Sam Bartram

Idolised in South East London and popular wherever he played, Bartram was one of the country's best-loved players making 800 appearances for his only club either side of World War II and appearing against the likes of Real Madrid and Benfica long before European competitions were part of the football scene. In his first three years at The Valley he helped Charlton rise from the Third Division to runners-up in the top flight - a unique footballing feat. Still an inspiration to followers of all ages, he is remembeed by a nine foot statue at Charlton where there is also an entrance to the stadium, a street and a restaurant in his name. This is no ordinary sporting biography but the remarkable story of a 14 year-old Durham miner whose ambition is to become a professional footballer and play in an FA Cup Final. After a series of disappointments and six years in the north east coalfield, he catches the eye of a Football League club playing as a stand-in goalkeeper for Boldon Villa in a Tyneside cup final. At the age of 20 he packs his bags and travels south to London. Daring, courageous, flamboyant and skillful, he plays in four successive Wembley finals during and after World War II and fulfills his dream of winning the FA Cup in 1947, returning triumphant to Boldon Colliery, his home village, with the trophy. In 22 years with Charlton Athletic he is never dropped from the team. The book uses newspaper reports of the day and recollections of colleagues and fans to illustrate the esteem in which he is held on and off the field. This coffee table book is an updated, enlarged, version of the original paperback published in 2006 and now out of print.