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Why did you pick Charlton
Indianaaddick
Posts: 2,965
Am curious to know how you fellow addicks picked Charlton as your team. I first went to the Valley when I lived in Woolwich at the time, I was 11 yrs old and my parents had no interest in football.I know a lot of you were introduced by family members dads,brothers etc, I even went to other grounds to see if they sparked my interest it was not even close.Even though I was by myself I got to know many friends down through the years and miss the banter we used to have win or lose.Before I left for the States I worked at the Clarendon hotel in Blackheath where Charlton used to put up there new players until they settled in got to know some of them, Jimmy ,Farmer'Giles was my favourite we used to play kickabout on the Heath on his off days.So getting back to the subject I could have got a train or bus to any other team at the time Why did I pick Charlton I don't know but after a lifetime of support am glad I did.
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Dads a wanker and a millwall fan27
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But you still couldn't bring yourself to call yourself millwankhater, somehow
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I supported whoever my mates supported when I was at primary school which meant I switched from West Ham and Spurs before settling on Man Utd although always looked out for Charlton on Ceefax and the Vidiprinter as knew they were local
Got tickets to my first Charlton game in 1994 for free due to tickets that had been given out to my school - As a result a work mate of my Dad's started taking me to a handful of Charlton games... That was combined with the fact that I was doing their summer courses through CACT each year
Felt like a fan by then anyway but got to the start of the 97/98 season (got free tickets through the course for the 4-1 win over Bradford) where I realised Id see Charlton more than any other than team so may as well stick with them, their kids for a quid and £4 tickets for some games meant Id see a good amount that year anyway.
Of course it happened that we went to Wembley that summer yet my Grandad brought my ticket for me and actually learnt that he'd gone to Charlton years ago, as well as my Dad when he was in his youth so just helped cement my decision
Havent regretted it once, apart from the fact I never went with my Dad and Grandad and got into the club even earlier2 -
Great story, keep flying the flag for us in the States!Indianaaddick said:Am curious to know how you fellow addicks picked Charlton as your team. I first went to the Valley when I lived in Woolwich at the time, I was 11 yrs old and my parents had no interest in football.I know a lot of you were introduced by family members dads,brothers etc, I even went to other grounds to see if they sparked my interest it was not even close.Even though I was by myself I got to know many friends down through the years and miss the banter we used to have win or lose.Before I left for the States I worked at the Clarendon hotel in Blackheath where Charlton used to put up there new players until they settled in got to know some of them, Jimmy ,Farmer'Giles was my favourite we used to play kickabout on the Heath on his off days.So getting back to the subject I could have got a train or bus to any other team at the time Why did I pick Charlton I don't know but after a lifetime of support am glad I did.3 -
My Dad took me in 1982 When I was 7 and I’ve been going ever since. However I used to go to West Ham games with my Grandad as well. I flirted with both teams up until 1985 when Charlton Played West Ham in the FA Cup at Selhurst. I decided I’d support whoever won. West Ham scored in the last few mins to win the game - my nit my heart. I felt so bad for Charlton that I ended up picking them as my team - and I also didn’t want to let my Dad down. Thanks a £ucking lot Dad.2
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Born in woolwich. Dad and uncle supported Charlton. First game at the valley 1970 aged 5. That was it. Only ever supported Charlton. At school was mocked for being a Charlton supporter. Can't imagine supporting any other club. No second team. Club over country. Loved the old valley, the noise, the smell, the atmosphere. No regrets.3
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I had no choice. I am a trainspotter and I love an anorak!5
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It was part of my parole agreement6
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I studied the teachings of the Marquis de Sade. When that no longer got me off, I found Charlton.15
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Fam'ly innit2
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Actually picked Arsenal 😬 thankfully the person who used to go to Charlton with my grandad stopped going and I took their place.1
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I was born 10 or so miles from The Valley yet that has nothing to do with why I started supporting us. A few years later my family moved 60 odd miles away. Despite being a football fan my dad didn't support a particular club. We weren't in a town with a FL club, so there was no obvious team to start watching. I didn't want to pick one of the big clubs like many kids did.
Charlton happened to run football training courses in my area during school holidays and offered tickets and coaches up to games. I went to my first game in 95/96 and didn't take me long to get into it. At that age I thought the best/my favourite players were the ones I saw score. That was the likes of Bradley Allen and Jason Lee - I thought we should have signed Lee, my grandad being a Forest fan probably found that quite funny. I remember not rating Carl Leaburn and was surprised that a friend who occasionally went with me liked him.
My grandparents lived in Welling and my dad had grown up there. I remember my grandad telling me he bet on Derby beating us in the 1946 FA Cup Final. My dad's best man was (is) a Millwall fan and my mum's side of the family are Palace - it was meant to be really.4 -
No choice. I shot out the old man's nutsack and fell in love with the choo choos.3
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My dad was a big Arsenal fan. He had started to take me to Highbury as a nipper for the odd game but was notorious for running late for everything, including football. One Saturday, we were on our way to Arsenal from Abbey Wood and we were running later than ever. Once on the train, the old man moaned that we would be lucky to make Highbury by half time and said it just at the point the train slowed for a station. There is a ground I said, pointing at the Valley and there are people inside, why don't we go there instead? He gave this some thought then at the point the the train started to leave Charlton station, we baled out.
And that was that, I was hooked from that day. Looking back, I think it was the Valley itself that lured me. Yes, Highbury was all very grand and the perfect football stadium back then but those towering terraces just had something about them.
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Didn’t pick Charlton, it’s in my genes - I can’t help myself.2
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My dad grew up and his parents still live on Sundorne Road, minutes away from the Valley. However him and his brothers, having only moved to the UK in the mid-late 60s were Liverpool fans (albeit very loosely). Growing up I never understand why they supported a team so far away, and given I grew up in Shooters Hill & spending lots of time at my grandparents in Charlton i started following Charlton in the prem in the 02-04 years. After months of begging my dad finally caved in and took me to watch Charlton vs Everton on boxing day 2004 (aged 9) and I walked out of the concourse and saw the stadium for the first time I fell in love and there was no going back from there. Gives me shivers down my spine even remembering it
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3rd generation. My lad and lass will be 4th. Their paths in life are for them to choose in every single way except their football team!
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I didn't pick Charlton, Charlton was picked for me.2
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Dad took me as a kid, but I used to alternate between Chelsea and Charlton....chose Charlton as they looked the more likely to have more success than Chelsea...plus coming from Gravesend it was only a 30 minute train ride.0
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I could walk to The Valley plus my uncle was a big fan.1
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I was born Charlton. Cut me I bleed red2
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My dad was a builder on valiant house and he took me to work on Saturdays. We would climb onto the roof on the tea hut on site, that was positioned behind the away end. Watched games there for a couple of seasons, then when the job had finished, I carried on going.10
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I blame @seth plum - a man of otherwise impeccable taste foisting this upon me! But of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't think I would have been able to!3
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As my big Bruv was a Man Yoo fan as a wee boy, our Dad tricked him & told him he was taking him to see Charlton.
Bruv thought it was Bobby.
We’ve all been suffering for it since.
And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
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It was a close call though, Dad worked on the buses so got a bus to Crystal Palace & had to walk miles to finally get to Surrey to watch the stripey nigels.Then when he went to the old Den, the women scared the bejesus out of him when he clapped a goal for the away side whilst in the home end.
Am grateful for these small mercies 😳🤣🤣3 -
Chelsea was my first love back in 1966 and it took by best mate at school 7 months to get me to watch a match at The Valley.....The ground just had a hold on me something else i have not seen anywhere in the football league to this very day.
We lost that first visit of mine but i have no regrets that Charlton is my soul now.
History,friends and telling my five uncles that attended 1947 cupfinal that Chalton was my team no matter what.3 -
My Dad, who was from Peckham, occasionally took me to a mid-week evening Millwall game when I was a nipper, but he always slipped the guy on the turnstile something and I had to squeeze through the turnstile without it turning, thoroughly embarrassing.
It did get me interested though so when on December 21st 1957 I spotted a notice at a bus stop in Forest Hill, that there was an excursion bus to Charlton v Huddersfield I decided to go. We won 7-6, I was hooked.8 -
Born in Greenwich as was my Dad. He started going in the 1930s/40s and I joined him in the early 60s.0
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Dad came over from Bantry Bay in early 50’s, lived in digs, met my mum ... married, rented a couple of rooms in Victoria Way Charlton ... I came along a couple of years later ... taken to the Valley before my 5th birthday ... no money in the family so didn’t go often ... moved to Cherry Orchard Estate Charlton when I was 10 ... met a few kids my age also into Charlton ... within a couple of years we were all going without our parents to the open South terrace ... loved watching the Covered End from afar ... by the next season, we were there 😀9
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Charlton picked me, in my blood my DNA and my bones. (And it was easy to bunk in over the Heights!)
First game was in 1965, never looked back. Love this club with all my heart.
Love our fans , our family, our community.
Have a clause in my will that i will go into the crematorium in my centenary shirt0 -
Yep another son taken by his dad and what a total pleasure it has been ever since.0
