids can only afford 1 away game every now n then

lancashire lad

Lived in Catford and my foster dad was a Charlton supporter and took me to the last game of the season in '58 against Blackburn and so I became Addicted. Thank God he wasn't a Millwall or Palarse supporter!

Hillsys Up

I was a secret Yid / Liverpool fan as an under 10. Started playing for Bexley and the manager supplied the ball boys at Selhurst and got tickets. First game 1987 at Selhurst....It's my fault AFKA's such a big fan, I used to drag him a long with me, or should I say his parents would not let him go on his own, or mine, can't remember!! Always remember a big fella called Darren who used to stand at the top of the homesdale, had blonde highlights....He used to be the daddy!!

When I looked old enough to drink, about 14, used to drink at london bridge in that cocktail bar, can't remember it's name.....quality

Elthamaddick

my old man (quite a few will know him) took me in 1977/78 to my first game when I was 4, Birmingham at home I think !?!?.

Spent about 12 years going to every game with him and have always had a season ticket to this day, don't go away as much now but about 13 years ago spent a good couple of seasons playing for the supporters club team around the country, some cracking days they were.

Go to the games now with a great bunch of lads, more for the social side than the football really !, any excuse to get down the pub on a saturday lunchtime...whatever happens I will always get a season ticket !!!!!!!

razil

I got introduced around the mid eighties by a mate after being a Liverpool fan, Selhurst killed that, but I got back into it after going to uni in '90 in Hull. Not as bad a place as you think, but being away reminds you who you are I guess. Shame though he doesn't go anymore, and has drifted away.

F-Blocker

I was playing (badly!) for an U12 team in Mottingham and we went to Smellhurst for a match vs one of the sheffield teams at the back end of the 85/86 season (I think!). Wasn't exactly blown away by it all. Lost interest a bit and was won-over by Formula 1 for about 10 years. Then was slowly turned-back to Charlton by a mate from about 95 onwards.

Used to go to a few games each season, but it was getting married (more disposable income with 2 salaries) and Di Canio signing that finally made me get a season ticket. Though, typically, I then got ill, spent 4 months in hospital and missed half the season (including the 4-2 Chelsea game - gutted is not the word!).

Ledge

whole family are charlton/

grandad was programme seller there until he died in 70 -so i never met him which was a great shame - just the natural thing to do as

1.. local team
2. used to live in kidbrooke by sun in the sands so could walk to games

never really went that regular in my teens -

started going properly when 16 when i had a job. started going away games on my own as a saddo as none of my pals could afford it - met a few lads who i still go charlton with to this day.

have had a ST from 1987

BlackForestReds

Why Charlton?


Charlton's my town, Charlton's my team. End of.

razil

so why Blackforest?

;)

BlackForestReds

Because I now live here...

Sunny day here, snow up on the hills surrounding Freiburg, good clean crisp air and best of all England look like beating Australia at cricket, ok it's only a one dayer...

Happy Groundhog day all, and for the Pagan Addicks, happy Imbolc.

folder

From when my dad and uncle first dragged me to the ground when i was 3....walking down through marion wilson park from kinveachy gardens wondering what all the fuss was about....

From when I used to sit at the very top of the east stand...behind the wire fence that had been put up to stop people sitting at the top of the crumbling stand....

To being at the last game at the valley not really understanding what was going on fully at the time....

To being "number one at upton park" singing at the tops of our voices when winning away at our "home" ground : ) fond memories...

Ive always been Charlton and always will be...i was born in British mothers and babies hospital...I lived in Charlton most of my life up until the last few years- I suppose its as much a part of me as being born in the area....and its probably the same feeling for all of you - and i guess thats what makes it a special place and a special club...

Looking at the yoof and the new supporters we have attracted over the last few years I often wonder how they feel about the club...have they got the same affiliation to the club as the long sufferers : ) is it just the lure of relatively cheap premiership football which brings them along - or is it the sense of belonging...wanting to will your team on to win against the odds...does it ruin their whole weekend when we perform without passion or make them smile till their faces ache when we win??

Even though we have had a soul-less team for the best part of a season it seems things are now turning around and its becoming our Charlton again...the Charlton we all know... and gre up with - fighting hard against the odds...

Thats why!

fOlder

1905

My Dad supported Millwall. I wanted to go to a game when I was about 6 but my Mum made him take me to Charlton because it was safer. I came back with a rosette and that's where he continued to take me.

But it was close thing and I could easily have ended up Millwall (like my brother).

AFKABartram

great read that Folder, welcome to the site sir.

scruffle

charlton vs derby was first football match went to and from that day i've been charlton through and through, althou probably aided by my local team goin bust and shuttin up shop (maidstone united) oh and my general hatred of medway towns and gillingham (feckin pickys the lot of erm)!!!

althou in past 5/6 years since lived in sheffield been more devote fan than ever, its true only being away can you really ever appreciate home so much

scruffle

my pasion has probably been helped by my old man bein a spud and my brother bein a gunner, i'v alwasy wanted b different!!!!

Henry Irving

[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]

Happy Groundhog day all, and for the Pagan Addicks, happy Imbolc.

please explain BFR

suzisausage

i probably didn't get that into football till i was about 14 (had other passtimes, dancing, swimming etc) it was enough watching my brother play at hall place every sunday morning in the cold. at that time i supported manchester united and my dad bought me a shirt with giggs on the back. the numbers peeled off, i had his auto biography, the middle pages are his feet and he had hairy toes, so i went off him, and them. from a young age dad used to take me to charlton, as my grandad, uncle, cousins were all fans, and we used to go every boxing day together as a family. remember seeing my cousin being a mascot at upton park, and playing wimbledon at selhurst park taking up 2 whole rows with family members that came along for the ride. my dad used to play till he was quite old so didn' thave a season ticket himself, but we got tickets for the play off final, and it was another family day out, my cousin fainted outside from sucking too much helium out of our balloons, my granddad was wearing a red curly wig and it was great. my dad bought me a season ticket for my 18th birthday and i've been going ever since. my brother was at uni at that time, and never got the bug like i did, but he's coming round to it now, and comes to games every now and then, and is going to get a season ticket next season.

Henry Irving

[cite]Posted By: folder[/cite]....

Looking at the yoof and the new supporters we have attracted over the last few years I often wonder how they feel about the club...have they got the same affiliation to the club as the long sufferers : ) is it just the lure of relatively cheap premiership football which brings them along - or is it the sense of belonging...wanting to will your team on to win against the odds...does it ruin their whole weekend when we perform without passion or make them smile till their faces ache when we win??


fOlder

For some maybe not but my nephew on my wife's side didn't grow up in a Charlton supporting area or in a Charlton supporting family until his dad and him got ST when he was 11. You try telling him he's not a real Charlton fan.

And my 8 year old is 4th Generation addick

Anyway welcome.

suzisausage

can't say i feel that way on some cup evening games henry when the jimmy seed and the north west corner is filled with kids singing songs and cheering. can't help feeling some of them would care if we won or lost, they're just there cos it is cheap. some come in with arsenal and chelsea shirts on!

hopefully it does mean something to some of them, but definately not all. it is just convenient.

LenGlover

It's in the blood. Great Grandfather, Grandparents, Father, Me and my brother and my daughters.

I first became aware of football about the time Spurs won the double in 1961 and the first game I can clearly remember on the telly was the Spurs Burnley Cup Final the following season. I started reading the paper about the same time and looked for the Spurs results.

My dad often worked weekends or played sport so he wasn't always about. One Saturday though he was in and we were watching the teleprinter on Grandstand. I happened to mention that Spurs were our team to be told in no uncertain terms that they weren't and Charlton were! We then sat until the Charlton result came through, Charlton 3 Middlesbrough 4. He then told me that we (my Grandparents and me) would go to the FA Cup game against Cardiff which must have been his next Saturday off. We never got to that one because it was postponed on numerous occasions because of the awful weather that winter but we did go to some league games (beating Plymouth 6-3 and losing 2-1 to Leeds come to mind) and I was hooked, my flirtation with Spurs becoming a distant memory!

_MrDick

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]

Happy Groundhog day all, and for the Pagan Addicks, happy Imbolc.

please explain BFR

Today is national Groundhog Day in the USA. You must of seen the film?

No.1 in South London

It all started back in the mid sixties. We lived in Lee and my dad was a regular. Early memories was the all red (and I mean ALL) kit and a 3-3 draw at home to Norwich City after being 3-0 down if I remember one Boxing Day (although Dad says I was going earlier)- hooked ! then pestering my dad to go every week even though he didn't always take my two elder brothers (part-timers - one even claimed to support Leicester City because of Len Glover and took great pleasure in taking the p!55 when they beat us 5-0 at HOME! - but he is off the drugs now and is back supporting our boys from abroad). 1pm every Saturday home game getting butterflies in our front room, in the car and down to The Woodman, Lee High Road, where dad would pick up a couple of drinking friends. I would wait outside in the car for an age, dreaming of a Ray Tracey hat-trick, a Matt Tees header, Charlie handing out the chewing gum and a bag of roasted peanuts on the way out ! getting worried that we'd be late "sorry son but so-and-so was late getting here" - I believed it all, only later in life being able to work out they were having a few pre-match bevies. Park up in Nadine Street, still do to this day and a must have programme down the hill outside the working mans club where the burger van is nowdays. In via the now away teams turnstiles, I had a few lifts over them in those days, when the crowds were so big that the "little lad" was being crushed. Don't ever remember it bothering me that much, but the cash came in handy for a wagon wheel in the shop behind the posh seats in the West Stand. I used to get there by slipping through a gap in the railings next to my standing point in the south east corner. Used to get there via the mud hill, once through the turnstiles. Then to the top of that little terrace, with the massive one opposite - wow ! as we were always there about 1 minute before kick off it was always a snake route through the crowd and then a little "excuse me" as I found the smallest of gaps at the front red rail to get a view of the match. The rest they say is hsitory !

BlackForestReds

[quote][cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite][quote][cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]

Happy Groundhog day all, and for the Pagan Addicks, happy Imbolc.[/quote]

please explain BFR[/quote]

Feb 2 is Groundhog day in the USA.

Imbolc is an Irish pagan festival (co-opted by the early Christians and known as Candlemas) it denotes the start of spring so it's a bit of a precursor to groundhog day.

Riscardo

[cite]Posted By: Charlton Charlie[/cite]Family - dad and grandad both born in Plumstead and regulars thru 40s / 50s (grandad) and 60s (dad)...dad took me to my first game in about 77...then spent most of my school years 'supporting' Liverpool or whoever was winning most games whilst always seeing what Charlton did, but never admiting it (was living in north herts at this point and used to go regularly to Luton with the football team I played for).

Moved to Greenwich in 94 after college (where I used to go watch Coventry City) and abroad (where I didn't) and then started going regularly in about 95 when I finally embraced my addiction....

95!!!!!!!!!! Jesus ....

Henry Irving

[cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]can't say i feel that way on some cup evening games henry when the jimmy seed and the north west corner is filled with kids singing songs and cheering. can't help feeling some of them would care if we won or lost, they're just there cos it is cheap. some come in with arsenal and chelsea shirts on!

hopefully it does mean something to some of them, but definately not all. it is just convenient.

Sure not all but as Charlton Charlie proves you can convert a few heretics to the one true faith. And rather have loads of kids than loads of empty seats like at MFC and CPFC