Charlton Athletic F.C. facts for kids

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Charlton Athletic

Full name	Charlton Athletic Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Addicks, The Valiants, Red Robins
Founded	9 June 1905; 120 years ago (1905-06-09)
Ground	The Valley
Ground Capacity	27,111
Owner	GFP (Global Football Partners)
Chairman	Gavin Carter
Manager	Nathan Jones
League	Championship
2018–19	League One, 3rd of 24 (promoted via play-offs)
Home colours

Charlton Athletic Football Club is a professional association football team. They are based in Charlton, south-east London, England. The team plays in the EFL Championship, which is the second highest level of football in England.

Their home stadium is The Valley. The club has played there since 1919. For a few years between 1985 and 1992, they played at other stadiums like Selhurst Park and The Boleyn Ground. This was because of money problems and safety worries. Charlton's traditional uniform is red shirts, white shorts, and red socks. Their most common nickname is The Addicks. Charlton has local rivalries with other South London teams, Crystal Palace and Millwall.

The club started on June 9, 1905, and became a professional team in 1920. They joined the Football League Third Division South in 1921. Charlton won this division in 1929 and again in 1935. They were promoted to the First Division in 1936. The team finished second in the First Division the next year. After losing the FA Cup Final in 1946, they won the FA Cup in 1947. They beat Burnley 1–0.

Charlton faced some tough times, including financial problems. They were promoted back to the First Division in 1986. In 1998, Charlton won a play-off final to reach the Premier League for the first time. They were relegated the next year but came back as champions in 2000. Charlton stayed in the Premier League for seven years. They won League One in 2012 with 101 points.

Club History

How Charlton Athletic Started (1905–1946)

Charlton Athletic was formed on June 9, 1905. It was started by a group of 14 to 15-year-olds in East Street, Charlton. The club was always called "Charlton Athletic." They quickly moved up through local leagues. In their first season (1905–06), they played friendly games. Then, they joined and won the Lewisham League Division III in 1906–07.

Around this time, the nickname "The Addicks" started to be used. By 1913, Charlton became a senior team. This was the same year that Woolwich Arsenal F.C. moved to North London.

When World War I began, Charlton was one of the first clubs to stop playing. They wanted to help with the war effort. The club restarted in 1917. They played friendly games to raise money for war charities.

After the war, they joined the Kent League for one season. Then, they became professional in 1920. They were voted into the Football League in 1921. Charlton's first Football League game was in August 1921 against Exeter City. They won 1–0. In 1923, Charlton became known as "giant killers" in the FA Cup. They beat big teams like Manchester City.

In 1923, there was a plan for Charlton to merge with Catford Southend. For the 1923–24 season, Charlton played in Catford. They wore blue and white stripes. But the move didn't happen. The team returned to Charlton in 1924 and went back to their red and white colors.

Charlton won the Division Three championship in 1929. After being relegated in 1933, Jimmy Seed became manager. He led the team to their most successful period. Seed was a smart manager. He helped Charlton get promoted from the Third Division to the First Division between 1934 and 1936. They were the first club to do this.

In 1937, Charlton finished second in the First Division. They were one of the best teams in England before World War II. During the war, they won the Football League War Cup.

Success and Challenges (1946–1984)

Charlton reached the 1946 FA Cup Final but lost to Derby County. The next year, in the 1947 FA Cup Final, they won the FA Cup! They beat Burnley 1–0. During this time, Charlton had huge crowds. The Valley was one of the biggest stadiums.

Chart showing Charlton's table positions since joining the Football League

However, in the 1950s, the club didn't invest much in new players or the stadium. This slowed their growth. In 1956, manager Jimmy Seed left. Charlton was relegated the next year. From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Charlton stayed in the Second Division. They were relegated to the Third Division in 1972.

Support for the team dropped. Even a promotion in 1975 didn't help much. In 1979–80, Charlton was relegated again. But they quickly got promoted back in 1980–81. This led to a time of big changes for the club.

Playing Away from Home (1985–1992)

In 1984, the club faced serious money problems. They had to be reformed as Charlton Athletic (1984) Ltd. Their finances were still not good. They were forced to leave The Valley in 1985. This was because of safety concerns after a stadium fire at another club.

Charlton started sharing a stadium with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. This was meant to be a long-term plan. Charlton didn't have enough money to fix The Valley.

Even though they moved, Charlton was promoted to the First Division in 1986. They stayed in the top league for four years. They often avoided relegation at the last minute. In 1987, Charlton played at Wembley again. They played in the Full Members Cup final.

Charlton was relegated in 1990. Manager Lennie Lawrence left. Alan Curbishley and Steve Gritt became joint player-managers. They had a good first season. But the club had to sell players to help pay for the return to The Valley. Fans formed the "Valley Party" to push for the club's return. Charlton finally came back to The Valley in December 1992. They celebrated with a 1–0 win.

Premier League Years (1998–2007)

In 1995, Richard Murray became the new chairman. He made Alan Curbishley the sole manager. Under Curbishley, Charlton reached the Division One play-off final in 1998. They played Sunderland in a very exciting game. It ended 4–4 after extra time. Charlton won 7–6 on penalties. This win promoted them to the Premier League.

Charlton's first Premier League season started well. But they couldn't keep up the good form and were relegated. The club's board trusted Curbishley. He led them to win the Division One title in 2000, bringing them back to the Premier League.

Curbishley was good at finding new players. By 2003, he had made Charlton a strong team in the top league. In the 2003–04 Premier League season, Charlton almost qualified for the Champions League. They finished seventh, which was their highest finish since the 1950s.

Curbishley left in 2006. Iain Dowie became manager but was sacked after only 12 games. Les Reed took over but was also replaced by Alan Pardew. Pardew improved results, but Charlton was relegated at the end of the season.

Back in the Football League (2007–2014)

Charlton's return to the second tier was tough. They finished 11th. In 2008, the club faced big financial losses. Pardew left in November 2008. Phil Parkinson became caretaker manager. The team went 18 games without a win, a new club record. They were relegated to League One in April 2009.

In the 2009–10 season, Charlton almost reached the play-offs. After a change in ownership, Parkinson left. Another Charlton legend, Chris Powell, became manager in January 2011.

Former Charlton player Chris Powell returned to the club as manager between 2011 and 2014

Powell brought in many new players. On April 14, 2012, Charlton won promotion back to the Championship. A week later, they were confirmed as champions of League One. They finished with 101 points, their highest ever score. In their first season back in the Championship (2012–13), Charlton finished ninth.

New Owners and Challenges (2014–2019)

In January 2014, Belgian businessman Roland Duchâtelet bought Charlton. This made Charlton part of a group of football clubs owned by Duchâtelet. In March 2014, manager Chris Powell was sacked. Jose Riga took over and helped the team avoid relegation.

After Riga left, Bob Peeters became manager in May 2014. He was dismissed after only 25 games. Guy Luzon replaced him. Luzon helped the team finish 12th.

The 2015–16 season was difficult. Luzon was sacked in October 2015. Karel Fraeye became "interim head coach" but was also sacked. Jose Riga returned for a second time but couldn't stop Charlton from being relegated to League One. Riga resigned. Many fans felt the club was being managed poorly.

Russell Slade was appointed manager in June 2016 but left in November. Karl Robinson took over. He led the team to challenge for the play-offs. He was replaced by former player Lee Bowyer as caretaker manager. Bowyer guided them to a 6th-place finish.

Bowyer became permanent manager. He led Charlton to third place in the 2018–19 EFL League One season. They qualified for the play-offs. Charlton beat Sunderland 2–1 in the League One play-off final. This earned them promotion back to the EFL Championship.

Changes in Ownership (2019–Present)

In November 2019, East Street Investments (ESI) bought Charlton Athletic. However, there were problems between the new owners. The English Football League (EFL) said the takeover was not fully approved. The club faced a transfer ban.

In June 2020, a new group led by Paul Elliott took over ESI. But legal disputes continued. In August 2020, the EFL said some new owners failed their tests. Charlton was relegated to League One at the end of the 2019–20 season. Most games were played without fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September 2020, Thomas Sandgaard, a Danish businessman, bought the club. He passed the EFL's tests. In March 2021, Lee Bowyer resigned as manager. Nigel Adkins was appointed. The club finished seventh in the 2020–21 season. But they started the next season poorly, and Adkins was sacked in October 2021.

Johnnie Jackson became manager in December 2021. Charlton finished 13th, and Jackson was also sacked. Ben Garner was appointed in June 2022 but was sacked in December. Fans were worried about the club's future. Dean Holden became manager in December 2022. Charlton improved and finished 10th in the 2022–23 season.

On June 5, 2023, SE7 Partners took over Charlton Athletic. This was the club's fourth owner in less than four years. Holden was sacked in August 2023. Michael Appleton replaced him but was sacked in January 2024. Nathan Jones became manager in February 2024. Charlton had a tough start but then went on a 14-match unbeaten run. They finished 16th, their worst league position in 98 years. However, striker Alfie May won the League One Golden Boot award with 23 goals. On May 25, 2025, Charlton won promotion back to the Championship by winning the League One play-off final 1–0 against Leyton Orient.

Club Identity

Team Colors and Crest

Crest of the former Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich Council, used by Charlton briefly in late 1940s and early 1950s

Charlton has used different crests over the years. The current design has been used since 1968. The first known badge from the 1930s had the letters CAF. In the 1940s, a robin sitting in a football was used. For a short time, the crest of the Greenwich borough was used.

In 1963, a competition was held to find a new badge. The winning design was a hand holding a sword. This matched Charlton's nickname at the time, "The Valiants." Over the next five years, this design was changed. By 1968, it became the one we see today.

Charlton has almost always played in red and white. These colors were chosen by the boys who started the club in 1905. They had borrowed kits from their local rivals, Woolwich Arsenal, who also played in red and white. The only exception was part of the 1923–24 season. Charlton wore blue and white stripes then. But they soon went back to red and white.

Team Nicknames

Charlton's most common nickname is The Addicks. This name comes from a local fish seller, Arthur "Ikey" Bryan. He used to give the team meals of haddock and chips.

Early cartoons about the team called them "Haddocks" in 1908. By 1910, it changed to "Addicks." The club also has two other nicknames: "The Robins," used since 1931, and "The Valiants," chosen in a fan competition in the 1960s. The "Addicks" nickname was brought back by fans after the club lost its home at The Valley in 1985. It is now the official nickname.

Charlton fans have a song called "Valley, Floyd Road." It's about the stadium's address and is sung to the tune of "Mull of Kintyre."

The Stadium: The Valley

One of Charlton's early grounds, Siemens Meadow

Charlton's first ground was Siemens Meadow (1905–1907). It was a rough field near the River Thames. They then played at other places like Woolwich Common and Pound Park. After World War I, a chalk quarry called the Swamps became Charlton's new ground. In 1919, work began to make it a proper playing field.

The first match at this new site, now known as The Valley, was in September 1919. Charlton played at The Valley until 1923. Then, they moved to The Mount stadium in Catford. This was part of a plan to merge with another team. But the move didn't happen, and Charlton returned to The Valley in 1924.

In the 1930s and 1940s, The Valley was greatly improved. It became one of the biggest stadiums in the country. In 1938, over 75,000 people watched an FA Cup match there. In the 1940s and 1950s, crowds were often over 40,000. But after the club was relegated, The Valley was not kept up.

In the 1980s, the club faced problems with the stadium. Part of the ground was closed for safety reasons. In September 1985, Charlton had to share a stadium with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Many fans were unhappy about this. They worked hard to bring the club back to The Valley.

A political group called the "Valley Party" was formed. They wanted the stadium reopened. Fans also created the "Valley Gold" plan to help raise money. Charlton played at Upton Park for a while. Finally, Charlton returned to The Valley in December 1992.

Since returning, three sides of the stadium have been rebuilt. It is now a modern, all-seater stadium with a capacity of 27,111. This is the biggest stadium in South London. There are plans to make it even bigger in the future. In May 2024, a new Desso GrassMaster pitch was installed.

Fans and Rivalries

Most of Charlton's fans come from South East London and Kent. Fans played a big part in bringing the club back to The Valley in 1992. They were given a voice on the club's board. This role was later replaced by a fans forum, which still meets today.

Charlton and Millwall pay tribute to Graham Taylor at The Valley in January 2017.

Charlton's main rivals are their South London neighbors, Crystal Palace and Millwall.

In 1985, Charlton had to share Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace. This was not popular with fans of either team. In 2005, Charlton played a game against Palace that led to Palace being relegated. Charlton equalized with seven minutes left, which meant Palace couldn't stay in the league. Since their first meeting in 1925, Charlton has won 17 games, drawn 13, and lost 26 against Palace. They last played in 2015.

Charlton is very close to Millwall. Their stadiums are less than four miles apart. They last played in July 2020. Since their first Football League game in 1921, Charlton has won 11, drawn 26, and lost 37 league games against Millwall. Charlton has not beaten Millwall in their last 12 league games. Their last win was in 1996.

Club Records and Statistics

• Sam Bartram played the most games for Charlton, with 623 appearances between 1934 and 1956.
• Keith Peacock is second with 591 games. He was also the first-ever substitute in a Football League game in 1965.
• Radostin Kishishev played for Bulgaria 42 times while at Charlton, more than any other Charlton player.
• 12 Charlton players have played for the England national team.
• Derek Hales is Charlton's top goalscorer with 168 goals in 368 matches.
• Stuart Leary scored the most league goals, with 153.
• The most goals scored in one season is 33 by Ralph Allen in 1934–35.
• Charlton's record home attendance is 75,031. This was for an FA Cup match against Aston Villa in 1938.
• The record attendance for the current all-seater stadium is 27,111. This was first set in 2005 against Chelsea.

Player Records

Players

First-team Squad

No. Position Player — GK Thomas Kaminski — GK Will Mannion — GK Ashley Maynard-Brewer — DF Nathan Asiimwe — DF Amari'i Bell — DF Reece Burke — DF Josh Edwards — DF Macaulay Gillesphey — DF Lloyd Jones — DF Alex Mitchell — DF Zach Mitchell — DF Kayne Ramsay — MF Karoy Anderson — MF Rob Apter

No. Position Player — MF Luke Berry — MF Sonny Carey — MF Conor Coventry — MF Greg Docherty — MF Joe Rankin-Costello — MF Terry Taylor — FW Gassan Ahadme — FW Tyreece Campbell — FW Kaheim Dixon — FW Matt Godden — FW Daniel Kanu — FW Miles Leaburn — FW Isaac Olaofe

Under-21s Squad

No. Position Player — GK Lennon MacLorg — GK Tommy Reid — DF Toby Bower — DF Keenan Gough — DF Oliver Hobden — DF Mason Hunter — DF Josh Laqeretabua

No. Position Player — DF Seydil Toure — MF Kai Enslin — MF Ryan Huke — MF Alan Mwamba — MF Henry Rylah — FW Patrick Casey

Under-18s Squad

No. Position Player — GK Jude Sadler — GK Finley Woodham — DF Ethan Brown — DF Ethan Cann — DF Dionte Davis — DF Marley Dawkins — DF Tate Elliott — DF Joshua Ogunnowo — DF Lanre Olatunji — DF Phoenix Valentine — MF Jack Belton

No. Position Player — MF Ibrahim Fullah — MF Ellis McMillan — MF Jacob Safa — MF Manu Wales — MF Sam Washington-Amoah — FW Shia-Lee Burnham — FW Micah Mbick — FW Reuben Reid — FW Emmanuel Sol-Loza — FW Bradley Tagoe

Women's Team

Player of the Year Awards

Club Officials

Coaching Staff

Role	Name
Manager	Nathan Jones
First Team Assistant Manager	Curtis Fleming
First Team Goalkeeping Coach	Stephen Henderson
Set Piece and First-Team Coach	James Brayne
First-Team Coach	Danny Hylton
First-Team Lead Sports Scientist	Ben Talbot
First-Team Doctor	Toby Longwill
Head of Physical Performance	Josh Hornby
First-Team Head Physiotherapist	Adam Coe
First-Team Physiotherapist	Alex Ng
First-Team Assistant Therapist	Steve Jackson
Head of Performance Analysis	Brett Shaw
First-Team Kit Manager	Wayne Baldacchino
Academy Director	Steve Avory
Academy Head of Coaching	Rhys Williams
Senior Professional Development Phase Lead Coach	Jason Pearce
Lead U21s Coach	Chris Lock
Head of Academy Sport Science and Medicine	Danny Campbell
Senior Academy Scout	Bert Dawkins
Academy Performance Analyst	James Parker
Academy Physiotherapist	Andriana Tsiantoula
Kit Assistant	Ben Mehmet
Kit Assistant	James Simmons

Managerial History

Alan Curbishley managed Charlton between 1991 and 2006

Name	Dates	Achievements
Walter Rayner	June 1920 – May 1925
Alex MacFarlane	May 1925 – January 1928
Albert Lindon	January 1928 – June 1928
Alex MacFarlane	June 1928 – December 1932	Third Division champions (1929)
Albert Lindon	December 1932 – May 1933
Jimmy Seed	May 1933 – September 1956	Third Division champions (1935); Second Division runners-up (1936); First Division runners-up (1937); Football League War Cup co-winners (1944); FA Cup runners-up 1946; FA Cup winners 1947
David Clark (caretaker)	September 1956
Jimmy Trotter	September 1956 – October 1961
David Clark (caretaker)	October 1961 – November 1961
Frank Hill	November 1961 – August 1965
Bob Stokoe	August 1965 – September 1967
Eddie Firmani	September 1967 – March 1970
Theo Foley	March 1970 – April 1974
Les Gore (caretaker)	April 1974 – May 1974
Andy Nelson	May 1974 – March 1980	Third Division 3rd place (promoted; 1975)
Mike Bailey	March 1980 – June 1981	Third Division 3rd place (promoted; 1981)
Alan Mullery	June 1981 – June 1982
Ken Craggs	June 1982 – November 1982
Lennie Lawrence	November 1982 – July 1991	Division Two runners-up (1986); Full Members Cup runners-up (1987)
Alan Curbishley & Steve Gritt	July 1991 – June 1995
Alan Curbishley	June 1995 – May 2006	First Division play-off winners (1998); First Division champions (2000)
Iain Dowie	May 2006 – November 2006
Les Reed	November 2006 – December 2006
Alan Pardew	December 2006 – November 2008
Phil Parkinson	November 2008 – January 2011
Keith Peacock (caretaker)	January 2011
Chris Powell	January 2011 – March 2014	League One champions (2012)
José Riga	March 2014 – May 2014
Bob Peeters	May 2014 – January 2015
Damian Matthew & Ben Roberts (caretakers)	January 2015
Guy Luzon	January 2015 – October 2015
Karel Fraeye	October 2015 – January 2016
José Riga	January 2016 – May 2016
Russell Slade	June 2016 – November 2016
Kevin Nugent (caretaker)	November 2016
Karl Robinson	November 2016 – March 2018
Lee Bowyer (caretaker)	March 2018 – September 2018
Lee Bowyer	September 2018 – March 2021	League One play-off winners (2019)
Johnnie Jackson (caretaker)	March 2021
Nigel Adkins	March 2021 – October 2021
Johnnie Jackson (caretaker)	October 2021 – December 2021
Johnnie Jackson	December 2021 – May 2022
Ben Garner	June 2022 – December 2022
Anthony Hayes (caretaker)	December 2022
Dean Holden	December 2022 – August 2023
Jason Pearce (caretaker)	August 2023 – September 2023
Michael Appleton	September 2023 – January 2024
Curtis Fleming (caretaker)	January 2024 – February 2024
Nathan Jones	February 2024 –	League One play-off winners (2025)

List of Chairmen

Club Achievements

Source:

League Titles

• First Division (level 1)
  • Runners-up: 1936–37
• Second Division / First Division (level 2)
  • Champions: 1999–2000
  • 2nd place promotion: 1935–36, 1985–86
  • Play-off winners: 1987, 1998
• Third Division South / Third Division / League One (level 3)
  • Champions: 1928–29 (South), 1934–35 (South), 2011–12
  • 3rd place promotion: 1974–75, 1980–81
  • Play-off winners: 2019, 2025

Cup Wins

• FA Cup
  • Winners: 1946–47
  • Runners-up: 1945–46
• Full Members' Cup
  • Runners-up: 1986–87
• Football League War Cup
  • Joint winners: 1943–44
• Kent Senior Cup
  • Winners: 1994–95, 2012–13, 2014–15
  • Runners-up: 1995–96, 2015–16
• London Senior Cup
  • Winners: 2022–23, 2023–24

See also

In Spanish: Charlton Athletic Football Club para niños

• Football in London