My dad was a charlton fan who used to go regular and also travelled to some away games by motorbike during the 50s/60s I believe. He first took me to charlton in 1978 as a kid and I eventually started going regularly during my teens. I've also got family on my mum's side (uncle/aunt/cousins from charlton) who are all addicks fans too. As for my kids, my young son has a passing interest in football (he says he likes it but doesn't really follow it though), but because I now live in northampton, I've taken him down to his local club i.e. the cobblers a few times, so not sure if he will ever be a charlton fan, but will try and get him down to The Valley at some point. my young daughter has no interest in football, but that may well change as she gets older...
My Dad never took me to football when I was a kid - he was usually working Saturdays and despite making promises, it never happened. Probably just as well as we lived in Erith and I think he'd have taken me to West Ham. The team he supports has changed loads, he currently says Man Utd or Gillingham, when I was a kid it was Derby or Forest.... I came to Charlton quite late, but my Mum used to go with her Dad when she was younger (lived in Hopedale Rd). This would probably have been late 30s, maybe just after the war as well. she's not around to ask, unfortunately and didn't really follow it after getting married. So, Charlton was in my family, just not actively. I decided that I wanted my kids to have the experience of live football and my boy, whose now 6, had been pushing to go for a while so we pitched up last season for the first match. He's lukewarm, sometimes says he supports Charlton sometimes Cheltenham (family connection) sometimes whoever he thinks will wind me up. But he's young yet, and as long as he doesn't support Palace or Millwall, I can cope. After a couple of games my daughter wanted to come (she's 11). She's now the proper fanatic, knows all the team, has her favourites, was with me on Tuesday night, dislikes Palace, the lot. She's coming with me to Millwall for her first away.
My Granddad supported Ars*nal. My Dad, my Uncle, my brother and my two cousins support Ars*nal. I was disowned at 8 years old when I announced I was going to support Tottenham Hotspur instead, despite being taken to the Library and possessing the biggest collection of Ars*nal programmes you could imagine. Still havent been forgiven 28 years later.
For the sake of family relations, its normally best that the NLD ends in a dull draw. I have an annual £20 bet with my Uncle that Spurs finish higher than Ars*nal in the league. I'm skint as a result.
My 6yo daughter has been brainwashed since birth and supports Spurs and was singing Chas n Dave songs before she was 2. Despite divorce, I converted the ex-wife to Spurs too.
Dad was West Ham, Mum was Chelsea. I "became" Charlton when Ken took me and my lads to Charlton in the 90s. When I was a kid I said I liked Chelsea, although I never went. I did go and see Palace a few times with my sister though. Both my sons are now Charlton - I told them what my Dad told me - "support your local team". I hope that clears up any confusion.
Dad supports Charlton as he grew up in Charlton and I grew up in Welling. I don't have children yet but when I do I have debated whether to encourage them to support Charlton or Norwich. To me its important to support your local team but I'd also like to take them down the valley. What you reckon?
Difficult one. You can only encourage them to support Naarge if you like the club.
My first love will always be Stockport County, but i moved to S E London in the 90s so cannot watch them regularly. I've now got 2 boys of my own who are born and bred in SE London with proper sarf accents.
Always had a soft spot for CAFC ever since coming to watch County at the Valley in 97-98 and they only charged £10. Same season at Selhurst cost £20!
My boys are only 5 and 8 but they are already really proud of being the only boys in their class at school that actually properly support a team and have a season ticket, rather than just wearing the latest Arse, Chelski or Utd kit, but never going to a game.
At least Naarge are a club where your kid will probably experience some difficult times, as well as success. Nothing worse than them plumping for an easy option where they are guaranteed constant success. Naarge will build their character more. But you have got to like the the feel of the club. Selhurst/ Palace just did not feel right to me. Charlton always felt right. On Tuesday I stood up in the second half and clapped genuinely because i love Charlton and Chris Powell. I still find i have to miss bits out of Valley Floyd Rd though.
My grandad was chairman of Leeds Utd supporters association for many years - miracle I avoided that shower.
I live in SW Scotland and both my boys support Charlton(aged 6 and 9) and have been to several away games in the North of England.Looking forward to their first visit to The Valley later this season!!! Both have Rangers as their Scottish team.
Our nearest team is Spurs so they're not gonna support their local team hopefully! What I'm worried about is the supporting someone else as a bit of rebellion thingy.... Johnboy as an example My 4 year old yesterday was shouting "I don't like Charlton" when the 2 and 6 year old and myself were singing "we're Charlton Athletic we're top of the league" (sounds much better than we're 15th or wherever) and the 6 year old and myself(wibble) gave him a couple of light digs before I asked him why he was shouting that and he said Charlton is too noisey !! The 4 year olds a bit sensitive and when he came last season found the noise too much, so gonna give him a couple more years before his next visit but the 2 year old will prolly appear next season As someone said above as long as its not palace or millwall I'll survive .... The 6 year old knows that we can't mention the "M" word at home or anywhere cos they're nasty and we refer to them as Milk sometimes cos we're not keen on that either Luckily at his school in Loughton his closest friend is an Addick, his mothers parents used to live in Charlton Dene and his uncles an Addick , so I'm certain the 6 year old will be an Addick, although he has issues with losing.... Just gotta make sure the other 3 keep the faith!
my grandad has a season ticket since the dinosaurs, my dads the same, and I'm named Charlton after the club. never had any choice, and never wante dthat choice in the first place. CAFC!
Yes. Yes. Dad and grandfather also did. Not sure about Great-grandfather as he was killed in WWI but in the 1901 census he was living in East Street so you never know.........
I do see what people are saying about brainwashing the kids into cafc but on a philosophical level I'm an advocate of free will. Let them make their own choices and mistakes.
That said on a personal level it hurts when they show no interest in something you love. You know that something that is part of you will never be part of them. It also hurts when the wife makes a joke to the kids about them supporting arsenal (would that be grounds for divorce?).
The first game my Dad took me to see was Fulham v Preston NE.Does that go down as child abuse? My birthday treat and Fulham being at home coincided. Second game at The Valley,redeemed himself or was it a guilty conscience!!!!
3rd generation addick, my old man has barely missed a game in 50 years - I literally had no choice and neither has my daughter who's 5, to be fair she loves it now, has kits, jumpers, flags badges, keyrings, you name it - she loves it with a charlton badge on it.
My dad wasn't interested in football so went with my mates.
Eldest son (28) manure (glory hunting simpleton).
Youngest (22) supports Charlton even though he's lived in Southampton all his life but then again he didn't have much choice as his middle name is Charlton.
Uncle and cousins support the Addicks but I didn't find that out until later years.
My old man is Charlton, as was his Mum and her parents back to the 20's and 30's
Mum is Arsenal (but only through family she would stick up more for Charlton nowadays), all her family line going back as far as I know are Arsenal apart from the obligatory Spurs black sheep
My parents are both Charlton, and some of my Mum's side of family, parents aunts etc were born in Charlton in the 1800s. Sounds like they comprised half of Landsdowne Lane in the 50s from the way she describes it. Her uncle played for us in the 20s and is the only Charlton player ever to score 5 in an away game.
My grandfather supported Charlton from before WW2 (and maybe even his dad), then my dad. My dad took my brother and I along from 1989 and we have been hooked ever since. My step-son is now a Charlton fan too since 2009. That's fourth generation. There's also my cousin, my half-brother. We are Charlton through and through.
One half of my family are Charlton (Dads side). Didn't have any contact with them growing up (including my Dad) until my Dad passed away, since then I've become a ST holder and go with my family. Feels right, and it's great to visit my Dad at the East stand memorial patch on a regular basis. It's mental how quickly you can love a club!
being from edinburgh he is a hearts fan (as am i) but when i was growing up in bexleyheath my pals were all charlton/millwall and after seeing me being dragged towords millwall, my very good friend started taking me to charlton when we were about 11/12 and i've been going ever since.
although my dads not a season ticket holder anymore he still classes himself a charlton fan.
Comments
As for my kids, my young son has a passing interest in football (he says he likes it but doesn't really follow it though), but because I now live in northampton, I've taken him down to his local club i.e. the cobblers a few times, so not sure if he will ever be a charlton fan, but will try and get him down to The Valley at some point. my young daughter has no interest in football, but that may well change as she gets older...
I decided that I wanted my kids to have the experience of live football and my boy, whose now 6, had been pushing to go for a while so we pitched up last season for the first match. He's lukewarm, sometimes says he supports Charlton sometimes Cheltenham (family connection) sometimes whoever he thinks will wind me up. But he's young yet, and as long as he doesn't support Palace or Millwall, I can cope. After a couple of games my daughter wanted to come (she's 11). She's now the proper fanatic, knows all the team, has her favourites, was with me on Tuesday night, dislikes Palace, the lot. She's coming with me to Millwall for her first away.
I was disowned at 8 years old when I announced I was going to support Tottenham Hotspur instead, despite being taken to the Library and possessing the biggest collection of Ars*nal programmes you could imagine.
Still havent been forgiven 28 years later.
For the sake of family relations, its normally best that the NLD ends in a dull draw.
I have an annual £20 bet with my Uncle that Spurs finish higher than Ars*nal in the league. I'm skint as a result.
My 6yo daughter has been brainwashed since birth and supports Spurs and was singing Chas n Dave songs before she was 2. Despite divorce, I converted the ex-wife to Spurs too.
My first love will always be Stockport County, but i moved to S E London in the 90s so cannot watch them regularly. I've now got 2 boys of my own who are born and bred in SE London with proper sarf accents.
Always had a soft spot for CAFC ever since coming to watch County at the Valley in 97-98 and they only charged £10. Same season at Selhurst cost £20!
My boys are only 5 and 8 but they are already really proud of being the only boys in their class at school that actually properly support a team and have a season ticket, rather than just wearing the latest Arse, Chelski or Utd kit, but never going to a game.
At least Naarge are a club where your kid will probably experience some difficult times, as well as success. Nothing worse than them plumping for an easy option where they are guaranteed constant success. Naarge will build their character more. But you have got to like the the feel of the club. Selhurst/ Palace just did not feel right to me. Charlton always felt right. On Tuesday I stood up in the second half and clapped genuinely because i love Charlton and Chris Powell. I still find i have to miss bits out of Valley Floyd Rd though.
My grandad was chairman of Leeds Utd supporters association for many years - miracle I avoided that shower.
What I'm worried about is the supporting someone else as a bit of rebellion thingy.... Johnboy as an example
My 4 year old yesterday was shouting "I don't like Charlton" when the 2 and 6 year old and myself were singing "we're Charlton Athletic we're top of the league" (sounds much better than we're 15th or wherever) and the 6 year old and myself(wibble) gave him a couple of light digs before I asked him why he was shouting that and he said Charlton is too noisey !! The 4 year olds a bit sensitive and when he came last season found the noise too much, so gonna give him a couple more years before his next visit but the 2 year old will prolly appear next season
As someone said above as long as its not palace or millwall I'll survive ....
The 6 year old knows that we can't mention the "M" word at home or anywhere cos they're nasty and we refer to them as Milk sometimes cos we're not keen on that either
Luckily at his school in Loughton his closest friend is an Addick, his mothers parents used to live in Charlton Dene and his uncles an Addick , so I'm certain the 6 year old will be an Addick, although he has issues with losing.... Just gotta make sure the other 3 keep the faith!
That said on a personal level it hurts when they show no interest in something you love. You know that something that is part of you will never be part of them. It also hurts when the wife makes a joke to the kids about them supporting arsenal (would that be grounds for divorce?).
Wife Wet Spam
Kids
Eldest Chelsea
Middle QPR
Youngest and the best Charlton
My 3 kids are all young addicks members and went to the barnsley game for their first game . Both my girls now want to be mascots .
Hopefully they will all grow up to be CAFC or they will have to find somewhere else to live
Eldest son (28) manure (glory hunting simpleton).
Youngest (22) supports Charlton even though he's lived in Southampton all his life but then again he didn't have much choice as his middle name is Charlton.
Uncle and cousins support the Addicks but I didn't find that out until later years.
Mum is Arsenal (but only through family she would stick up more for Charlton nowadays), all her family line going back as far as I know are Arsenal apart from the obligatory Spurs black sheep
If I ever have any kids they won't have a choice.
There's also my cousin, my half-brother. We are Charlton through and through.
being from edinburgh he is a hearts fan (as am i) but when i was growing up in bexleyheath my pals were all charlton/millwall and after seeing me being dragged towords millwall, my very good friend started taking me to charlton when we were about 11/12 and i've been going ever since.
although my dads not a season ticket holder anymore he still classes himself a charlton fan.