Charlton sand Pits - Charlton, South East London. The home football ground of Charlton Athletic FC, 'The Valley' dates from 1919, at a time when the club were looking for a new home. The club found an abandoned sand and chalk pit (possibly this one?!) in Charlton, but did not have sufficient funds to fully develop the site. A large group of volunteer Charlton supporters excavated and cleared a flat area for the pitch at the bottom of the pit and build up makeshift stands from the excavated material. The first game was played before any terraces or seating were formerly installed, simply the roped-off pitch with the crowd standing or sitting on the surrounding earthworks. It is said the unique circumstances of the ground's construction cultivated an unusually intense bond between the Charlton supporters and the site, which exists to this day. Date: circa 1902