Times notes 55th birthday of lifelong Charlton fan

Today The Times announces the 55th birthday of lifelong Charlton fan, author and broadcaster Charlie Connelly.   

For over ten years Charlie lived in Deal, but perhaps it was encounters with Desmond from Deal that finally drove him to live north of the border: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/5285243/charlie-connelly-on-his-love-for-dundee/

Charlie was a contemporary of my middle daughter at uni.   She retired with her husband to a farm in Spain as she approached 50 (now joined by my granddaughter and great-granddaughter) and always reminds me that she is a multi-millionaire rather than a mere millionaire. Actually, I never managed to get Charlie's book on radio back off her.   However, he is best known now for his one man show on the shipping forecast.  It always sells out.

Charlie's early books included one on the Liechtenstein national team (which I really enjoyed) and also one on football in London.

I once asked him if he had ever played football competitively and apparently once he was drafted in by a non-league reserve side short of players.   He was out of puff after 30 minutes.

Charlie still has to make the decision which of the Dundee teams to back in his new home.

Charlton fan swims in the Channel every day

Our latest Charlton Retro post features an interview 20 years ago with Charlton fan Charlie Connelly in which he talks about his memories of being a supporter.  The successful author and broadcaster now lives in Deal and swims in the English Channel every day, but is yet to meet Desmond from Deal: https://retrocharlton.blogspot.com/2021/02/authors-memories-of-charlton.html

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.'

The arrogance of certainty

In a superbly written essay, author and Charlton fan Charlie Connelly looks back to us celebrating the Championship trophy on April 29th 2000 and discusses the 'arrogance of certainty' displayed by the current regime: The arrogance of certainty

London as a football city

The latest posting from the excellent two unfortunates blog looks at London as a football city: London

Charlton aren't specifically mentioned. Quite rightly, the author focuses on the driving forces affecting football as a whole in London, including its status as a city region and a global city. Some of this is relevant context to our current plight.

When my new Anglo-French boss moved to London, he looked for a football club to support. His sister lived in Chelsea, but he decided that they were too expensive, so he went for nearby Fulham. Charlton didn't even come up on his radar because it was 'too far out' from the cosmopolitan centre.

I was inspired to get down from the bookshelves a book by one of my favourite authors, Charlton fan Charlie Connelly (he was also at university with one of my children). Called London Fields, it contains a chapter on 'The Supporters' Club: Peter Varney and the Rise of Charlton Athletic.' How ironic that title seems now when our chief executive takes photos of protesting supporters from the lounges. (There is also a chapter on Gary Nelson and one about Welling United).

It is a good read (the description of the two man Wembley away firm is hilarious). There is a copy on Amazon at £4.54 plus postage: London Fields

Articles on Charlton

A highly critical article published in the Daily Mail about RD's involvement at Charlton (nice at least to see us referred to as a 'great club' which makes a difference from 'tiny club'): Dumping ground?

Author, broadcaster and Charlton fan Charlie Connelly pays tribute to Chris Powell (he was at university with one of our children, so I am always interested in what he has to say): Powell

Shelvey gets England debut

Former Addick Jonjo Shelvey got his England debut last year when he came on in the 66th minute for Michael Carrick in the match against international pub team San Marino. Roy Hodgson had clearly disregarded the advice of goal.com readers who thought he was the least deserving of the players called up: Shelvey

The Times this morning thought that had done well: 'Added directness to England's play. Looked a livewire in a match played at a slow pace.' He is unlikely to feature against Poland, however.

One report suggests that his appearance will trigger a 250k payment to Charlton, but I cannot confirm this. It has also been claimed that we have already received two payments of 250k based on appearances with Liverpool, but again I cannot verify this as the contract is not in the public domain.

No Championship football today, but a chance to support your local non-league team in National Non-League Day. If that is, it hasn't gone out of business this week as happened to Kettering Town and Truro City. The attraction for locally based Addicks is Bromley v. Welling

Personally I would favour a pre-qualification tournament for the European 'minnows'. It would be more meaningful for them, although clearly there would be an argument about who counts as a minnow: the likes of Andorra, San Marino and Liechtenstein clearly do, but what about Luxembourg or Malta?

Addick author Charlie Connelly wrote a fascinating book (really) about Liechtenstein's international football called Stamping Grounds which has come out in a second edition. Apparently some of the locals who turned up only came because of the opposition, regarding their own team as rubbish. I'm happy to promote Charlie as he was friends with one of our children at uni.

Fortunately the Pope appears to have dropped plans for a Vatican City side, although there is an annual competition between seminaries which is known for some tough tackling.