Charlton Athletic manager on why survival is simply not enough in first season back in Championship and striker workload splits

'I’ve had players that wouldn’t accept coming off the bench - they saw it as a slur and a detriment to their ability'

So what target did Nathan Jones set his Charlton Athletic players before a ball was kicked at the start of the Championship season?

We will find out.

Just not quite yet.

Last season’s League One play-off winners have taken to life in England’s second tier in their stride.

Tuesday evening’s 3-0 victory over Ipswich Town has only added to the optimism which must be coursing through the club’s management team, players and supporters.

Portsmouth, Derby County and Oxford United, who won promotion in the campaign before the Addicks did the business against Leyton Orient at Wembley, finished 16th, 19th and 17th respectively.

Picture: Paul Edwards

Charlton are fifth after 11 Championship matches on 18 points. That is ahead of all three of those clubs at the same point in the 2024-25 season - Portsmouth (13 points/17th), Derby (11 points/19th) and Oxford (nine points/20th).