Charlton are asking fans to help with the naming of new pitches at the club’s Sparrows Lane training ground.
The club will name four pitches after players that have come through the ranks at Sparrows Lane and fans are asked to send their preferred option to website@cafc.co.uk.
Manager Karl Robinson explained: “It’s an idea that we came up with here at the training ground. We felt there are so many great young players that use this as the breeding ground behind their future careers.
“The good thing about it is if you can bring players through they can leave a legacy people behind them can aspire to achieve things they have. For instance Joe Gomez, going and playing for England this week and Ademola Lookman getting back in the Everton team. People have been talking here suggesting names, the Jonjo Shelveys of this world, Scott Parker, I imagine he’ll definitely be up there. We want the next generation of this team to be really based around home-grown players.”
Fans are asked to send their suggestions through to website@cafc.co.uk by Friday, December 1st. The top selections, who have come through the Charlton academy, will be selected by a panel that includes Karl Robinson and Academy Manager Steve Avory. Everyone fan who suggested a name selected by the panel will go into a draw to be invited to a naming ceremony to take place at the training ground.
The pitches to be named include two astro-turf pitches and the new grass-turf pitches which were completed last month as part of the training ground redevelopment.
Academy Manager Steve Avory said: “It gives a great recognition to the players that have come through the academy. I think what it will also do is provide an inspiration. To use Joe Gomez as one example, our young players in the academy at the moment from nine all the way through to 23, they can identify with Joe Gomez. Some of them even played with him. There has been plenty of publicity about the fact that Joe came through the Charlton Academy, so all of our players will know the likes of him, so it’s a great inspiration for some of our young players to aspire to the top level and more importantly to come through the system here at Charlton.”
Fans are asked to send up to four selections through and should they wish to be entered into the draw should send through their name and contact details to the email address mentioned above.