Chris Hollins and Charlton

On Friday's 'Farewell to the TV Centre' on BBC 4 there was an amusing reference between former Charlton director Michael Grade who was hosting the event and Chris Hollins that he (Hollins) had played for Charlton once (his Wikipedia entry says that he did). In fact he had a trial with the reserves and scored a hat trick against Erith and Belvedere but didn't make the grade. Hollins comes from a footballing family in Bromley: Hollins

I've been doing a lot of work with local media here in Warwickshire on Coventry City over the last couple of days and if we get disheartened at Charlton, it's nothing compared with the mess the Sky Blues are in, and I certainly sympathise with their fans. Hedge fund Sisu who own Sky Blues having been playing hard ball for some time, although Coventry City Council have fought back. Sisu's actions may be judged to be lawful when the High Court hearing resumes on Tuesday, but they certainly represent a creative interpretation of the law relating to administration.

Thanks to the Addick who told me that another CAFC fan who figures in the public eye cropped up on Radio 4's Broadcasting House yesterday: Sir Stuart Etherington. He was described as being the only CAFC fan with four degrees: he actually has two MAs and a MBA as well as his first degree, but then he does have a honorary doctorate as well. He is chief executive of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations and Pro-Chancellor of Greenwich University (a largely honorary and ceremonial post).

Etherington was born in Epsom, not natural Charlton territory and brought up in Mickleham, a village nearby, and educated at Sondes Place school, Dorking. However, he has a Greenwich address and lists watching Charlton as one of his interests in Who's Who. There are not many people who do that: one was the now departed Lord Wedderburn of Charlton.