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From Ugandan Backpages to The Valley...


In a small town in Uganda thousands of miles from SE7, a young man named Wogoli Willington, 19, has become one of Charlton Athletic’s most passionate supporters.

His journey isn’t just about football—it’s about heart, resilience, and the power of connection. Since 2019, Willington has followed the Addicks with unwavering loyalty, proving that Charlton’s spirit reaches far beyond South London.

Read more about Willington's Addicks journey HERE: From Ugandan Backpages to The Valley… - CAST 
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Comments

  • BigRedEvil
    BigRedEvil Posts: 11,071
    Great story hope he can get to the Valley one day 
  • Weegie Addick
    Weegie Addick Posts: 16,521
    Heartwarming
  • cantersaddick
    cantersaddick Posts: 16,915
    Great story. I've got extended family in Uganda, if I manage to get out there to see them ill take something for Willington!
  • Brilliant read, good luck to the lad, hope he gets all his wishes and one day he can get to the valley, but most of all I hope he get the job of his dreams.
  • shine166
    shine166 Posts: 13,918
    Do enjoy seeing his posts on the FB group, should definitely try find a way to get him over for a game.
  • cfgs
    cfgs Posts: 11,476
    Set up a gofundme? If he has a passport
  • Elthamaddick
    Elthamaddick Posts: 15,812
    he's @RonnieMoore isn't he?

    ;) 

  • cfgs
    cfgs Posts: 11,476
    he's @RonnieMoore isn't he?

    ;) 

    Not unless TC being his favourite was misdirection.
  • cfgs said:
    Set up a gofundme? If he has a passport
    Doing that should boost the clubs database of fans and the number of CharltonLife members by about a billion or so once that story got picked up by the wider media. @AFKABartram would need a couple of secretaries to filter the mail
  • TootingRedArmy
    TootingRedArmy Posts: 387
    edited September 23
    What a wonderful young man Willington is, I have been fortunate to have worked for a charity in Uganda in 2013, amazing country but also really challenging. As dfgs posted won't it be great if there was a Wiington Go Fund page to get this young man to the Valley to see the Addicks. This is something hopefully CAST or International Addicks might be able to do, also club hopefully will support this. COYA's.
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  • Superb. Well done to whoever sent him the shirts! I'd chip in to a Gofundme 
  • The worldwide appeal of football, love it!
  • sam3110
    sam3110 Posts: 21,265
    Reminds me of Jessie(?) our Charlton mad Chinese fan. Didn't she have to delete her account on here in the end?
  • sammy391
    sammy391 Posts: 3,782
    sam3110 said:
    Reminds me of Jessie(?) our Charlton mad Chinese fan. Didn't she have to delete her account on here in the end?
    Thought the exact same! 
    Remember reading that a group of fans had put together a huge ‘fan package’ for her to be sent to China- full of all memorabilia and memories!
  • Sam and Sammy, thanks! I just choose to lay low. ;)
  • cantersaddick
    cantersaddick Posts: 16,915
    We should get him an account on here! Jambo Willington! 
  • Oggy Red
    Oggy Red Posts: 44,955
    We should get him an account on here! Jambo Willington! 
    He'd never get his college work finished .....

    He'd be on Charlton Life all day!
     :D 
  • cantersaddick
    cantersaddick Posts: 16,915
    Oggy Red said:
    We should get him an account on here! Jambo Willington! 
    He'd never get his college work finished .....

    He'd be on Charlton Life all day!
     :D 
    I somehow managed a degree and a very competitive grad scheme whilst spending all day on CL. So it's definitely possible! 😉
  • Oggy Red
    Oggy Red Posts: 44,955
    Seriously, what a heartwarming story.

    Just imagine how he would feel, seeing The Valley turf and the crowd for the first time!


  • TootingRedArmy
    TootingRedArmy Posts: 387
    edited September 23
    This wonderful news that we have a young Addick in Uganda who has chosen our team to support . Having visited the country in 2013 working for a charity I know that Uganda, under President Yoweri Museveni’s decades-long rule, faces growing authoritarianism, worsening human rights abuses, including crackdowns on dissent and environmental activists. Poverty, conflict, and refugee pressures have fueled unrest, while economic stagnation deepens hardship. Uganda is a really tough and deeply unpleasant place, an extreme version of Millwall one might say !
    When I visited in 2013, the Ugandans were really nice but there was wide spread corruption. I'm for one hoping that as supporters we could through CAST or Club raise money to get this young man over to visit The valley. COYA's. 
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  • sam3110
    sam3110 Posts: 21,265
    It would be awesome if the club could somehow arrange a meeting with him and Nathan Asiimwe the next time he's away on international duty. I understand that would be incredibly difficult to achieve, but what a moment that would be. 
  • Rob7Lee
    Rob7Lee Posts: 9,595
    £4k should be enough to get him here, flights, hotel for a couple of nights. Do you need a VISA from Uganda?
  • aliwibble
    aliwibble Posts: 26,290
    Before we get too carried away, does he even have a passport?
  • Rob7Lee said:
    £4k should be enough to get him here, flights, hotel for a couple of nights. Do you need a VISA from Uganda?
    Yes. You need to prove you have the money to get here and fund your holiday and prove you have sufficient ties to Uganda that you will return at the end of your holiday in order to get one.
  • sammy391
    sammy391 Posts: 3,782
    aliwibble said:
    Before we get too carried away, does he even have a passport?
    Unfortunately he doesn’t! 
    Real shame!
  • TootingRedArmy
    TootingRedArmy Posts: 387
    edited September 23
    Get a passport costs Uganda Shillings UGX 250,000 for normal applications or UGX 400,000 for Express applications thats £52.75. 

    A UK Standard Visitor visa for a tourist from Uganda costs £127 for a stay of up to 6 months. This fee is for a short-term visa and you must apply for it online before you travel to the UK.

    Qatar Airways from Ethebbe return is £625 

    9 days in travelodge Greenwich in 2026 :  £370.91 

    Per diems £30 x 9 = £270 

    travel = £150 (train to an away, from airport, around london) 

    Total = £1595.66

    assuming Charlton would be generous enough to award Home and away tickets for the young man ....
  • sammy391
    sammy391 Posts: 3,782
    Get a passport costs Uganda Shillings UGX 250,000 for normal applications or UGX 400,000 for Express applications thats £52.75. 

    A UK Standard Visitor visa for a tourist from Uganda costs £127 for a stay of up to 6 months. This fee is for a short-term visa and you must apply for it online before you travel to the UK.

    Qatar Airways from Ethebbe return is £625 

    9 days in travelodge Greenwich in 2026 :  £370.91 

    Per diems £30 x 9 = £270 

    travel = £150 (train to an away, from airport, around london) 

    Total = £1595.66

    assuming Charlton would be generous enough to award Home and away tickets for the young man ....
    i mean, when you put it like this 👀👀
  • cfgs
    cfgs Posts: 11,476
    I would think it would ×2, at his age he would probably like someone with him as he traverses continents.  I would hope he would get the grand tour from the club for any home game he attended.
  • Siv_in_Norfolk
    Siv_in_Norfolk Posts: 4,057
    edited September 24
    Get a passport costs Uganda Shillings UGX 250,000 for normal applications or UGX 400,000 for Express applications thats £52.75. 

    A UK Standard Visitor visa for a tourist from Uganda costs £127 for a stay of up to 6 months. This fee is for a short-term visa and you must apply for it online before you travel to the UK.

    Qatar Airways from Ethebbe return is £625 

    9 days in travelodge Greenwich in 2026 :  £370.91 

    Per diems £30 x 9 = £270 

    travel = £150 (train to an away, from airport, around london) 

    Total = £1595.66

    assuming Charlton would be generous enough to award Home and away tickets for the young man ....
    Doable. E.g. 50 people x £20 and 6 x £100 from big doners 

    I think the exercise may also be an eye opener re: UK visa processes  :)
  • McBobbin
    McBobbin Posts: 12,051
    Get a passport costs Uganda Shillings UGX 250,000 for normal applications or UGX 400,000 for Express applications thats £52.75. 

    A UK Standard Visitor visa for a tourist from Uganda costs £127 for a stay of up to 6 months. This fee is for a short-term visa and you must apply for it online before you travel to the UK.

    Qatar Airways from Ethebbe return is £625 

    9 days in travelodge Greenwich in 2026 :  £370.91 

    Per diems £30 x 9 = £270 

    travel = £150 (train to an away, from airport, around london) 

    Total = £1595.66

    assuming Charlton would be generous enough to award Home and away tickets for the young man ....
    Doable. E.g. 500 people x £20 and 6 x £100 from big doners 

    I think the exercise may also be an eye opener re: UK visa processes  :)
    Coming over to watch Charlton? Suuuuuuure