Decent draw

A second half equaliser by Tyreece Campbell, a leading target of armchair managers, secured Charlton a 1-1 draw against the confident Millwall of the Midlands in Birmingham today.    Oxford and Swansea both lost and the Addicks moved into 17th in the table, not a relegation position.   They have a five point cushion over the bottom three.

Tyreece Campbell came off the bench to grab his first goal of the season and stop the rot for Charlton with a valuable point at Birmingham City.   The 22-year-old scored with his first touch in the 67th minute to end a run of five successive Championship defeats for Nathan Jones's side.

It capped a frustrating afternoon for Blues, who had led through captain Christoph Klarer and who hit the woodwork twice through Demarai Gray.

Charlton deserve plenty of credit for the way they upped the tempo after being outplayed in the first half at St Andrew's.   Klarer had given Birmingham a 28th-minute lead heading powerfully home after an excellent free-kick from Tommy Doyle.

Charlton should have equalised five minutes later when Isaac Olaofe intercepted a pass from goalkeeper Ryan Allsop and set up Miles Leaburn, only for the striker to finish poorly, blazing over the goal.

The home side had been warned and, taking charge of a compressed midfield, Charlton equalised through Campbell who had only been on the pitch for two minutes. Olaofe provided the cross which Allsop could only divert on to the Jamaica international who put the chance away.

Gray, who had struck the post in the first half, again hit the Charlton woodwork with a superb individual effort as Blues again dominated the game. Birmingham laid siege to the visitors' goal with a succession of corners.

They also had an inviting free-kick in the 90th minute but Charlton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski, well-positioned, made a fine save from Gray. Lewis Koumas could have won it for Blues in added time, but could not convert his header as Charlton held out for a deserved point.

Nine yellow cards were issued in a feisty encounter, but all four stands applauded Headphones Norman.

Blues 'confident at home'

Birmingham City are concerned about their away form, exemplified by a 2-1 defeat midweek by the Super Hoops, but are very confident at home and are therefore looking forward to the visit of 'out of form' Charlton as a chance to collect three points: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cd0kk7rrd02o

Jonathan Grade noted in a tweet this week that in a departure from recent matches Charlton have not sold out the away end at St. Andrews.  However, attendances often fall away in the run up to Christmas.  We missed the famous 7-6 victory over Huddersfield as were shopping in Woolwich!

CAS Trust seem to think we could get something out of the fixture, although they have no idea how Jones will set up his side: https://www.castrust.org/2025/12/beating-the-blues-before-christmas/

William of Ockam the medieval monk invented the idea of 'Occam's Razor' that, in the interests of parsimony, one should look for the simplest explanation of any phenomenon.   Echoing the famous scene in the film The Graduate I give you one word: injuries.  (In a squad lacking depth).

Nathan Jones has just commented to Richard Cawley on the Onel Hernandez's injury: “We’ll have to see...but it is weeks rather than days. It is unfortunate but with the situation we are in we’ve had to gamble in the free agent market and sometimes that is difficult because the Championship is relentless. To come from doing nothing to Championship football, that does put a strain on your body.”

Jones has a short list for Santa

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones says that they are aiming to make their winter recruitment moves as quickly as possible in the January transfer window.

And the Welshman has confirmed to South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition that a left wing-back is a priority on their winter shopping list with Josh Edwards (ankle) and Amari’i Bell (hamstring) injured.

Charlton are missing six first-teamers with Onel Hernandez the latest to join the list that includes Matty Godden, Charlie Kelman, Reece Burke, Edwards and Bell.

“We need a left wing-back to add competition, because that is the one position we were light in anyway, but if I just get my squad back then I’ve got zero problems. It is not a big wish list for Santa - it’s literally ‘can I get my squad back?’ Then we will be in a far better place.”

The absences of Kelman and Godden have been keenly felt. Jones’ options have been reduced to Miles Leaburn or Isaac Olaofe as the main striker with Tyreece Campbell playing slightly deeper.

Quick off the mark or not, getting value in the January transfer window is more difficult than many are prepared to accept.

Jones defends scapegoat player

The armchair managers are now out from underneath their stones, one proclaiming that Nathan Jones is 'out of his depth' in the Championship.   In truth it is the armchair managers who are out of their depth.  Even with relegation places effectively reduced to two, it was always going to be a struggle to stay in the second tier.

The search for scapegoat players is gathering pace.    Rob Apter and Tyreece Campbell are two Charlton Athletic players who have been the subject of much debate by the club’s fanbase.

In the case of Apter, the question is why, after an impressive start to his SE7 career in the opening weeks of the Championship season, the summer signing from Blackpool has garnered so few minutes, especially in an Addicks side that have not been prolific scorers.

By contrast, there have been supporters who feel that Campbell needs some time on the sidelines with the Jamaican international on a dry spell that stretches back to April 12. The academy product has not netted in 31 matches for club or country Only four Charlton players have played more minutes this season than Campbell.

He told Richard Cawley: “His numbers are through the roof,” said Jones. “Sometimes he can be a bit wavy in how he does stuff, but his high-speed running, his sprint distance and his distance overall are always top.“I understand peoples’ frustrations, but you have to remember TC is a young player and he has never played in the Championship before - he is a work in progress. We are asking him to play up front, in a number 10 position or fill in at wing-back. He does it admirably at Championship level.

“Could his numbers be better? Yes. If we’re at full strength and TC is getting service then he is a better player. Right now the kid is humble, he works so hard and he is having to play in three different positions for us. There is context around a lot of that.“It’s not just a case of ‘get him out of the side and replace him with someone’. We’re in a tough position. He is a threat with his pace and work-rate.“Can his numbers be better? Absolutely. But if we have [Matty] Godden, [Charlie] Kelman, Amari’i an

d Josh back - everyone fit - then the responsibility to do so much other stuff, other than just focus on scoring goals, won’t be on him. Then we can free him up to do that. Right now TC is another victim of circumstance. He does a job for us and his numbers are good. And he is a threat - regardless of his outcomes.

To read more and about the manager's views on Apter, subscribe to Cawley's Substack page.

Great tribute to Norman, but on pitch slide continues

Yesterday evening was about celebrating the life of Headphones Norman and it was done impeccably, a credit to the club and the fans, also the ‘Boro fans.  Nathan Jones commented: "It was a poignant tribute, a touch of class from our club how we organised it, and then a credit to the Middlesbrough fans as well who were truly outstanding. Not all fans are like that. We know that they're a class football club anyway."

Norman would have liked a better result and the Addicks are sliding down the table.   It’s a great time for armchair managers.

There will be calls to act in the January transfer window and tightly so.   But it is a difficult window in which to secure value.   Players that are any good command a premium and there are a lot of risky investments around, e.g., injury prone players in which Charlton has specialised in the ;past.

First-half goals from Riley McGree and Morgan Whittaker were enough on a mostly comfortable evening for Boro, who moved within five points of leaders Coventry.  George Edmundson's own goal halved the deficit nine minutes from time but Boro held on for Hellberg's third win since replacing Rob Edwards last month.

Boro's Hayden Hackney forced Addicks keeper Thomas Kaminski into a fine save inside three minutes with a wonderful curling effort from the edge of the area before Sonny Carey fired an effort straight at Sol Brynn at the other end.

Boro piled on the pressure as the half progressed, winning the ball high up the field consistently and, moments after Kaminski denied Tommy Conway, McGree fired the visitors ahead from Delano Burgzorg's cut-back.

Charlton thought they should have had a penalty when Luke Berry went down in the area but the referee waved away the protests.

Whittaker doubled Boro's lead on the stroke of half-time with his fifth goal in as many games, firing past Kaminski at the near post after he was found by McGree on the counter attack.

Kaminski kept Charlton in the game after the break by denying McGree after he was fed by Burgzorg and, 10 minutes later, the Charlton keeper blocked a fizzing by-line cross from Callum Brittain.

Boro keeper Brynn was called into action with 20 minutes remaining when substitute Isaac Olaofe shot high at his near post and he did well to tip it over the bar for a corner, which was cleared.

The visitors continued to search for a third goal to really kill the game off and almost got it when Luke Ayling crashed a header against the bar.

But Charlton made it a nervy finish when Edmundson diverted substitute Rob Apter's cross past a helpless Brynn - and Olaofe squandered a chance to salvage a point for Charlton in stoppage time, blazing over from the edge of the area.

Shell shocked supremo Nathan Jones said: “I'm really disappointed with elements of the first half, we kept giving the ball away.

"These are a good side, we were aggressive against them, we knew it would be tough, especially with what we have missing."

"Overall, when we are us and we keep the ball better, we can compete with anyone in this league. Second half, I thought we were really good."

"They had to change to curtail us; we scored, we had other opportunities, we should have had a penalty. We are in a tough moment, but we need to come through it."

"The second goal was the killer. If it is only a one-goal lead and we equalise, I fancy us to go on and win the game. As it was they made changes and saw it out, and we probably didn't show enough quality in the final third to punish t hem.”

 

In memoriam

I have now realised that I do recognise Headphones Norman as I used to be a regular at away matches.  I am very supportive of the idea of a commemorative mosaic and also the round of applause tomorrow with many fans wearing headphones.

I could sense that my old friend club announcer Big Dave Lockwood was very stressed yesterday and he has written movingly about his feelings: https://substack.com/inbox/post/180967327?r=42s4mv&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

Published fiction author Paul Breen has also written much more eloquently than I could about Norman: https://www.votvonline.com/home/the-2025-26-blogs/7-12-beyond-the-norm-a-fan-forever-in-our-thoughts/

It is at times like these that we realise that there is a Charlton family.   With my father I have now clocked up over a century supporting the Addicka,

Richard Cawley has commented: 'There has been an outpouring of love for iconic supporter Norman Barker after his shock passing during Saturday's match against Portsmouth. Affectionately known as Headphones Norm. Club are set to reveal their plans to honour him before tomorrow night's match against Middlesbrough.'

I have always respected Pompey fans, but the behaviour of a minority of them yesterday in terms of chanting and damaging the Jimmy Seed stand was disgraceful.  

I won't be posting normal football coverage for the next few days.

Match suspended then abandoned

This afternoon's match against Portsmouth was suspended on 13 minutes after a medical emergency in the Covered End.  Medics responded quickly and the players were taken off.  A fan was stretchered off.  My thoughts and those of all fans are with them and their relatives and friends.   Fans were asked to be patient in an announcement.

A saddened Big Dave Lockwood announced that the match had been abandoned.   

I have to say that I found this a very upsetting development.   I did not know Norman 'Headphones' Barker but he was an Addick through and through and some heartfelt tributes have been paid to him on social media.

Charlton Museum have stated that he was delighted to receive his Supporter of the Year award from Nathan Jones this summer.

He was a season ticket holder for 35 years and a promotional video by him can be seen on X.