The Valley is a stadium with a wonderful story: No other London stadium has been so passionately fought over as this one. It is thanks to the supporters of Charlton Athletic that the club still plays here for more than a hundred years.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, The Valley is actually located in a valley. Floyd Road is located on the somewhat higher north side of the district, but from the rolling landscape on the south and west side, you can see the stadium.
The most special thing about The Valley is its fraught history: Charlton Athletic supporters fought for years to return to this stadium. After the woefully outdated Valley was declared unusable in the 1980s, the club had to move to nearby stadiums, and Charlton fans formed a local political party with only one goal.
This 'Valley Party’ had one target; to ensure that the stadium would come back into the hands of the club. That finally worked in 1992, after years of political struggle that demanded the utmost from the loyal following. It led to an unprecedented folk festival.
Around the corner from Charlton train station, you will find 'The Valley Cafe', one of the most characteristic places in the neighbourhood, and indispensable on your way to a visit to Charlton Athletic. This is not a pub, but a classic breakfast café. You can enjoy a traditional English breakfast with sausage, bacon, beans and fried eggs. It is of course busy here on match days, but it is always pleasant on the street corner. Buy a program booklet and imagine yourself as a 'local' for a while.
There are relatively few good pubs in the immediate vicinity of The Valley. An exception is The Royal Oak on Charlton Lane, just north of the stadium. A little more south of the Charlton district (in Charlton Village) you will find The Bugle Horn, a nice pub with a 'beer garden'. A few miles away in Greenwich (see below) there are plenty of great restaurants to be found.
The New Charlton neighbourhood borders the famous Greenwich. This South East London neighbourhood is of course famous for its Prime Meridian, which can be found in the imposing Greenwich Park. There are plenty of places to visit here, but this attractive area is more than just a tourist attraction. You can wander around endlessly in a classic English setting with an almost village-like character, surrounded by greenery. A perfect combination on a weekend day: First to the cosy Greenwich Market, then on to Charlton Athletic.
Do you like to go to London by car, via the Eurotunnel? Understandable, especially if you travel from Belgium or France. In that case, Charlton Athletic really is an ideal destination, as the stadium is perfectly located near Folkestone. You don't have to drive all over London: you are there within a maximum of one and a half hours, very quickly via the M20. Perfect for a day trip.
Charlton Athletic has been up and down in recent years - and this is reflected in ticket sales. In the Championship, The Valley was still quite full, but in League One about 11,000 people attend a home game on average. Big advantage: Buying tickets is no problem. Via the club website, but also on match day.
There is no metro station near The Valley. You can, however, take the excellent train connection to 'Charlton' station, near the stadium. There is a direct line from London Bridge station. Another good option is the car via the Eurotunnel, as described above.
Images: Shutterstock, BSR Agency
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