Ramsgate man brings out book

Rick displays his product

Ramsgate resident Rick Everitt has published a second edition of his Charlton classic Battle for the Valley which tells the story of how the Valley Party got Charlton back to its home, as well as looking at the earlier history of the club. The new edition runs to over 300 pages and has many appropriate illustrations, some in colour. It is very good value for £9.99.

The first edition was published without a record of the happy ending and that has now been rectified. In his introduction, the Rickster states: 'This version had to be compiled completely anew, but it is generally faithful to the original. I have mostly resisted the temptation to revise judgements that I made nearly a-quarter-of-a-century ago when many of the events were fresh in my mind, except where my original conclusions were obviously dated by the last two decades. I have also made some minor additions arising from the information that has subsequently come to light.'

Rick Everitt went to Chis & Sid grammar school and got an honours degree in Politics from Reading University, despite missing an exam to attend a key Charlton match to the bafflement of department head, pioneer gay Tory Peter Campbell. After a spell as sports editor of the Mercury he joined the club's staff in 1998 and spent 14 years in various roles. He was Labour candidate for the Old Bexley and Sidcup division, once the seat of Gooner Ted Heath, in the 2010 general election. Since 2011 he has been a member of Ramsgate Town Council and Thanet District Council where he is the cabinet member for finance and estates.

He has revived Voice of the Valley which takes a critical look at the current regime at Charlton. When the club returned to The Valley in 1992, how many of the Valley Party stalwarts would have thought that some twenty years later, the Addicks would be the Belgian team that plays in London?

If you want your own copy go to Voice of the Valley and one of Rick's gnomes will send you a copy 'tout suite' as we say at The Valley these days.