Thursday, September 22, 2005

New Fad 25 years old...

I don't know why, but I got around to thinking about shirt sponsors, and it dawned on me that it was 1981 when Charlton first carried a sponsors logo on their shirtfronts. That means that this is the 25th season we've had shirt sponsors at Charlton. By the way, if someone else has written about this recently, I apologise; I don't think I've stolen your thoughts...

Charlton's first sponsor back in '81 was FADS. I seem to remember that they came in mid-season (around February?), but in those days you could not wear your sponsored shirts when you were on TV. As Charlton were having a good season, eventually getting promoted, we seemed to be on TV quite a lot. The bad news was that it seemed that when we were not on TV (ie. when we wore the FADS shirts), we couldn't win! Someone with a much better memory than me will confirm how long it took, but I would guess that we played about ten times without victory in FADS shirts before the duck was broken.

After FADS, we had the Woolwich Building Society. The local BS name adorned our shirt fronts for a few years, and when we remember or watch great match days from that time (like St Andrews in 1987) the team will forever have The Woolwich emblazoned across their chests.

The 90's seemed to be the computer sponsorship years for Charlton, not surprisingly in the lead up to the dot.com boom. First we had Viglen, then MESH computers names adorning our chests. My girlfriend actually bought a Viglen computer (in 1997) on the back of much persuasion from me ("if it's good enough for Charlton, then it's good enough for you!"), and I can confirm that it is still going strong (albeit with a different owner)! A typesetters that I dealt with in the late 90's also bought a whole bunch of Viglen PC's and keyboards, and they told me that they loved them. I cannot claim to have helped with that particular sale though...

I don't have much experience of MESH computers though, and have never heard of anyone owning one. While Viglen never really saw much benefit of their sponsorship on TV (compared to the previous and future sponsors), MESH certainly came aboard at exactly the right time. The first time Charlton wore MESH shirts was at Wembley in 1998 in the play off final, the Viglen shirt contract having ended a few days earlier. Super Clive, resplendent in his new MESH sponsored shirt, cut a dashing figure in front of the crowd, and duly smashed in a fantastic hat trick. All captured on film, video, and DVD, much to the MESH marketing managers delight I'm sure. I hope it helped sales.

After MESH, we had RedBus. This was a strange choice, for an investment company cannot get extra sales or such like, only exposure. It was therefore probably a vanity sponsorship, or possibly a tax dodge of some sort. They had plenty of TV time as we played in the Premiership throughout their tenure, but RedBus eventually had money troubles and their sponsorship was ended a year early I believe.

All:Sports, next up front and currently still our shirt sponsor, obviously do get sales based on our deal with them; not only through exposure, but by the tie-up we have with selling Charlton shirts in All:Sports 200-odd shops. All round good sense I would think. I have heard that they are having problems with the recent downturn in customer spending, and that may affect any continuation (renewal) of their deal which is due to end after this season. I think they would like to continue sponsorship, but if we get a better offer, who knows?

So, 25 years, six sponsors, none of whom have been embarrassing. We should be thankful that, unlike other clubs, we have not had to bow down to Chinese Beer, the local chemical company, the local Council, or the local garage and the like, for shirt sponsorship, yet...

Comments:
Keep up the blog Pedro.

Didn't Sunley sponsor us for a while too in John Fryer's time?
 
Yea, maybe as club sponsor, but I don't seem to remember them ever being on the shirts? I'll check out some photos from March 1984 through the next season to
see if I can correct myself.

Enjoy reading your blog too, hope the last few weeks settle down - enjoy that first night back in your own bed!
 
Cracking post Pedro

Think it was probably around the Viglen kit time that I started to take note of Charlton. Mostly through TV coverage obviously but at that time there were a few Ton connection's in the 1st Division.

Working on similar post about the Ton kits i've owned ( unfortuantely nieces/nephew's/sister's/mate's have all made off with most of my collection over the years)

Keep up the good work and good luck for you guys on Saturday.

We got a good following of West Brom fans who have come up for a couple of our games (usually 1 a season). Started when Derek Mciness was their captain (Mciness started his career at Cappielow)

Another link is wee Earnie who was actually on loan to us when he was 18 (never any chance of him joining us just farmed out for experience) and looked sensational

So I gotta say i'll be hoping the Baggies get the 3 points on Saturday
 
Thanks. Didn't know about the Earnie link with 'Ton... I got rid of most of my old Charlton shirts a couple of years back in the FiveLive donation thing; hopefully an African kid or ten is wearing them as I type!!! Are there any "real" player connections between our two teams? We've had quite a few Scottish players over the years, so I guess there must be.
 
It is my understanding that one of the ironic things about all:sports sponsorship is that it is difficult if not nearly impossible to get a Charlton shirt in their stores. Most folks have to go to the Valley's store either in person or online.
 
Unfortunately I can remember the "Marman welcome you to Charlton Athletic",emblasoned on the old West Stand. This was Mark Hulyers company. I think you are right though, the first shirt sponsor was Fads.

I have a Mesh Computer, they are still a major mail order computer firm.
 
both the All:sports I have been in north of the border have had Charlton strips available.

Glasgow and Dunfermline stores both had the home top as well as the Hearts top who also have a similar deal.

Its one of those really frustrating stores in that they stock the England & Ireland kits but not the Scotland kit (I guess thats partly to do with the Old Firm)
 
I have a Mesh computer bought on the back of them sponsoring us, and too be honest, I have had nothing but grief with it! This is a short message as the computer usually turns itself off If I type for too long!
 
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