The other Deal Addick

There are two prominent Deal Addicks: leading whinger Desmond from Deal and author, podcaster and broadcaster Charlie Connelly.   Desmond refuses to accept that Charlie is a real Addick as he is never on the Deal Rickshaw, but I can remember a sighting of him being reported at Bradford City.   Charlie, who is one of my favourite authors, has now done an interesting interview in which he talks about his association with Charlton and also with Bromley FC: https://www.daverobertsbooks.com/six-questions-1

His favourite all time Charlton player is Allan Simonsen: 'Allan Simonsen. Picture Charlton in 1982. Skint, moping about in the lower fathoms of the old Second Division in front crowds of 4,000 in this vast, disintegrating concrete bowl ostensibly capable of housing 66,000, going nowhere except possibly Division Three and a tour of some local loan sharks. Then we sign a former European Footballer of the Year, from Barcelona (and his first game? They put him in the reserves. The reserves).'

I think one story that I can reveal about Charlie is that he once played in a Ryman League reserve game and was exhausted afterwards.

Another connection is that Charlie was a uni contemporary of one of my children.

I like all his books which are sometimes out of left field, but perhaps my favourite is the one about the Liechtenstein international football team which has the early statement: 'I don't feel like speaking English today.'

Boost for Bromley

I know this is not a Bromley page, but there are many links between Charlton and the team now third in the National League. Tireless SLP reporter Louis Mendez, now in the middle of moving house (don't forget the dog) proclaims on his Twitter feed that he is both a Bromley and Charlton supporter. He is not alone, as for many Addicks Bromley is their second team.

We mustn't forget the active Bromley Addicks group which my friend Steve from Petts Wood enjoys. In days gone by when I was representing the UK at tiresome meetings in windowless rooms in the Square de Meuse in Brussels, I was always relieved when Eurostar flashed through Bromley as I thought 'I am in Charlton territory now'.

Developing Charlton players have benefitted from a loan spell at Bromley, most recently Alfie Doughty. Our connections with Bromley are now closer than those with National League South Welling.

The Times today has a feature article on Bromley. It is behind a pay wall, but as a subscriber I can send a few copies out electronically. If it is of real interest to you, contact me via Twitter @wyngrant or via Facebook, but not if your surname is Acworth-Waldegrave.

The tone of the article is somewhat patronising as it refers to Bromley as 'the spirited little south-east London club'. This reminds me of the evening after the Greatest Game when ITV described us as 'the tiny London club.' An ignorant Premier League director objected to playing a 'village team', evidently having thought that Charlton Village was a stand alone village in deepest Kent.

I did quickly forgive the guy who thought we were the third Manchester team playing in Chorlton as he did become a lifelong fan.

Returning to Bromley, much is made of the ramshackle state of the ground 'a glorious patchwork of corrugated iron and cracked concrete terracing'. However, the new stand with its commercial units does get a mention.

The club who won the FA Amateur Cup in 1949 (then a big deal) have had their ups and downs, but one lifelong fan is quoted as saying he thinks they now have the best team ever. Of course, if they do get into the Football League they have plans to relocate their artificial pitch.

Which non-league teams do Charlton fans support?

Not Leamington I know, as I am referred to there as 'the Charlton fan'. After Leamington beat Gloucester City 3-0 on Boxing Day the Gloucester board apologised publicly for the humiliation. On New Year's Day I will be boarding a minibus for Evesham (which is where Gloucester play until their new stadium is ready). The chairman has issued a three line whip on attendance.

I may at some point do a poll on non-league clubs that Charlton fans follow. For me, the most obvious ones are listed below (in no particular order), but I would be interested in other suggestions:

• Bromley
• Dulwich Hamlet
• Ebbsfleet United
• Dartford
• Welling United
• Erith & Belvedere
• Maidstone United