Last week in review for Charlton Athletic
Nathan Jones sizes up the spending challenge for Championship new boys - ex-Addicks youngster wins U21 European Championships with England
JONES: THIS TRANSFER WINDOW WILL BE HARD
Nathan Jones has warned that Charlton Athletic are facing “one of their toughest windows”.
The Addicks manager did some media on Thursday at The Valley after the Championship fixtures were announced. The SE7 side are back at that level after winning the League One play-offs at the end of May.
Inevitably the Welshman was asked about transfers, both by the club’s in-house media but also broadcaster Sky Sports.
Jones did not look to correct the latter when they asked about attempts to strengthen his squad while having “one of the smaller budgets in the league”.
Addicks boss Nathan Jones
Picture: Kyle Andrews
He responded: “I’m used to having one of the smaller budgets, so that’s not new. We are very good at recruiting, we have an excellent track record of recruiting.”
Jones also told Charlton’s X account: “It will be one of our toughest windows. One, because of finishing the season so late and, two, going into a competitive league where there are huge budgets and we’re competing against a different level of recruitment.
“It’s a little bit slower than normal but we expected that and we’re in a good place.”
HORNETS VISIT ON OPENING DAY OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Charlton Athletic’s return to the Championship will start with a home game against Watford on August 9 (12.30pm kick off).
It will be the first meeting of the two clubs since January 2015, when the Hornets dished out a 5-0 defeat at Vicarage Road.
But Charlton have won their last two home encounters against the Hertfordshire-based outfit. Yoni Buyens’ third-minute penalty decided a September 2014 encounter and the Addicks enjoyed a 3-1 victory in April 2014 with goals from Callum Harriott (two) and Johnnie Jackson.
The Addicks fixtures for the first two months are:
August 9 Watford H
August 16 Bristol City A
August 23 Leicester City H
August 30 QPR A
September 13 Millwall H
September 23 Sheffield United A
September 27 Blackburn Rovers H
The start to Charlton Athletic’s Championship season was discussed on the latest South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition Podcast.
Charlton face Stevenage in the first round of the EFL Cup. The tie will be played in the week commencing August 11.
SHRIMPLY THE BEST
Better than all the rest…when it comes to the final pre-season friendly before the start of the Championship season. I’m sure Tina Turner could have done a bit better with making it work lyrically - but you get the gist.
Charlton Athletic have locked down a trip to Southend United on August 2 (3pm).
The Addicks will not have a home match at The Valley before league action starts as they want to ensure the playing surface is in tip-top condition.
Charlton also did not play in SE7 before the last League One season commenced due to the pitch being relaid.
The south Londoners kick off their preparations at Dartford on July 12 (3pm) before heading to Slovenia for a training camp. They will play HNK Gorica but that fixture is behind closed doors.
Southend United are in the National League for another campaign after losing 3-2 against Oldham in the play-off final at Wembley on June 1.
The Shrimpers are in talks about extending the stay of former Charlton striker Macauley Bonne, 29.
Macauley Bonne
Picture: Keith Gillard
Bonne has revealed he seriously contemplating quitting the game when he was 27 due to mental health issues.
“I was thinking about leaving football,” said Bonne, speaking in the National League play-off final match day programme. “I was considering retiring. I was going through it, really bad depression.
“It was one of the worst times of my life. It nearly ruined everything for me. Football, home life. Thank God I have a supportive wife. Chloe, she is my rock. She helped me through a lot. She backed me through everything, all of it, and it is because of her that I have been able to come out the other side.
“I worked at it, I worked at a lot of things and I’ve been able to find a love of football again since signing for Southend, and look where it’s taken me.
“Football can sometimes send you into a depression. but it can also take you to some wonderful places.”
Charlton will play fellow Championship club Ipswich Town at Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium on Tuesday, July 29th (7.30pm).
The Tractor Boys were relegated from the Premier League after a one-season stay.
PURRFECT FIT
Former Charlton Athletic defender Ben Purrington has signed for League Two club Cambridge United.
The 29-year-old has penned a 12-month deal with the U’s after being released by Exeter City.
Picture: Keith Gillard
Purrington scored the equalising goal for Charlton in the 2019 League One play-off final against Sunderland.
The full-back scored nine times in 115 appearances for the south Londoners. He left in June 2022 when his contract ended.
Cambridge United manager Neil Harris said: “I am delighted to welcome Ben to the football club. He has been a standout performer at left-back in recent seasons in League One and the Scottish Premier League, and we think he will bring great defensive balance, a real desire to win and promotion-winning experience to our squad.”
BEADLE WINS MAJOR SILVERWARE
James Beadle, who started his career in Charlton Athletic’s academy, was celebrating England winning the U21 European Championships on Saturday night.
The goalkeeper, 20, played in every match in the competition.
England defeated Germany 3-2 after extra-time in the final to make it back-to-back trophy wins in the competition.
Beadle rejected a professional deal with the Addicks to sign for Brighton in 2022. He has had loans Crewe, Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday.
There has been speculation that he will be making a temporary move to Birmingham City for the coming season.