Campbell coy over contract hopes, Olaofe is supersub in win at Sheffield United and former Wolves goalkeeper joins academy
The latest review of the week - a round-up of Charlton Athletic news
Plenty to get through in this review of the week - including reaction to Charlton Athletic’s excellent 1-0 victory at Sheffield United on Saturday and goals for a number of the players out on loan.
Tyreece Campbell is tackled by Ryan Leonard in the derby match against Millwall earlier this month
Picture: Paul Edwards
CAMPBELL CONTRACT SITUATION
Tyreece Campbell was the player put up for media duties before Saturday’s trip to Sheffield United.
And so South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition decided to ask a question that plenty of fans have been talking about - his contract situation.
The Addicks knocked back interest in their academy player last season.
Campbell’s current deal runs until next summer but crucially the club have an option to extend by a further 12 months.
But the Jamaican international, always shy and reserved in interviews, predictably did not shed any light on the subject.
Asked if he had thought about his future longer term, Campbell said: “No. I just want to play football for Charlton.”
So there you have it. And when I say ‘it’, I mean not much at all - if anything.
It looks a certainty that the south Londoners will take up the clause in Campbell’s contract. But the ideal scenario is that he signs a new long-term deal.
The 22-year-old was slightly more effusive on his debut for Jamaica. He came on as a second-half substitute in a 4-0 win over Bermuda on September 6.
Campbell said he got an email telling him he had been selected and added: “It was a proud moment and one of my targets for last season. When I got it (a call-up) at the end of last season it was a good feeling.”
So what have been his biggest learnings since stepping up to Championship football?
“If you make a mistake you are more likely to get punished,” said Campbell, who is targeting exceeding his nine goals in the previous campaign. “I’ve found it (the new level) alright. I just try and do what I did last season - be positive and create chances in the final third. I want to be more reliable and more clinical.”
Isaac Olaofe enjoys that winning feeling - and vital goal - after it sealed a first away win of the season for the Addicks
OLAOFE: I’VE ASKED CHARLTON BOSS WHAT I NEED TO DO TO GET MORE MATCH ACTION
Isaac Olaofe has revealed he has spoken to Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones about his lack of major Championship game time since his transfer from Stockport County.
The former Millwall striker struck in the 90th minute at Sheffield United on Saturday to seal a first away victory of the season for the Addicks.
It was Olaofe’s maiden goal for his new club and also his first in England’s second tier.
Asked by South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition if he had knocked on Jones’ door to seek any explanation for only being a late substitute in matches - aside from the EFL Cup ties - Olaofe said: “Yeah, of course.
“I’m hungry. I want to play. So I want to know why I’m not playing. I feel like from a player’s point of view it shows I’ve got that determination and hunger to get into the team.
“I don’t think there is anything wrong having conversations with him, just so I can understand how I get more minutes and make an impact on the team.
“Every player wants to play. Every player wants to start. It is about keeping fit and keeping ready for moments like this. It is frustrating, I’m not going to lie, but as a team we have done well and probably should have got more points. There are loads of games left and loads more opportunities for me to get more minutes as well.
“For my first Charlton goal to come in the 90th minute, it’s an even better feeling. It’s definitely a memory to cherish for a lifetime, really.
“I stopped there for a minute, just to take it all in (after he scored). I wanted to control my emotions. I think I ended up getting booked anyway. To get my first goal in front of the travelling fans was an amazing feeling - especially with the three points as well.
“We had good momentum going into the last period of the game, we were creating chances, and the subs made an impact. We kept going until the final whistle.”
Want more reaction to that win over Sheffield United?
The post-match pod is here while the talking points can be found here.
Lee Bowyer played and managed Charlton Athletic
Picture: Paul Edwards
DON’T MISS OUT ON OUR LONGER READS OR GUEST PODS
Forgive me for a plug.
But I just wanted to drop some links here to some of the big names from Charlton Athletic’s past that this website has caught up with in the three months since launching.
The good news (at least I think so) is that there are plenty more to come.
There was a minute’s silence before Sunday’s game at The Valley in memory of former Charlton Athletic Women’s coach Matt Beard
Picture: Keith Gillard
WOMEN HELD BY IPSWICH TOWN
Charlton Athletic dropped their first points in WSL 2 after a 0-0 draw at home against bottom club Ipswich Town on Sunday.
The Addicks’ players wore armbands in memory of Matt Beard, who had a spell on the coaching staff before following boss Keith Boanas to Millwall Lionesses in June 2008. Beard, 47, died on Saturday.
Charlton had won their opening two matches but the stalemate at The Valley dropped them to third in the table. Leaders Birmingham and Sunderland are only above the south Londoners on goal difference.
Charlton are back in action on Wednesday in the League Cup when they face West Ham United at The Valley (7pm). The Hammers are bottom of WSL1 and have lost all their fixtures, the most recent a 4-1 thumping at Brighton yesterday.
Amelie Thestrup failed to take an early chance against Ipswich while Elisha N’Dow sent an attempt over the crossbar before the half-time whistle.
In a match of few notable chances there was even less drama after the restart.
Charlton goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse makes a save against Ipswich Town (above) while Lucy Fitzgerald (below) is closed down
Pictures: Keith Gillard
DIXON’S MILESTONE
Kaheim Dixon scored his first goal in English football when the Charlton Athletic loanee struck in Crawley Town’s EFL Trophy win over Aston Villa U21s on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old is spending the campaign with the League Two club.
Dixon has already surpassed his competitive appearances for the Addicks (five) after coming on as a substitute in Crawley’s 4-0 loss at Notts County on Saturday.
IMPROVED TERMS FOR ANDERSON
Karoy Anderson earned himself a new contract on Wednesday.
Nathan Jones’ comments to South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition later in the week made it clear that the 20-year-old, born in Lewisham, had seen his salary bumped up to reflect his first-team stature.
It is a fully deserved reward for the academy product too.
Picture: Kyle Andrews
Anderson might not have commanded many minutes in the Championship since promotion from England’s third tier in May, but he is fifth in the current squad for Addicks appearances.
The Jamaica international is on 78. The only player below in the list that could soon move past him is Conor Coventry on 75.
Anderson scored twice in 46 appearances last season, starting 16 times in the regulation League One season. He was a late sub in the three play-off ties.
MBICK NETS FOR COLCHESTER UNITED
Micah Mbick marked his first start for loan club Colchester United with their equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
The teenage striker was teed up by former Charlton Athletic midfielder Jack Payne.
Mbick made a move late in the summer transfer window to the League Two club.
His only other goal at senior level before last weekend came for the Addicks in their FA Cup replay win over Cray Valley PM in November 2023.
“It’s a great moment for me and something I want to keep doing,” Mbick told Colchester’s YouTube channel, talking about his first league goal. “Everyone knows Jack’s quality and I respect him as a player. I have to be in those kinds of situations and positions in front of goal. I’m grateful for him assisting me.
“The finish was a bit about instinct, that is where a striker should be. I should score goals.
“I enjoyed my first start (in league football). I was quite comfortable and I’ve so much more to offer the team.
“I’ve settled in well. It is a different environment, I’m living on my own. I’ve been really welcomed here. It is about me keeping proving to everyone why I should be putting on the shirt.”
KANU CAN’T STOP SCORING
Dan Kanu’s loan at Walsall is going from strength to strength after he scored in a third successive match for the League Two club.
The 20-year-old got their third in Saturday’s 4-2 victory over Tranmere Rovers.
Mat Sadler’s team are third in the table.
It is Kanu’s longest streak of netting in consecutive matches. He did score three times in his opening four fixtures in the 2023-24 League One season with Charlton but was loaned out to Southend United after falling down the frontline pecking order in SE7.
Kanu has three goals in five appearances for Walsall. They will look to extend their six-match unbeaten run, including five wins, when they head to Accrington this weekend.
WREXHAM CHIEF BACKING PARKINSON
If former Addicks manager Phil Parkinson is feeling the heat at Wrexham then non-executive director Shaun Harvey is not dialling it up.
There has been speculation that the Welsh club’s senior figures had held talks about the 57-year-old’s future.
Harvey shot that down while speaking on the Fearless In Devotion podcast. He told them: “I think we’re all disappointed we’ve not got more than four points at this moment in time. But to start quoting discussions and meetings that have taken place is the bit that’s the disgrace.
“Phil has everybody at the club’s full support. I know before somebody starts writing headlines, ‘Harvey gives Parkinson the vote of confidence’. That is not the vote of confidence.
Picture: Kyle Andrews
“What I’m saying is, he’s got our full support. You can only give somebody a vote of confidence when you’ve actually discussed the future. It’s not even been on anywhere near an agenda as yet.
“So, if that day comes, the decision has to be taken. But Phil’s our man.
“We’ve backed him from the start. We backed him from four years ago. We’ve had all the success under that regime. Why should we start panicking now?”
Parkinson has won three promotions with Wrexham, taking them from the National League to the Championship, both of their EFL successes coming as runners-up.
Parkinson had 114 matches in charge of Charlton between November 2008 and January 2011, with a win percentage of 38.60.
Wrexham were 3-2 victors over Norwich City on Saturday.
Parkinson said: “My message to everybody in football is that four years ago we came to East Anglia - it was King’s Lynn away in front of 800 people. Today we've turned up at Carrow Road in front of 26,000 against a really good team with a top manager and come away with a victory.
“That’s how far we've come so quickly and people sometimes forget that.”
HARDY SIGNS CHARLTON CONTRACT
Former Wolves U21 goalkeeper George Hardy has signed for Charlton Athletic’s academy.
The 18-year-old had spells with Notts County and Rotherham before leaving the latter for the Premier League club in March 2023 for an undisclosed fee.
Rotherham’s academy manager Richard Hairyes said at the time: “This is a fantastic opportunity for George and a move that we couldn’t stand in the way of.
“His performances have understandably seen teams from higher up the pyramid taking note for quite some time now and it comes as no surprise that Wolves have acted to secure his services, because he is a fantastic goalkeeper.
“We didn’t want to stand in George’s way but we also wanted to make sure that the deal was right for the football club. We’re satisfied that the undisclosed fee that we have received is fair compensation for a very promising young goalkeeper, who I am sure will go on to have a great career in the game.
“The noise of external interest could have been potentially unsettling for a player of George’s tender years, but his attitude towards both training and games has been exemplary throughout this process.”
Charlton’s academy manager Tom Pell said: “George is a promising young goalkeeper identified by Alistair Clarke, our head of emerging talent, and Vic Bettinelli, our head of academy goalkeeping.
“We’ve looked at a number of young goalkeepers this summer and George stood out pretty early on in his trial period as we liked his character and his ability, and he showed the attributes and potential we look for in our young goalkeepers.
“We all wish him all the very best during his time here and would like to welcome him and his family to the club on behalf of the academy.”
Not massively worried by TC… it feels very similar to Leaburn as long as we’re still in the 2nd tier he’ll sign a longer term extension next spring/summer. Great relationship with the manager, been at the club his whole life, getting international minutes, barring some sort of premier league offer (although I know Brentford were very interested in Jan but they wanted to re loan him out) another couple of years developing in a really tough league makes sense. He’s far higher rated outside of the club than by members of our fanbase… some fans seem to think unless you’re a Konsa, Gomes or Lookman you’re not good enough… hardly a fair standard when we’ve spent half a decade in league 1
Great round up. Love how charlton keep wheeling out TC for interviews knowing he's not going to reveal any secrets lol
Once Godden is fit I have no clue how NJ is going to keep even half of our strike force happy! Arguably we'll soon have Kanu in the mix as a potential to bring back from his loan if he keeps scoring every week albeit at a very different level compared to the championship!