Reserve games to 'Fleet

Charlton's reserve games will be played next year at Stonebridge Road, the home of Conference side Gravesend and Northfleet. The argument is that it will save the Valley pitch and also bring Charlton football to another part of the club's catchment area (although, of course, the women's team already play at 'Fleet).

Almost all other Premiership clubs play their reserve games at non-league grounds and Charlton have used Park View Road in the past. Historically, games have also been played at Erith and Belvedere (when they had their own ground) and Dulwich Hamlet, as well as at Sparrows Lane. (If you know of any other locations where home reserve fixtures have been played, let me know).

Reserve games are hardly a money spinner with most of them attracting attendances in the hundreds, most of them season ticket holders. The mixture of fringe or recovering first team players giving 75% and young Academy hopefuls was not appealing. I occasionally took in reserve games if I was in London on business, but am unlikely to be tempted out to Gravesend.

The club has not responded to suggestions that a Rickshaw in reverse might be run from the home boroughs to Gravesend.