Charlton Athletic review of the week: Leaburn happy at boosting his availability, club report £16.8m loss in 2024-25 financial figures, Hall of Fame voting and women lose again in WSL 2
All the latest Addicks talking points from the previous seven days
It’s the latest Charlton Athletic review of the week.
Miles Leaburn competes for a high ball in Saturday’s match/Picture: Paul Edwards
MILES LEABURN: AVAILABILITY HAS BEEN A BIG BONUS
Miles Leaburn made his 37th appearance of the season in Charlton Athletic’s 1-0 loss to Norwich City on Saturday - and the striker has spoken about his satisfaction at steering clear of injury issues.
The 22-year-old striker suffered a major hamstring injury which limited him to just 13 League One starts in the 2023-24 campaign.
Leaburn did not return to the first-team fold until October 2024 and featured 32 times in all competitions before a quad issue forced him to miss the final months of last season.
The big frontman, who signed a long-term contract extension last summer, has made all but two of Nathan Jones’ match-day squads for Championship league fixtures.
“In the last three or four years I’ve had my fair share of injuries, so one of the things I’m personally happy with is my availability and the minutes I’ve been able to rack up,” Leaburn told South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition.
“I remember at the end of last season I got the quad injury but I was still doing everything I could (in terms of preventative work). Maybe (staying out of the treatment room) it is just my body maturing and stuff like that. I have loads of strapping on my ankles, just to make sure everything is nice and secure.
“There was a goal target I set for this season, which I’m still trying to improve, but fitness, availability and not getting injured were all massive targets for me.”
Charlton boss Nathan Jones discussed Leaburn earlier this season and how he wants the former Chelsea youngster to use his stature and physical strength against his markers.
“There is definitely more to come in that respect but I’ve definitely improved,” said Leaburn. “Up until the Leicester game, when I got the shoulder injury, I was showing a lot of progression. I’m trying to build on that now.
“Defenders at this level are smarter off the ball. They use little bumps, pushes and stuff that the ref won’t see. Against Portsmouth, I don’t think it was even a centre-back, someone gave me a black eye with an elbow off the ball.
“I’m trying to adapt to that and also give a little bit back to them as well.”
Leaburn has scored three goals this season, one in each of the competitions that Charlton have competed in.
Will Mannion makes a save against Norwich City in the first half/Picture: Keith Gillard
MANNION: WE DESERVED SOMETHING AGAINST NORWICH
Will Mannion has given his verdict on Charlton Athletic’s 1-0 loss to Norwich City on Saturday.
The Addicks posted higher expected goals (xG) in their single-goal defeats to the Canaries (1.71) and Wrexham (1.26) than they did when Charlie Kelman’s strike saw off Birmingham City (0.76) in SE7.
Don’t miss the South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition podcast reflecting on Saturday’s Championship encounter.
Pelle Mattsson’s fifth-minute goal had an xG of just 0.04 but still evaded Mannion, who has started the last four Championship matches after initially replacing Thomas Kaminski after he suffered a hamstring injury.
“We had some good chances to get something out of the game,” said Mannion. “Their keeper made a good save. They’ve been defending for their lives. We’re disappointed not to come away with at least a point.
“It’s just that final thing of putting the ball in the net. We defended well for most of the game. It’s not a great goal (to concede). It put us on the back foot from early on and chasing the game for 70-odd minutes.
“They were good on the counter, that was probably the only way they were going to score in the second half. I had to keep alert for a couple of situations. We were leaving bodies up and you are susceptible to the counter.
“The level of performance has been good in the last two weeks. We are all still positive.”
Charlton host Bristol City next on Good Friday (3pm). The Addicks are 18th in the table with seven fixtures remaining.
Opta Analyst is predicting that the Addicks have a 0.44 per cent chance of relegation to League One. Below is the predicted points finish for the bottom half of the table.
CHARLTON REPORT £16.8MILLION LOSS
Charlton Athletic have submitted their 2024-25 accounts and they show an operating loss of £16.8million for the season.
That is offset by player trading profit of £1.4m to make an overall loss of £15.4m.
Revenue increased by 27 per cent to £11.2m on the 2023-24 campaign, that rise largely explained by the club winning promotion via the League One play-offs.
Wages increased by 30 per cent to £15.7m with wages 141 per cent of revenue.
Charlton had 8,731 season-ticket holders last season, an increase from 8,152.
We are set to have a special pod this week discussing the latest financial figures released by the Addicks.
Lyndon Dykes is held back by two Norwich players during Saturday’s match at The Valley/Picture: Keith Gillard
INTERNATIONAL CALL UPS
Lyndon Dykes has been selected in the Scotland squad for two friendlies later this month.
The forward’s decision to quit Birmingham in the transfer window and make a permanent transfer to Charlton was a move made to ensure he had the best possible chance of being part of Steve Clarke’s squad for the World Cup this summer.
Scotland host Japan at Hampden on Saturday March 28 and then face Ivory Coast at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday March 31.
Dykes has scored two goals in 13 matches for the Addicks.
Amari’i Bell, Tyreece Campbell and Karoy Anderson have made the Jamaica squad for their World Cup play-off tie against New Caledonia in Mexico on March 27.
If the Reggae Boyz are victorious they then need to defeat DR Congo on March 31 to seal their place at the summer tournament.
Amari’i Bell/Picture: Keith Gillard
There is no place in the squad for Kaheim Dixon. The winger’s lack of game time has counted against him. Dixon joined Crawley Town on a season-long loan in the middle of August but was recalled in February.
Daniel Kanu, who scored his 17th goal of the season in Walsall’s 2-1 win over Newport County on Saturday, has been called up by Sierra Leone for their FIFA Series 2026 matches.
They will face Oman on March 27th in a one-legged semi-final at the Dalga Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan.
If Sierra Leone win then they will take on either hosts Azerbaijan or St Lucia.
CHARLTON WOMEN SLIP UP IN BRISTOL
Charlton Athletic’s lead at the top of WSL 2 has been cut to six points after they lost 2-1 at Bristol City on Sunday.
The Addicks have been beaten in two of their last three matches.
Second-placed Birmingham City have a match in hand on the south Londoners and the current top two play each other on the final day of the season.
Sophie Ingle put City ahead in the 24th minute at Ashton Gate with Lexi Lloyd-Smith doubling their lead around the hour mark.
The top half of the WSL 2 table/Source: WSL official website
Gillian Kenney cut the arrears with 20 minutes remaining.
Charlton head to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Addicks boss Karen Hills said: “We showed a lot of character, and we kept fighting right until the very end. A set-piece at the end for us could have gone in the back of the net and we hit the crossbar twice.
“I definitely thought today was probably a good footballing display from us and something that I’m proud of.”
WIREDU OP
Brendan Wiredu will miss the next month of Plymouth Argyle’s season after undergoing abdominal surgery.
The 26-year-old came through Charlton’s youth academy and made six appearances, none of them in the league.
Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley said: “He can perform to a certain level, it’s just those top-end explosive movements that are causing him real pain.
“It’s a fairly straightforward abdominal procedure that he’ll have that will put him out for four weeks.”
Picture: Keith Gillard
MAGENNIS EYES CENTURY
Josh Magennis is targeting winning 100 caps for Northern Ireland.
The former Addicks striker has played 86 times for his country and is set to add to that in next week’s World Cup play-off tie against Italy.
“The motivation for me, whether that’s scoring 15 goals in one season, playing every single minute of one game, it’s to get 100 caps," he told BBC Radio Devon.
“If I don’t attain that it would be absolutely criminal of me to have any ill feeling because I’ve had 80-odd caps before that which have been absolutely sensational and every one of those have meant the world to me and more.
“So for me when I say I want to get the 100, it’s not because I want to guarantee and nail it on, it’s just my motivation to just do what I want to do and what I need to do.”
Picture: Keith Gillard
BIELIK SETBACK
Krystian Bielik’s season may be over after the West Bromwich Albion midfielder underwent shoulder surgery.
The former Arsenal youngster, who had an excellent season-long loan with the Addicks when they won League One promotion under Lee Bowyer in 2019, has missed the last three matches.
“He has been pushing it and he felt a bit more damage so we thought it best he get the surgery,” West Brom head coach James Morrison told BBC Radio WM.
“We are hoping he might get back but we will have to wait and see when he gets reassessed.”
Chris Solly/Picture: Keith Gillard
HALL OF FAME VOTING
Fans are being asked to vote for their inductees into the Hall of Fame.
Every year three male players from three eras are added and also listed on the Hall of Fame board in Charlton’s museum, situated at The Valley.
There will also be a third entrant for the women’s side.
The contenders for the pre-1955 period are George Armitage, Billy Kiernan and Jack Shreeve. Les Berry, Bob Bolder and John Humphrey are the trio to select from for 1956-1990 with 1991 to the modern day a choice between Michael Morrison, Chris Solly and Luke Young.
The women’s team contenders are Joanne Broadhurst, Pauline Cope-Boanas and Kim Dixson.
You can cast your votes here.
Not great for the Good Friday game to have TC and Bell potentially playing a key World Cup game on the Tuesday. Indeed bad timing to have a full Championship fixture list on the Friday, when so may crucial international games take place on Tuesday.
Hall of Fame voting closed last night Rich