Record against Preston is poor

Should Charlton win tomorrow, it will be only the second time since 1992/3 (the start of modern football) that they have won their three opening matches.

Our record against Preston North End is far from good.  They have won each of their last six games against Charlton, their longest winning run against any current Championship side.

The Addicks have lost five of their last seven home games against Preston (W 1, D 1), failing to score in four of these matches.

As the CAS Trust preview points out, any team with no points is likely to be in fighting mode: https://www.castrust.org/2026/08/life-at-the-north-end-of-the-championship/

I wouldn't read too much into Preston's 0-4 defeat at home by Everton in the Carabao Cup, any more than I would see Charlton's defeat by Spurs as significant, other than for the injuries.

Four Four Two forecast a 17th place finish for Preston, while the selected fan plucked for 14th, 'our spiritual home in the second tier.' A deal for Saudi businessman Amr Zadir to take over appears to have stalled.

Fans have a mixed view of supremo Paul Heckingbottom who 'will need a strong start to quieten the doubters.'   If he left 'he should be replaced by someone who won't play back three.'

Referee Tom Reeves is local to me in Warwickshire.  His first Championship game was Charlton v. Sheffield Wednesday in 2025.  He is known for his reluctance to give red cards and uses yellows as little as he can.

Some fans have argued that spending £4m on Rak-Sakyi would not have been a good use of money when two or three journeymen could be picked up for the same sum.

However, the potential signing did attract the attention of the New York Times.  After being barely mentioned at all, Charlton were featured twice in one week.   Why does this matter?  New York is the financial capital of the US and any billionaire or private equity company looking for a soccer franchise is likely to have his staff keep an eye on the NYT.

Farewell, then, Thomas Kaminski

Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski is poised to seal a move to Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia reports Richard Cawley.

Kaminski’s preference has remained to join Omonia Nicosia, who are managed by former Manchester United and Blackburn defender Henning Berg.

They are one of the country’s leading clubs, with 22 league titles and won 4-2 in the second leg of their Europa League play-off tie against Sint-Truiden this evening to progress in the competition. The domestic season in Cyprus starts for Omonia Nicosia on Monday.

Tiernan Brooks started Wednesday night’s 5-1 defeat at Tottenham. It was a testing baptism for the former Gateshead stopper. He faced 11 shots with an xGOT (expected goals on target) of 2.43 - Mikey Moore’s opener squeezing between his hands.

Brooks made six saves, most notably low to his left to keep out Archie Gray’s goalbound strike.

Rak-Sakyi deal is off

After last night's injuries, Charlton were dealt a heavy blow with the news that the deal to sign Jesurrun Rak-Sakyi is off.  He was at Sparrows Lane earlier in the week, but the deal has been pulled because of an ongoing dispute about agent representation.

Charlton hope to sign another right winger before the deadline, but he is unlikely to be of the same calibre. Meanwhile, the gaps at centre back need to be filled.

Charlton 'B go down at the Lane

Two goals in four minutes towards the end of the first half put Roberto de Zerbi's side in control against their Championship opponents at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs had though struggled to make an impact against a much-changed Charlton side before Mikey Moore broke the deadlock in the 41st-minute.

Moore struck from the edge of the box with a rasping drive into the top corner, the 19-year-old's first goal in a Spurs shirt since January 2025.  England forward Dominic Solanke added the second with a right-foot finish in the 45th minute after turning inside the box.

De Zerbi made five changes to the side that lost at the weekend with Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes making his first start since completing an £85m move from West Ham.

Substitute Kevin Danso made it 3-0 when he headed Fernandes' free-kick home from 15 yards in the 67th-minute, but the Austria defender had to go off for treatment after being hurt while scoring.

The Addicks, who were cheered on by 6,000 travelling fans, made 10 changes to the side that started the win at West Ham last weekend.   They were forced into two early changes because of injuries to defenders Collins Sichenje and Billy Koumetio, but had the two best chances before Moore put Spurs ahead.

Sichenje damaged his left knee early doors. Initially he carried on after requiring treatment but did not last long. Koumetio, impressive since his transfer from Dundee this summer, had a hamstring issue. They were replaced by Lloyd Jones and Danny McNamara.   It looks as if the injuries will be weeks rather than days.

After skipper Greg Docherty forced Antonin Kinsky into a decent save, Nathan Asiimwe had a header that dropped narrowly wide.

They did give the travelling fans something to cheer about when Lloyd Jones scored an 87th-minute consolation.

Shell shocked supremo Nathan Jones told Richard Cawley: “It is a pretty disastrous night for us,” said Addicks boss Jones. “Not the result, or going out of the cup, but the injuries we picked up. To lose three centre-halves, we lost Reece Burke the other day, that is the difficult thing.

“When you come up against Premier League sides now they are difficult animals, physically strong and how they play. It is very difficult to create an upset. What we have to do is concentrate on the Championship - but that’s really caused us an issue now."

AI avatar Desmond from Deal commented: 'As I forecast, Jones has been found out and given a thumping, plus injuries to key players.   At least he had the honesty to admit his mistakes, but there was no follow up in terms of a resignation letter on the chairman's desk.'

 

NYT: Rak-Sakyi in for £4m

The soccer ball coverage by the New York Times is suddenly taking an interest in Charlton.

They report: Crystal Palace forward Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is close to joining Charlton Athletic.  A deal worth in excess of £4 million for the 23-year-old to return to the Valley is expected to be completed.

Rak-Sakyi spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Charlton during their League One campaign, winning their player of the year award after scoring 15 times in 49 appearances across all competitions.

He was then kept at Palace the following season playing just eight times, being denied the opportunity for a temporary move away, before playing 36 times for Sheffield United in the Championship in 2024-25, scoring seven times.

Last summer The Athletic reported that Scottish side Rangers had made an offer to loan Rak-Sakyi with a potential obligation buy worth up to £10m rejected by Palace, who sought a fee closer to the £20m Ipswich Town paid Chelsea for Omari Hutchinson.

He eventually was loaned to Caykur Rizespor in Turkey last season where he played 13 times and scored four goals before moving to Stoke City in January and playing a further 16 games.

Rak-Sakyi, who has been capped by England at Under-20 and Under-21 level, has failed to make an impression sufficient to force his way into the Palace squad and he was not in Palace’s plans this season with a year remaining on a five-year contract he signed in 2022.'

£5m had been quoted as a price, so clearly a better deal has been secured.  It will be difficult for moaners to complain that the owners have stinted the manager in this transfer window.

Tottering Hotspur? Il campo parla

One of my favourite trips to the old White Hart Lane was when we won 1-0, Spurs fan Chris Powell scoring the goal.

My stepdaughter has undertaken some of the design work for the new stadium.  Although she is more used to working on venues such as airports, she says she has never seen such a high standard of finish.

Building the new stadium, surely the finest in the country, distracted the club from the pitch leading to Spurs only just avoiding relegation last year.   Much the same happened at Arsenal with the move to the Emirates.

Now a change in leadership has seen more investment in the team.  However, it doesn't seem to have paid off at Brentford on Saturday, although there are still signings to come.

The Sunday Times reported: 'Spurs looked worryingly reminiscent of that side that buckled under the first sign of pressure last season.  Brentford pulverised Tottenham from start to finish.   De Zerbi was a little ball of frustration on the side.'

His watchword is 'Il campo parla', the pitch speaks.   Haringey's finest will want to show what they can do on Wednesday.   Charlton could well get thumped, but the more important match is against Preston North End on Saturday.

A defeat will give the pessimists and negativists their first chance this season, but the result will be no reflection of the calibre of the management or the team.

Tyreece Campbell has signed a new four year contract with the club.

One way ticket to Falmer on Ezenwata's journey

Richard Cawley reports, ‘we know it is a familiar tale that top academy products are lured away before they sign professional terms. Chetam Ezenwata is the latest one.

The 16-year-old defender, touted for a big future in the game, announced on his social media that he has joined Brighton. The Seagulls also landed goalkeeper James Beadle from the Addicks in January 2022.

Ezenwata won the 2026 Steve Clarke Trophy at Charlton, which recognises outstanding progress at U16 level.

“After five unforgettable years with this great club, it’s now time for me to open the next chapter of my story,” said the teenager on his Instagram. “To all my coaches, the staff, my amazing team-mates - with whom I have formed some unbreakable bonds over the years - and all the parents and fans that cheered us on through every win and loss, I say thank you all immensely for being a part of my journey.”’