CHARLTON’S cut-price Valley Express coach service wrote a new chapter in its success story on Saturday by transporting a record 2,500 fans in 52 coaches to the home game against Birmingham.

Valley Express, which operates predominantly in Kent, took three coachloads from Ashford’s Bocca Juniors Football Club, Rochester’s Borstal ’88 FC, Marden Primary School, Skinners School, Tunbridge Wells, Bromley’s Southborough Primary, Stocks Green Primary Hildenborough, Sittingbourne’s Tunstall Primary School, Dartford Wentworth School and Dover Rangers Colts.

David Miller, football coach at Tunstall School, said: "Judging by the reaction on the journey home, Charlton have won a lot of new, young supporters."

Fans were charged £5 admission plus £5 for the coach fare. Valley Express coach co-ordinator Rick Everett is confident of breaking the record.

He said: "Though we were thrilled with Saturday’s figures we believe we can bring in more people. We’re finding the more that come, the more want to come back."

Charlton offer youth groups £15 a head, including coach travel, to the ground although they paid £10 on Saturday as the admission price was £5.