Charlton Athletic review of the week: Miles Leaburn reflects on FA Cup loss to Chelsea, women's team make double signing and ex-Crystal Palace stalwart who trained with Addicks lands new club
The review of the week is back after a break over the Christmas period.
Miles Leaburn scores Charlton’s goal against Chelsea in their FA Cup third round tie/Picture: Paul Edwards
LEABURN: I’M HAPPY TO GIVE FANS SOMETHING TO CHEER ABOUT - WE GRAFTED AGAINST CHELSEA
Miles Leaburn produced the highlight moment for Charlton Athletic in Saturday night’s 5-1 loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup third round.
The Addicks were unable to spoil Liam Rosenior’s first match in charge of the Club World Cup champions.
But Leaburn sparked hopes of a comeback when he rifled the ball home in the 57th minute to make it 2-1. Unfortunately Marc Guiu quickly restored the visitors’ advantage. Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez added stoppage-time goals, the latter when referee Chris Kavanagh wrongly ruled goalkeeper Will Mannion had fouled Estevao.
“I’m happy we gave the fans something to cheer about with the goal,” said Leaburn, who has netted three times this season. “I saw a little gap and thought ‘let me try and hit it’. Luckily it went in.”
Asked if he felt like that made him feel like there was a chance of Charlton turning the tie around, the forward replied: “Massively, especially in front of that Covered End and the crowd have jumped up. That is the beauty of football - anything can happen. But unfortunately it didn’t happen for us today.”
“It’s disappointing to concede as many as we did.
“We showed good hard work, especially in the first half, to try and see it out to 0-0 at half-time but unfortunately we conceded in those last few minutes. I’m still proud of the team and the effort we put in throughout the game.
“They have got bundles of quality. We have got to try and take what we learned today into the league.”
Leaburn has started the last 11 matches. He has completed the full 90 minutes in six of the last eight games.
“This is the first time I’ve played so many games in a row,” he said. “I’m happy to come through it with no injuries. I’ll take cramp (at Blackburn Rovers) over pulling something.
“I’m trying to focus on winning headers, scoring goals and doing everything for the team. Just making sure I try and keep up those performances.”
Rosenior said: “I was very happy with the attitude of the team, even in the first half. This is not an easy place to come in the third round of the FA Cup. Our press was very intense and very good, I felt we controlled the game.
“The goal came at a really good time. It was a fantastic finish from [Jorrel] Hato. The game opened up in the second half. We have outstanding players and I was able to bring on some outstanding players from the bench.
“Guiu was top. His positioning and pressing - he deserved a goal. He was always in the right position, where we needed him to tactically be.”
WOMEN STRENGTHEN THEIR SQUAD WITH EXPERIENCED ADDITIONS
Charlton Athletic Women have added two new players to their ranks - Lizzie Waldie and Katie Lockwood.
Waldie, 25, has signed from Hearts on a deal until 2027.
The central defender joined the Scottish club in 2023 after leaving Crystal Palace.
Waldie played the full match for Hearts when they lost 2-0 to Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden in 2024.
Katie Waldie in action for Palace in a match against Lewes in January 2021/Picture: Keith Gillard
Charlton also announced the signing of midfielder Katie Lockwood from Glasgow City.
The 27-year-old’s terms run until 2027.
Lockwood played in Sweden before spells with Hibernian and Hearts. She was part of the same Jambos side as Waldie which was defeated by Rangers.
Lockwood scored 12 goals in 51 appearances for Glasgow City. They finished runners-up in Scottish Women’s Premier League 1 last season to clinch European football. Lockwood featured six times in their matches in the Champions League and Europa League.
Charlton’s WSL 2 match at Ipswich on Sunday was postponed.
Karen Hills’ side are top of the table. They host Swindon in the FA Cup fourth round on January 18 (2pm).
PEARCE’S YOUNGSTERS PROGRESS
Charlton Athletic have reached the fifth round stage of the FA Youth Cup after they won 3-1 at Watford on Thursday night.
Jason Pearce’s side went behind early in the second half from a long-range strike by Kymani Smith-Daley.
The Addicks levelled things up in the 70th minute, perhaps getting lucky with the award of a penalty. Jonny Scriven’s tackle on Reuben Reid did not scream spot-kick but Ellis McMillan emphatically converted.
Substitute Raynon Richman fired across the Hornets goalkeeper Sebastian Thrussell to make it 2-1 in the 88th minute.
Charlton rubber stamped their progression in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Sam Washington-Amoah produced a lovely curling finish beyond Thrussell after a superb crunching tackle by Dionte Davis halted a Watford attack.
A crowd of 403 were in attendance at Vicarage Road.
WARD TRAINED WITH ADDICKS
Ex-Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward signed for Swansea City on Thursday.
The veteran, 36, also had a brief spell training with Charlton Athletic in November as he looked to land a deal after being released by the Eagles in the summer.
Ward featured 363 times for Palace, 300 of those in the Premier League.
The Addicks did make a couple of free agent signings outside of the transfer window - bringing in Onel Hernandez and Jerome Roussillon.
GARNER BECOMES A SAINT
Now this bit of news actually did not quite get announced in the past seven days, I was in Blackburn Rovers’ media suite at the time.
Did I just want a chance to dig out an old back page from the South London Press because I was particularly pleased with the headline? Yes. Guilty.
Ben Garner has been appointed as Southampton’s assistant coach. Prior to that he had been working as the head coach for Right To Dream Academy.
Garner lasted just six months as Charlton boss after then owner Thomas Sandgaard paid compensation to his previous club Swindon Town in the summer of 2022.
The former Crystal Palace coach had promised exciting football but the Addicks were 17th in the League One table when he was dismissed with Anthony Hayes placed in caretaker charge at the start of December.
CAMPBELL LANDS NEW CLUB
Allan Campbell has signed a short-term contract with St Mirren.
The former Charlton Athletic loanee midfielder had been a free agent since the end of last season.
Campbell joined the Addicks on loan from Luton Town in August 2024 but struggled to impress. He made 14 appearances before making a permanent transfer to Dundee United the following January.
Picture: Kyle Andrews
St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson said: “I’ve worked with Allan before. He’s gone down to England and done very well. He’s the right type of character and he’s got a lot of quality.
“He hasn’t played football for a little while. But on a short-term contract, we think he’s a fantastic signing and will be very good around the place as well. Allan’s someone with immense talent that could influence games.”
Picture: Kyle Andrews
TYKES TAKE O’CONNELL
Eoghan O’Connell’s spell as a free agent is over after joining Barnsley.
The former Charlton Athletic centre-back, 30 has penned a contract with the League One club until the end of the campaign.
The Addicks sold O’Connell to Wrexham, then in the National League, at the end of the 2023 winter transfer window. He had only joined from Rochdale in the summer, making 22 appearances.
Wrexham’s official website reported that O’Connell had left by “mutual consent” in early September. Manager Phil Parkinson, speaking at the time, added: “We thought he had a move prior to the transfer window closing, but it didn’t materialise in time. Eoghan has decided to part ways so he can look for the next challenge in his career. We all wish him well.”