That was the year that was

Another roller coaster year with Charlton!    I didn't anticipate us getting promoted yet again through the play offs, but Nathan Jones deserves credit for persistence and conviction after armchair managers demanded his dismissal following the home defeat to Crawley.

Personally I prefer Alan Curbishley's cool style of management, but then I knew Curbs well as one of his kit sponsors.  Each Christmas I would send him a case of champagne so he could celebrate after victories.

But I know some fans prefer the more passionate style of Nathan Jones.  Of course, now the armchair critics are after him again.

Many years ago Murray Mints said that the Championship had in effect became a Premier League Division 2.  That is even more the case today.  We are up against clubs receiving substantial parachute payments and others funded by people with deep pockets. Our owners have done the best they can to fund us within their means.

Fans are now turning their focus to the January transfer window, but don't expect too many quality players to want to join in a relegation battle.   It's always difficult to get value in this window.  We can't pay over the odds and all too often we end up with injury prone players.

I do not accept that we are now effectively relegated.  I think it's about 50-50,  I think that at the start of the season some teams saw us as relegation fodder so that they just had to turn up to claim three points.  Now they have worked out how to play against us, plus injuries have devastated a thin squad.

One big disappointment for me was my summer expedition to Deal, although we enjoyed the pier and some great fish meals.

I was hoping to track down Desmond from Deal, the leading spokesman of the Kent coast moaners.  The first disappointment was when we changed trains at Ramsgate and instead of being greeted by Rick Everitt in full municipal regalia there was an empty platform.

I thought I might be on the right track when Graham at the King's Head said that some older Charlton fans did come in from time to time to moan about the club and Nathan Jones in particular.  To cut a long story short, it turns out that Desmond is an avatar created by AI.

The pessimism and negativity of so many Charlton fans depresses me more than shortcomings on the pitch.  Try and keep the faith, let us at least have a Fortress Valley.

Best wishes to all Addicks for 2026 from C(h)arlton House in the Royal Spa: we have the only Travellodge visited by Queen Victoria!

Time added on heartbreak

After Charlton equalised on 96 minutes at Portsmouth tonight, the home side scored a winning goal on 98 minutes, The Addicks are now 20th in the table.

Pompey took the lead after 69 minutes through Conor Shaughnessy but Charlton equalised in the sixth minute of time added on through Harvey Knibbs.

However, as the stoppage-time clock moved on to eight, Yang shot right footed from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner to win the game.

The victory was Portsmouth's sixth league win of the season, and extended their unbeaten run to four matches.

The home side failed to register a single shot on target in a poor quality first half from both teams.

Charlton did manage to test Pompey keeper Nicolas Schmid with a couple of shots from Charlie Kelman.

Schmid was then forced into a brilliant save in the top left hand corner from Charlton's Reece Burke as the Addicks started the second period strongly.

Portsmouth went close with a shot from Devlin saved by Thomas Kaminski, and full-back Zak Swanson shot just over the bar.

Then came the key triple change on 64 minutes from Pompey manager John Mousinho, including Shaughnessy for his first appearance since a hamstring injury in September. He headed home from close range from an Adrian Segecic cross.

Charlton had chances to equalise with Joe Rankin-Costello and Tyreece Campbell both shooting wide, before stoppage time when a Charlton corner was nodded on by Miles Leaburn, finding the head of sub Knibbs who finished into the top left corner.

Despite the clock ticking over into the 98th minute, referee Paul Tierney allowed the home side to take the kick-off. The ball was played into the Charlton box, and sub Yang netted the winner.

Charlton have now won only two of their 13 away games this season.

Supremo: naive and crazy

Shell shocked supremo Nathan Jones told Richard Cawley: “Having got back into the game, to concede in the manner we did - 90+8 - is just so naive and crazy. It shouldn't go in - he (Thomas Kaminski) has to save it."

“A point would've been the least we deserved. The level of performance was really good. We've come to a difficult place, we silenced the crowd - they didn't get up at any point. "We're really disappointed with both goals. A lack of concentration - a free header from six or seven yards - we're normally very good at that."

Social media commentary has been less hostile to Nathan Jones than I anticipated.

My step grandson, a Blue, has just popped in and his verdict is: 'That 's a nightmare, that's crazy.'

Armchair critics target Jones

I saw the son-in-law who is a Saints season ticket holder yesterday and he commented, 'The Nathan Jones effect didn't last long.'   He would find agreement from some of Charlton's armchair managers.  Leavering themselves up from their Christmas snooze, they have declared that 'Jones has reached his ceiling' and offered other insights of similar depth.

I think that the thinness of the squad is more of an issue - we have difficulty in coping with an expected number of injuries.   Unfortunately, it is difficult to get value signings in January.

Let's assume for a moment that the armchair critics are right and the manager has to be replaced.   Who is going to replace him?

In this respect the experience of Oxford United is relevant after Gary Rowett succumbed to the curse of Charlton.  Apparently the following replacements are in the frame according to yesterday's Football League Paper:

• Michael Beale, his last management job was at Sunderland two years ago where he lasted just 63 days,
• Liam Manning who got the heave ho at Norwich after a poor run of results
• 'Vastly experienced' Tony Mowbray.   Any port in a storm.

Will the bell toll for Charlton at Pompey?

Richard Cawley writes in the public domain: ‘The Addicks were eight points clear of danger after Saturday’s narrow victory over Oxford United. It felt like a substantial buffer.

But that security felt a whole lot less secure last night following a 1-0 defeat at Norwich City. Results elsewhere cut the gap back to five points ahead of Monday’s portentous-looking trip to Portsmouth.

Charlton really, really need their excellent record at Fratton Park to continue. They are unbeaten in their previous eight visits, winning seven of them. The last reverse there came in the Premier League in April 2005.

Those December 29 fixtures are likely to give the bottom of the table another shake up.’

My record at predicting results is poor.   However, fans in general are susceptible to three types of prediction bias:

• 1. Reading results off the table – the nost common form of bias, assuming that 4th has to beat 18^th (the form table can be a useful corrective).
• 2.      Reading a result off the last one, although positive and negative momentum can play their part – it is a confidence game in some respects.
• 3.       Reading a result off our record against a particular club.   Portsmouth is a classic case; we have done very well at Fratton Park.   But it was a really dismal performance yesterday. Ex Leamington ace Colby Bishop has scored just once this season, but could he find his shooting boots against us?

Scott Minto tells the Big Apple about Christmas Day at Charlton

“From a young age, we were conditioned to accept we were training on Christmas Day,” former Chelsea, Benfica and West Ham United midfielder and Charlton TV host Scott Minto told The New York Times, casting his mind back to his formative years as a youngster at Charlton Athletic.

“I quite liked it. There would be no traffic on the roads for a start. We would probably do a light session because we all wanted to go home, perhaps a five-a-side or an 11-v-11 training game.

“I felt conditioned quite early that this is an exciting time of the year and actually you’re playing a part of it.”

Although the routines are the same, there was something different about training on Christmas morning.

“Towards the end of my career, I would have a glass of wine with my Christmas dinner,” Minto says. “Even during the season, if I fancied a glass of wine with my dinner the night before, I would.” 

Back in the day teams would play on Christmas Day and Boxing Day against the same club.  If the fixture was at The Valley, the air would be full of the smell of Will’s Whiffs, a cheap ‘cigar’ given in packs of five as a Christmas present.

Given limited bus services, it was quite difficult for players to get to The Valley.   Some were close enough to walk, but others hitched a lift with fans.

If Charlton were playing on Christmas Day, we didn’t go as it was the only chance my newsagent uncle and his wife had to join us for a meal from the RACS hamper.   Imagine my disappointment when we were due to go to a Boxing Day fixture and I woke to a thick covering of snow.

On one notorious occasion in the 1950s a Charlton team returning from a fixture ‘oop north drank the dining car staff under the table (trains used to run on Christmas Day).

Norfolk turkey farmers enjoy their day out

Norfolk's turkey farmers enjoyed a grand day out after their festive exertions as Norwich claimed all three points against a lacklustre Charlton.

Charlton went behind on 61 minutes at Carrow Road after on form Makama took advantage of a ball from Wright, sidestepped Gillesphey and put the ball in the net to score his eight goal of the season, dismaying the 1,777 Addickted at the game.

Makama was booked as was Charlton keeper Kaminski after a exchange of views.  Charm merchant defender Darling was also booked for the Canaries,

Nathan Jones watched the game from the directors' box after being banned from the touchline for three yellow cards.  Goalkeeping coach Stephen Henderson seemed to be relaying his instructions.

The quality of Charlton set pieces was poor with Bree below par with his corners, but the whole team disappointed fans there.

A Norwich second goal seemed more likely than an Addicks equaliser.   Match winner Jovon Makama, signed from Lincoln in August for £1.2 million from Lincoln City, exactly the type of striker that would be a huge asset to Charlton commented Richard Cawley

'Got physicality and running power. Took his goal well - his fourth in the last three Championship matches.'

Because of his touchline ban Nathan Jones was unable to provide post match commentary. However, one fan said that we showed a poor Norwich side too much respect,

In his place his deputy Curtis Fleming said "It was disappointing. It was a real opportunity to get a result away from home and I don't think we were anywhere near where we should have been. It's a disappointing performance."

Only a £80 bottle of wine will be good enough for Super Hoop

One of the more bizarre events of the past year was the attempt of QPR supporter Lord Toby Young to confront fanzine editor Rick Everitt on Margate beach.

Having thrown down the gauntlet, the loopy lord travelled all the way to Margate on a Tuesday morning to be met by an empty beach.   The Rickster had more sense than to play along with this publicity stunt.

It was not his Addicktion that the Super Hoop objected to, but his leadership of Thanet District Council as a 'town hall tyrant.'

In his latest Spectator column, Young tells us how he celebrates a QPR win.  Sometimes he buys a bottle of 'plonk' wine at £40.  His normal tipple costs £50, but a Super Hoops win justifies a £80 bottle.  Thank goodness they don't win that often.

Now I am no wine buff (although in the interests of transparency, I should disclose that I was one of the original providers of capital for Naked Wines).   However, I reckon that I can get a good bottle of wine for £10.   Indeed, if I buy a bin end in a sale or pop into Aldi at the right time, I can get something good for £7 or less,

Clearing out my old house, I came across a letter of thanks from Curbs for the champagne I sent him each Christmas.   What will you open if we win today?

Will the cold east wind sweep Charlton away?

Not so long ago Norwich were a yo-yo club between the Championship and the top flight but the departure of Delia other than as a symbolic presence has led to a decline rather than an improvement in fortunes.  However, the Canaries are resurgent under their new boss, losing just one in six.

The Football League Paper is not sparing in what it has to say aboit the Canaries who currently only have the Massives below them in the league table (although they are 10th in the form table whereas Charlton are second from bottom).

The FLP says: 'Oh dear.  It doesn't seem five minutes since the Canaries were slaying all comers as they waltzed to Championship titles under Daniel Farke.  Now they are fighting just to stay up.'

'A disastrous couple of summers in the transfer market has left Norwich with an undercooked squad that lacks physicality and is far too reliant on Josh Sargent.  [Now back from injury he is a West Ham target]. New boss Philip Clement even criticised their fitness after replacing Liam Manning last month.  There's no dressing up an absolute car crash of a campaign.'

Nevertheless, Wurzel from Dereham Market is nore optimistic (probably AI on the cooking sherry): 'Norwich are still trying to fully recover from what was a woeful start to proceedings. While new boss Philippe Clement might have only arrived at Carrow Road last month, it appears that the former Rangers boss is offering some essential signs of life in Norfolk. 

Despite suffering last-gasp heartbreak away at Preston last time out as they eventually had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate away at the play-off dreamers, Norwich should take plenty of positives away from a gritty performance at Deepdale.

Securing a heavyweight Championship scalp earlier in the month as they secured a 2-1 victory at home against Southampton, Clement’s men are now sat within touching distance of skyrocketing their way out of the relegation zone. Signing off November with a stellar 3-1 win against QPR, Friday’s hosts have tasted just a single defeat from any of their previous six consecutive Championship appearances and they will be smelling a potential opportunity here against Charlton.'

Norwich''s home record is worse than their away record: won two, drawn one, lost seven.  However, the defeats have often been by small margins.

A cold east wind will be blowing across Norfolk on Boxing Day and we can't expect one time Charlton fan Wills to turn up from his Norfolk retreat now that he supports Villa.

My message to Charlton fans making the trip is: let's be 'aving you.

Norfolk resident is no longer Addickted

As anticipated, Gary Rowett has succumbed to the curse of Charlton: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgrxx7nn5zo

Another six pointer

We have another key match against a relegation threatened team at Norwich on Saturday.  More analysis tomorrow.

Richard Cawley asked Nathan Jones: 'In terms of team news for the Norwich game, it looks like you could have increased numbers to choose from?'

Jones: “With God’s will we will but it is Tuesday and the game is Friday - a lot can happen in football.”

Despite the time of year, I would rather not rely on divine intervention.   What is the case is that our opponents have perhaps unanticipated challenges which I will discuss tomorrow.

Varney's all time Charlton team

In the latest instalment of Peter Varney's diaries he picks his all time Charlton team.  I don't think many of us would disagree with his choices, although older fans like myself would have included Sam Bartram and Eddie Firmani at least.

Here is what he says about Claus Jensen: 'Claus Jensen and Scott Parker are the best midfield combination I’ve seen in my 65 years following the club. The creative midfield player and the real box-to-box winner. All four in my team are winners - it was built into their mentality. Claus was a sublime footballer. That goal at Arsenal was special.

We’ve had some good midfield players - Lee Bowyer, Bailey and Campbell - but I can’t think of a better two that also played at the highest level and were never fighting a relegation battle.'

As usual to get the full sp you must subscribe to Richard Cawley's Substack page, a great Christmas present for a Charlton fan.

How the FLP sees us

The Football League Paper has pubilshed a 'festive review' of all Championship clubs.

Charlton: 'Had Christmas come a couple of months ago the Addicks would have been rocking around the Christmas tree,

Sadly, a crippling injury list has laid a brilliant start to waste and exposed Charlton for what they are: a newly promoted side with a thin squad and limited resources at the level.

Speaking at the start of December manager Nathan Jones said "We'll be able to strengthen in January, we'll get people back and then we can be a bit more us."

Could these reinforcements spark a renewed challenge for the top six?   After five defeats in six matches, most Addicks fans would settle for staying up.'

That was always the objective!   We are not ready for the top flight.   Just give us a platform to progress further next year.

The current owners may not exactly splash the cash, but they are shrewd.   Keep the faith!

One is enough

 

A class finish by Charlie Kelman in the 76th minute put Charlton 1-0 ahead against Oxford United at The Valley this afternoon.   Tyreece Campbell play an intelligent role in the build up.

A good chance for the visitors went begging.  Tyler Goodrham whips in a good cross but Michal Helik was off target with his header.

Nine minutes were added on.  The Addicks made a late change as they look to see this game out.  Keenan Gough was on for his league debut in place of the injured Kayne Ramsay.

Brie defended well as Oxford threatened, leading to a Charlton goal kick.   Nathan Jones was booked after the referee awarded a harsh free kick.

Leaburn put in a great challenge, but the referee saw it as a foul and booked him.   A late Oxford free kick went wide of the post.

The relief at the final whistle was palpable.

Charlton remain 17th, but eight points clear of Oxford in the first of the relegation places.  

After a goalless first half in which Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming made several key saves, the Addicks finally broke the deadlock late on through two substitutes.   Target of armchair rritics Tyreece Campbell teed up fellow substitute Charlie Kelman, who turned smartly on the edge of the box before firing low into the corner.

Charlton striker Tanto Olaofe mentioned earlier in the week how his team's 1-1 draw at Birmingham City could be a "turning point" after a difficult spell in which the Addicks suffered five straight losses in the league, plummeting them to 17th in the table.

Charlton had the better of the first half, with Olaofe and Sonny Carey both denied by Cumming with wideman Carey particularly causing Oxford problems down the left hand side.

Gary Rowett's Oxford did threaten after the break, with Michal Helik going close twice from set pieces, but Campbell's introduction turned the game.

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London:

"It's a big home win and it was deserved. Without being disrespectful, we should have been ahead earlier. We didn't demonstrate the clinical killer instinct we needed, but when we needed it, we did, and then we were able to see it again.

"It is a perfect return [for Charlie Kelman], but that's what we've been saying. We brought a load of quality in and now we want to see it because Charlie was playing through injury.

"It was a tendon injury that wasn't picked up, so he was not firing on all cylinders. That's healed now, and he's looked a different animal the last two or three weeks in training."

Selling off stake in club makes sense

Richard Cawley has been talking to Matt Slater at The Athletic (always good value) about the plan to sell off a 20 per cent stake in the club to new investors for £20m or so with the aid of two merchant banks.  You can get the full sp on Cawley's Substack, but essentially Slater is saying that it is a sensible move to test the market.  There are plenty of multi-millionaires in the US keen to get a stake in UK football,

Will it succeed?   Slater reckons that is the more difficult question. Americans like London and Charlton has something of a Premier League pedigree, but they don't own their stadium.   But there is a good fan base.

Rowett fears curse of Charlton

I once gave up the possibility of a weekend in the Eternal City for a home game against Oxford.  This was when both clubs were in the second tier.

I had been at a meeting in Rome and could have stayed on until Sunday.  But such was my Addcktion that I got an early flight which landed in Heathrow just after noon.

I thought I would have enough time to collect my car and drive to SE7 in time for kick off.   I didn't make sufficient allowance for snarl ups on the M25.

So I arrived after kick off at The Valley and to be greeted by a shout of 'Pratt!' from the legendary Bloke Behind Me.  There was nothing much at stake in the match in terms of promotion and relegation and we won 2-1, I recall.

That isn't true tomorrow.  Oxford are in the relegation positions and Charlton are bottom of the form table. A draw would suit neither side.

Away from home, the visitors have won two, drawn three and lost six.

But it is Gary Rowett who sounds more like a man whose job is at risk from the curse of Charlton.  After Oxford lost 1-2 at home to Preston last Saturday, he blamed himself for the defeat because of the starting formation had chosen

He added: 'We keep just doing the wrong things in games and that's the challenge for us.   When you concede poor goals it makes it so difficult.   Small margins tend to go against us rather than go for us.  We're also lacking a little bit of belief compared with last season.'

My ability to follow the game will be constrained given that our Christmas party here at C(h)arlton House in Leamington kicks off at 5 pm with Christmas carols led by Father Kevin.   I may be late.

Nathan Jones has his Christmas dreams: https://www.castrust.org/2025/12/nathan-would-like-a-twelve-point-christmas/

Oxford's Rowett rues the 'crazy' pressures of management

Richard Cawley has an in depth interview with Gary Rowett on his Substack page.  When he brings Oxford United to The Valley on Saturday he will be marking a year in charge of the club.

Rowett is frank about the downsides of a football career: "As wonderful as being in football is, there are times when it does become a job, like doing a long journey on a Tuesday night and it’s minus two outside.

“You also have to be able to deal with that stress. Everyone has different mechanisms. I try to make it logical and think about what I need to do to win the next game, rather than worrying about the last one. It keeps you going.

“Nowadays you might get one job in management and be out in one month or six months. There are managers at a club for two weeks and people are saying they are under pressure - it’s absolutely crazy. There is no other job like it, in that sense.”

Rowett was a Curbs target but played just 15 games for Charlton, being sidelined by a severe injury which ended his playing career. He thinks that perhaps staff did not realise just how serious his injury was.

Subscribe to Cawley's Substack page to read more - a good Christmas present for an Addick.

Most of my vivid memories of Oxford are of the old Headington ground which betrayed their origins as Headington United.   It certainly had 'character', some of the tiny stands looked as if they had been made from Meccano.   Parking in a nearby rural lane, I heard a supporter rebuke his son called Tristam.

When I was helping out on the club web site, I was dispatched to cover Oxford Reserves versus Charlton Reserves.  This was held at Witney Town on a freezing cold night.   The referee was Wendy Toms.  She gave John Barnes a yellow card.

I was talking to a former colleague at a Christmas lunch yesterday.   He is a mustard keen Canary, but lives in Oxford and one of his sons has transferred his allegiance to the local club.  Overall it seems to me that the support is more Blackbird Leys than All Souls.

I must say I find the current ground with one end opening to a car park disappointing, but there are plans to relocate to a new stadium to the north of Oxford.

Saddlers supremo calm about Kanu

Daniel Kanu scored for Walsall for the fifth game running yesterday in what was ultimately a 1-1 draw with Shropshire's finest.

But Walsall supremo Mat Sadler is reported to have remained calm about the future of Kanu after Nathan Jones raised the possibility of a recall,

Sadler said: We are looking after Kanu well and they [Charlton] are very pleased with how we are looking after him.  We give everything to loan players when they come to the club and we are a good destination for them.'

'We've got a great relationship with Charlton.'  If Kanu does return to The Valley, it will be the fourth season in a row that the Saddlers have lost their top scorer back to a parent club in January.

A cautionary note: there is a gap between League 2 defences and those in the Championship.

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.

Back to the Valley day

33 years since that great day, 12 year olds who managed to get in will now be in their mid forties and many of those present have gone to join Sam Bartram.

5 December is also a special day for me as it was when I met my late wife. (in 1974)   Her father was Palace, but she became a keen Addick.

The museum will be open from 11 am to 2.30 today.

Just as in 1992, we face Portsmouth tomorrow.    When we were in the Premier League, Curbs said our first priority was to beat the teams around us.   Wins like that away at Arsenal on Black Sabbath were a bonus ball.

Portsmouth are third from bottom in the table, but one place ahead of Charlton in the form table.  Away from home they have won one, drawn three and lost four, scoring just six goals (although Charlton's tally is only eight).

Although I think I am right in saying that we have played Portsmouth more times than any other club, we haven't met in the second tier for 25 years.   Our record against Pompey is good: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgk97zv8xro

Tomorrow's game is crucial and presumably Pompey will be able to deploy former Leamington ace Colby Bishop.   Winger Harvey Blair is back from injury and is thought to add pace and power down the left.

Nathan Jones has had to deny the wilder rumours about Matt Godden, although he is unlikely to return before January,   He has also spoken in defence of Tyreece Campbell who has become a scapegoat for some fans.

Jones admitted: 'It’s a tough game against Portsmouth. John [Mousinho] has done wonderfully there. It’s a game that we will be looking to win - we have to get back to winning ways, regardless of anyone else.'

CAS Trust reminds us that a year ago we lost at home to Crawley in a League One game: https://www.castrust.org/2025/12/portsmouth-33-years-on/

 

It's being so cheerful as keeps me happy

The New York Times has come up with a 'happiness index' for the supporters of Premier League clubs.  Of course, it's all a bit of festive fun, but why I am not surprised that Tottenham Hotspur are bottom with West Ham United down there?  Spurs fans are notorious for their constantly disappointed sense of entitlement.   I took great pleasure in seeing them beaten 1-0 at the then White Hart Lane by a goal scored by their fan Chris Powell,

I think that if the NYT did something similar for the Championship, Charlton fans would get a high miserable score.    It doesn't take much to bring out all the negativity and pessimism.

The words I particularly dread are 'if the fans can see it, why can't the management?'   I have been following Charlton for over seventy years and one lesson I have learnt is that I know nothing about football.  Of course, the game has changed beyond recognition, especially in the last few years.

There has been a sudden surge in hits on this page.   I was puzzled  by this as surely not that many people are suddenly interested in the Addicks, or not least in my meanderings about them.

Then my stattos in Dublin emailed me and said that I was being 'scraped' by AI.   Indeed, I did have a good conversation with a robot chat bot the other day.

More worryingly, they told me that Desmond from Deal may not exist other than as an avatar.    I spent a few days in Deal in the summer hoping to find Desmond and his moaning pals.    We had some great meals, but no Desmond.   (But I am advised by a RHDR volunteer and Addick that Derek from Dymchurch is a real person).

Admittedly, Desmond is hardly AI, more AD (artificially dim).   His latest missive is: 'As I predicted, the wheels are coming off.  Jones was riding his luck, but now he is being found out.'   If I thought they were intelligent enough, he could have actually been unleashed by Spanners or Nigels.

A distinguished life scientist (who came well out of the Covid inquiry) once told me that his starting position was everything he knew was wrong.  I was quite taken aback, but now I know what he meant.

Waiting for Godden

Desmond from Deal may be considering convening a get together of armchair critics from his part of the  Kent coast, but around the coast Ramsgate-based fanzine editor Rick Everitt takes a more positive view of recent setbacks in a 'torrid week': https://www.votvonline.com/home/the-2025-26-blogs/1-12-torrid-week-still-leaves-us-waiting-for-godden/

As the Rickster points out, a lack of firepower is as much a problem as defensive lapses and we are still 'waiting for Godden'.   However, Nathan Jones and his players still have a load of credit in the bank even if the rumbling of discontent is getting louder.

How Sasa Ilic became a Charlton hero

Richard Cawley has published the latest instalment of the Peter Varney diaries, this time giving the inside story of the Greatest Game.

You need to subscribe to Richard's excellent Substack page to get all the gems, but here is a taster extract about how Sasa Ilic became the keeper at Wembley.

'He had been playing in Yugoslavia but then was on the books of St Leonards Stamcroft, a non-league side based in Hastings.

It transpired Sasa was standing outside our training ground, holding a bag, and was stopping cars as they came in. He had decided he wouldn’t write to the club about training with us, or ring up, he’d just come up to Sparrows Lane.

The natural reaction is just to get rid of players in that scenario. I think Curbs was the one who went down and asked what the story was.

They put him in a game, it wasn’t a first-team one, and they thought he had something about him. It was a very similar story with Nick Pope. He didn’t just rock up at the club but he came in from Bury Town - we gave them something like £9,000 and some kit.

It was Keith Peacock who said: ‘I think Ilic has got something about him, but he’s very, very raw’.

He got in the team and kept all these clean sheets. Still to this day he makes out he made a wonder save from Gray and not that it was a bad penalty. He was a character Sasa, you had to admire the fact he had a huge amount of self confidence.'

Billy Bonds MBE

As we mourn one of football's greats and his association with West Ham, we should not forget that he started out with Charlton.

Born in Woolwich, Bonds grew up in Eltham, where he played for a Sunday boys' team, Moatbridge, and Kent Schoolboys and joined the ground staff at Charlton after leaving school at 15. He played in the youth and A team and occasionally in the reserves before joining the playing staff shortly before his 18th birthday in September 1964.

Bonds played his first game for Charlton against Northampton Town in February 1965.    He became a first team regular for three seassons and went on to make 95 appearances for the Addicks, scoring one goal, before signing for West Ham for £50,000.

Using the Bank of England inflation calculator this would be £855,000 in 2025 prices.

One fan recalled how he came into the bank he worked in and always had time for a chat, particularly about Charlton.   Fans are agreed that he was a true gentleman.

Some more details of his relationship with Charlton appeared in a double spread in The Times yesterday.

He remained a south Londoner all his life, always living that side of the river, heading back through the Blackwall Tunnel before some of his team mates has showered.

It is said that Arthur and Barbara Bonds were watching Charlton at The Valley hours before William was born.   They returned to the terraces with him when he was three months old.

Even so they insisted that he start work in a ship propeller factory for two months before he joined Charlton.

.