Karen Hills hoping culmination of five-year plan is Charlton Athletic winning promotion to WSL 1

Addicks boss insists confidence is high heading into play-off tie against Leicester City

Karen Hills says there are no confidence issues for her Charlton Athletic side as they head into Saturday’s play-off decider against Leicester City at The Valley.

The Addicks have one last chance to seal promotion to WSL 1 after missing out on automatic promotion, agonisingly slipping out of the top two on the final day after a 2-0 loss to eventual champions Birmingham City at the start of this month.

Charlton’s dip in form, taking one point from a possible 12, allowed the Blues and south London rivals Crystal Palace to secure their places in the top flight in the 2026-27 campaign.

Charlton Athletic women’s manager Karen Hills/Picture: Keith Gillard

But the Addicks can still join the duo if they defeat Leicester City, who finished rock bottom of WSL 1. The Foxes have lost their last 12 league matches, scoring four goals and conceding 35 in that sequence.

The match is a 12.30pm kick off.

Hills, 51, has talked about setting a five-year plan when she was appointed boss in March 2021.

This is her fifth season at the helm, so does that mean that Charlton achieving promotion is key to her journey continuing beyond this weekend’s all-or-nothing fixture?

“It’s a five-year plan and I’ve got another year left on my contract,” Hills told South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition. “My aim and ambition is to get Charlton to the top division. I am very loyal, as you can see from my career.

“I always want to keep striving. As long as we are all aligned in terms of the progression of where I am then those questions will be answered, as and when they need to. At this moment in time my main focus is on doing everything I can to help this team get over the line on Saturday.