Centenary

The 2004/05 season sees Charlton Athletic Football Club celebrating one hundred years of its existence. And preparations are already under way, with the creation of a Centenary Committee to oversee the events and celebrations of the club's centenary year. Chairman of the Centenary Committee, Steve Sutherland, looks forward to the landmark season. . .

Whilst I always have had a very keen interest in history and in historical events, I have never been very good at remembering dates. OK, I know that the Norman invasion was in 1066, the Tudor reign started in 1485 and the great war started in 1914 but that's about it apart from the fact that I know that Albert Einstein first published his 'Special Theory of Relativity' in 1905. The reason why I know this date is simple - it was the same year that a group of teenage boys formed a football club - the club that I have followed since the age of six, Charlton Athletic FC.

Being founded in 1905 means that the club can look forward to receiving a telegram from the Queen in season 2004/05 as this will be this great club's 100th season since those early days playing at Siemens Meadow.

Not unsurprisingly, we intend to commemorate this remarkable achievement by designating 2004/05 as our Centenary Season and I have been given the honour of acting as chairman of our newly formed Centenary Committee, which will be responsible for ensuring that this great milestone in the club's history is fully recognised.

Each supporter has their own special memories of supporting Charlton Athletic; memories such as the first match ever attended, the visits to The Valley, watching our heroes like Sam Bartram, Don Welsh, Stuart Leary, Eddie Firmani, Mike Bailey, Derek Hales, Alan Simonsen, Peter Shirtliff and Dean Kiely, losing the FA Cup Final and then winning it a year later, promotion and relegation, the special relatives and friends that have supported the club with us, the elation and the despair, the taunts and the gloats, leaving The Valley for Selhurst Park, The Valley Party, Colin Walsh's goal against Portsmouth, the Play-Off Final at Wembley, the Premier League, the Football League Championship and beating Arsenal 4-2 at Highbury.

The club has been an integral and important part of people's lives in South-East England for 100 years and Charlton Athletic means different things to different people. Therefore the challenge for the committee will be to ensure that the activities, events and promotions that will be planned for the 2004/05 season fully reflect the special place that the club has, and has had, in the hearts of supporters throughout the century.

We have already started to receive suggestions from supporters with regard to special events and commemorative projects and it is already clear to us that 2004/05 will be keenly celebrated by Charlton supporters everywhere. These suggestions include initiatives such as special dinners, football tournaments, commissioning paintings, licensed products such as books and games, building statues and establishing Trusts.

All of these ideas have merit and it is important that Charlton supporters have input into the committee. I would therefore invite those supporters who would like to offer suggestions for the committee to consider, to write to me here at the club.

It doesn't take an Einstein to know that Charlton Athletic is a very special football club, our families have known that for 100 years. The challenge for each of us is to ensure that future generations know how special Charlton Athletic is - but then it's all relative, isn't it?