Valley Gold enables supporters to play a pivotal role in the future of Charlton Athletic by helping the club to unearth talented footballers through its youth system.
The organisation launched in 1989, with its original aim being to aid the club’s return to The Valley. When this was achieved in December 1992, its focus switched to helping Charlton’s academy to thrive.
No less than 72 academy graduates have gone on to represent the Addicks’ first-team since Valley Gold’s inception and five of those – Lee Bowyer, Paul Konchesky, Scott Parker, Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Gomez – all went on to become full England internationals.
Fourteen graduates have made more than 100 senior appearances for Charlton and in 2009, with the club struggling financially, Valley Gold was vital in keeping the academy afloat.
WHY JOIN VALLEY GOLD?
As well providing substantial, financial support Charlton’s academy, Valley Gold also contributes to our women’s team, deaf team, Museum and our academy transport vehicles, amongst other things.
Valley Gold is entirely supporter-funded, with membership costing £120 per year. As a member of Valley Gold, you will also have the opportunity to scoop up to £5,000 in regular cash prizes.
Prize draws take place every weekday of the year, excluding bank holidays and matchdays, and at all home league fixtures at The Valley where a total of £6,000 is up for grabs.
Bonus draws also take place on the opening and final days of the season and at Christmas, meaning that Valley Gold’s seasonal giveaway to its members totals £60,500.
WHY VALLEY GOLD IS SO IMPORTANT
Under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), the club’s academy is currently assessed as Category 2.
Becoming a Category 1 club is important for recruiting and retaining the very best youth talent, as it enables them to compete against the best sides in their age group on a weekly basis.
Category 1 clubs are also able to freely ‘scout’ lower category clubs. The average cost of running a Category 2 academy is £1.6m per annum. From a financial perspective, this represents the second biggest cost centre of the club, with the largest being the first-team squad.
This is a huge level of cost to support each year, which is why the Football Club continues to be so grateful to Valley Gold members for its fundraising efforts.
For more information about Valley Gold and to sign up, please click here
List of first-team debutants since Valley Gold’s inception in 1989
Name: Mason Burstow
Debut: 31/08/2021
Against: Crawley Town
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Name: Nathan Harness
Debut: 31/08/2021
Against: Crawley Town
-
Name: Jacob Roddy
Debut: 10/08/2021
Against: AFC Wimbledon
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Name: Deji Elerewe
Debut: 10/08/2021
Against: AFC Wimbledon
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Name: Charles Clayden
Debut: 07/08/2021
Against: Sheffield Wednesday
-
Name: Johl Powell
Debut: 10/11/2020
Against: Leyton Orient
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Name: Dylan Gavin
Debut: 10/11/2020
Against: Leyton Orient
-
Name: Wassim Aouachria
Debut: 10/11/2020
Against: Leyton Orient
-
Name: Hady Ghandour
Debut: 10/11/2020
Against: Leyton Orient
-
Name: Kasim Aidoo
Debut: 10/11/2020
Against: Leyton Orient
-
Name: Lucas Ness
Debut: 30/09/2020
Against: Brighton & Hove Albion U21s
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Name: Luca Vega
Debut: 30/09/2020
Against: Brighton & Hove Albion U21s
-
Name: Jay Mingi
Debut: 30/09/2020
Against: Brighton & Hove Albion U21s
-
Name: Charlie Barker
Debut: 01/09/2020
Against: AFC Wimbledon
-
Name: Abraham Odoh
Debut: 05/01/2020
Against: West Bromwich Albion
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Name: Aaron Henry
Debut: 05/01/2020
Against: West Bromwich Albion
-
Name: James Vennings
Debut:30/11/2019
Against: Sheffield Wednesday
-
Name: Josh Davison
Debut: 26/10/2019
Against: West Bromwich Albion
-
Name: Wilberforce Ocran
Debut: 13/08/2019
Against: Forest Green Rovers
-
Name: Junior Armando Quitirna
Debut:13/08/2019
Against: Forest Green Rovers
-
Name: Ashley Maynard-Brewer
Debut: 13/12/2018
Against: Swansea City U21
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Name: Terrique Anderson
Debut: 13/12/2018
Against: Swansea City U21
-
Name: Ben Dempsey
Debut: 14/08/2018
Against: MK Dons
-
Name: Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu
Debut: 14/08/2018
Against: MK Dons
-
Name: Alfie Doughty
Debut:14/08/2018
Against: MK Dons
-
Name: Ryan Blumberg
Debut: 14/08/2018
Against: MK Dons
-
Name: Albie Morgan
Debut: 11/08/2018
Against: Shrewsbury Town
-
Name: Matt Carter
Debut: 05/12/17
Against: Swansea City U21
-
Name: Jo Cummings
Debut: 01/11/17
Against: Fulham U21
-
Name: Jamie Mascoll
Debut: 01/11/17
Against: Fulham U21
-
Name: Taylor Maloney
Debut: 29/08/17
Against: Crawley Town
-
Name: George Lapslie
Debut: 29/08/17
Against: Crawley Town
-
Name: Reeco Hackett-Fairchild
Debut: 08/08/17
Against: Exeter City
-
Name: Anfernee Dijksteel
Debut: 08/08/17
Against: Exeter City
-
Name: Aaron Barnes
Debut: 30/04/17
Against: Swindon Town
-
Name: Joe Aribo
Debut: 04/10/16
Against: Crawley Town
-
Name: Dillon Phillips
Debut: 30/08/16
Against: Southampton U23
-
Name: Ezri Konsa
Debut: 09/08/16
Against: Cheltenham Town
-
Name: Brandon Hanlan
Debut: 06/08/16
Against: Bury
-
Name: Joshua Umerah
Debut: 16/01/16
Against: Hull City
-
Name: Ademola Lookman
Debut: 03/11/16
Against: Milton Keynes Dons
-
Name: Oliver Muldoon
Debut: 25/08/15
Against: Peterborough United
-
Name: Mikhail Kennedy
Debut: 25/08/15
Against: Peterborough United
-
Name: Tareiq Holmes-Dennis
Debut: 11/05/15
Against: Dagenham & Redbridge
-
Name: Regan Charles-Cook
Debut: 11/08/15
Against: Dagenham & Redbridge
-
Name: Karlan Ahearne-Grant
Debut: 30/09/14
Against: Norwich City
-
Name: Joe Gomez
Debut: 12/08/14
Against: Colchester United
-
Name: Morgan Fox
Debut: 24/02/14
Against: Sheffield Wednesday
-
Name: Harry Lennon
Debut: 25/01/14
Against: Huddersfield Town
-
Name: Diego Poyet
Debut: 21/01/14
Against: Oxford United
-
Name: Jordan Cousins
Debut: 06/08/14
Against: Oxford United
-
Name: Joe Pigott
Debut: 06/08/14
Against: Oxford United
-
Name: Adebayo Azeez
Debut: 05/01/13
Against: Huddersfield Town
-
Name: Lawrie Wilson
Debut: 14/08/12
Against: Leyton Orient
-
Name: Danny Haynes
Debut: 21/01/12
Against: Sheffield United
-
Name: Tosan Popo
Debut: 13/09/11
Against: Preston North End
-
Name: Danny Green
Debut: 16/08/11
Against: Colchester United
-
Name: Callum Harriott
Debut: 25/04/11
Against: Rochdale
-
Name: Carl Jenkinson
Debut: 14/12/10
Against: Brentford
-
Name: Yado Mambo
Debut: 06/10/09
Against: Barnet
-
Name: Alex Stavrinou
Debut: 11/08/09
Against: Hereford United
-
Name: Chris Solly
Debut: 03/05/09
Against: Norwich City
-
Name: Tamer Tuna
Debut: 18/04/09
Against: Blackpool
-
Name: Rashid Yussuff
Debut: 13/01/09
Against: Norwich City
-
Name: Josh Wright
Debut: 25/10/08
Against: Burnley
-
Name: Scott Wagstaff
Debut: 26/04/08
Against: Barnsley
-
Name: Jonjo Shelvey
Debut: 26/04/08
Against: Barnsley
-
Name: Rob Elliot
Debut: 05/04/08
Against: Plymouth Argyle
-
Name: Grant Basey
Debut: 27/10/07
Against: Queens Park Rangers
-
Name: Harry Arter
Debut: 25/09/07
Against: Luton Town
-
Name: Darren Randolph
Debut: 13/05/07
Against: Liverpool
-
Name: Nathan Ashton
Debut: 19/09/06
Against: Carlisle United
-
Name: Lloyd Sam
Debut: 15/05/05
Against: Crystal Palace
-
Name: Osei Sankofa
Debut: 03/05/03
Against: Manchester United
-
Name: Jamal Campbell-Ryce
Debut: 12/04/03
Against: Blackburn Rovers
-
Name: Jonathan Fortune
Debut: 18/08/01
Against: Everton
-
Name: Charlie MacDonald
Debut: 03/01/00
Against: Nottingham Forest
-
Name: Scott Parker
Debut: 23/08/97
Against: Bury
-
Name: Paul Konchesky
Debut: 16/08/97
Against: Oxford United
-
Name: Kevin Lisbie
Debut: 24/09/96
Against: Burnley
-
Name: Kevin Nicholls
Debut: 20/09/96
Against: Ipswich Town
-
Name: Dean Chandler
Debut: 07/05/95
Against: Reading
-
Name: Jamie Stuart
Debut: 05/02/95
Against: West Bromwich Albion
-
Name: Richard Rufus
Debut: 29/10/94
Against: Derby County
-
Name: Lee Bowyer
Debut: 27/09/94
Against: Swindon Town
-
Name: Danny R Mills
Debut: 12/10/93
Against: Brescia
-
Name: Shaun Newton
Debut: 01/05/93
Against: Derby County
-
Name: Paul Linger
Debut: 06/04/93
Against: Watford
-
Name: Paul Sturgess
Debut: 30/01/93
Against: Notts County
-
Name: Linvoy Primus
Debut: 07/10/92
Against: Bury
-
Name: Mark Tivey
Debut: 26/02/92
Against: Millwall
-
Name: Jermaine Darlington
Debut: 01/02/92
Against: Brighton & Hove Albion
-
Name: Steve Brown
Debut: 21/09/91
Against: Watford
-
Name: Anthony Barness
Debut: 17/09/91
Against: Sunderland
-
Name: Andy Salako
Debut: 11/05/91
Against: Plymouth Argyle
-
Name: Kim Grant
Debut: 02/03/91
Against: Bristol City
-
Name: Paul Bacon
Debut: 19/12/89
Against: Crystal Palace
-
Name: Marcus Smart
Debut: 14/11/89
Against: Leicester City
-
Name: Gordon Watson
Debut: 19/08/89
Against: Derby County
