Charlton take something from the Hornets' nest

Charlton drew 1-1 at Watford this afternoon, remaining 18th in the Championship.  Matty Godden scored the opener for Charlton in the second half after his introduction.   Godden had apologised for failing to take a scoring opportunity against Bristol City.

Unfortunately the home side equalised, but it was generally agreed that Will Mannion had a good game.

It was a lively start at Vicarge Road.  Tyreece Campbell, back in the side, got to the byline and dug out a cross but Lloyd Jones couldn't get over it and his header goes into the Rookery End behind the goal.  Coady was also back in the side which should please some online managers.   Unfortunately, he had to be stretchered off after a ball hit him in the face in time added on ihe second half.

At the other end, Nestory Irankunda cuts inside and unleashes a terrific strike with his left foot which was brilliantly tipped away by Addicks keeper Will Mannion.

Charlton started the stronger and hit the post through captain Greg Docherty's close-range header.

Watford struck the woodwork too when Imran Louza's cross bounced off the bar before Mamadou Doumbia's strike just before the break was disallowed for an offside in the build up.

Godden scored his first goal of the season in style by controlling the ball on his chest in front of goal and swivelling to angle in a fierce finish, giving the Addicks hope of a league double in the fixture for the first time in 30 years.

Irankunda had other ideas, cannoning a piledriver off the bar and forcing Mannion to tip his shot away either side of his scintillating fourth goal of the season, continuing the 20-year-old's splendid form after netting twice for his country against fellow World Cup participants Curacao six days ago.

Mannion stopped a Louza shot while Goglichidze and Mattie Pollock sent headers wide as Watford pushed for a winner, before Coady's misfortune caused both sets of players to show their concern for the on-loan Wrexham defender.

Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London: "It's a good point. Watford have outstanding individuals who can change and win a game - players who have cost millions, talented individuals from all over Europe.

"When we got the goal, they made a plethora of positive subs. We found that difficult to contain but we didn't give them any clear-cut chances and, when they shot from distance, Will Mannion had a wonderful game.

"We need to get a win very, very soon, so it just settles everyone down and we can start planning. We'll probably have to lose every game to be embroiled in anything, but the message is to finish the season strongly."

Charlton parsimonious on agent fees

Charlton Athletic paid £904,698 in agent fees between February 4, 2025 and February 2, 2026 - with only Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn spending less out of clubs in the Championship, reports Richard Cawley.

Birmingham, promoted as League One champions last season, paid £1,996,502 while Wrexham, who were runners up, splashed £3,660,584.

Ipswich Town, beaten 3-0 by the Addicks at Portman Road earlier this season, topped the spending charts with a whopping £11,738,920.

Charlton paid £430,596 in the same period between 2024 and 2025.

Clubs and fans don't like paying out fees to agents.   Intermediaries may be necessary to the functioning of many markets, but that doesn't make them popular (think estate agents).

Charlton have clearly been cautious, but it also reflects their constrained budget compared with Championship rivals.  Yet this never enters into online debates about the performance of Nathan Jones as a manager.

Hornets fear their sting may not be enough

Current Watford boss Ed Still has said that the 2-1 defeat for the Hornets at Loftus Road on Saturday effectively ended their promotion hopes.  They no longer had a realistic chance of getting into the play offs.

Still called on his side to bounce back against Charlton on Monday, even though it might be too little, too late.

Watford struggled to create chances against the Super Hoops, although they scored a spectacular goal from a free kick.

The Hornets are just a few places above Charlton in the middle of the form table.    Their home record is better than their away record, having won ten, drawn six and lost just four at Vicarage Road.

Having been unbeaten in seven league games against Charlton between 2006 and 2012 (W3, D4), Watford have now lost four of their last six against the Addicks (W1,D1) 

Following their 1-0 win in August, Charlton are looking to complete the league double over Watford for the first time since 1995-96. 

Watford have alternated between not scoring (4) and scoring (3) in their last seven home league games.  Charlton are unbeaten in their last five away league games (W2, D3), having been winless in their previous nine on the road (D3. L6).

Watford have been plagued by a lack of inconsistency and an inability of their key players to score.

Veteran Charlton supporter Rick Everitt looks on the bright side of life: 'Charlton have only won twice at Watford in the last 50 years - 4-3 in 2013 and 2-1 in 1996 - but haven’t visited since the infamous 5-0 thumping in 2015, although they picked up three away wins and two draws there from 1971-74, all of which I saw (23rd visit tomorrow!).'

BTW, Lord Young devotes his Spectator column this week to the travails of being a QPR supporter, at least the space isn't used for another attack on Everitt: https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2026/04/the-travails-of-supporting-qpr-apply-to.html

A contrast in managerial styles

It's unusual to see Charlton's game the lead on the front page of The Times sports section or to see a two-thirds of a page report above that on Millwall's victory at Boro.  The explanation was, of course, Roy Hodgson.

The Times did note the contrast in styles between the two managers.   'The home manager. Nathan Jones, well known for his antics, bellowed instructions from the touchline.  Hodgson, by comparison, only reacted when he needed to, gesturing to his players with hand movements about key tweaks he wanted to see from them.'

A post match mystery was the appearance of Rick Everitt in the press room after the game.  He had been absent for more than 20 years.  He was, of course, for some years sports editor of the much lamented Greenwich Mercury.  He even game me the occasional assignment covering youth FA Cup games in the Midlands.

One rumour was that he has been signed up by The Oldie as their football correspondent.   Others have suggested that attacks on him in the right wing Spectator have given him a role at the New Statesman.

More prosaically he may have been signed up by the Isle of Thanet News.

Shipshape and Bristol fashion

Charlton went down 1-2 to Bristol City at The Valley this afternoon.  They started brightly enough with a great effort by Harry Clarke, but then Scott Twine put Hodgson's heroes ahead.

Last ditch Dykes equalised on 29 minutes with the assistance of Kelman.

The visitors then went ahead from a free kick delivered by Scott Twine.   Noah Eile was able to score after Mannion fumbled the ball.

Charlton seemed lethargic with the crowd of nearly 21,000 subdued.

But then a series of substitutions livened things up and there were a number of opportunities in the last ten minutes of normal time with the keeper saving with his legs from Dykes and Campbell sending the ball off target.    The keeper also had to make a great save from Matt Godden.

Ramsay had to make an excellent tackle to prevent the Robins going 3-1 ahead.

The referee behaved as if his retirement plan was with Hargreaves Lansdown as every marginal decision went the way of their works side and he was taken in by their play acting

In truth it was the usual incompetence.  We should stop sending referees to Specsavers and use a more up market optician like Bayfields.

Charlton remain 18th, eight points above Leicester City.

Frustrated manager Nathan Jones said: At the start of both halves, we were poor and that's cost us the game today.

"We work every single week on starting fast and being front-footed and in the first 50 seconds, we mess about it and give a corner away and that sets the tone.

"It was a game we could have drawn or won in the end but we didn't show enough quality in the final third and some of our defending was so un-Charlton like, it was crazy.

"The start killed us. When we're in the game, we know we're going to be strong late on attacking that end, but we're not giving ourselves a chance.

"It's a carbon copy, the last three home games, we're not learning from that and that's tough to take."

Do you remember the 1971/2 season?

That was the challenge laid down by Ramsgate-based fan Rick Everitt in a recent Richard Cawley podcast.

My honest answer has to be, no.   In September 1971 I moved to the Midlands to take up a job offer in Coventry and then met a new girl friend.

In the preceding two seasons the Addicks had finished third from bottom in the old second division.  That was not a relegation position way back then.

In 1971/2 things seemed to be going quite well, at least in terms of survival.  Admittedly, the home league gate was down to just over 10,000, the worst figure since 1927/8.   The club had to sell two houses at a profit to make ends meet but the overdraft was nearly £100k.   (£1.17 m in 2026 prices).

Then, a collapse set in.  Our last win was Game 38 in mid-March.  There were a few draws, but our last two matches were a 0-2 home defeat by Millwall and then a 5-0 thumping at Blackpool which sealed our fate.

The Rickster's point is that it could still go pear shaped.  We need one more win for safety or perhaps a few draws.   Let's hope we can get that win against Bristol City tomorrow. 

Roy Hodgson says that his training session went well, although he seems to be under the impression that his first game is on Saturday.

Bristol Live reports: 'Despite the change in the dugout, the Reds will have to continue to deal with the injury issues that have plagued the side over the course of the last two months.

The expectation remains that Rob Dickie, Rob Atkinson and George Tanner will not play again this season while Luke McNally and Joe Williams have also been sidelined in recent weeks, with no exact time frame placed on when they could return to the fold.'

As a client of Hargreaves Lansdown for some 40 years I have indirectly contributed to the considerable sums of money that Steve Lansdown has put into the team, albeit without achieving the goal of promotion.

To be fair, they have got me into a club that, whilst it may no longer be exclusive with 3 million members, is still worth joining.   More importantly, when I was recently accused of money laundering, they came resolutely to my defence.   Still want to beat their works side.

CAS Trust points out that Roy Hodgson is the fourth new manager this season to have his first game against Charlton: https://www.castrust.org/2026/04/bristol-city-on-good-friday/

Jones the preacher man

Charlton manager Nathan Jones is going to use some of his summer break to preach in a Welsh village.   The elders of the tin tabernacle in Llanddewi Brefi have been impressed by his style of delivery.  Instead of using the pulpit he runs up and down the aisle shouting at the congregation.

Jones has prepared a number of football themed sermons which will also be available as podcasts:

God does not need VAR as he is the ultimate referee and never makes a mistake in his judgments.

2.     God does not need a fourth official: the Holy Trinity is enough for Him.

3.     With divine help it is possible to resurrect a club like Charlton and see it ascend to the Promised Land of the Premier League.

4.     You can save penalties – if you have been saved.

5.     There has never been a Saint Nigel.

6.     You discover that your neighbours are Millwall – are they beyond redemption?

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