Charlton go top

Charlton went top of the Championship after a 1-0 win over Preston North End, Karlan Grant scoring after 56 minutes.

It was the prodigal's first goal since returning and it came in front of the Covered End.

They are the only team with a 100 per cent record, Millwall losing 5-1 at Southampton.

It was a clean sheet for Arthur Okonkwo. The home side took the lead after the break when Karlan Grant finished tidily after making a yard for himself in the area.

Preston, battered 4-0 at home by Everton in the Carabao Cup in midweek, looked for a way back into it but could not force Addicks keeper Arthur Okonkwo into a save of note.

Grant gave the home side the lead with his first goal for the club since leaving for Huddersfield in January 2019 as Millenic Alli's cross came to him in the area.

Alli had a chance to wrap it up late on but was denied by a good save from Preston keeper Daniel Iversen. in his home debut.

It was a bit of a hard grind, but better second half.  Fans rated Leaburn's contribution.   Supremo Nathan Jones said: “Miles Leaburn was outstanding. He led the line against three big centre-halves and had zero protection from the referee. At time it looked like Aussie Rules out there. It was his best game for us. “He was exhausted and had a cut eye when he came off - that’s what I want to see from my centre-forward.”

Nathan Jones has credited his coaching staff for the half-time change which helped lead to the winning goal.   Carey was replaced by Alli.

Preston's assistant supremo McCall was booked.  Fan: 'That's just for your haircut.'

AI avatar Desmond from Deal commented: 'I have to admit that Jones rides his luck, but there are 43 games to go and nine points won't save you from relegation.  Charlton started well last season, but they face a real challenge away at the Baggies on Wednesday.'

 

Jones searching for three more signings

Charlton have been linked with a loan move for Nottingham Forest defender Tyler Bindon.  The cultured 21-year old Kiwi has had difficulty in finding a first team place at Forest.  He was on loan at Sheffield United and reports from there indicate that he has potential yet to be fully realised.

“We’re probably looking to do about three, we think,” Nathan Jones told Richard Cawley, when quizzed on the amount of business still to be done. “The one position we still looked at (right wing) but we might also need to do some wheeling and dealing, to bring in cover.”

“What we don’t want to do is to be in a position we were last season in a certain area (being short). This week has been very, very difficult for one position that we are left exposed like that.”

Striker Daniel Kanu is hoping to make a loan move to Notts County. [It seems to me that this is hbis level, a great striker there but not up to Championship standard - WG]. Cawley reported earlier this week on South London Sport that club captain Greg Docherty is also the subject of interest.

Jones has indicated that Charlton are unlikely to make a goalkeeper loan signing despite Will Mannion being out with a shoulder problem.   He had praise for Tiernan Brooks, although admitting he was partially at fault for conceding the goal against Spurs.   [As someone who watches non-league it's a big transition from there to playing a Premier League side at their stadium.  WG]

The worried Welshman has no illusions about this afternoon’s fixture: “It’s a very, very difficult game. We’ll be going all out to win it, regardless of whether it is the first, second or third win of the season. I don’t think that adds pressure. It is a stat that we’d like, but purely for the fact it gives us another three points.”

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.   Preston made seven changes, although it's worth noting they were susceptible to balls played in behind their defence.

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.

Good luck to my eldest granddaughter's partner may his debut in goal today for Abingdon Town (founded 1870) against Shipston Excelsior.

Wine recommendations

Lord Young of Acton drinks a £80 bottle of wine if QPR win, but sometimes settles for a £40 bottle of plonk.  No need to spend that money.   Lidl have a white from the south of France at £7, great with sea food, Le Rocher de Saint Victor, Picpoul de Ponet.   Shame about our quarrels with Argentina as their Malbecs from the Andes foothills are superb value, Tesco has one from Mendoza at £9.50.

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.