Sky Sports cameras arrived in one of our classrooms – Got me thinking of Charlton and Newcastle links | OneFootball

The Sky Sports cameras, along with people from Charlton Athletic, recently came in to one of our classrooms.

A group of fifteen year olds were challenged to redesign the Charlton kit in a more sustainable way. Questions raised over social, moral and environmental implications of manufacturing sportswear in developing countries.

The youngsters are from one of the most socially deprived and disadvantaged areas of the country and live in close proximity to some of the wealthiest and privileged people in their multi-million pound Greenwich and Blackheath houses.

So it was interesting that Sky Sports should select this bunch of kids.

Match of the Day includes interludes, showing how football clubs give back to the community. Students benefiting from Notts Forest’s Premier League Inspires programme. Arsenal supporting the walking football for people with Parkinson’s. Our own Anthony Gordon had a kick about with refugees, migrants and people seeking sanctuary in Newcastle. A heart warming segment in a football programme (how many people thinking just get on with the football man?).

The other week, my mate Haddock had an article on The Mag that looked at players who had played for his team Forest and Newcastle United. This Sky Sports filming in conjunction with Charlton Athletic, got me thinking about common links that we have.

The most obvious link to Charlton is one of the great players of the Keegan era, Robert Lee. The best player we got from Charlton. The classic Keegan quote “Rob Lee was going to Middlesbrough until I convinced him Newcastle was closer to London!”

Three Cockney lads are stand out players for Charlton and Newcastle.

Firstly, bad boy Bowyer played for Charlton before moving on to Leeds and then playing for us under Bobby Robson. A quality player but that edge to him? Hmm…

Next, the now Burnley manager Scott Parker. Grew up on the estate five minutes walk from where I live in South London, cut his teeth at Charlton, before moving to Chelsea and then on to Newcastle.

Third up is Jonjo Shelvey. East End lad joining Newcastle for 12 million after stints at Liverpool and Swansea.

Other players who have played for Charlton and Newcastle who are worth a mention and will bring back memories who are stand outs, are Darren Ambrose, Leon Best (a player that some of my friends thought was the new Paul Goddard) and not forgetting Gavin Peacock.

As for goalkeepers, Rob Eliot and Nick Pope both played for Charlton as well.

My favourite player to play for both teams though was Peter Garland, the talented rotund midfielder who I last saw strutting his stuff on Champion Hill for Dulwich Hamlet more than twenty five years ago.

As for managers we have had the Charlton and Newcastle manager Alan Pardew. Pardew’s big claim being getting us European football.

And finally, let us not forget how Charlton were the bane of Sunderland in the play-offs and how that made us all smile.

In a couple of weeks time, me and the handful of disadvantaged kids from the locality will be at a reception at the Valley.

Sky Sports cameras hopefully rolling as the kids get presented with their certificates of achievement at the side of the pitch and you never know, I might get my ugly mug on live television.