It must have been a particularly quiet couple of days for news. First, the revelation that Winston Churchill’s ghost haunts the women's toilets aboard the Queen Mary. Then, the groundbreaking news that monkeys, indeed, cannot write the entire works of Shakespeare. Lastly, the sensational story covering the dramatic fall of the mighty Addicks. What a crazy few days!
https://tinyurl.com/2p9zftuk 
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GROUNDS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Inside EFL club’s abandoned 40,000-seater stadium plan with ex-Premier League side now forced to rent ground
IT'S been a tale of rags to riches and back again.
In the 80s and 90s a London club's stadium was abandoned for seven years as they struggled to maintain second tier status.
However, they would then turn things around after a move back home and work their way up to the Premier League.
Their current malaise is a far-cry from the heady days of the early-2000s under Alan Curbishley, when they became Premier League mainstays.
Under Curbs, the Addicks were in the top-flight for seven consecutive years, which led to frequent sell-outs at South London's biggest stadium.
Charlton had been forced to abandon their traditional Valley home after more than 60 years in 1985, with the site falling into disrepair.
After strong campaigning from fans, which even included standing in local council elections, the Addicks returned in 1992 following seven years spent primarily at Selhurst Park, and latterly Upton Park.
Seven uninterrupted seasons in the top flight would lead to stadium expansion plans, with the club holding the ambition of building a ground to accommodate 40,000 spectators.
However, relegation in 2007 led to a slump in fortunes, spell after spell of unpopular ownership and ultimately a descent to the third tier.
Last term they averaged crowds of just 13,000 in a stadium which boasts a 27,111 capacity, as they slumped to a disappointing 16th-place finish.
By this point Curbishley had already taken over, with the former Charlton midfielder transforming his side's fortunes on the pitch.
As the South Londoners rose, so did demand for tickets.
In November 2004, chief executive Peter Varney confirmed Charlton's ambitious plans.
He said: "The application will seek approval for the redevelopment of the east stand and the south-east corner of the ground to take the capacity of The Valley to 30,900.
"Our intention is also to lodge an outline design for the remaining development of the stadium - principally the south stand - at the same time and to declare our intention to ultimately raise the capacity of The Valley to 40,600."
Permission was granted the following year, but after Charlton's relegation in 2007, the plans fell by the wayside.
Despite Roland Duchatelet selling the Addicks in 2020 following years of fan protests, the Belgian still owns their Valley home and training ground.
In 2021, Charlton agreed a 15-year lease to rent The Valley, as well as their Sparrows Lane training facilities.
"That’s a matter of commercial negotiation with the current landlord. Everything is possible, but it’s a commercial negotiation that is confidential.
"If you are talking about things that keeps me up at night it is long-term security of tenure at The Valley. One of the great historic stadiums, one of the last remaining that feel like themselves."
Co-owner Charlie Methven, formerly of Sunderland, recently referenced the situation while appearing on the Business of Sport podcast.
He said: "I think having a long-term resolution over the tenure of the stadium is really important.
Charlton Athletic have been offered two potential sites for a new stadium on the Thames should they be forced to leave The Valley.
The League One’s club’s preference is to remain at the ground that has been their home since the 1920s, but the stadium belongs to Belgian businessman and politician Roland Duchatelet, their controversial former owner.
Charlton signed a 15-year lease for The Valley with Duchatelet after he sold the club to East Street Investments in 2020. The club were subsequently sold on last year to Global Football Partners, who are seeking to renegotiate the terms of a lease which has 11 years remaining.
Charlton are understood to have held positive talks with Duchatelet about extending the lease in a deal which could be the precursor to them buying the ground outright.
In addition to providing greater security, a stadium purchase would increase the club’s prospects of expanding The Valley beyond its current 27,000 capacity.
Having been offered other sites by property developers, Charlton have considered the merits of a possible move, but the cost is considered prohibitive, with the price of building a new stadium projected to be at least £100m.
Leaving The Valley would also prove controversial with Charlton fans as many supporters have a strong emotional connection to the ground.
In 1985 Charlton moved to Selhurst Park to groundshare with Crystal Palace due to financial problems, with Greenwich Council blocking a subsequent plan for the club to move back to The Valley.
In response Charlton fans formed the Valley Party to contest the 1990 council elections, unseating the chair of the planning board, before finally returning to their home two years later.
Charlton declined to comment.
I wonder where these 2 sites might be, there isnt much in the way of spare land on the Thames to build much let alone a stadium. And I would of thought housing in the way of tower blocks gets the most bangs for the square footage and a river view of the Thames is one hell of an expensive view.
"the terms of a lease which has 11 years remaining" is about the most accurate part of that piece.
The Stone Foundries site (if you could add the retail park in front - the one with Curry’s and B&M) would seem to be the most likely location, but that’s just a guess based on the lack of any definite housing plan.
£5 in all good bookshops/museums/street corners
I love your idea for the aggregate site with its own branch line though! 🚂
In any case, I'm confident that we'll remain at The Valley for many more years.
Reporter clearly doesn’t know - or prefers not to acknowledge - that we were either in the top flight or competing to get there while away from The Valley.
Why so needlessly petty over a clear typo?
Does anything in life bring you joy anymore, or are you bitter in everything you do nowadays?