Charlton Athletic

Paul Sullivan
Fan Writer

It's amazing to think the last competitive match was at Wembley — and now, here we were at The Valley, ready to embark on our Championship adventure.

Pre-match thoughts naturally turned to whether we could cope in this harsh environment. A new mindset has taken hold - keep clean sheets, score crucial goals - football is a simple game.

The fan zone buzzed with excitement before kick-off. The pitch looked lush under the bright sunshine, and the atmosphere was full of optimism.

Sir Chris Powell received a heartfelt reception from The Valley faithful — a touching tribute to a club legend.

There was a poignant minute's applause for three members of the Charlton family we've sadly lost: Pierre Bolangi, Ethan Ade-Oduwale, and Jorge Costa.

When the team sheets landed an hour before kick-off, Charlton had five debutants in the starting XI; Watford had three.

As it turned out, we acquitted ourselves well — attacking the task head-on, just as Nathan Jones promised. There was no fear.

We took the early initiative with a Lloyd Jones effort that forced a smart save from Watford keeper Egil Selvik.

After our early pressure, Watford began to grow into the game, showing the technical quality in their ranks. Selvik, Ngakia, Louza, and Baah particularly caught the eye on this blue-sky afternoon.

A tasty battle was developing between Charlton's left wing-back Josh Edwards and Watford's explosive winger Kwadwo Baah. On 42 minutes, Baah came off worse in one of their duels, ending up face down near the Alan Curbishley Stand advertising boards.

Half-time assessment: After an excitable Charlton start, Watford regained their composure but they were grateful to Selvik for keeping them level with two fine saves.

At the hour mark, it felt like there was nothing between the sides but you sensed either team could strike at any moment.

When Edwards limped off on 80 minutes after an epic shift, concern set in. His presence will be vital in upcoming games against Bristol City and Leicester.

Six minutes of stoppage time were added and two defining moments were still to come.

Jones later admitted Watford should have had a penalty after Kaminski clashed with debutant Nestory Irankunda.

Then came the wonder moment in the 94th minute. The Valley erupted and once again, Nathan Jones dropped to his knees in thanks.

Conor Coventry swung in a deep corner, Lloyd Jones headed it back across goal, and there was new boy Harvey Knibbs to prod home. What a moment for the lad.

It was a memorable afternoon. After the euphoria of Wembley in May, we've begun life in the Championship with a last-gasp winner against a side who supposedly don't lose on opening day.

Post-match, there were some shenanigans between the two sets of players. Even Nathan Jones got involved in some animated gesturing towards the Watford fans. But when he made his way to the Covered End to celebrate with the Charlton faithful, the passion was clear — every punch in the air reflected the magnitude of the result.

Let's not forget, this is a manager who took us from 19th in League One in February 2024 to this moment of triumph.

Three vital points were secured and when survival is the first aim, it's a fantastic start. But under NJ's leadership, you sense there may be more gears to go through in this division.

While it's early days, there was no fear from this Charlton side just pride, intent, and purpose.

We're the new boys and we should be proud of ourselves.

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones was overjoyed with his side's win on their return to the Championship.

Harvey Knibbs' stoppage-time winner ensured the Addicks took all three points as they beat Watford 1-0.

"I thought we took about 10 minutes to settle, they played a bit of possession football and we didn't get the press right," he told BBC London.

"But once we got to grips with the game I thought we were excellent, we went after it, we created chances.

"Their keeper's made some excellent saves and I thought we were excellent and thoroughly deserved it - more shots, more shots on target.

"Then to score in the manner that we did is a wonderful way to win a game."

"The amount of new managers coming into the league this year, I have never seen anything like it".

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff are joined by special guests Tommy Smith and Alex Bruce to preview the 2025-26 Championship season.

They discuss a range of topics including assessing chances of sides coming down from the Premier League, who the contenders might be for the top six and take a deep dive of each of the sides promoted from League One.

Listen to the full episode of 72+ and more on BBC Sounds.

Just 76 days after beating Leyton Orient at Wembley in the League One Play-off Final, Charlton will play their first Championship game in more than five years as they welcome Watford to The Valley (12:30 BST).

Nathan Jones' side finished fourth in the third tier last year and have lost only twice at home in the league since the Welshman was appointed as Addicks boss in February 2024.

In the opposite dugout, Uruguayan coach Paolo Pezzolano will take charge of his first Hornets game after replacing Tom Cleverley at the helm in May after his side slumped to finish 14th in the Championship standings.

• Charlton Athletic and Watford last faced one another in any competition back in January 2015, a game won 5-0 by the Hornets at Vicarage Road.

• The last time Charlton and Watford met in their opening league match of the season was back in 1926-27 in the Third Division South, a game the Hornets won 1-0.

• This is Charlton's first Championship match since July 2020, when they lost 4-0 to Marcelo Bielsa's title-winning Leeds team at Elland Road. They haven't lost their opening league game in any of their last five seasons as a newly promoted team (W2 D3).

• Watford have won their opening league game of the season in each of the last five seasons, the only side to achieve that feat in the top four tiers of English football since 2020-21.

• Including play-offs, Charlton forward Matty Godden scored 19 League One goals last season, 12 more than any other Addicks player. He has gone 18 Championship appearances without scoring, however, all for Coventry in the 2023-24 campaign, last netting at this level in November 2023 against Millwall.

Paul Sullivan
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Charlton Athletic welcome Watford on Saturday at 12:30 BST for their first Championship fixture after five years in the third-tier wilderness of the English Football League.

The match will be played in front of the biggest opening day crowd at the Valley for 17 years, bolstered by a sold-out away end.

Both teams have so far made nine summer signings and a number of them should be on show for this intriguing curtain-raiser to the new season.

For Charlton, expect to see keeper Thomas Kaminski and defender Amari'i Bell - both signed from Luton Town - added to boss Nathan Jones's already strong defence.

As we move up the pitch, the double signing from Blackpool of Sonny Carey and Rob Apter will be hoping to continue their mutual understanding demonstrated at both Bloomfield Road and in pre-season friendlies with the Addicks.

My preference up top for Saturday would be an initial partnership of Tanto Olaofe (signed from Stockport County) and Miles Leaburn offering a combination of athleticism and muscle. Mind you, Charlton have plenty of attacking options to call on to change it up if needed with the likes of Tyreece Campbell and new signing Charlie Kelman.

As for Watford, they will arrive at the Valley having won their past seven opening day Championship fixtures.

They have a new head coach at the helm (surprise, surprise) in Uruguayan Paulo Pezzolano, who is intent on making Watford his fourth promotion success.

Watford come into the match having played two pre-season games fewer then their hosts, perhaps wanting to spend more time bedding down the new coach's philosophy of high intensity and dominance on the ball at the training ground.

Charlton may be able to exploit a perceived weakness in the Hornets backline with an injury doubt to central defender Mattie Pollock (son of Jamie, ex-Middlesbrough and Manchester City midfielder), perhaps forcing them to draft in ex-Addicks loanee James Abankwah, who struggled in his short time under Michael Appleton at the Valley in the 2023-24 season.

It is a different kettle of fish in their midfield. Versatile Hector Kyprianou has joined from Peterborough United, and he knows how to find the back of the net against Charlton after scoring the winner at London Road two years ago. He joins passer-supreme Imran Louza and, once a £30m signing for Tottenham Hotspur, Moussa Sissoko in a fluid 4-3-3 shape.

Up top, Watford have the options of creativity, pace and strength with Rocco Vata, Kwadwo Baah and new 6ft 4in Danish striker Luca Kjerrumgaard respectively. Kjerrumgaard scored 22 goals in 29 games for Odense last season. Tom Ince is another obvious option.

Both teams will go out with a positive intent to get three points. Jones will be drumming home to the Charlton players to get the basics right and concentrate to the extreme in this new unforgiving environment.

Owner Gino Pozzo will only accept promotion from his new coach, so Watford will want to be at the races from the start.

I am predicting a share of the spoils: 2-2.

Paul Sullivan provides commentary on Charlton Athletic games for the visually impaired.

Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones says his side will take time to adjust to the Championship but "need to be ready" for the challenge.

His play-off winning side welcome Watford to The Valley on Saturday in their first game back in the second tier after five years in League One.

"We won't be the finished article next Saturday but we need to be ready for the first Championship game, and we'll get used to the level and turn into the team that we want to be," Jones told BBC Radio London.

Listen to all the latest Charlton content on BBC Sounds.

Paul Sullivan
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

The first time I took notice of Nathan Jones was in 2012, when he joined Charlton Athletic as the Under-21s professional development coach. Even then, whispers around the club spoke of his sharp coaching mind and infectious energy.

Before long, Brighton & Hove Albion came calling — and just like that, he was gone, off to assist Oscar Garcia. I remember feeling disappointed. It felt like we'd just glimpsed something special, only for it to slip through our fingers.

Still, I followed his career from a distance - the highs at Luton, the bruising spells at Stoke and Southampton - always wondering if he'd return to SE7.

So when Charlton appointed him manager in February 2024, while we were sitting in 19th place in League One, I was genuinely excited. He returned not as a coach, but as a man on a mission. His message was simple: tighten up at the back, sharpen up front, survive the season, then build something better.

The summer that followed brought promise. Smart recruitment. Three wins on the bounce. But football is rarely linear — and soon, the Nathan Jones rollercoaster took a dive. A woeful performance at Reading saw him, in his own words, "go off his nut". A few shaky results followed. The mood turned restless.

Then came a moment few expected. After a home win against big-spending Birmingham City - a moment made for celebration - Jones instead lashed out at the home fans, frustrated by their lack of belief. He even offered to step aside.

It was shocking. But also, in a strange way, galvanising.

Supporters began to understand the method behind the madness. Jones wasn't here for hollow applause - he wanted buy-in. Unity. Grit. Around Christmas, things began to click. Results improved. So did the connection between manager, players and fans.

That journey culminated at Wembley in May - a day that rewrote the mood of the club.

What I admire most about Nathan Jones is his brutal honesty and burning passion - qualities that resonate deeply in this working-class corner of London. Yes, he demands a lot. Yes, he's intense. But he gives everything. And in return, he asks only that we trust the process, even when it's uncomfortable.

That infamous Birmingham rant? It wasn't petulance. It was a challenge. A turning point. And looking back, it was the beginning of Charlton rediscovering its heartbeat.

Macaulay Gillesphey summed it up perfectly after the play-off final: "He doesn't mess about."

Jones has a deep affection for this club - forged in that early stint back in 2012, strengthened by old friendships, and cemented by this chapter of redemption. As we now step into the Championship, there's a quiet confidence that we're in good hands.

The foundations are set. The belief is returning. And with Jones at the helm, the 'grand design' doesn't seem so far-fetched anymore.

Nathan Jones: a builder, a believer, and the man Charlton didn't know it needed - until now.

Charlton Athletic have confirmed their triallist during a friendly victory over Wealdstone was Wolves and Jamaica right-back Dexter Lembikisa, 21. (Louis Mendez via X), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

Paul Sullivan
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

Minutes after Charlton Athletic sealed their return to the Championship following five gruelling years in League One, manager Nathan Jones spoke of tough decisions ahead, the need to adapt, and the importance of adding quality for the challenges to come.

That's been reflected in a busy summer of recruitment, with a wave of signings combining high-level experience and raw potential.

But what about the existing squad members who put in the hard yards to earn promotion? Are they ready for the demands of the Championship?

Deep down, goalkeeper Will Mannion will know that new signing Thomas Kaminski - who played every minute of Luton Town's 2023-24 Premier League campaign - is likely to be handed the No1 jersey.

A defence that kept 26 clean sheets last season will now be looking over its shoulder, with the arrivals of Amari'i Bell and Reece Burke adding competition to an already strong back line.

Most Charlton fans will feel that Josh Edwards, Lloyd Jones, and Kayne Ramsay are capable of making the step-up, while Macaulay Gillesphey's prospects were covered in a previous article.

Conor Coventry will back himself to make an impact in midfield, but Greg Docherty - released by Championship side Hull City before joining in August 2024 - faces tough competition from new arrivals Joe Rankin-Costello and Sonny Carey.

Luke Berry brings valuable top-flight experience, but at this stage of his career, his role may be more limited to squad contributions.

Up front, new signings Tanto Olaofe and Rob Apter arrive with strong reputations following standout seasons at Stockport County and Blackpool respectively.

They add to an already promising attacking lineup featuring Tyreece Campbell, Miles Leaburn and Matt Godden - last season's top scorer with 18 league goals - who may find the return to the Championship more challenging, despite his previous experience with Coventry City.

The new signings are crucial in helping establish Charlton as a genuine Championship side, but the players who earned promotion still have a key role to play. As Nathan Jones rebuilds for a tougher tier, it's no longer just about the starting Xl - impact off the bench matters just as much. Together, old and new can drive the revival of this proud football club.

Paul Sullivan provides commentary on Charlton Athletic games for the visually impaired.

As winger Rob Apter joins Charlton from Blackpool, BBC Radio London's Xavi Bird and Aaron Paul reflect on the Addicks' busy transfer window, and what it might mean for the new season.