1929-1943: Pre-World War Two

Under Manager Alex MacFarlane, Charlton gained their first ever Football League promotion, winning the Third Division (South) title on goal difference ahead of Crystal Palace in second place.

Fred Whitlow finished as top scorer, netting 26 goals in 38 games in all competitions.

With the club’s finances in poor shape, timber merchants Albert and Stanley Gliksten bought the club, but their first season ended in relegation back to the Third Division, prompting manager Alex MacFarlane’s departure.

Jimmy Seed is appointed Manager on May 17th, 1933, and he would go on to transform Charlton into one of the finest club’s in the country. His reign at The Valley would last a legendary 23 years.

Having spent two years at the helm with Clapton Orient, Seed arrived in SE7 with the task of rebuilding the club.

Goalkeeper Alex Wright was tragically killed after breaking his neck in a freak accident when diving into the sea with his teammates in Torquay.

Jimmy Seed was forced to go in search of a new shot stopper and, less than two weeks after the tragic incident, brought in Sam Bartram on the recommendation of his brother.

Bartram’s contribution to the club over the next 22 years would prove to be immense, lifting the FA Cup in 1947 on his way to holding the all-time club record for appearances with 623 under his belt – a number which is unlikely to ever be broken.

Jimmy Seed led Charlton back to the Second Division by winning the Third Division (South) title by eight points.

Amazingly, he made it back-to-back promotions in 1936, finishing runners-up to Manchester United in the Second Division to earn the club’s place in the top flight for the first time in 1936/37.

The meteoric rise continued and Charlton shocked the First Division by finishing in second during their maiden season, just three points behind champions Manchester City.

The Valley housed its record crowd on 12th February, 1938, with an official attendance of 75,031 packing into the famous stadium for an FA Cup fifth-round clash with Aston Villa which finished in a 1-1 draw.

George Robinson scored an equaliser for the home side, cancelling out Frank Shell’s earlier strike to force a replay at Villa Park.

Having finished second, third and fourth, Charlton were well placed to claim the Football League title and may well have done had it not be for the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

Although the Football League programme was suspended, the Addicks enjoyed their first trip to Wembley in the final of the Football League (South) Cup final in May 1943.

On the day, they were humbled 7-1 by Arsenal, but they would have their day just a year later with a second consecutive Wembley appearance.

Charlton won at Wembley for the first time, beating Chelsea 3-1 in the Football League (South) Cup final.

Chelsea took the lead via Joe Payne’s penalty, but Jimmy Seed’s men fought back, with all three goal netted before half-time courtesy of Don Welsh and Charlie Revell’s brace, leaving Charlton to climb the famous steps and collect the trophy from General Dwight Eisenhower, future President of the United States.