Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic Club Profile

On June 9th 1905, a number of youth clubs in south-east London, including both East Street Mission and Blundell Mission, combined to form Charlton Athletic Football Club.

Making rapid progress through the local leagues, Charlton joined the Kent League shortly after the First World War and turned professional when the club joined the Southern League in 1920.  Charlton Athletic enjoyed their most success around the time of the Second World War under the guidance of popular manager Jimmy Seed. The Addicks finished runners-up to Derby in the 1946 FA Cup final but went one better the following year, beating Burnley in the final for the one and only time in the clubs history to date.

At the end of the 1956-57 season the club were relegated and stayed in the Second Division until the 1971-72 campaign, when they were relegated again to Division Three.  Brief hopes of an upturn in Charlton news and fortunes came in 1982 when former two-time European Footballer of the Year Allan Simonsen was a surprise signing from Barcelona. However, it was an expensive gamble that failed to pay off, with the Dane returning to his homeland after just 16 games.

Some 12 months later, trapped in a downward spiral of crippling debt and dwindling attendances, Charlton were just five minutes from going into receivership when a rescue package was accepted by the High Court. Charlton Athletic players won promotion to the top flight under manager Lennie Lawrence in 1986 before being relegated four years later.  In 1985 the club's debts meant they could no longer afford to stay at the Valley and Charlton ground-shared with both Crystal Palace and West Ham before returning to the redeveloped Valley in 1992.

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