[Albion] Charlie Oatway Interview

[Lenny Rider]

As a player, Charlie was a key signing and a lot of our success at Withdean was based on him, Dodge and that group.

This.

That Adams squad of 99-01, effectively pulled the Albion off the floor and got us all loving football again, rather than just waging a war to save the club's very existence.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The snobbery on here to a very working class bloke turning his life around while daring to be a bit of a character is quite something. It's almost like people have forgotten what the Withdean years were like, the success of the club was completely reliant on the team spirit. A lot of his Albion tales are exactly the same as private schoolboy Adam Virgo did on the same show, and I didn't see people calling him an overweight dinosaur the other week.

Anyway, I really enjoyed. Thanks for sharing. Great that the bloke is so grateful to Dick Knight and Gus for what he's been lucky enough to experience.

This. With Charlie, what you see is what you get. It was honest and forthright, but I already knew quite a bit of it. It was also the football culture of the time. I went to tow of the three testimonial events before it was abandoned in his last year with us. I saw Bobby Zamora interviewed and his view on Chippy & Charlie. Micky Adams was also there, at the Metropole. I was lucky enough to go as a guest of Sarah Watts.

I also saw Charlie taking training when we had pre-season tours in Portugal and Spain. He always recognised the fans and came over for a chat.

I'm pleased he's found something he really enjoys. Life dealt him a blow when he was a kid, and it could've all gone horribly wrong, but people believed in him, and he's made the best of having a talent for football. He can now warn youngsters of the pitfalls in the game.

 

[veuve]

When he lived in la he always helped out at charity events providing signed shirts etc.He was also great at sorting tickets for the lads.Marmite character but enjoyed his company
.

 

[Napper]

Glad some spoken up as this thread started to go a bit bleaty and snobbish

Charlie is a great lad and he was a key part of those special times when we got some pride back

Good banter

 

[Shaktarman]

Absolute legend - best Albion related podcast I’ve heard - some cracking stories from the Withdean years.

 

[Shaktarman]

The snobbery on here to a very working class bloke turning his life around while daring to be a bit of a character is quite something. It's almost like people have forgotten what the Withdean years were like, the success of the club was completely reliant on the team spirit. A lot of his Albion tales are exactly the same as private schoolboy Adam Virgo did on the same show, and I didn't see people calling him an overweight dinosaur the other week.

Anyway, I really enjoyed. Thanks for sharing. Great that the bloke is so grateful to Dick Knight and Gus for what he's been lucky enough to experience.

I forgot how woke and clueless many on here are. You can tell those that haven’t played and been in good dressing rooms at any level - they’re the tedious ones who don’t actually have a clue what goes on at football clubs

 

[ozzygull]

I watch this interview a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it. I knew Charlie had some learning difficulties but had not realised he had such tuff upbringing.

The players during that period kept the club going and gave us some really great memories. His impression of Mark McGhee running across the pitch after the Swindon play off game was one highlight

Glad he has found something he is enjoying.