Welcome back to another Charlton Athletic review of the week. It was not a great weekend with the men and women suffering one-sided defeats.
We have got some reaction to those losses as well as wrapping up other news from the past seven days.
Sophie Whitehouse is beaten by Grace Fisk’s long-range strike/Picture: Keith Gillard
A rough welcome to WSL 1
There was no dream start for Charlton Athletic in their opening match back in the Women’s Super League as they were dismantled 4-0 by Liverpool on Sunday.
The Addicks, playing back at that level for the first time since 2007, were unable to have a shot on target.
Liverpool had 15 attempts compared to the hosts’ two and finished with 76 per cent possession.
Grace Fisk put the Reds into an eighth-minute lead and doubled their advantage early in the second half with an excellent strike which flew past goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse.
Vivien Endemann slammed in a third just past the hour mark. New signing Ashleigh Neville fouled Natalia Ramos in the fifth minute of stoppage time and the penalty was dispatched by Cornelia Kapocs, who sent Whitehouse the wrong way.
“First and foremost it is disappointing,” said Charlton boss Karen Hills. “No-one likes to lose a football game. We’ve got to learn from it and I think we will. The speed of the game and the level of the opposition has gone up, which we knew [would be the case].
“We needed to win a few more duels. We needed to be a little bit better in those one-v-one moments.
Ashleigh Neville fouls Natalia Ramos/Picture: Keith Gillard
“There are some positives we can look at. There are a lot of players who got through 90 minutes, we’ve got new faces in the building and I got to see some players play in different positions.
“It’s a disappointing afternoon, especially for the fans, but it’s not going to define our season. We take this on the chin and move on.
“Going 1-0 down after eight minutes from a set-piece, it was quite poor from us. We’ve gifted them and straight away you are on the back foot. But the girls responded magnificently.
“We took it to half-time and thought we had the opportunity to regroup, reset and go again. The second goal was a sucker punch for us, in terms of momentum.”
Charlton made a couple of signings before the Liverpool game - Leighanne Robe and Hawa Cissoko.
Defender Robe, 32, has penned a one-year contract and returns to the UK after previously playing for Mexican side UNAM.
French international Cissoko, 29, has made the switch from Parma. She has also signed a one-year deal with a club option of a further 12 months.
Lloyd Jones hooks an early chance wide at the bet365 Stadium/Picture: Kyle Andrews
Jones not making any complaint about post-match scenes
Lloyd Jones brushed off bottles being thrown at him as he left the pitch following Charlton’s 4-0 hammering at Stoke City on Saturday.
The centre-back was continually booed by the home support after appearing to get into a confrontation with Djibril Soumare while Sam Gallagher was down receiving treatment in the first half.
Asked about the post-match reaction from supporters in the South Stand, Jones replied: “Bottles being thrown doesn’t bother me. It is what it is - banter.”
Charlton have won one of their last 15 league matches at Stoke - losing 12 and drawing twice.
The latest defeat ended the Addicks’ unbeaten start to the campaign and dropped them to sixth in the table. They never recovered after referee Robert Madley awarded a penalty, converted by Justin Devenny, for Timothy Ouma holding Ben Wilmot.
“I haven’t seen it back but I thought it was a little bit harsh,” said Jones. “That puts us on the back foot after we had started well in the first 15 minutes.
“The goals came in quick succession and we’ve got to look at ourselves. It was a tough afternoon. The second and third goals kill us.
“But if you offered us 10 points from the first five games we would have taken that. That is the only positive and we have two home games now to bounce back - we had some tough moments last season and always seemed to do that.
“We love playing at The Valley. We have got a 100 per cent record there and want to keep it going.”
Danny McNamara is suspended for Wednesday night’s fixture against QPR after his dismissal for two yellows at Stoke.
Nathan Jones’ thoughts on the loss to Stoke City can be found here.
Oliver Skipp made his Charlton debut at Stoke City on Saturday/Picture: Kyle Andrews
Finals deals in the transfer window
Oliver Skipp took Charlton Athletic’s incoming business in the summer transfer window to 11 signings when he joined on deadline day.
The former Tottenham midfielder, 25, arrives on a season-long loan from Leicester City.
“Skippy is someone that I’ve known for a long, long time,” said Charlton boss Nathan Jones. “He’s got top-end Championship experience and Premier League experience.
“As soon as I spoke to him, he had a real desire to play for our club and be part of our project. He’s a player with wonderful experience, with wonderful quality.”
Charlton also completed a permanent deal for winger Junior Nkeng from AFC Wimbledon and the 19-year-old was on the bench for Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion.
Junior Nkeng/Picture: Kyle Andrews
The Addicks have also added 18-year-old midfielder Otto Tiitinen to their development ranks. He has signed from Finnish club Ilves on a season-long with an option to make the transfer permanent.
Alistair Clarke, head of emerging talent at Charlton, said: “Otto is a player our recruitment team have followed extensively for more than a year, initially being highlighted through video analysis within our global scouting, before progressing to live viewings.”
Striker Daniel Kanu joined Notts County on loan. He scored 18 goals while with Walsall last season and was named League Two’s Young Player of the Season.
Charlton announced on Wednesday that club captain Greg Docherty had terminated his contract by mutual consent. Nathan Jones talked to this website about the Scot’s departure from SE7.
The Addicks also added to their development ranks with the loan signing of midfielder Otto Tiitinen from Finnish club Ilves. There is also an option to make the 18-year-old’s move a permanent one.
Joe Rankin-Costello played the final 13 minutes of the 2-1 victory at West Ham/Picture: Kyle Andrews
Rankin-Costello: My strengths are on the ball - not off it
Joe Rankin-Costello picked up the post-match player interviews after Charlton’s 1-1 draw at West Brom on Wednesday evening.
The 27-year-old midfielder signed from Blackburn Rovers in July 2025.
Rankin-Costello played 23 times last season but only seven of those were starts.
He has featured in six of the first seven matches this season but his start at Stoke on Saturday was only his fourth in 2026.
“It was tough, the first season,” Rankin-Costello told South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition. “I like to think my strengths are on the ball, rather than off the ball. Obviously coming up from League One, we weren’t going to get a lot of the ball most weeks.
“This season the early signs are that we’re getting more and more of the ball. Hopefully my strengths can come through.
“Last year was just about staying up, getting enough points to stay in the league. Hopefully we can put in better performances and play better football this year.”
News on former Addicks
Leyton Orient have signed Alex Gilbert on a three-year contract. The midfielder was released by Middlesbrough at the end of last season.
Colchester United turned down bids for Jack Payne before the closure of the transfer window. U’s boss Danny Cowley said: “It would have to be at least quadruple what they offered for me to even consider losing that boy because we love him and he loves us.”
Conor Coady wins the ball against Hull City in April/Picture: Keith Gillard
Conor Coady agreed to a termination of his Wrexham contract, which was due to expire at the end of June. He is working with Liverpool’s U21s and said: “If they need numbers, I’ll jump in and keep myself fit as well. I’m obviously speaking to my agent about different bits that are going on. I’m not massively in a rush because I want to make sure it’s right.”
Elliot Lee also left Wrexham by mutual consent. He posted on X: “Together we made history, broke records and made some unforgettable memories along the way. I’ve had the time of my life.”
Cooking with Gass
Gassan Ahadme scored twice for Cambridge United in their 2-2 draw at Burton Albion on Saturday.
The striker, who joined the League One club on a season-long loan deal, had missed the start to the campaign due to injury.
Ahadme suffered facial damage after heading in his first and was bandaged up by the time he produced a close-range slotted finish in the 65th minute to put Neil Harris’ side 2-1 ahead.
Ahadme said: “It’s always good to get on the scoresheet, I’m happy with it, but I’m really frustrated not to be taking three points.”
Cambridge assistant boss Adam Barrett said: “It is brilliant for Gassan to get off the mark - he is up and running. He’s going to be a big player for us.”
Semi sensational
Former Charlton centre-back Semi Ajayi has had a big influence on Hull City’s excellent opening to the Premier League season.
The 32-year-old scored in their opening day victory over Manchester United and has started all three of the Tigers’ matches.
Hull are yet to concede a goal in the Premier League this season and held Aston Villa to a 0-0 draw on Saturday.
Ajayi, from Crayford, moved from Charlton to Arsenal in 2013.
That is a truly shocking away record, a proper bogey team. I'm sure that starting midfield trio shocked and concerned plenty of fans in equal measure. I thought it was a bold decision at the very least!
Only the first game but it looks like being a long hard season for the women's team. There are going to be 7 or 8 teams that will be out of site. They just need to make sure they can at least compete against the 4 or 5 other teams that are going to be at the bottom end and try to pick up a few essentially bonus points from the bigger teams.
Props to Semi. Someone has to fly the flag for Crayford - although TBF there are still a few tatty ones on lampposts around here for him to choose from.🙄