Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust launches exhibition of fan portraits
Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust (CAST) is partnering with Fans for Diversity on a campaign under the banner All Different. All Together. All Charlton.
The aim of the campaign is to enable current fans to feel and love their difference and togetherness and to enable those who are new to the area or have not yet been to The Valley to get the sense they will find themselves welcome among a group of friendly and diverse fans.
The campaign kicks off with an exhibition in the Fans’ Bar at The Valley ahead of the last men’s league match of the season against Burton Albion on May 3.
The exhibition features the work of photographer Rhea Spencer-Newell. Throughout the men’s and women’s team 2024/25 season she has taken shots of Addicks fans during matches and around the ground. Designer Oliver Watts made the photos into football stickers inspired by Charlton swappable collectables of old.
The exhibition features 30 Addicks fans stickers – each with their own story. A Syrian refugee whose family never misses a men’s or women’s game, the captain of LGBTQA+ team, Charlton Invicta, a young man who was brought up in Milton Keynes but now supports a club “with a soul”, someone who has recently won Pointless.
Heather Alderson, chair of CAST, said: “The exhibition is just the start. Look out for more and the online sticker book and how Addicks can have their portrait added to the sticker collection.
“Charlton is the original community club, founded not by a school, church or factory, but by a group of mates who just wanted to play football. Since then, at its best the club has led the way on community values including anti-racism. After a difficult 10 years, there is now a feeling that community is back in the driving seat and the club is coming back together again off and on the pitch.”
Fans for Diversity campaign manager Hannah Kumari said: “All Different. All Together. All Charlton is an evolution of our My City My Shirt initiative which we are proud to support. My City My Shirt is all about celebrating the identity of a club – local iconic landmarks and fans of all ages and backgrounds. This is encapsulated perfectly in Charlton’s campaign.
“It’s great to see a range of fans which truly reflect the diversity of south-east London, while the idea to turn those portraits into retro football stickers is a wonderful celebration of classic football culture.”
Spencer-Newell is studying photography at university. She is a Charlton fan and has been documenting the club for over a year now. More of her photographs can be viewed on Instagram @rheaphotographs
