Last week in review for Charlton Athletic

Danny Hylton retires, MD James Rodwell talks about Valley and training ground leases while women's team get promotion prospects boost

Jun 23, 2025

Another week bites the dust. And it was another week without any transfers.

Rewind to June 23, 2024 and there had been three incomings - Will Mannion (June 10), Luke Berry (June 17) and Josh Edwards (June 19). Centre-back Alex Mitchell made the move from Millwall on June 24.

But it’s probably a lot easier to get that business done at League One level. Charlton also had the certainty of knowing what division they were going to be in, comfortably in advance of the summer window opening.

Promotion in the play-off final has plenty of perks - who doesn’t like to see their team win at Wembley? But it also makes it a tighter turnaround.

The Addicks have one incoming in the bag already with the capture of Blackpool’s Sonny Carey. It’s a question of when, not if, they start adding even more new faces.

Anyway that’s enough about the wheeling and dealing, or lack of it, now on to the Charlton Athletic club news for the past week - including details on some former players who are on the move.

HYLTON STAYING ON

Danny Hylton announced his playing retirement last week but his Charlton Athletic career will continue.

The 36-year-old, now a former striker, will move on to the coaching backroom staff with the Addicks.

Hylton posted on social media: “A special mention to my incredible family that allowed me to start my journey and live my dream, they have been right beside throughout it all, always allowed me to keep perspective and have always remained my biggest why! Just a kid from Camden with a dream!”

Picture: Keith Gillard

The former Luton Town forward signed for Charlton in September 2024 as a player-coach on a short-term contract. He continued to train with the club after his deal expired in the January transfer window, before fresh terms were agreed the following month.

Hylton made 10 appearances for the Addicks and scored once, in a 5-0 win over his ex-club Northampton Town on December 21.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC WOMEN HANDED PROMOTION BOOST

Charlton Athletic Women’s promotion prospects got a lift at the start of last week - without a ball even being kicked.

It was announced that the Women’s Super League will expand from 12 to 14 clubs from the 2026-27 season.

It means from the end of next season the top two clubs will be promoted - in the last campaign it was just one - plus the third-placed team will face a play-off against the WSL’s bottom-placed side for a spot in the top division.

Picture: Keith Gillard

Karen Hills’ Addicks finished third in the most recent WSL 2 season - six points behind table-topping London City Lionesses.

If the new rules had been in play for that most recent campaign then it would have seen Charlton face Crystal Palace, who have been relegated, for a WSL 1 place.

Instead the pair will battle it out in the new WSL 2 season, which begins on September 6.

Defender Jodie Hutton has signed a new two-year contract.

RODWELL: OWNERS KEEN ON NEW VALLEY AGREEMENT

Charlton Athletic managing director James Rodwell made a guest appearance on talkSPORT last week - and was quizzed about the club’s lease on The Valley and their Sparrows Lane training ground.

Former Addicks owner Roland Duchatelet still owns both sites with the current agreement due to end in 2035.

“Yes Mr Duchatelet, or his companies, do own the stadium and training ground. We’ve made no secret of the fact our ownership would like to buy the stadium or enter into a much longer-term lease on commercial terms,” said Rodwell. “Those conversations are still ongoing.

“We still have a considerable period of time left but I know fans like certainty, and so do businessmen as well.”

Former Palace chairman Simon Jordan, a co-host on the show, asked if it was a possibility that the owners could move the club.

“It’s always a possibility,” said Rodwell. “I think the desire would be to stay at The Valley. It’s a fantastic football ground with a great atmosphere and it is fit for purpose but we want certainty of tenure. That’s what any business or football club wants.

“We pay rent at the moment which is fair, we’re quite comfortable with that.

“He (Duchatelet) owns something - we’d like to buy something. People make me laugh with football grounds, what are they actually worth? What is The Valley worth? Well, it’s worth a lot to Charlton, but it’s not probably worth a lot to a developer. What else can you stick on there? I’m always a great believer that commercial reality will hit home. There is always a deal there, I would imagine.

“Talks are ongoing and they are being conducted in the right spirit.”

TAYO TIME

Stockport County have signed former Charlton Athletic left-back Tayo Edun.

The 27-year-old made 37 appearances for the Addicks after joining from Blackburn Rovers in July 2023 but made a permanent transfer to Peterborough United in January 2025.

The Posh effectively just took over the remainder of the contract he had left to run at Charlton.

Picture: Keith Gillard

Edun is a free agent on July 1 and has agreed a two-year contract with Stockport, who lost in the League One play-off semi-finals against Leyton Orient.

"Getting Tayo to the club is a big coup for us,” said County manager Dave Challinor. “He comes at a great age, with brilliant experience, and is someone we feel can have a big impact on our team.”

SEMI SWITCH

Semi Ajayi, who started his career in Charlton Athletic’s academy, has lined up his next club.

The 31-year-old centre-back will sign for Hull City until the summer of 2027 when his West Bromwich Albion contract ends on July 1.

Ajayi never made a senior appearance for the Addicks but did help them win the Professional Development League 2 title. He moved to Arsenal’s academy in 2013. Other permanent stops have included Cardiff City and Rotherham United.

Ajayi featured 177 times for the Baggies and will be looking to add to his 200 appearances at Championship level.

MAKE THAT TWO NEW TIGERS

Dillon Phillips could also face Charlton Athletic next season after agreeing a free transfer move to Hull City.

Picture: Keith Gillard

Like Ajayi, he will move on to the Tigers’ payroll when his current contract ends on July 1.

Phillips, a 2019 play-off winner with the Addicks, has spent the last two campaigns with Rotherham United and kept six clean sheets in League One last season, conceding 40 goals in 33 matches.

The 30-year-old came through Charlton’s youth set-up and made 102 appearances. He joined Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee in October 2020.

SLO BURN

If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

That seems to be the approach from Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones, who has once again plumped for a pre-season training camp in Slovenia.

The Addicks will play one match while they are out there against HNK Gorica on July 19, kicking off at 11am BST, and it will be streamed on CharltonTV.

HNK Gorica finished ninth out of 10 clubs in the Croatian top flight last season and without a victory in their last five fixtures. They did draw 1-1 with Hadjuk Split during that period but wrapped up their season with a 4-0 loss at Slaven Belupo before a 3-0 home reverse to NK Lokomotiva.

Charlton have also locked in a tune-up at National League club Wealdstone on July 23 (kick-off 6.30pm).

ANOTHER CAP FOR DUO

Karoy Anderson and Kaheim Dixon both made substitute appearances in Jamaica’s 2-1 home win over Guadeloupe in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Saturday.

Tyreece Campbell did not make an appearance off the bench in the fixture at PayPal Park.

Karoy Anderson

Picture: Paul Edwards

Jamaica are second in Group C after two matches and play again on Wednesday against table-topping Panama, who have a 100 per cent record after two games.