Greenwich, Home of Charlton Athletic FC

Charlton Athletic Football Club has been the beating heart of Greenwich football since 1905. Founded by keen teenagers, the club sprinted to early success, progressing up the local leagues and acquiring the nickname ‘The Addicks’ (possibly in reference to the haddock and chips a local chippie used to reward the players with). By the mid-20^th century, Charlton Athletic were a force to be reckoned with. They regularly performed well in the English Football League’s First Division and reached the FA Cup final in 1946 and 1947, taking home the highest trophy at their second attempt.

Charlton found, or rather made, their home at The Valley stadium in the 1920s. It’s a testament to their fanatical supporters that, faced with levelling a former chalk pit to build the ground, thousands of Addicks volunteered their time and muscle to make the current stadium a reality. While The Valley’s seated capacity is now just over 27,000, it once accommodated crowds of over 70,000 in its terraced, mid-century heyday.

The Valley’s other claims to fame include contention for the loudest rock gig on record: The Who’s show on 31 May 1976 registered at a skull-rattling 126db – recorded from the relative comfort of a 105ft distance from the speaker stacks! But Charlton’s home is all about football – its passionate local support helping it contest the Premier League eight times since the competition’s formation in 1992/93. Die-hard Addicks will always turn out in force for ties with south-London rivals Millwall and Crystal Palace.

Besotted Charlton fans and football-history buffs alike love the tours of The Valley, which kick off most Fridays at 10.30am. For £15 (£7.50 for under-11s) they get full access to the dressing rooms, pitch, players’ tunnel and plenty of other behind-the-scenes attractions. Knowledgeable guides talk the curious through all the twists and turns of the venerable club’s 100+ year history. The on-site club shop can, of course, supply all the latest official kit and merch.

Away supporters and Charlton fans not fortunate enough to live near The Valley have an easy time reaching the ground. Southeastern and Thameslink trains run to Charlton station from London Bridge every 10 minutes. Greenwich’s other delights, including its World Heritage Site and the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich are, respectively, just seven and six minutes’ train ride away. Once there, it’s only five minutes’ walk to the ground.

The fun certainly doesn’t stop after the full-time whistle. If you’re eager to explore Charlton and Greenwich more fully, there are plenty of easily accessed diversions. The ever-growing retail and entertainment hub Greenwich Peninsula is just a short bus ride away. TOCA Social inside The O2 lets you show off your own football skills, with a range of games and a great bar and restaurant.

Those keen to get a bird’s-eye view of Greenwich and London can scale the city’s premier entertainment venue with Up at The O2, while beneath its canopy BOOM Battle Bar offers food, drinks, shuffleboard, digital darts, ‘beer pong’ and plenty of other games. Golf lovers are also spoilt – there’s both the spectacular views and swinging action of the Peninsula’s waterside driving range and adventure golf, and the historic Royal Blackheath Golf Club, where Stuart royalty first played in the early 17^th century.

All that activity will naturally leave football fans and casual visitors in need of something to eat and drink, and quite possibly somewhere to get their heads down. Happily, Greenwich overflows with great pubs, restaurants and accommodation. We’ve listed some of our favourites below, but you’ll find plenty more on our website.

Just ten minutes’ walk from The Valley, the Bugle Horn is a traditional sport-lovers’ boozer, with Sky Sports, a beer garden, and well-chosen beers and food. Slightly further afield, but easily reached from The Valley by bus, there’s The Dial Arch, a beautiful pub in the former Royal Arsenal; The Pilot, another historic pub with boutique rooms on Greenwich Peninsula; and The Old Brewery, a great entertainer set in the heritage-listed Old Royal Naval College.

Hungry? Greenwich has so many ways to feed Addicks fanatics and other visitors. Street-food afficionados can choose from Ethiopian, Indian, Mexican and other global cuisines at Greenwich Market or Greenwich Peninsula’s Design District Canteen. Goddard’s keeps London’s traditional favourite pie-and-mash afloat in a sea of parsley liquor, while higher-end standouts include Davy’s Wine Vaults and Denmark’s design-forward, Japanese inspired Sticks’n’Sushi. Anyone who loves craft beer and top-notch burgers must try Meantime Brewery’s Tasting Rooms.

Greenwich has so much to offer beyond the turnstiles of The Valley it would be a shame not to stay for a night or two. Some of our favourite sleeps include: the ever-dependable Premier Inn, with locations in Greenwich and Woolwich; mid-range charmers such as Blackheath’s The Clarendon, Novotel London Greenwich in the heart of Maritime Greenwich and the Radisson RED, a stones-throw from The O2; and luxurious high-end hotels like InterContinental London – The O2 and the DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich on the border of Greenwich and Deptford.

So, whether you’re a born ‘Addick’, an away fan keen to experience the most of Charlton and the Royal Borough of Greenwich or just a curious follower of football history, you’ll find Charlton Athletic’s home ground and surrounds a marvellous place to visit.