Deal author's memories of Charlton

Today on Charlton Retro we feature Charlton fan and author, broadcaster and podcaster Charlie Connelly.  Charlie, who recently turned 50, now lives in Deal and swims in the English Channel every day regardless of the weather.  His latest book is on The Channel: https://thecreativelife.net/charlie-connelly-after-20-books-writing-still-isnt-easy/

His breakthrough book and one I particularly enjoyed was Stamping Grounds about the Liechtenstein international football team.  He also wrote a book on London football, London Fields.   His book on radio Last Train to Hilversum is at the home of my daughter who lives in Spain (she was a university contemporary of Charlie's).

One of his early books was about relegation and narrow escapes entitled I Just Can't Help Believing.  One of the longest chapters was about 'The Demise and Rise of Charlton Athletic'.

I believe that Charlie occasionally goes to Deal Town matches, but I do not think he has yet met leading Bowyer critic Desmond from Deal.

In the December 1999/January 2000 'bumper festive issue' of Voice of the Valley I interviewed Charlie and here are some extracts.   One topic we talked about was his collection of Charlton mugs.  He said, 'My favourite is the one that lists all our honours, right down to being promoted from the Third Division in 1981.  Only trouble is they forgot about us winning the FA Cup.'

Charlie first came to a match at the valley when he was eight.  'The first game was I think against Oldham in 1978.  It was freezing, that was about all I can remember.  Everyone at school supported Liverpool and Forest who were the big clubs then, so I got used to people pointing and laughing at me from an early age.'

'My mum took me to Charlton once, when we played the People's Republic of China in a friendly in about 1982.   When Steve White scored after about ten minutes, she stood up and started to walk out.  She thought that once a goal was scored that was the end of the game.  "Come on then, darling, let's go" she called from the end of the row in the heart of the Covered End.  I was 12 and nearly died of embarrassment.'

'Asked for his favourite all-time Charlton player, Charlie said: "I'll have to be obvious and go for Derek Hales, even though I only saw him towards the end of his career.  Allan Simonsen had me starstruck though.  I met him in the Faroe Islands during the summer and he was a thoroughly nice bloke.  Incredibly small, though."'

He said that his best Charlton memory after Wembley was when we came back from 3-0 to win 5-3 against Barnsley in 1984/85.  'It was a tiny crowd.   Ron Futcher scored a hat-trick for them and then got sent off.  Three-one down at half time, we murdered them in the second half, even with Steve Dowman in the side.'

'One of my fondest memories is after the play off semi-final at The Valley.  Shaun Newton had won the game with a belting goal and I looked around the redeveloped ground where everyone was on their feet singing and dancing and Steve Dixon read out the Wembley ticket details over the tannoy.'

'I nearly cried.   All those years of watching us on an empty ground and  on other people's pitches.  I couldn't believe what was happening at our club.  I got so caught up in it I even bought that terrible Squeeze record.'

For the return to The Valley Charlie ending up standing on Charlton Heights with a few other people: 'We saw the balloons go up and heard the Red Red Robin and I cried a bit like a girl.  Saw Walshie's goal, too.  It was the only part of the pitch we could see up from up there.'

Charlie did train with Bromley a few times when Colin Powell was coach, but then broke his arm quite badly in a charity match for a bloke who had broken his leg!

A small quiz question: name the author who was written about Charlton in his novels and his autobiography.