Moaners confounded as Leicester are outfoxed

Andy King made a losing start as Leicester City interim boss after Charlton capitalised on Caleb Okoli's red card to ease their Championship relegation fears.    It was a difficult afternoon for the club’s many moaners,

Okoli was dismissed after just 15 minutes for pulling back Miles Leaburn, and Charlton took full advantage through Sonny Carey and Lyndon Dykes goals to climb further away from the drop zone.

The 2-0 defeat added to the sense of misery at Leicester after Marti Cifuentes was sacked on Sunday following their shock home loss to Oxford.

Jordan Ayew hit the post from a second-half penalty to compound the Foxes' woes when they threatened a comeback.

Conor Coady, written off as useless by  armchair managers, impressed on his Charlton debut as a holding midfielder against his former side following his loan move from Wrexham, and Nathan Jones will be delighted with his side's response after he accused them of treating last weekend's defaat by Millwall "as a day in the sun".

The game's decisive moment came when Okoli was rightly shown a straight red card for pulling back Leaburn when the Foxes defender was the last man.

And after Harry Clarke had a header controversially disallowed for a foul by Leaburn, Charlton's top scorer Carey gave them the lead in the 36th minute with his seventh goal of the season.

Clarke swung in a cross from the right and Carey lifted the ball over Ricardo Pereira with his first touch before volleying home left-footed with his second.

Leicester were a mess, and in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, 'last ditch' Dykes steered home Luke Chambers' cross right-footed to register his first Addicks goal since joining from Birmingham just over two weeks ago.

Leicester rallied in the second half, but spurned a glorious chance to haul themselves back into the game on 56 minutes when Ayew hit the post from a penalty after Abdul Fatawu was pulled back by Amari'i Bell.

Thomas Kaminski saved a 20-yard drive from Pereira, and many unhappy Leicester fans left the King Power Stadium before full-time.

Avatar Desmond from Deal said: ‘I was looking forward to Charlton getting thumped and Jones getting the sack.   In my view he still hasn’t a clue, but he always manages to get lucky results when he needs them.;

Relieved supremo Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London: '“That's a massive win, the result was everything today.  Last week [losing 4-0 to Millwall] was damning, it was really hurtful to the football club. One, because of who we played, two, because of the manner of it, and three, because we care.

"I'm immersed in this football club, so it hurts me because I live and breathe this club, so I wanted to have a reaction today.

"Miles [Leaburn] was clean in and got pulled back, a definite red. That kind of changed the complexion of the game, but I'm really pleased because we wanted to be aggressive against them and put it on them."

“That's a massive win, the result was everything today.  Last week [losing 4-0 to Millwall] was damning, it was really hurtful to the football club. One, because of who we played, two, because of the manner of it, and three, because we care.

"I'm immersed in this football club, so it hurts me because I live and breathe this club, so I wanted to have a reaction today.

"Miles [Leaburn] was clean in and got pulled back, a definite red. That kind of changed the complexion of the game, but I'm really pleased because we wanted to be aggressive against them and put it on them."

Conor Coady wants to make a difference

Conor Coady was quickly written off by many Charlton fans before he has kicked a ball as is so often the case with new recuits who are suffocated by the miasma of negativity that rolls in from the Thames.   Too slow, too old etc.

However, at least he has a passion for the game and a wish to make a difference at Charlton as is evident from his interview with Richard Cawley.

“I’m not getting any younger but I can give a lot in different aspects.    I  want to play as many games as I possibly can but that won’t affect what I do in that dressing room, how I talk, how I try to help the lads and bring people together. That is just my personality.

“You will never catch me having a cob on. I will always try and drive and push people as far as I can.  I want to get the club further up the table.  If I can make even one per cent difference it will be worth it.”

He talked to a few players who had worked with Nathan Jones (fortunately not to any Charlton fans who would have told him he hasn't a clue).   "A few people rang me and told me how good he is to work with and how passionate and detailed he is when it comes to football. That’s something I’m all about - I love the detail. Football is my life."

There may be something in Kenyan player story

I was sceptcal yesterday, but it appears there may be something in stories suggesting that Charlton are on the verge of signing their first Kenyan player.

There have been reports that Charlton have agreed a deal with Serbian side Vojvodina for Kenyan centre-back Collins Sichenje.  That includes claims that he has passed a medical and will cost in the region of £2 million.

Last week Jones told Richard Cawley that a link to Junior Ligue, who moved this week from FC Zurich to Venezia, was wide of the mark.*  He was more guarded on Sichenje, only responding: “Anything happens on that we’ll let you know as soon as we can.”

The Kenyan defender has spoken about the move to The Star, a publication in his home country: “I want to challenge myself in the Championship. It’s a demanding league, and I believe I can make an impact here."

Cawley  has heard that Brighton are still trying to get a deal for Micah Mbick over the line.

 “That is between Brighton and the football club,” said Jones, when asked if the Premier League club were pushing for an agreement. “What it means is that our development structure for Micah Mbick and our progression for him has been excellent - because a top Premier League club is trying to buy our players. That is what we want to do.

“If we’d kept Micah here and played him in the U21s and used him sporadically, would we have been able to do that? There is the proof in the pudding of what we do - how we’re building a football club and assets. How we’re developing assets and keeping this football club moving forward.

In his interview with Cawley;s website Jones has denied falling out with Rob Apter or other signings. Well he would, wouldn't he?  

*I still think theee was at least some Charlton interest in Logue.  German language sites aren't going to run stories about Charlton, a club that perhaps twenty or thirty people in the German-speaking countries know about,

Charlton at risk of being outfoxed

In a weak league Leicester City were expected to be more competitive, and Cifuentes was identified as the man to help pull it all together. He’s the latest manager to have lost his job, after the club held boardroom talks over the weekend and came to the conclusion that it was time for a change.

Leicester’s owner, Aiyawatt “Top” Srivaddhanaprabha, attended the last game and witnessed the growing level of frustration inside King Power Stadium as supporters turned on those in positions of power at the club.

Leicester also face a points deduction this season for allegedly breaching profit and sustainability rules, and are restricted to signing loan players in this transfer window. If this bad run of form continues, they will also be nervously looking over their shoulder and with other clubs finding a way to pick up points, that’s quickly becoming a concern.

Leicester will be looking to achieve a league double over Charlton for the first time since 1981-82 (also in the second division), having won 1-0 at The Valley earlier this season.  Charlton have only won one of their past 10 away league matches against Leicester (D5 L4), with that lone victory coming in February 2013 under Chris Powell (a 2-1 win in the Championship).

Leicester haven't kept a clean sheet in the Championship since a 0-0 draw with league leaders Coventry in September 2025, going 23 matches without one. Since the start of last season, they have the lowest clean sheet percentage (9%) of any team in England's top four tiers (6/67).  They have conceded 17 goals at homem scoring 20.

Since the start of November, only West Brom have fewer points (1) in Championship away games than Charlton (2). The Addicks are one of only three sides without an away win in this period (D2 L6), along with West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday.

Abdul Fatawu has the most goal involvements and assists for Leicester in the Championship this season (13 - 6 goals, 7 assists), while his 74 completed dribbles are at least 22 more than any other player in the division (Mikey Johnston, 52).

CAS Trust sees both danger and opportunity in the visit to Leicester: https://www.castrust.org/2026/01/can-the-new-faces-beat-the-winter-blues/

Managerial search

Leicester’s search for a manager shows the challenges that even a club of their size face in finding a suitable replacement.  Numerous potential candidates have become immediately linked with the Leicester post, with Gary Rowett and Derek McInnes amongst the first of those to be reported.

The latter is currently overseeing a Scottish Premiership title charge with Hearts having penned a new long-term contract at the end of last season, whilst Rowett is now available on the managerial market after he was dismissed by Oxford on December 23^rd.

However, when asked about links to the managerial post at his former club, which he played for 57 times between 2000 and 2002, the 51-year-old kept his cards extremely close to his chest.

Russell Martin was identified as a potential replacement for Ruud Van Nistelrooy last summer before Leicester moved to hand Cifuentes an initial three-year contract at the King Power, and the former Southampton and Rangers boss has, once again, become linked with the role having been out of work for three months.

Oh, the quality!

It's the silly season!

That's the verdict of journo Richard Cawley.   He has been obliged to deny rumours that Lloyd Jones is leaving the club.

AI is making things worse: 'As of late January 2026, Kenyan defender Collins Sichenje is set to join English Championship side Charlton Athletic from Serbian club FK Vojvodina for approximately €1.9 million (approx. Sh291-293 million). The 22-year-old Harambee Stars centre-back, known for his physicality and versatility, is expected to become the first Kenyan player at the London club.'

Good clickbait, but there's nothing in it. 

Changing managers in the Championship has mixed results

The New York Times has run a feature on managerial turnover in the Championship.   Charlton are too unimportant a club for them to mention, but the ‘Jones out’ crowd will be heartened by their view that more changes are on the way.  However, the evidence of a new managerial bounce seems to be mixed to say the least.

'Of the 24 managers to start the season in charge of a Championship club, only 15 remain.

The relentless and ruthless nature of England’s second tier suggests there will probably be further casualties before the end of the season, too. Over a third of the total sackings (25) across the four divisions in England have been in the Championship, with Leicester City, West Bromwich Albion, Oxford United, Southampton, Swansea City, Norwich City, Watford, and Sheffield United all pulling the plug after experiencing struggles.

Of the eight clubs to move a manager on, seven make up the bottom 11 positions in the Championship, with Watford, who have a managerial recruitment policy as unpredictable as the league itself, the only exception.

So were the clubs who sacked managers right to make a change? Or has it backfired? The revolving door is once again swinging rapidly with as many manager exits in the Championship as both League One and League Two combined. The New York Times assesses what’s happened so far in another chaotic season.

The outcome of changing managers during the season varies across the league. There are a couple of clubs who have benefited from the change, others who remain largely the same, and in West Bromwich Albion’s case (although it’s very early days), the situation has deteriorated further, which goes against any theory of a new-manager ‘bounce’.'

Signings and departures don't go well

The latest signings and departures have not got down well with Charlton fans.  Apter's signing seems to have been a costly mistake.  Fans say he should have played more, but we don't see how players perform in training. 

Among incoming players, let's just consider the merits of Jayden Fevrier.   Richard Cawley has asked a local journo from 'oop north to give his views.  You can get the full sp on his Substack page, but here is an excerpt: '

'He is an athlete. When he is on it then he can be very impactful and explosive.

He is a bit chaotic - wildcard is a great description. I’ve seen him leave full-backs on their backside on the turf and then he’s stuck the ball in the net or crossed it for a goal. We have seen it happen. It just hasn’t happened enough.

But if he can go somewhere else, for a fresh start, and get a run of games - even if it is a consistent run of coming off the bench for 25-30 minutes - then I don’t doubt there is something there.

If someone can unlock it on a more regular basis then he can be such an exciting player. In the home game against Lincoln just before the end of the season he scored and got two assists as Stockport came back from 2-0 to win 3-2 and he also looked really good against Leyton Orient in the play-offs.'

The signing of Conor Coady has been confirmed by the club.  Critics think he is too slow.

The latest complaint from fans is that the owners 'lack ambition'.   It always amuses me when fans make this allegation.  I am not prepared to spend any money on transfers or the wages of new players and I think that goes for most fans.   So why should owners be expected to throw good money after bad?

The owners have tried to attract additional investment, but the prospect of hyper critical fans hardly helps.

Just think back on the owners we have had:

• A group who planned to sell The Valley and build a soulless stadium near North Greenwich tube.
• The barmy Belgian, still a weight round our neck.
• Opportunists whose conduct fell below the highest standards of probity.
• An American narcissist who has now been arrested on allegations of fraud and detained as a flight risk.   (Unfortunately not Trump).

'Journeyman' Garry did us proud

Richard Cawley has a great interview on his Substack page with Garry Nelson.  He says that he loved his five years at Charlton - and I think most of the fans loved him.   And to think we signed him for £50,000.

Nelson was thoroughly professional and always tried his hardest.   His book Left Foot Forward, albeit he now admits that it was ghost written, is one of my favourite football books.   The sequel on being player-manager at Torquay United is also worth reading.   I expect you can get copies on AbeBooks cheaply.

More innocent and more enjoyable times.

Has Jones lost the dressing room?

A resurgent Norwich have sent Charlton down to 19th.  Gloom and doom merchants are claiming that Jones has lost the dressing room.   What does this contemporary football cliché actually mean?

I doubt that those who make this claim have actually spoken to any players, but I suppose their point is that the performance on the pitch says it all.   Yet these players are paid good money to do something they presumably enjoy.  It seems a bit childish to go into a collective sulk.

It also reflects the modern obsession with the manager, although in fact his scope has been reduced in modern times, particularly in bigger clubs.   The fashion for sacking managers has become so widespread that the Financial Times had to write its lead editorial about it: https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-football-manager-as-human-sacrifice.html

BTW. the Pink Un's coverage of football is quite sparse (generally one story per issue) but is among the best there is,.

I think that the arrival of electronic football management games led many fans to think that the manager actually controls the players on the pitch.

Charlton's greatest successes have come when we have had managers in place for the long term: Seed;  Lawrence; Curbishley.  (I would add Chris Powell, but he was undermined by the barmy Belgian).

Even Curbs was not perfect: he tended to make substitutions too late in the game and didn't take competitions like the league cup, where we could have progressed, seriously enough.

The owners are not so daft that they are going to pay Jones a big compensation payment.  If we do get relegated, I think he may well then leave by mutual consent.

Jones make mistakes: all managers do.   Personally I prefer the cooler style of a Curbishley.   But it is very difficult for a League One+ outfit to survive in the Championship.

BTW, the New York Times has just listed what it regards as the three longest suffering fan bases in English football: Preston North End (or Preston Never Ever); Bristol Rovers; and Darlington.

Scottish club to sign keeper

It looks as if third choice Charlton keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewe is about to sign for Dundee United  A decent keeper, but lost his confidence after being kicked in the head.

Fans are more concerned about rumours that Rob Aoter may return on loan to Blackpool.  Unconfirmed reports suggest that Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic may be interested.   He may be happier back in the north-west.

+ 

Leicester act to avoid curse of Charlton

Leicester City have taken preemptive action to sack their manager and avoid the curse of Charlton before Saturday's clash at the King Power.  Of course, many vociferous Charlton fans would like to see a double sacking.

Leicester City are in the hunt for another new manager after sacking Martí Cifuentes on Sunday. Cifuentes was barracked by supporters at the King Power Stadium as his club’s season plunged to a new low on Saturday. A limp and error-strewn 2-1 defeat by relegation-threatened Oxford left Leicester 14th in the Championship before Sunday’s results — almost as close to the drop zone as the promotion play-off spots.

The club’s hierarchy, led by owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha — known as “Top” — appreciate the challenges faced by Cifuentes since taking over in the summer after relegation from the Premier League

However, with a return to the top flight remaining a faint ambition this season, their feeling is that a squad still packed with international players, and those with Premier League experience, should be performing significantly better.

Fan sentiment was not lost on the hierarchy either. During the Oxford defeat, supporters chanted at their beleaguered manager, “Sacked in the morning” and “We want Martí out”.

He is their sixth manager in three years which hardly suggests that frequent changes of manager are a recipe for success.

Charlton remain 18th

Charlton remain 18th in the Championship after yesterday's results.   This is not a relegation position, although to listen to some Charlton fans you would think it is.   However, the teams around us are not necesarily invincible.

The 'Jones out' crowd have not come up with a single name as a replacement other than retread Lee Bowyer and there is no reason to suppose that he is available or would want the job if he was.

Perhaps we should advertise on the following lines: 'Relegation threatened club seesk quality manager.  Squad is thin and kow quality and funds available are insufficient.   Fans are hyper critical, negative and prone to pessimism.  Club does not own stadium or training ground.'

Millwall have benefitted from consistent and sensible ownership.   We have had the barmy Belgium and two sets of 'investors' who might be described in the immediate post-war period as 'spivs'.

I still think it's 50/50 whether we are relegated but we are a League One outfit competing in Premier Division 2.

Predictable and deserved defeat

Charlton went down to a predictable but deserved 4-0 defeat at The New Den this afternoon.   The Addicks were comprehensively outplayed.

The defence was not up to the job although the players in front did not help very much.  There was very little creativity going forward.

The home support chanted 'You're getting sacked in the morning' but no quality manager is going to want to come to a relegation threatened club.  It's difficult for a club the size of Charlton to survive in the modern Championship.

Usual talk from fans about 'losing the dressing room'.  How do they know?

By the time of the final whistle the away end had emptied out.  The 3,300 Addicks had had enough.

Stoppage-time goals from Luke Cundle and Aidomo Emakhu wrapped up a big Championship win for Millwall against London rivals Charlton Athletic at The Den.

An early own goal from Addicks defender Kayne Ramsay had put the Lions in front, with Femi Azeez and Josh Coburn missing golden chances to add to their lead before the break.

Azeez then had a headed finish ruled out for offside before defender Caleb Taylor nodded in a well-deserved second with nine minutes remaining.

The hosts won a penalty kick in the final minute of the game, with Thomas Kaminski saving from Camiel Neghli but Cundle converted the rebound, before Emakhu finished neatly in the corner one minute later to put extra gloss on the scoreline.

Nathan Jones has apologised to the fans, admitting 'Today we showed every deficiency we possibly could and even some we didn't know we had.  Every Millwall player was more aggressive than us.  We were out fought and out run.   We have gone backwards in recent weeks.'

BTW, for those of us who have to listen on audio Steve Brown does have a bit of an agenda, i.e. that no defence is as good as in his day.  The jaunty but banal music that was played at half time reminded me of the music that would be used by emergency broadcasting in the event of war.

Wake up and smell the coffee - it's Americano

The Chicago Addick recently commented 'As a fanbase we can be bloody negative and it’s starting to grate on me..'   I know how  he feels.  Charlton fans don't seem to grasp how much the modern game has changed to the disadvantage of clubs like Charlton.

First, consider parachute payments which have a big distorting effect on the Championship.   Analysis conducted by BDO found that the average number of points achieved by the three clubs promoted to the Premier League has been on a steady decline since 1996 – and for the past two successive seasons all three clubs promoted to the Premier League have gone straight back down in the following season.

However, the reverse is true for clubs relegated to the Championship where there has been a gradual increase in the points haul by relegated clubs. These trends reflect the disparity in the cost of competition (wages and transfer fees) between the two leagues, as well as the distorting impact that parachute payments make for clubs leaving the Premier League.

Then consider how American investors are pouring into English football.  For example, Hartlepool United has recently been acquired by an American investor.   An offer has been made for Tranmere Rovers.   Private equity is increasingly moving into football. These days you need to be a billionaire to revive a football club or at least create a global brand as Wrexham have done so successfully.   The New York Times can't get enough of them.

We are doing well to be 18th in the Championship.

A foregone conclusion

Needless to saym Millwall are the favourites to win tomorrow’s encounter at The Den at 5/6, giving them an implied win probability of 55%. Charlton are 18/5 to take the away win while a draw is 23/10.

Charlton have lost nine of their past 12 away league games against Millwall (W1 D2), losing their past three in succession. Their only victory during that time came with a 2-0 success in December 1995.

Having lost three of their first four home league games this season (W1), Millwall have now lost just one of their past 10 at The Den (W7 D2).

Charlton have won just one of their past 18 away London derbies in the Championship (D5 L12), conceding at least twice in each of their past six.

CAS Trust try to extract some hope from the fact that Millwall are expected to win: https://www.castrust.org/2026/01/to-be-or-not-to-be-our-day/

Matty Godden is hoping to be in his neighbours’ bad books this weekend - with the Charlton Athletic striker living on the same road as Millwall supporters.  The Kent-based striker recently returned from a knee injury which had sidelined him since the League One play-off final win over Leyton Orient.

Godden has scored for previous club Coventry City at The Den. He got the first in a 3-0 victory over the Lions in November 2023 and also struck in a 3-2 reverse in August 2022.

,”I’ve got Millwall fans either side of me at home so it’s important for me - I know what it means for the club and for the community,” he told Charlton’s official website. “We’ll be going out there and giving it everything we’ve got.

Richard Cawley reports that Lincoln City are bidding for Deji Elerewe.  Now at Bromley, there is a sell  on clause.

Rumoured increase in Brighton offer for Mbick

A report is claiming that Brighton are now prepared to offer £5m for Micah Mbick, but I would be cautious about its reliability: https://www.sportsboom.co.uk/football/transfer-news/exclusive-brighton-have-opened-up-a-5million-to-try-and-sign-charltons-micah-mbick

It is possible that Brighton might be willing to make a third offer, but the devil is in the detail.  How much would be up front?  How much would be conditional on first team appearances?   How much would be a share of any selling on fee?

For now the club is right to hold on to this promising player.

New left back is injury prone

New left back Luke Chambers looks like he will be keeping the infamous Sparrows Lane treatment table busy.  That's why I thought Swiss starlet Junior Logue was a better bet.

Luke Chambers arrives from Liverpool on loan for the remainder of the season. The 21-year-old from Preston has previously had spells with Wigan Athletic and Kilmarnock.  Chambers joined the Reds’ academy at the age of six and made his senior debut against Leicester in the EFL Cup in September 2023.

Capped by England at multiple age groups from U15 to U20, he also represented Liverpool in 2023 Europa League fixtures - wins over Toulouse (5-1) and LASK Linz (4-0) as well as a loss to Union St Gilloise.

Chambers returned to Wigan at the start of the following campaign but a back injury limited him to just 13 matches.  After playing the opening 10 league games he was ruled out in early October. Chambers made his return on March 8 but the comeback lasted two matches, ending after a 70-minute runout in a 2-1 loss at The Valley.

Wigan boss Ryan Lowe announced that Chambers had headed back to Liverpool at the start of April.  He added: “He’s had another recurrence of the injury and his season will be done.”He was just not quite right. I know he came back from his injury and he played under Glenn [Whelan].

“But after that, he wasn’t really right. We could see he wasn’t really right in training. He came to see me and said he didn’t feel right, we then spoke to Liverpool, and he obviously wasn’t right."

Charlton linked with Zurich left back

German language sites are linking Charlton with 20-year old left back Junior Ligue.   The FC Zurich player is a Swiss Under 21 international.  He would come in on a loan with a possible permanent role in the summer.

Charlton made a second offer for the player on Wednesday: 'Und der 20-Jährige nutzt die freie Zeit offenbar ziemlich gut. Nach Informationen von 4-4-2.ch gibt es aus England konkretes Interesse an Ligue. Charlton Athletic hat am Mittwoch bereits das zweite Angebot für Ligue abgegeben.'

It's 45 years now since I was playing Cold War games in Berlin, but I think I have the essence right!

In the event Charlton have signed Luke Chambers from Liverpool, I just hope he isn't injury prone: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c62rvyv6dlqo

Nathan Jones says he had never even heard the player's name.   All I would say is that it's a strange story for German sites to invent given that there is virtually zero interest in Charlton in Switzerland.

Injury worries grow

Lloyd Jones had to be taken off at half time yesterday as a precaution as he rolled his ankle at the weekend.   He is unlikely to be available for Saturday's derby at Millwall.

Shell shocked supremo Nathan Jones says that the Josh Edwards injury is far worse than feared, news he described as 'catastrophic'.

Harvey Knibbs has not broken anything, but he has damaged his ankle ligaments and will be out for some time.

The latest line by Jones critics is that he does not know his best team, but it is no easy task to pick a best team from a thin squad.

As for those who call for the owners to show 'ambition', I am not spending any of my money on new players and I doubt whether other supporters are.

One piece of good news is that the new football regulator is going to focus on parachute payments as his first target.   They have such a distorting effect on the Championship.

Valley despair

Charlton remain in 18tth place just four points about the relegation zone after a 1-2 defeat by Derby County at The Valley tonight.  An own goal from Macaulay Gillesphey handed the Rams a half-time lead before Bobby Clark doubled the advantage after an hour.  Charlton responded through Tyreece Campbell's long-range strike, but could not find an equaliser despite late pressure and a man advantage with Derby defender Matt Clarke receiving a second yellow card late on.

Derby striker Patrick Agyemang revealed after the Rams' 1-0 win at Preston North End on Saturday how upset he was missing an open goal despite eventually scoring the winner at Deepdale.

The USA international was crucial to the visitors' opener he drove into the six-yard box from the left and fizzed in a shot which forced the unfortunate Gillesphey to turn the ball into his own net.

Derby still remained the more threatening side before the interval, with Agyemang's fellow forwards Ben Brereton Diaz and Corey Blackett-Taylor both going close.

Charlton manager Nathan Jones made two changes at the break, but the Addicks were caught out again as this time Clark raced through to finish clinically past Thomas Kaminski from Brereton Diaz's through ball.

Campbell reignited home hopes however with a fierce effort from distance that flew in off the post and gave Richard O'Donnell no chance.

Derby were reduced to 10 men for the last few minutes as Clarke was given a second booking for a poor tackle on Kayne Ramsay.  It set up a nervy ending but the visitors defended resolutely to see out a valuable away win and close the gap to the top six.

The attendance was the lowest league gate at The Valley this season even with nearly 2,000 Rams present.

Interest in third choice keeper

Ashley Maynard-Brewer may be offered the kilt in this transfer window.  Richard Cawley reports that at least one Scottish club is interested in Charlton's third choice stopper.

Maynard-Brewer had an extended spell on loan at Ross County before their fall down to the Championship where the Staggies are struggling  However, his spell there was interrupted by a broken nose.  Returning to the Dingwall (population 6,000) club might not be an attractive proposition.

However, local sources suggest that some players are moving south of the border so there may be room for recruitment.

Australian Maynard-Brewer was originally with a club in Jondaloop which is a northern suburb of Perth WA.  I recall staying at a golf club there where the greens were populated by kangatoos.

Maynard-Brewer was recommended to then chief scout Chapple by former Australian Addicks keeper Andy Petterson, arriving in SE7 at the age of fifteen.

He has had six loans while at Charlton, but has made 87 appearances for the Addicks.  He ranks sixth for appearances in the current squad.

Nathan Jones has previously said that he wants to retain three senior keepers.

Seagulls swoop for Mbick

According to The Athletic Brighton have made an offer worth a total of £3.5m for 19-year old Addicks striker Micah Mbick.

He is on loan to Colchester United and Charlton's intention is that he should stay there for the rest of the season.

Brighton like to buy promising young players either to develop them for their own first team or to sell them on.

The Seagulls may make an enhanced offer.

Stand by for Ram raid

Derby County actually have a better away than home record, having won six games away and lost just four.  We have played a lot of games against the Rams (including one FA Cup final) and have won 32, losing 39 and drawing 21.   We have won just three of the last eight encounters at The Valley.

The two teams are actually next to each other in the form table, but Charlton will have to improve substantially on last Saturday's performance to get something from this game.   Derby won 1-0 at Preston.

Perhaps Matt Godden can come on as impact sub after his cameo on Saturday.

Mitchell hands in kilt

Zach Mitchell is heading home from Hibernian, having hardly played.  In an earlier post, our Scottish correspondent, Angus from Portobello who is a Hibernian fan, expressed surprise that more use had not been made of him.

Congratulations to Lloyd Jones on making the Football League Paper Championship team of the week.

Three key points

Charlton have gone ahead of the Baggies in the table after their 1-0 win over nine man Sheffield United at The Valley this afternoon.   They are on the same number of points as today's opponents and Swansea City and are just one point behind Southampton.   Pundits had confidently forecast a Blades win.

Sonny Carey scored the only goal as Charlton Athletic beat Sheffield United after the Blades had two players sent off in the first half at the Valley.

El Hadji Djibril Soumare was shown a straight red card for a late challenge that resulted in Harvey Knibbs leaving the pitch on a stretcher.

Captain Japhet Tanganga was then shown a straight red in first-half injury-time as he went into an aerial challenge with Carey leading with his elbow.

The Addicks needed less than a minute after the break to take advantage of the extra players, with Carey smashing in his seventh goal of the season.

Despite never really taking a full grip of the game and facing a late rally from the visitors, Nathan Jones' side earned a valuable three points.   The fact Charlton ended the first half against a team with nine players with zero shots shows just how one-sided the opening period of this match was.

Until the 35th minute, Sheffield United were in total control. Addicks keeper Thomas Kaminski was called into early action to save efforts from Patrick Bamford and Tom Cannon before Tyler Bindon headed wide.

But the game changed when Soumare caught Knibbs on the ankle with a late challenge that resulted in referee Oliver Langford brandishing what would we be his first red card of the day.

The Addicks will have to wait to find out the full damage extent of the injury suffered by their 26-year-old midfielder but the sight of him leaving the pitch on a stretcher will gave dismayed home fans.

Twelve minutes later, in first-half stoppage time, United were down to nine as it was Tanganga's turn to leave the field.

It was the first time since March 2011 against Watford they have had two players sent off in the first half of a match.

New signing Lyndon Dykes was sent on for the hosts at the break and was soon celebrating an assist with his first touch the club, nodding down Macaulay Gillesphey's ball in for Carey to thump it into the net in front of the Covered End.

Miles Leaburn and Tyreece Campbell both had multiple chances as the Addicks looked to secure the points but the longer it remained 1-0, the more uncomfortable it became for the home side.

However, Jones' side were able to see out the final minutes and have now gone three games without defeat, moving level with the Blades on 32 points.

Jones frankly admitted: 'We could’ve been better today. There was an anxiousness every time we had the ball - we had to go central, we had to score, we had to go long and we had to put it in the box. That is not how you win games. I’m proud we won the game. Could we all have made better choices? Absolutely.'

Let's take tje three points and move on to another key challenge against Derby.   There were some positives.  'Last Ditch' Dykes showed that he can contribute and Godden had a cameo.

Dowie admits: it wasn't rocket science

Iain Dowie was interviewed on You Tube recently as part of The Managers series and Richard Cawley notes the replies of the rocket scientist:

‘I was putting the Christmas tree up at my house and the chairman rang me (to sack him). To be fair, it was justified. We had signed some decent players. In the end I didn't win enough league games and do well enough.’

‘Simon [Jordan] served an order (writ) in the press conference, so you're already behind the eight ball. "I probably didn't realise the Palace-Charlton rivalry, it got brought up in a big way.’

 ‘Curbs did a very good job and Nathan [Jones] is there now. They are still a very big football club and hopefully it will bounce back.’

 ‘You take it on the chin. I didn't do enough things right. I got embroiled and concentrated on the wrong things. The club was brilliant with me. It just didn't work out and most of it is my fault.’

Blades sharpen up for three points

Most pundits are forecasting a win for Sheffield United at The Valley tomorrow, the consensus being a 1-2 scoreline.

The Sheffield Star sees it as a golden chance to reboot the Blades' promotion bid:

'Ahead of Saturday’s trip to The Valley to face Charlton Athletic, the Blades find themselves nine points shy of sixth-placed Watford with 21 games to go. With 63 points to play for, their promotion dream is still very much alive.

As manager Chris Wilder would no doubt say himself, there is no such thing as an easy game in the Championship, meaning the Blades will have to be at 100 per cent each and every week if they are to extend their season come May.

Of course, though, there are some fixtures on the calendar that look easier than others, and this weekend’s trip to Charlton, with respect, is a contest that United really ought to be taking three points from if they are serious about storming their way through the pack and securing a top six berth.

The Addicks, who won 1-0 at Bramall Lane in Wilder’s first game back in charge of the Blades in September, have been on a downward spiral since the beginning of November, winning just two of their last 13 league matches, losing seven. Winning just ten points during that period, only Sheffield Wednesday (five) have won fewer.

Since their September meeting in horrendous conditions at Bramall Lane, both sides have moved in opposite directions, with United currently three places and three points above the Addicks in the standings. Charlton moved 12 places and eight points above the Blades after winning 1-0 in S2.

With United now tracking in the right direction, enjoying a solid run of form since the November international break, the Blades will travel to the capital on Saturday afternoon as favourites to scoop all three points.

However, when it has come to facing newly promoted teams on the road since the beginning of last season, United have not had an awful lot of success, winning just one of their last five games against Championship newcomers.

Last season, when coming up against the newly promoted teams on the road, the Blades only managed to get the better of Derby County, winning 1-0 at Pride Park in February, while they drew 0-0 with Portsmouth and lost 1-0 at Oxford United.

So far this campaign, the Blades have been beaten 2-1 by Birmingham City on the road, albeit in the Carabao Cup, and were on the wrong end of a 5-3 scoreline against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground on Boxing Day.

Charlton, as highlighted with their win at Bramall Lane on the sixth weekend of the campaign, started this season in positive fashion, feeding off the surge in momentum generated by beating Leyton Orient in last season’s League One play-off final. However, they have been on a downward spiral since the October international break.

On the flip side, they did earn a point in their recent clash with Coventry City at The Valley, drawing 1-1 on New Year’s Day, highlighting their ability to match the division’s big hitters.

Nevertheless, United should look at Saturday’s trip to The Valley as an opportunity to try and close the gap on the top six.'

Let's hope pride comes before a fall.

CAS Trust point out that the Blades aee prone to condeding goals, no fewer than four against mighty Mansfield in the FA Cup last weekend, although no doubt they will be looking to compensate for that defeat: https://www.castrust.org/2026/01/sheffield-united/

Left-wing back search continues

Nathan Jones has told Richard Cawley that the search for a left-wing back continues with four possibilities in the frame.  However, the injury plagued position has been a problem all season and Jones says that its is proving difficult to fill.

Jones says there has been considerable League One interest in Isaac Olaofe, but the supremo sees him as an impact player and is reluctant to let him go.

Jones is also not amenable to Karoy Anderson going on loan to Wycombe Wanderers.

Jones has said that he has no interest in selling Kayne Ramsay and would like him to sign a new contract.

Dykes is the target man Jones wanted

There has been a mixed reaction by Addicks to the signing of 'Last Ditch' Dykes from Birmingham until the end of the season with some concerned that he does not score more goals, although some of us remember the old fashioned inside forward role.

Anyway Nathan Jones is pleased that he got the target man he wanted and says that he has no interest in Bosnian Nardin My Name Is Too Big for My Shirt.

Apparently the supremo sees the Scottish international, who knows Charlie Kelman, rotating with Miles Leaburn up front.

Dykes will be the player at Charlton with the most tatoos which also cover hidden parts of his anatomy.

Lawrence of Australia

Charlton are being linked with 32-year old midfielder Tom Lawrence who has been having a successful season with Perth Glory in the A-league and is available for £130k.   Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers are also interested.   Richard Cawley will be discussing him on his latest podcast.

Lawrence came out of the Manchester United academy and has spent most of his career as a loan player.  Born in Wrexham, he is thought to speak Cymraeg.

While at Derby County he was convicted for drunk driving. 

Richard Cawley advises that it looks like Daniel Kanu will stay at Walsall for the rest of the season.  Cawley says it makes sense as Charlton are exploring forward options.

My name is too big for my shirt: Noah's Ark signing?

Richard Cawley reports that Charlton are being linked with 26-year old forward Nardin Mulahusejnovic. The Bosnian is currently playing in Armenia for FC Noah.  He has also played in Slovenia but never in the UK.

The price tag is said to be €1.5m.   As Cawley states, the club shop might welcome him.

Whatever happened to Charlie Methven?

Whatever you think of Charlie Methven, he has a capacity to reinvent himself in new ventures.  Now he has gone reggae time in Jamaica.

The New York Times tells me that Methven was chief executive at Charlton 'where he stabilised what was another fixer-upper and enjoyed much better relations with staff and supporters.'  Maybe.

And it was during his time in south London that he met Peter Gould and realised Mount Pleasant in Jamaica might be a nice place to test his own theories about building a sustainable football business around developing talent and selling it on.

Having started a partnership between Charlton and Mount Pleasant in 2024, Methven decided to go all in on the Jamaican project in March 2025, two months before Charlton secured their return to the Championship by beating Leyton Orient at Wembley.

Methven’s arrival at Mount Pleasant is a signal of his and Gould’s intent to create a Caribbean talent factory,

The fog rolls in from the Thames

I am not sure this fan essay doesn't tell us anything we didn't know already about Saturday's FA Cup game, but I provide the link for information: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cg7y585ek42o

We have thins quad and any injuries, particularly to the defence, are serious.  

Charlton fan meets :Larry the Cat

VOTV fanzine editor Rick Everitt was recently invited to No.10 Downing Street for consultations with Arsenal fan Keir Starmer.   I am envious because he got to meet Larry the Cat. 

I have been to No.10, but Larry wasn't there then and I have only met Gladstone, the now retired Foreign Office cat.   Still, I did get to witness a massive ding dong between Dave Cameron, Bozza and Hezza.

The Rickster looks very startled and I wonder if he thought that Super Hoops fan Lord Toby Young might be waiting outside the gates to berate him again as a 'town hall tyrant'.

Charlton turn to stranded Tractor

Ipswich Town defender Harry Clarke has emerged as a loan option for Charlton Athletic, reports Richard Cawley The Addicks are one of a number of clubs that have expressed an interest in signing the 24-year-old.

Stoke City, where had one of his more successful loan spells, have a full back crisis and are keen to have him back.  Nevertheless it's a done deal  at Charlton until the end of the seaaon.

Clarke can play at right wing-back as well as centre-back.

Clarke is due to be out of contract at Ipswich at the end of June although they hold a 12-month extension option. He has not featured in any of their matchday squads in the current campaign.

The fact Clarke can also cover the right-sided centre-back spot is an added attraction with Reece Burke and Kayne Ramsay suffering injury setbacks this season.

However, he has not played any competitive football since last season.   He is the fourth in the right back pecking order at Portman Road,

It all looks a bit desperate to me, but what do I know?

Defensive worries compounded

Charlton's players gave their all against Chelsea at The Valley last night and Mannion made some great saves.   It was also pleasing to see Miles score.   And the mist really did roll in from the Thames.

The complete absent of Kaminski from the line up was explained by Nathan Jones in terms of rotation which appears to be a new departure in this position.

But now it's back to the grind of staying in the league and Nathan Jones has told Richard Cawley that his defensive worries have been compounded after last night's game.

Amar'i Bell pulled up with a hamstring problem on 74 minutes and not long afterwards Tyreece Campbell felt something and had to be replaced.

The Addicks were already without Kayne Ramsey, Reece Burke and Josh Edwards.

Shell shocked supremo Jones told Cawley that he would like to bring in five defenders during the window, but only two are really feasible and one of those is likely to be Bree whom many fans think has faded from a good start.

Jones sets out his stall ahead of top flight encounter

'I want The Valley rocking and for us to give a performance where they can get behind it. We want a proper cup atmosphere. We want to make it a cup tie - a proper cup tie. I don’t want it to be like a Premier League game where the inevitable happens.

There is always a realistic opportunity (of an upset) but we can’t be disrespectful of the level Chelsea play at. Chelsea are a top six Premier League side. The gulf between the Championship and Premier League is big. The gulf between the Championship and League One is big.

This time last year we were two leagues apart and world’s apart in so much. We’ve managed to slightly bridge that gap but we know it will be a meteoric task. It is 11 v 11 and at home, we’re pleased it is at home. I’m not sure the finance director is, but we are pleased.

It is one we will be bold and brave in. I don’t want us to be passive in anything that we do. Let’s look forward to it.

There are certain details we have to get uber right because they have quality, technique and world-class players that can hurt you - but that is brilliant. The nerves…these are the games you want to be involved in.

Jones was asked about whether Chelsea had a lack of emotional discipline after a fifth red card in the top-flight this season.

I’m not sure you should be asking me about the emotional side of the game,” he laughed. “It is the heat of the battle. The chance they got which led to the red, I don’t think it was an emotional decision. It’s not that Cucurella lashed out - someone got the wrong side of him.

I don’t want to comment on Chelsea’s disciplinary problems, I’ve only just come back from a ban myself. My emotional side is probably not in the dictionary.

Hopefully they come and are an emotional side but I have no idea of their emotional state in any given game.'

It will be a great atmosphere tomorrow tonight, but CAS Trust reminds us that next Saturday's game against Sheffield United is more important: https://www.castrust.org/2026/01/the-cup-tie-all-london-is-waiting-for/

Chelsea fans don't seem too happy with the way their club is being run.  

A snap survey by Chelsea Supporters’ Trust has revealed that over 90 per cent of fans do not have confidence in “the ownership group’s football-related decision-making”, while more than 80 per cent are not confident that the club is being run in a way that will deliver “sustained success over the next three to five years”.

The survey, which garnered nearly 4,000 responses in 48 hours, also found that more than 40 per cent of respondents felt the club’s current sporting structure is “not fit for purpose”, with a further 42.69 per cent believing it has “significant weaknesses”.

The most damning response was surely in relation to satisfaction with the owners’ football decisions, with 53.7 per cent of respondents having “no confidence at all” and 36.9 per cent “not very much confidence”.

Chelsea are owned by BlueCo, the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital consortium that also owns Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. On Tuesday, the French club’s supporters also expressed displeasure at the way their club is run, calling for their club president’s exit after the “humiliating” departure of Rosenior.

Rail and underground closes on Saturday

Fans are reminded that there will be no Jubilee Line service to North Greenwich on Saturday and Lewisham station will also be closed which will affect the travel plans of some of the Addickted.  However, there will be additional trains on South-Eastern via Greenwich: https://greenwichwire.co.uk/2026/01/07/jubilee-line-closed-north-greenwich-charlton-chelsea/

Chairboys deal for Anderson?

Richard Cawley has revealed exclusively on his Substack page that Wycombe Wanderers would like to have a loan deal for Karoy Anderson.   The Jamaican international has not featured in the last three Charlton squads.

On balance it would be a good move for him and Charlton.

Rosenoir's first game will be at The Valley

Richard Cawley thinks that Liam Rosenoir's first game 'in charge' at Chelsea will be on Saturday against Charlton.  Too early for the curse of Charlton.

The Sunday Times had a nice graphic at the weekend about the fate of Chelsea managers,  'Fail' and they get sacked.   Succeed, they ask for more say, and get sacked.

Chelsea fans seem remarkably phlegmatic about the rapid turnover of managers, but have they ever asked themselves if they might do even better if they followed the Arsenal or Manchester City models.?  But rapid sackings are all the fashion, Celtic being the latest example.

Chelsea also believe in player rotation, so who knows what team we will face on Saturday, but I assume it will be weakened to some extent.

I remember the 4-2 Boxing Day victory over Chelsea which led to the loss of Scotty Parker and our best ever chance of getting into Europe.

It looks like a honourable defeat on Saturday and I note that there are still seats for sale.

As for the 'Jones out now' crew, I haven't seen Oxford United signing a genius.

Do cheer up

It's always disappointing to surrender a two goal lead, but the torrent of moaning by Charlton fans on social media after yesterday's away point hardly seems justified.  A thin squad was looking tired.

Those who want to replace Nathan Jones rarely have a name to offer, because quality managers are hardly likely to be enticed by a relegation battle at Charlton.

It might be worth bearing in mind Frank Lampard's comments about Charlton in yesterday's Football League Paper: 'I've got respect for the Charlton team.  Teams will come here [The Valley] and find it hard.'

On managers, it's worth watching the hour long interview with Alan Curbishley on You Tube ('The Managers', Boyle Sports).

It further convinced me that Murray Mints should have let Curbs see out his contract so that the board would have had time to find a better replacement than Dowie.

Curbs said that he regretted that he hadn't had one more go at management but his year long legal battle with West Ham was a black mark against him, making him seem like a trouble maker.    What he was getting offered were teams in the Premier League relegation places or Championshio clubs.

Also he was enjoying a different lifestyle after missing his children growing up

Charlton surrender lead

Charlton went 2-0 ahead at Blackburn this afternoon through two Charlie Kelman goals, the second one a penalty, but ended the game 2-2 to win an away point.   The Addicks remain 19th in the table, Oxford and Norwich lost at home.

After a low-level first 25 minutes, the game sprang to life around the half hour as Charlton scored twice in six minutes. Charlie Kelman netted both goals, scoring the rebound after Miles Learbun's header had come back off the crossbar.

His second came via the penalty spot after Harry Pickering as judged to have brought down Lloyd Jones. Replays showed there was no contact on the Charlton defender but Kelman made it 2-0.

It was Charlton who took control and the lead. It was another goal that originated from Rovers' final third as the ball was turned over and a quick breakaway saw Bree's cross headed onto the bar by Leaburn and the rebound was gobbled up by Kelman.

Six minutes later, things went bad to worse for the home side. Pickering was judged to have brought down Jones in the area. On first viewing, it looked clumsy but replays showed that the Rovers man pulled out yet Charlton's defender went over. Referee David Webb pointed to the spot.

Kelman stepped up and rolled the ball away from Aynsley Pears, giving Rovers a mountain to climb on 35 minutes. Considering the hosts were staring down an eighth successive half without scoring, things looked rather bleak.

However, just three minutes later, Rovers gave themselves a lifeline. Good work from Yuki Ohashi saw Cantwell cross for Baradji, who steamed between two defenders to power home a header. That was his first goal for Rovers and a very timely one too.

Charlton had the first chance of the second half with the feeling that a third for them would be the killer blow. Bree got down the right again and delivered a teasing cross but Miller intervened before Tyreece Campbell could convert.

Atcheson then went mightily close to his first Rovers goal after winning the ball back and skidding a volley towards goal which had to be pushed away by Thomas Kaminski.  With 20 minutes to go, the tension inside Ewood Park began to rise. For all their territory, the Charlton goalkeeper had only made one save of note.

At the other end, the Addicks continued to threaten on the break. Leaburn had a clear sight of goal but a block from Sean McLoughlin prevented him from getting his shot off.

With 12 minutes remaining, Rovers found the equaliser. Miller's initial cross was blocked but he fired the rebound hard and low which picked out Baradji, who arrived into the box and finished from 12 yards for 2-2.

Hibs fan gives Dykes sp

Our Scottish correspondent 'Angus from Portobello', who is a Hibs season ticket holder, reports: 'I've no information about Hibs interest in Dykes, although it wouldn't surprise me. I believe that Hibs were disappointed not to get him in the summer, and so it's possible that they are still interested. 

The main Hibs concern is that they may lose Josh Mulligan, who is attracting a lot of interest from elsewhere. He's been a star performer since his arrival in the summer and will be missed if he moves on. It's suggested that he may have a release clause in his contract. 

Otherwise it's going well for Hibs - three consecutive wins, including one against Hearts. Zach Mitchell is now getting a bit of game time. I was surprised that Hibs had not made more use of him sooner.'

Last ditch Dykes?

Richard Cawley thinks there is something in rumours linking Charlton with out of favour Birmingham City striker Lyndon Dykes,  Certainly adding a striker is a priority in the transfer window.

However, Hibernian have offered the Scottish international - thought likely to feature in the World Cup this summer - the kilt.    They nearly secured his signature in the summer.

The 30-year old is known as a model professional, although he is a physical player.   Price tag is thought to about £1m, although Chicago Addick thinks he could be a loan until a summer signing.

I have asked my Scottish correspondent who is also a Hibs supporter for any insights.

Rovers 'running on empty'

The games are coming fast and furious and tomorrow Charlton travel to Blackburn to face the team one place below them in the Championship table.   I suppose there is some risk that weather conditions could see the game called off, but I expect it to go ahead.

My best memory of Ewood Park was a 1-1 draw that saw us promoted back to the Premier League.   Andy Hunt played up front that day

Blackburn have done better away from home than at home this season.  They have won just two at home, drawn three and lost seven, the latest being a 0-2 defeat by Wrexham.   According to their coach they were lacking in energy.

They are running on empty, fractured by a long injury list and the residual effects of a baffling and chaotic summer transfer window.   Rovers are short of quality and the head coach appears to know it.

They lack enough attacking potency or enough players who have proved they are good enough at Championship level.    Rovers have some players who are consistently capable but not enough to make significant progress - so much of that appears to rest with botched recruitment and player sales.

Academy products stand out in a team without its top goalscorer Andri Gudjohnsen for several weeks, and one that does not feature striker Makhtar Gueye at all - fully fit but left out completely in favour of players making the bench who were unheard of until winter began.

Gueye does not run enough in training to warrant a place in the squad according to Rovers boss Valerien Ismael, who really did not hold back when asked about the Senegalese player.  

New Charlton 'discovery' Rankin-Costello was, of course, a summer signing from Blackburn and the Lancashire lad has pledged to give his all against his former employers.

CAS Trust are billing this as the first away game of the new quarter century, perhaps a reminder I could do without as I look forward to my 80th year.  Their assessment is that Blackburn will be 'tough physical opponents', but I am not expecting any protection from the referee: https://www.castrust.org/2026/01/first-away-game-of-the-new-quarter-century/

  

Charlton recover from early blow

Charlton went behind early doors against league leaders Coventry at The Valley this afternoon, but Rankin-Costello equalised in the second half, scoring his first goal for the club.  Kaminski made some good saves to keep the Addicks in the game.  However, Charlton could have done better at their many corners.  

After the Sky Blues were allowed to score too easily within three minutes, the visitors had keeper Rushworth to thank for making a good save to deny Miles Leaburn pulling level five minutes later as he advanced on goal.

Charlton had a big shout for a penalty turned down when Joel Latibeaudiere blocked a goalbound shot from Charlie Kelman after the half-hour mark.

The same defender also did less controversial work to deny Luke Berry, recovering to poke the ball back to his keeper when the Charlton man was about to shoot just before half-time.

Wright was denied by Kaminski early in the second half, but Coventry were forced to defend in numbers as Charlton mounted a fight back with some sustained pressure.

Charlton were the better side in the second half but they needed goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski to pull off a double save from Haji Wright and Jamie Allen three minutes after the restart.  On 69 minutes they pulled themselves level.

Strong work from Kelman saw the left-sided forward latch on to a through pass from inside his own half and out muscle Miguel Angel Brau. His shot across goal was parried by Carl Rushworth into the path of Rankin-Costello, who finished high into the net from eight yards.

Coventry nearly snatched the lead back three minutes later, Liam Kitching spinning and poking a shot goalwards as Charlton struggled to clear but Kaminski once again pulled off an excellent save low to his left to turn it around the post.

The five minutes added on were nerve wracking as usual, but the Addicks managed to remain in control.

Charlton are now 19th.  Portsmouth lost 5-0 to Bristol City and Blackburn lost at home to Wrexham.

Attendance was 20,789.

On transfers, Nathan Jones told Richard Cawley that the club knew exactly who they wanted.   He was working 15 hours and sleeping at the training ground, but it all depended on other clubs.