Why are Charlton called the Addicks?
Probably the most often asked Charlton question, is the origin of the club’s nickname, the Addicks. One theory is that the phrase is simply a corrupted form of ‘Athletic’, but the majority of Charlton historians agree the most likely explanation dates back to a fish and chip shop in 1908 and that ‘Addicks’ derived from ‘haddock’. At that time, Arthur Bryan was a local fishmonger who helped underwrite the cost of establishing Charlton at The Valley, and the club and its opposition used to dine on fish suppers following matches. The story goes that if the team lost they would dine on the less popular cod but a victory would secure a haddock supper. The use of Addicks has not been continuous, but was still going strong in 1947 when the Kentish Mercury referred to the ‘birthplace of the Addicks’ when reporting Charlton’s FA Cup winning celebrations. Charlton have also been known as the ‘Robins’ and the ‘Valiants’, but these have been decisively seen off in the last decade.
