'Disjointed' pre-season means that Charlton Athletic boss set to use EFL Cup tie at Cheltenham Town as final prep for Championship opener, winger makes move to Blackburn Rovers and duo join the Owls
Third kit launched....although Alli's social media leaked it first
It’s the latest review of the week.
All the major Charlton Athletic news in one place.
Karlan Grant attacks against Reading/Picture: Kyle Andrews
Jones: Preparations have not been ideal and so we have to prioritise being ready for Derby County
Nathan Jones says that Charlton Athletic’s “disjointed” pre-season means that he will have to use their EFL Cup tie at Cheltenham this weekend as part of his preparations for the Championship opener against Derby County.
The Addicks lost 3-0 to Reading on Saturday afternoon at The Valley. Lewis Wing scored twice for the Royals with Reece Evans also on target.
The fixture ended up being a behind-closed-doors affair after the Royals decided their pitch was not in good enough condition. My back lawn looks pretty frazzled - so I get the hot weather has not been easy to deal with - but it’s a bit different when it comes to a professional football club.
Unfortunately no media were allowed to attend but that did not stop us releasing a post-match podcast.
Charlton’s first competitive fixture is their first round tie at Whaddon Road - a 5.30pm kick off on Saturday in Gloucestershire. But Jones told the club’s in-house media channel that the disrupted nature of their preparations means it will still be used to fine-tune issues or boost match sharpness ahead of the home match against the Rams on August 15.
“We want to win the cup game but we will use it to get people ready for the Championship season,” said the Welshman. “That’s not ideal, but it is what we’ve had to do this year.
“There are masses of disappointment (after the Reading game) because this has been a really disjointed pre-season, in terms of getting everyone up to speed. Today should effectively have been our final pre-season [match] but next week will be, even though it is a cup game.
“We are having to look after so many people and make so many changes.
“We have to make sure we arrive at the Derby game and everyone is ready to go - that we can pick our strongest 11 and have game-changers from the bench. Then we build into it from there.
“We will all forget about this if we’re standing here in two weeks’ time and it is a categorically different result. That’s what we’ve got to make sure happens.”
Nathan Jones walks off the pitch at full-time/Picture: Kyle Andrews
Jones was asked what would make him content with their pre-season.
“Probably two more signings and probably two more weeks of work,” he responded. “Hopefully we will get those (new faces). We will definitely get that work into them. We need to taper the training down so that we are sharper in what we do. Make sure we are doing the basics well and then add a little more quality which enables us to play how we want to.”
Recent signing Millenic Alli made his first appearance for Charlton, replacing Karlan Grant at the start of the second period.
Centre-back Collins Sichenje featured in the closing stages. The big Kenyan centre-back had missed all the other friendlies as he recovered from injury issues from last season.
Sonny Carey was absent due to illness. Conor Coventry and Greg Docherty were also under the weather but did play.
Goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski was motionless for Wing’s two goals, one a free-kick whipped in at the end of the first period and then a curler from a short corner which the hosts showed a flagrant disregard to shut down.
Sandwiched in between that brace was Evans’ header. Reading countered from defending a free-kick and Kyreece Lisbie, the son of former Charlton forward Kevin, delivered the cross from the right of the penalty area.
“Against Wimbledon we switched off in terms of crosses into our box, which is usually our strength, and conceded,” said Jones. “Today there is nothing we can do about the first goal - it’s an excellent strike - but the other two are really, really poor, in terms of defensive concentration, to give away.
“The amount of situations we had in and around the box, we didn’t create anything. The other night (at Colchester) we were really, really good. At times today we got it into wide areas, where we’ve got those one-v-one players, but we didn’t produce the outcomes that you need to do.
“What we need now from our wide ones is outcomes. We need real productivity from them. Reading had the one outstanding player on the pitch that produced outcomes, it took two worldies to score. The lead-up to both has to be better from us.
“This is a work in progress. We have to create a little bit more and get back to having that defensive solidity to win games.”
Millenic Alli/Picture: Kyle Andrews
Cheltenham’s final friendly also ended up being a reverse - 2-0 at home against MK Dons. But Robins boss Steve Cotterill was buoyed by their display: “I really liked today, some of the stuff and the moments I saw.
“We need to be a little bit more clinical when we get those moments but some of our build-up play, patterns and rotations were very good today.
“They are a great bunch of lads but I say that most of the time when I put a bunch of lads together because I won’t have anyone that is…..different, let’s say it that way.”
London City Lionesses are first derby for Charlton
The WSL fixtures came out on Thursday - we did a story covering that (including Charlton Women signing Lorena Azzaro and Ashleigh Neville) which can be found here.
The Addicks will play at least 12 derby matches, before you factor in cup matches, and the first of those is against London City Lionesses at The Valley on September 19.
The Women’s League Cup has been regionalised from this season and has been rebranded the Players Cup.
Emma Bissell scores against Swindon Town in the FA Cup last season/Picture: Keith Gillard
Charlton are in the southern section. Teams that are competing in the Champions League will not play in the tournament. There will be six group matches in total - split evenly home and away - with the top eight qualifying for the quarter-finals, which starts in January.
Katie Bradley has signed for Newcastle United. Emma Bissell and Karin Muya, who also left the Addicks following their promotion, have signed for Bristol City and Watford respectively.
Blackburn land Fevs
Jayden Fevrier celebrates his goal against Hull City in April/Picture: Paul Edwards
Jayden Fevrier got his Championship transfer last week, just not to Charlton.
The winger’s loan move to south London for the second half of last season was a chance to put himself in the shop window.
Truth be told, Fevrier was used sparingly for the initial months of his stay. But he did score twice - and one of those was absolutely massive. Without his winning strike against Hull City, Charlton would have headed to Swansea City on the final day of the campaign with relegation still a possibility.
Instead Fevrier settled any growing nerves as his finish from the edge of the box, in front of the Covered End, secured a 2-1 victory over the Tigers, who bounced back from that setback to win the play-offs and clinch a Premier League place.
Now the 23-year-old is set to face Charlton after joining Blackburn Rovers.
The fee for Fevrier is believed to be £500,000. Rovers have not disclosed the contract length but described it as “long term”.
“I think he has got what I call a bit of magic in his boots,” said Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray. “He can do that around the edge of the box. We have to get the ball to him and let him do what he can bring.
“He’s someone I hope we can mould and make sure he knows the work ethic required to play for this team. We want to give him a platform to show what he can do.”
Maynard-Brewer and Burstow join Owls
Ashley Maynard-Brewer has signed a one-year contract with Sheffield Wednesday.
The Australian goalkeeper was a free agent after leaving Dundee United.
Wednesday’s sporting director Simon Wilson said: “At 27, Ash has significant experience playing in the EFL, having spent eight seasons at Charlton Athletic. He has been a part of successful teams - either as a number one or two - and tested himself in different environments through several development loans.”
Maynard-Brewer was part of the Charlton side which won the League One play-offs in 2025.
He said: “Obviously, with being part of a big club, there’s responsibility that comes with that and the high expectations, which is to get out of this league and get promoted. I can tell already that everyone’s on board with that and working towards that target.”
Mason Burstow, 22, has joined Wednesday on a season-long loan from Hull City.
The striker, who came through the Addicks’ youth set-up, scored 12 goals for Bolton Wanderers last season, also a temporary move.
Burstow told Wednesday’s official website: “The club is in an upward direction and I’m very happy and excited to be part of it. I’ve got a benchmark now that I’ve set from last season and I only want to improve and add more goals and get another trophy.”
Picture: Reebok/CAFC
Third kit launched…but not before Alli’s leak
Charlton officially launched their third kit on Thursday afternoon.
But the big reveal actually came as little surprise to anyone who goes on internet forums….or follows Millenic Alli on Instagram.
The new £1million signing from Portsmouth’s social media had extra snaps from when he headed to Sparrows Lane to complete his transfer. But that also included pictures of the away and third kit (both of which had not been announced).
Alli deleted the posts but by that stage screenshots had already been taken.
Charlton’s X account turned the leak into a positive as they posted: “You’ve got some explaining to do, Milli!”
You can buy the new home and third kit here.
We all talk about Tanto Olaofe needing to be sold/loaned out but also Joe Rankin-Costello needs his future sorting! If Nathan doesn't fancy Joe as a starter then get him to a Club that will start him!
Rich any truth in the Guardians article about the club being up for sale?