Charlton Athletic

Charlton manager Nathan Jones admitted his side had not delivered the "best version of themselves" in the 1-1 draw with Swansea but insisted another point in the Championship was to be welcomed.

Speaking to BBC Radio London, Jones said: "I would have liked us to impose ourselves a bit more, but we didn't and Swansea passed the ball better than us and caused us problems.

"We looked a little bit jaded and I don't know why that was. We will have a look at that back. But they [the players] are giving me everything and it is another point in the Championship, which is no bad thing.

"It was a hard-fought and difficult game. What we have to do is be the best version of ourselves. Were we today? Probably not.

"But they are a good side with good players and they are well coached. We will dust ourselves down and take a point from it."

Charlton welcome Swansea to The Valley on Saturday (15:00 GMT) seeking to build on their fast start to the Championship season.

The newly-promoted Addicks have taken 19 points from their opening 12 games to sit sixth, have taken 10 points from their five home fixtures so far and have lost just once in their past eight matches overall.

The Swans are 13th but only three points back, having picked up seven points from their past four away games, but went down 3-1 at home to Man City in the EFL Cup fourth round on Tuesday.

• Charlton Athletic have won just one of their past nine league games against Swansea City (D2 L6), with this the first meeting between the sides since a 1-0 victory for the Swans in January 2020.

• Swansea City have won two of their past four away league games against Charlton Athletic (D1 L1), as many victories as across their first 18 away trips to the London side (D5 L11).

• Charlton have lost just one of their past 20 home league games (W15 D4), averaging 1.8 goals per game during that time.

• Swansea remain the only team yet to score from a set-piece (excluding penalties) in the 2025-26 Championship campaign, while only Coventry City (11) and Oxford United (10) have scored more such goals than Charlton Athletic (7).

• Only Birmingham City (6) have won more points from goals scored in the 90th minute or later than Charlton Athletic (5) in the Championship so far this season, with the Addicks earning a point against Hull last time out in the 91st minute.

Image source, Getty Images

Alan Sheehan will do battle with a man who has had a big influence on his career when Swansea City go to Charlton Athletic on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Swansea head coach Sheehan will go up against Nathan Jones having spent many years on the same side as the Welshman.

Former left-back Sheehan was enduring a difficult spell at Bradford City when he joined Jones' Luton Town on loan in January 2016.

Sheehan ended up as club captain at Luton, where he helped Jones' team win promotion from League Two in 2018 and then from League One 12 months later.

The Irishman left Kenilworth Road in 2020 to continue his playing career, but then returned to join Jones' Luton coaching staff in 2022 before following him to Southampton later that year.

After being dismissed by Saints in February 2023, Jones and Sheehan went their separate ways, with the latter joining Swansea's staff that summer.

Image source, Getty Images

But it is safe to assume there will be plenty of respect on the touchline at the Valley this weekend as Sheehan faces his former boss.

"It will be the first time that we come up against each other as managers," Sheehan said. "And I think it will be a very difficult game."

Jones is something of a controversial figure in the eyes of Swansea's fans, thanks chiefly to the fact that he supports their south Wales rivals Cardiff City.

But after his previous successes at Luton, the 52-year-old is once again thriving at Charlton, with his team sixth in the Championship table having won promotion from League One last season.

"It's a team that's built up a lot of momentum in the last year or so and a very difficult team to play against from what I have seen," Sheehan added.

"They beat Ipswich 3-0 away the other day and they are in the play-off places at the moment, so we understand it's going to be a very difficult game."

On Monday we asked Charlton fans to get in touch with their views about their team's fine start to the Championship season following promotion, and asking just how far they might go under Nathan Jones.

Here are a selection of your responses:

Alex W - Still very early doors, I'd be happy still if we stay up! At the end of the day I know it's great being top-10 but we've only just come up! It's great to finally see us compete. So still the goal should be to stay up and finish as strong as possible.

Tony M - Really good signings in the summer and Kelman and Olaofe will get the time to click in. Jones is doing a great job but let's not forget the owners and directors for their ambition, commitment and backing. Great to see!! As for January window, just keep the squad and don't let anyone go. Please…

Liam - I think I was in the minority of fans at the start of the season that wasn't even contemplating a relegation battle. The way we played last season under Nathan Jones and the players we brought in, I think we will continue to perform at this level. I think we will be close to the play-offs by the end of the season and be in the mix next year.

Paul T - Yes we can keep it going, our defence is superb. Just need our strikers to start scoring regularly and we will stay near the top of the league

Simon - This is the result of team work, energy, passion and everyone leaving everything on the pitch. NJ has led this and it has filtered through the team and into the stands. Survival is the first step. Be in this position at Christmas and the goal posts move….sensational start to the season. Great time to be a Charlton fan

Steve B - Genuinely, we believe as a club and a fan base we should be on more points than we've got and that's a scary thought regarding the potential of our team. We have a group of players who've bonded well and bought into a decent way of playing and are responding brilliantly to the direction of Nathan Jones and his staff. Everything's going well and we have been on a good run since December 2024.

Alex - Very pleased with the start, but not getting carried away yet. We started well in our last Championship campaign but suffered injuries and were ultimately relegated. Squad seems stronger this time around and in Nathan Jones we have the best manager we've had for a long while.

John S - Nathan Jones has turned the club around completely. We had sunk so low and had a number of managers and players who were simply not good enough. He is such an effervescent personality and the best thing to happen to Charlton for a long time. To say it's been a grim few years is an understatement. When Nathan Jones joined Charlton we were seriously facing potential relegation to League Two. The impact has been amazing. To be at The Valley now is a joy and it feels like something special is developing. The club, players and fans are aligned and we are progressing. The atmosphere is special. The relationship between the team and fans is strong and this is so important. Who knows where this journey is taking us? It's a great journey and I didn't foresee this happening 12 months ago.

Tim O - It's good start, but still early days. We've surprised many people including me. Nathan has built a team, no individuals. They work hard and give everything. Only one new injury so far, Josh Edwards. With Matty Godden to come back it could even improve. But realistically survival is number one priority, which looks to be on the cards. Let's see how far we can go. The fans are enjoying the season, I enjoy the atmosphere at The Valley. Who knows, we could grow into that team that defies the odds and goes up. The January window will be interesting if we're still in the play-off position.

Duncan - At the start of the season my hope (rather than expectation) was to stay up. Massive credit to Nathan Jones, the players and the owners for the start we've had. Still a long way to go. While staying up would still equal success I am hoping for mid-table or higher. Thanks to the aforementioned, we have a squad of players that give their all for the shirt, a team we are incredibly proud of and an exciting future ahead.

Gerry - Mid-table for sure... we will continue to improve and if/when our strikers start to score on a regular basis then not impossible for a run at the play-offs.

David K - This solid start to the season actually hides the fact that we have a forward line that is largely untested at this level. If we continue to gel as a team and start to bring out the best of the latent talent in our younger forwards, it's possible that we could sustain this form.

Gerard - 50 points remains the priority objective. This league can turn you inside out in a heartbeat.

Adrian - I predicted that we'd finish 19th. To be honest I would still be happy with that. So, anything better is a great bonus.

Johnny - I am delighted with our start. In the top six after 12 matches is beyond what I could have dreamt of. Being joint second in number of clean sheets shows how good we are at the back. Our strikers have yet to click, and once they do, I'm sure we can keep this momentum going and push for a top-six finish, especially when Matty Godden is back. There is a belief around Charlton under Nathan Jones, and who knows where he can take us.

Ian - A skilfully-assembled blend of homegrown talents (Tyreece Campbell, Miles Leaburn), ex-Luton town imports (too many to list!), and an excellent midfield, spearheaded by free transfer Sonny Carey, energetically coached by Nathan Jones and backed by the best club structure we've had for years, has seen us rise and rise. After decades of terrible ownership the crowd, the club and the team finally feel united again, and it is wonderful.

James - Even after our incredible start, I think the primary goal absolutely still has to be beating the drop. We're currently punching well above our weight - and deservedly so, as our results have been earned as much by Nathan's tactical nous and the players' genuine skill as they have our more celebrated attitude and grit. But I think it's realistic, not pessimistic, to say that there will be a time when things aren't going quite so well and points are harder to come by. The Championship can be so cruel, and establishing ourselves as part of it for the long term is undoubtedly the most important thing this season.

Rob A - Having supported CAFC since 1963 I've seen many ups and downs - from dreaming of European qualification to fearing relegation from League One, the dread of winding-up to the euphoria of Wembley play-off successes, trees growing on the pitch to a high-quality stadium in our spiritual Valley home. Despite all the above emotions, the greatest pleasures derive from seeing never-ending commitment on the pitch. We have that right now and the journey is on the up again.

Happy with your start to the season, Addicks fans? Thought so. Understandable.

From fourth in League One to sixth in the Championship in the space of six months and 12 league games, Nathan Jones is doing quite a job at The Valley..

But how far can Charlton go this season? Are you just hoping to finish 21st or better, is mid-table realistic, or is this the start of a very special season and a push for a return to the Premier League after 19 years away?

What do you think your fast start has been built on, and what do you think needs to happen for it to continue? Do you have any specific requests for the transfer window when it opens on 1 January?

Click here to have your say.

We'll publish some of the best responses right here on Tuesday.

Betty Glover
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Rex Features

Are Charlton on track for something special? They've certainly enjoyed a fantastic start to the Championship season under the guidance of Nathan Jones.

They came into Saturday's clash against Hull, having consigned promotion favourites Ipswich Town to their first home defeat of the season, doing it in style as well, beating them 3-0.

They backed that up with a draw against the Tigers thanks to a late Luke Berry equaliser, an example of their mentality and belief. They never gave up.

After a dozen games the Addicks sit sixth in the table, something that wasn't predicted by many people heading into this season.

Yes, they've got some good players up front that catch the eye - but also down the other end, they have crucial Premier League experience in Thomas Kaminski. The keeper was signed this summer from Luton - and has kept five clean sheets in his first 12 Championship matches.

The question is, can they ride this momentum? With the clubs that have come down from the Premier League struggling, maybe Charlton can sneak into the play-off race?

Paul Sullivan
Fan Writer

Image source, Getty Images

A hugely satisfying week for Charlton Athletic.

On a personal note, any meeting between Hull City and Charlton Athletic means a little bit extra for me as my dad was born there and it just so happened this match was played on the anniversary of his passing.

The 1-1 draw brought an end to a week which was hugely satisfying, culminating in seven points out of nine.

This was our third big test against a side coming off the back of a wonderful win against Leicester City, who had built up a head of steam following three straight wins and were unbeaten in four matches.

Despite the euphoria of our win at Ipswich Town in midweek, fresh legs were required as Nathan Jones made four changes to counter the hard miles endured both on the pitch and on the road.

Generally speaking, we mainly nullified any perceived threat from these dangerous Tigers.

We temporarily dropped our standards with a mistake to give them a goal but such is the belief NJ has instilled into this team, I remained positively hopeful even as we crept into added time.

An important goal from Luke Berry epitomises one of so many different facets this team offers. In this case, a somewhat forgotten man who had been pivotal in last season's success and yet adds another dimension to our vast armoury at our disposal as we take on the might of the Championship.

More than a quarter of the season has already elapsed and we are in a play-off spot.

Dare to dream? Of course, but the first target is 50 points.

It's nice to take a breather before the rigours of a week's training as we look forward to the visit of Swansea City. A match Nathan Jones will be salivating over with his allegiance towards Cardiff City.

This year's fireworks could start early.

In-form sides Hull City and Charlton Athletic will compete to go ahead as they meet at the MKM Stadium on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Both teams currently possess 18 points, with the Addicks two places above the seventh placed Tigers due to goal difference.

But Hull are on a four match unbeaten streak, winning their past three, and will be eager to break into that top six.

• Hull City have won just three of their last 13 league games against Charlton Athletic (D5 L5), though all three have come on home soil during that time.

• Charlton Athletic have lost three of their last four away league games against Hull City (W1), one more than across their prior 16 such matches combined between October 1929 and October 2007.

• Hull have won each of their last two home league games and will be looking to win three in succession for the first time since November 2023.

• Charlton won their last away league game 3-0 vs Ipswich in midweek; they haven't won successive away league games whilst netting 3+ goals in the process since May 2014.

• Joe Gelhardt has either scored (2) or assisted (1) each of Hull's last three Championship goals; it's more goal involvements than in his previous 11 league games (2).

Paul Sullivan
Fan writer

Wowzers - who predicted this stunning scoreline? Perhaps Nathan Jones, though he might have wished for even more goals.

This was no easy task - Ipswich Town, a Premier League side just last season and one of the promotion favourites, stood firm with an unbeaten home record this campaign.

In front of a packed crowd of 28,006, two astute managers clashed, but it was Jones' tactical courage - playing two up front - that helped deliver this win.

Ipswich started with heavy pressure, capitalising on their home advantage but Charlton stood resolute, defending courageously before deciding to fight back. What followed was a magical 12-minute spell in the second half that showcased quality from all three goals.

Sonny Carey's driving runs and sublime left-footed shot opened the scoring.

He then linked beautifully with Conor Coventry for the second goal ending with a Macaulay Gillesphey header.

The third was a masterpiece of determination and skill. Lloyd Jones's tenacity won possession, eventually leading to Tyreece Campbell's exquisite chip onto the head of Miles Leaburn, who celebrated his first Championship goal - a milestone moment.

While Carey and Gillesphey found the net once again, it was refreshing to see a forward get on the scoresheet.

Ipswich's weakness when trailing was evident, echoing their recent struggles after conceding against Middlesbrough.

This 3-0 victory marked Charlton's second consecutive win, a clean sheet against a top contender, and revenge for previous heavy defeats at Portman Road. After the injustice losing to Leicester City in August, this triumph underpinned how this team can compete against top sides.

Confidence is soaring, with Jones emphasising the importance of basics - concentration and avoiding errors.

A blend of last season's League One core and sharp recruitment now sees Charlton fifth in the table, three points off the automatic promotion places and comfortably clear of the relegation zone.

October may be early days, but this result is a landmark. Few teams will take points at Portman Road this year, and the spirited celebrations were well-earned.

The home fans' boos at full-time contrasted sharply with their recent cheers against Norwich, highlighting the impact Charlton has made.

Under our Welsh wizard's leadership, the Addicks have transformed from League One to a respected Championship force, a team no one now underestimates.

Charlton Athletic manager hailed his "aggressive" side after they won 3-0 at Ipswich Town.

"It was a magnificent result - some squad, some team," Jones told BBC Radio London.

"In the first 25 minutes we had to get to grips with it because we were really passive and allowed them to work patterns and get their good players into areas, and we had to defend the box really, really well.

"Then we became more aggressive, got on the front foot a little bit more, and we had four really good chances in the first half.

"At half-time I got into the players and said 'Look, if we want to be passive, these are a good side who will play round you and through you'. In the second half we were really aggressive and went after the game.

"The goals were excellent goals and the game-changers that went on were excellent. It was some performance."

Only Middlesbrough (13) have taken more than Ipswich's 11 home points so far this season with the Suffolk side one of five Championship teams yet to lose on their own turf.

Charlton will arrive in Suffolk with three wins from their past five games, including a last-minute victory at Sheffield United.

• Ipswich have scored 14 goals in their past three league games against Charlton (W2 D1), scoring 4+ goals in each; it's one of only two occasions in their history that they have scored four or more in three successive league meetings with a side (also v Brighton from Dec 1959 to Sep 1960).

• Charlton have lost both of their past two league visits to Ipswich by an aggregate score of 10-0, only ever losing more in a row away to the Tractor Boys from 1996 to 2000 (4).

• Ipswich have won each of their past three home league games, more than their previous 24 beforehand combined (W2 D8 L14).

• After their 2-0 defeat by Preston, Charlton could lose successive away league matches for the first time since November 2024.

• Charlton have won seven of their past eight midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (D1) since a 2-1 defeat at Crawley in December 2024.

Paul Sullivan
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

Hats off to the players, management, and staff of Sheffield Wednesday for their resilience amid the off-field turbulence of recent months.

I, for one, would not have tolerated the non-payment of wages. Having experienced it myself back in the day, I know that once it begins, the chances of improvement are slim — the writing is on the wall.

Coming into the contest, I had my concerns.

The Owls were sure to provide a stern test of our credentials, especially given their impressive recent away performances.

Securing three points was crucial, with two tough away fixtures looming on the eastern side of England against Ipswich Town and Hull City respectively.

Sonny Carey deserves immense credit for his contribution to Charlton. I was particularly impressed with his goal — showing great awareness to follow up his initial effort, despite tripping over a Wednesday defender, and calmly slotting the ball home.

James Bree replicated his trademark delivery with a perfect set-piece cross for Reece Burke to make it 2–0, following his assist for Macaulay Gillesphey's goal against Blackburn in the previous home game.

Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen had noted in his press conference that "good basics" would decide the game — and he wasn't wrong.

Charlton's second-half display may have left something to be desired, but Nathan Jones is primarily focused on one thing: winning football matches.

Many respected pundits say the first 10 games offer a fair indication of how a team's season might unfold.

A return of 15 points and ninth place in the Championship table is a hugely satisfying start - something no Charlton fan could have predicted at the beginning of this new chapter.

Although, perhaps one man did see it coming - our "daddy," Nathan Jones.

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

Charlton manager Nathan Jones felt his side could have killed the game off in the first half with a little more ruthlessness, after their 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

He told BBC Radio London: "I'm delighted that we won because you come out of these international breaks and never know what you're going to get. People have had two weeks off, you've had internationals who have travelled around the world, you never know.

"First half we were good. We scored two goals and with a little bit more killer instinct we'd have scored more. Charlie [Kelman] has had two situations where he could score, [James] Bree has out in some wonderful balls that, again, we could score from - two was the least we should have had.

"We warned [our players] at half time because we've watched them [Wednesday] a number of times and they've been 2-0 down twice and come back to 2-2, and they should have won the Wrexham 3-2 or 4-2 so we knew there was a sting in the tail if we didn't do what we did.

"We almost had that but we saw the game out really well and came strong late on."

Amid the news that Sheffield Wednesday are set to be served a winding-up petition, the Owls will look to earn some positivity when they visit Charlton Athletic on Saturday (15:00 BST).

As it stands, the struggling side still have a chance of escaping the bottom three and could go as high as 19th with a win.

The petition is just the latest in a long line of turmoil at the club though, and with many fans choosing to forgo away trips in order to punish owner Dejphon Chansiri, Charlton may spy an opportunity to rise out of the mid-table and get closer to the top six.

• Charlton Athletic are winless in their last seven league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D1 L6), failing to score in six of those matches.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won two of their last three away league games against Charlton Athletic (D1), as many as in their previous eight visits (D3 L3).

• Charlton have won 14 of their last 18 home league matches (D3 L1), while in 2025 they have 12 home league wins – they last had more in a single year in 2019 (13).

• Sheffield Wednesday have conceded the most goals in the Championship this season (20) – it's the earliest into a league campaign (9 games) that they've conceded that many since 2012-13 (also 20 in first 9 games).

• James Bree has been involved in four goals in five Championship appearances this season for Charlton (2 goals, 2 assists) – he has a goal or assist every 89 minutes, the fourth-best ratio of any player with 300+ minutes for any side this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Midfielder Conor Coventry has been called up by the Republic of Ireland for Tuesday's 2026 World Cup qualifier with Armenia.

Charlton Athletic's Coventry replaces Josh Cullen, who is suspended after collecting his second booking of the campaign in Saturday's dramatic 1-0 defeat by Portugal.

Heimir Hallgrimsson's side have one point from three matches and were stunned 2-1 by Armenia in the reverse fixture in September.

The Republic know they must win in Dublin on Tuesday to have any realistic chance of finishing in the top two in Group F.

It was initially hoped that Celtic defender Liam Scales would join the squad following a family bereavement, but he will also miss the qualifier with Armenia.

The Football Association of Ireland said is passed on its "deepest sympathies to Liam and his family at this difficult time".

Image source, Getty Images

Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town lead the manager and player of the month awards for September after both sides have remained undefeated and climbed up the Championship table.

Tractor Boys winger Jaden Philogene has been nominated for player of the month after finding the net four times across the side's three completed matches in September, including a hat-trick during their 5-0 drubbing over Sheffield United.

Charlton's James Bree bagged two goals and two assists over their four games to earn his nod.

Addicks boss Nathan Jones and Ipswich's Kieran McKenna both earn manager of the month nominations for their roles in their unbeaten months but face tough competition against Preston North End's Paul Heckingbottom and Queens Park Rangers' Julien Stephen.

Both also enjoyed an undefeated September, with Preston and QPR currently residing in the top six.

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan and Hull City's Ollie McBurnie round out the player nominations.

McBurnie scored in each of the side's four games to produce five goals in September, while Bannan helped earn Wednesday five points with an opening goal in their first league win of the season against Portsmouth and two assists.

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur are set to appoint Charlton academy manager Tom Pell into a leading position in their youth-set up.

Championship club Charlton last week confirmed that Pell would leave the club in December to take up a role at a Premier League side.

And BBC Sport understands Pell will join Spurs in the coming months where he will take up the role of head of academy operations and administration.

He will replace Danetta Powell, who is leaving Tottenham.

Pell was appointed as the Addicks' academy manager in May 2022, arriving from Cambridge where he spent 16 years.

Now, he will move across London to take up the senior position with Spurs' academy set-up.

Paul Sullivan
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

You know when they say - may the best team win? Well, they did.

Preston may have been fortuitous with their first goal with the contentious throw-in and a wicked deflection but overall it was a deserved win due to their overall dominance of play.

Going into the game, I must confess to having a sense of foreboding. We very rarely get anything up at Deepdale. I do remember one triumph - a 2-0 win following our relegation from the Premier League in 2007 with goals from Chinese international Zheng Zhi and Luke Varney.

PNE have already taken some notable scalps at home this season, defeating Leicester and Ipswich, who were both competing in the Premier League in 2024-25.

However, Hull did demonstrate in their previous game, you could get around their defence, but once again, our assorted collection of forward players failed to deliver.

It took a deflection off Kayne Ramsay following a shot from former Charlton player Thierry Small to break the deadlock.

It had to be Small, didn't it? Charlton fans never learn. If you goad a player, it can come back to haunt you. Just ask Macauley Bonne. Guess it's all part of our wonderful football banter.

Nathan Jones was rather perplexed when receiving a yellow card from referee James Linington at the final whistle, as he sought to book an appointment in the referees' room regarding the throw-in incident and also one or two other decisions.

There was no caution for me when I politely enquired his reasoning for sending off Christian Dailly in a match at Leyton Orient in 2010. I was introduced to him the following day on his home turf in the Isle of Wight at an FA Cup qualifying match between Newport IOW and Kidlington (groundhopping adventure). A most pleasant chap.

So, all in all, a bad day at the office. Tiredness, inclement weather, lack of fluidity, etc. Whatever it was, we can still be satisfied with our 12-point haul after nine games.

One aspect for Jones to ponder over the next fortnight in this international break, is whether to reshuffle our forward pack. Personally, I would favour Tanto Olaofe and Miles Leaburn.

One thing is for sure, Jones will not rest as he continually strives to evolve this south-east London sleeping giant.

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

Image source, Rex Features

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones has said he feels "let down" by the officials at Deepdale following his side's 2-0 away loss to Preston.

Efforts from Thierry Small and Daniel Jebbison ended Charlton's four game unbeaten run but Jones felt aggrieved especially by Small's goal to which he felt there was a foul in the build up.

The former Southampton manager was booked at full time for confronting referee James Linington.

"They scored the first goal—forget the second, because we were trying to chase the game, changed shape, tried to go after it - but it's always going to be about the first goal.

"I got let down by a decision of the officials. They then went up the other side and scored, and that's my real disappointment.

On what he said to the referee at full time, Jones said: "Literally didn't say anything to him, but apparently, I'll get clarity on why I've been booked, because I don't know—I didn't say anything.

"I said, I'm going to come in and see you, [with] my arms at my side, no dissent, nothing at all about being booked. It's easy for them to do pretty much what they want.

"They can cost us a game or make decisions that contribute heavily to us losing, but I'm the one that gets punished—and double punished. So I'll go in and get clarity, because I have no idea why I've been booked."