Many miles have I travelled...
I’ve just worked it out. It’ll be over 4,250 miles this season alone. I’ve been ‘going away’ since 1976 (34 seasons). If this is a typical season (and it’s not really because there are so many local games) then multiply those miles by 34 and it’s over 144,000 miles. Actually it’s probably a lot more because I lived in Sheffield for four years in the 1990s and didn’t miss a home game (360 miles a round trip).
Many games have I seen...
39 this season. I’ve missed seven league games (all away), and watched one of those, plus the FA Cup game on TV. I’ve recently renewed for my 36th consecutive season ticket and missed about 10 home games in all that time. I’ve been going since 1963, so I reckon that’s over 1,000 home games alone.
Following Charlton my favourite team...
My Dad took me when I was four, so can’t really remember the first game I saw. Nor can I recall the first away game, though this was certainly a London derby. The first one outside London was Coventry in the FA Cup in 1968. Drove up in a Morris Minor, full of expectation – and lost 3-0! There were seven new grounds for me this season. I have now seen Charlton play at 112 different grounds.
Many hours have I spent...
God knows how you calculate time following Charlton. If time is money, then this season I’ve spent £727 on tickets and a conservative estimate of £470 on travel – trains, tubes, buses, boats and car. (Embankment to the O2 by boat for night games in case you were wondering). Inflation makes it difficult to estimate total costs back to the 1960s, but £1,197 over 34 years comes to over £40,000.
In the Covered End Choir, singing Valley Floyd Road
Strangely I’ve hardly ever been in the Covered End. My Dad used to sit me on the wall at the back of the East Terrace when I was little, and I have got used to being high up on the side of the pitch. I find it so much easier to see the pattern of the play rather than behind the goal.
My only desire
Charlton have caused me a lot of frustration over the years, but I’ve had some highlights too. The best feeling I ever had was beating Leeds in the play off final replay in 1985. The most emotionally wrung out I’ve ever been was the other play off final against Sunderland. My first taste of ‘glory’ was the first promotion I experienced in 1974, beating Preston 3-1 in the final game – a very special night.
How does this compare to others’ experiences?
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Comments
Mine too!
Except me and my Dad went up on the train - same day as Millwall were at Walsall and Palace at Aston Villa.
Fun and gamesat Coventry station, as you can imagine!
Met Keith Peacock for the first time in the station buffet on the platform - the team often travelled to away games by train in those days.
As you say we lost 3-0 after largely dominating the game, conceding those 3 only in the final 10 minutes after 17 year old ginger wonderkid Willie Carr came on as a sub late on - and turned the game on it's head.