I'm sure someone on here will know for sure, but perhaps the word athletic represented sport in general because the original idea (may have been) to set up a sports club with football being just a part of it.
I think there were numerous Charlton boys teams in 1905 with endless combinations of names and the most successful club was Charlton Athletic
In Richard Redden's book, he lists Albion, Villa, Invicata, United, Clarion, Wesley Guild, Amateurs, Victoria, YMCA, Clarence, Argyle, Reds, and another team called Athletic.
The club needed a second part to their name to differentiate themselves from the other Charlton teams mentioned above. As to why Athletic and not anything else, the answer may just be that it was a regular name for a sports team that was both approriate and not already taken by another successful London team.
Unlike Leicester, Manchester or Birmingham, we don't have the name of the City the club play's in in the club's name, hence why City probably was not used. Similarly, unlike Stevenage, we don't have the name of the Borough the club play's in in the club's name, hence why Borough probably was not used. Town can be ruled out for obvious reasons. United often relates to clubs formed by mergers of teams, such as Newcastle (from memory).
Other successful London teams, by the time of Charlton's formation, had taken the names Wanderers, Rovers (Clapham) and Rangers (Q.P.R).
Millwall Athletic had changed their name to Millwall 6 years before but were still playing north of the river, where they belong, in 1905.
Olham Athletic weren't yet a league team.
Wigan Athletic were 25 years in the future.
It was, most likely, just a name chosen, as said, to distinguish from the many other Charlton sides. It was never a wider sporting club, just 14 and 15 year old boys.
Richard Redden's "the Addicks Cartoons" is very good on the 1905 - 1915 period. Got a signed copy for sale for the Upbeats £15 plus P+P
The story I heard years ago - was that at the time the club was formed, "Athletic" was quite a buzz word in the language (think the Olympic Games had back then only been recently revived ).
The name "Charlton Athletic" was thought to give the club a modern and go-ahead image for the time.
I remember this question as a line from the sitcom "Brush strokes" many years ago. After another defeat Jacko's girlfriend asks him "Why do they call Charlton athletic?"
The club needed a second part to their name to differentiate themselves from the other Charlton teams mentioned above. As to why Athletic and not anything else, the answer may just be that it was a regular name for a sports team that was both approriate and not already taken by another successful London team.
Unlike Leicester, Manchester or Birmingham, we don't have the name of the City the club play's in in the club's name, hence why City probably was not used. Similarly, unlike Stevenage, we don't have the name of the Borough the club play's in in the club's name, hence why Borough probably was not used. Town can be ruled out for obvious reasons. United often relates to clubs formed by mergers of teams, such as Newcastle (from memory).
Other successful London teams, by the time of Charlton's formation, had taken the names Wanderers, Rovers (Clapham) and Rangers (Q.P.R).
I suppose we could have called ourselves Charlton Village (Dulwich Hamlet is similarly small sounding) but I'm glad we didn't!
Comments
Unlike Leicester, Manchester or Birmingham, we don't have the name of the City the club play's in in the club's name, hence why City probably was not used. Similarly, unlike Stevenage, we don't have the name of the Borough the club play's in in the club's name, hence why Borough probably was not used. Town can be ruled out for obvious reasons. United often relates to clubs formed by mergers of teams, such as Newcastle (from memory).
Other successful London teams, by the time of Charlton's formation, had taken the names Wanderers, Rovers (Clapham) and Rangers (Q.P.R).
Olham Athletic weren't yet a league team.
Wigan Athletic were 25 years in the future.
It was, most likely, just a name chosen, as said, to distinguish from the many other Charlton sides. It was never a wider sporting club, just 14 and 15 year old boys.
Richard Redden's "the Addicks Cartoons" is very good on the 1905 - 1915 period. Got a signed copy for sale for the Upbeats £15 plus P+P
The name "Charlton Athletic" was thought to give the club a modern and go-ahead image for the time.
I think it was supposed to be a funny line!
Stanley was a local pub I think
Hotspur was after Harry Hotspur