Nathan Jones: New Charlton Athletic manager wants to build 'really special club'

Nathan Jones had been out of work since he was sacked by Southampton in February 2023

New Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones says he wants to build a "really special football club" at The Valley.

The former Southampton and Luton Town boss replaced Michael Appleton on a four-and-a-half-year contract at the League One side on Sunday.

Jones, 50, was speaking at his first press conference as Addicks manager and said it was not a similar situation to when he started at Luton.

He added he would have the "final say" on recruitment.

"Coming here, I feel that it's a really, really good football club," he told BBC Radio London, while also revealing his contract would run until 2028.

"It's in a position it doesn't want to be in but there's real scope to build and a capacity to be able to do that.

"I'm not quite starting in the position I did at Luton, we're in the league above and there's infrastructure far better than when I first went to Luton.

"But it's a real chance to establish ourselves at a big football club."

Jones took the Hatters from League Two to the Championship in two managerial stints from 2016 to 2019 and 2020 to 2022, either side of a short term at Stoke City.

He led Luton to the 2021-22 Championship play-off semi-finals, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Huddersfield Town.

Jones replaced Ralph Hasenhuttl as manager of then-Premier League Southampton in November 2022.

The Welshman was sacked by Saints just 95 days later after a run of one win in eight league games left them bottom of the table and this is his first job in management since.

Charlton are one point above the relegation zone after 14 matches without a win in all competitions.

On player recruitment, he said: "I'll get final say, if we don't want to sign a player then we won't, but at no point will any people here force me to do that because that's not how they've been.

"These are good people."

Jones' first game in charge will be at fellow strugglers Reading on Saturday, a side who are one place below Charlton in the table.