Review of the week: Konsa and Dykes taste success and failure at World Cup, Morrison takes Dons coaching gig, Charlton to face Cheltenham in EFL Cup and Taylor completes League One move
Pratley moves into new role at Orient and Magennis picked up by Stevenage
It’s the latest review of the week. There were contrasting fortunes for two players with Charlton connections at the World Cup finals but we also wrap up other news from the past seven days, including a first coaching job for former Addicks centre-back Michael Morrison.
Ezri Konsa gets physical with Panama’s Tomas Rodriguez in England’s final World Cup group game/Picture: Alamy
Konsa ever-present as England progress but Dykes’ Scotland already flying home
Former Charlton youngster Ezri Konsa was the only England outfield player to play every minute of the group stage as they secured their path through to the round of 32 by topping Group L.
Thomas Tuchel’s side, albeit unconvincingly, kept clean sheets against Ghana and Panama after the England boss rotated his backline following the 4-2 win over Croatia.
Mark Guehi, who started his career on the books of Chelsea and once enjoyed a successful loan spell with Swansea City, was parachuted into the side alongside Konsa in place of John Stones for the final two group games.
Konsa was fortunate to not concede a penalty in the goalless draw with Ghana – lunging in on substitute Pince Adu in the 80th minute as he bore down on Jordan Pickford’s goal. The Aston Villa man didn’t seem to make any contact with the ball (see the still from the BBC’s coverage below) but VAR elected not to intervene.
The former Charlton defender had the second-most touches (125) of any player on the pitch. Only Guehi saw the ball more as the Three Lions struggled to translate possession into chances against the Black Stars.
England looked vulnerable on the counter against Panama but goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane were enough to secure a 2-0 win to set up a tie against DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday. It’s clear that the Three Lions will have to improve at the back if they want to go deep into the competition.
Lydon Dykes’ World Cup is over after Scotland failed to make it beyond the group stage. The Addicks forward was an unused substitute during Wednesday evening’s 3-0 reverse against five-time champions Brazil.
The Tartan Army finished third in Group C with three points and a minus three goal difference, which left them short of qualifying as one of the eight-best third-placed sides.
Dykes’ tournament ended with two substitute appearances - 15 minutes during the 1-0 win over Haiti and then 19 minutes at the end of the 1-0 loss to Morocco.
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke, who picked Dykes ahead of Hull City’s Oli McBurnie for the squad, resigned immediately after their elimination was confirmed in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Dykes will now turn his attention to sorting his immediate future at club level. Charlton said they were in discussions over a new deal with the 30-year-old with his short-term deal expiring this summer. He scored three goals in 20 games for the Addicks after departing Birmingham City at the start of the year.
Morro makes the grade, retires AND takes AFC Wimbledon coaching job
Michael Morrison has been appointed as AFC Wimbledon’s new first-team coach - on the same day he announced his retirement as a player.
The former Charlton Athletic defender left Cambridge United this summer following their promotion back to League One at the first time of asking - ending a 21-year association with the club he started his career with before then returning to The Abbey Stadium in January 2023.
Michael Morrison announced he was hanging up his boots on his Instagram account
He announced his retirement on Friday: “After more than 20 years in the game and over 800 appearances, the time feels right to hang up my boots and bring my playing career to a close.
”Football has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I can honestly say I gave everything I had to it. The game has taken me on an incredible journey, given me memories that will stay with me forever, and introduced me to people who have had a lasting impact on my life.
”One thing my career taught me, especially during the covid years, was never to take supporters for granted. Playing in empty stadiums showed all of us just how much fans bring to the game. It still means a lot when supporters stop me for a chat or share memories from my time at their club.”
Morrison has just completed his UEFA Pro Diploma - the highest attainable football coaching qualification in Europe.
He won promotion from League One with Charlton in the 2011-12 campaign and he was presented with his certificate by his former boss Chris Powell.
The diploma is a requirement for those who wish to manage at the top level of the European game.
Cheltenham Town cup tie kicks off 2026-27 season
Thursday saw Charlton paired with Derby County on August 15 as the Championship fixture list was released. But Charlton will start this term with an EFL Cup tie.
The first competitive fixture of the 2026-27 season will see the Addicks head to the EV Charger Points Stadium (Whaddon Road to us philistines) over the weekend of August 8.
It will be a second-ever cup meeting between the League Two Robins and the south Londoners - coming almost a decade to the day since the then third-tier Addicks were knocked out by a late Harry Pell strike in the same round of the same competition.
Russell Slade asked for time and understanding from Addicks fans - but got very little of either from then owner Roland Duchatelet/Picture: Keith Gillard
Russell Slade managed Charlton that day – his second game in charge and a second defeat. Famously, he called for ‘patience’ from supporters, and more pointedly me, when I asked for transfer updates after the game. The follow-up question about Roger Johnson’s alleged fallout with a supporter during a defeat at Bury the previous weekend also went down about as well as a warm can of Carabao.
Ezri Konsa made his Charlton debut that evening and it was a first ever competitive meeting between the sides. The Addicks are unbeaten on their three trips to Whaddon Road since then, with Nathan Jones overseeing a 3-1 League One victory in March 2024.
Terry Taylor’s Charlton contract expires on July 1/Picture: Keith Gillard
Taylor makes Lamex move
Terry Taylor has signed for beaten League One play-off semi-finalists Stevenage. The midfielder, who turns 25 today, has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at the Hertfordshire club.
Taylor joined Charlton Athletic for an undisclosed fee from Burton Albion in July 2023 but only made 13 league appearances for the club - starting eight. His last Addicks runout was in a 0-0 draw with Mansfield at The Valley in December 2024.
He spent the last season and a half at Northampton Town across two loan deals. Charlton announced in May that he, along with Luke Berry, would be leaving the club at the end of his contract.
Other ex-Addicks find pastures new
Steven Sessegnon, who spent the 2022-23 term on loan at The Valley from Premier League Fulham, has linked up with Johnnie Jackson at AFC Wimbledon. The left-back, released by Wigan Athletic, has signed a two-year contract.
Striker Josh Davison, 26, has joined League Two outfit Shrewsbury Town. The forward joined Charlton initially on a trial basis in October 2019 after leaving Enfield Town, scoring six goals in 35 appearances. Davison has agreed a two-year deal with the Shrews.
Josh Magennis playing for Charlton in 2016/Picture: Keith Gillard
Josh Magennis, 35, has linked up with Terry Taylor at Stevenage. The Northern Ireland international was relegated from League One with Exeter City last term. He scored 18 goals in 60 appearances during his two seasons with the Grecians. The forward joined Charlton from Scottish outfit Kilmarnock in August 2016, bagging 20 goals, before moving to Bolton Wanderers two years later
Darren Pratley playing for Charlton against Doncaster in the League One play-off semi-final second leg at The Valley in 2019/Picture: Keith Gillard
Prats makes step up at Orient
Darren Pratley has been promoted to first-team coach at Leyton Orient. A promotion winner with the Addicks, Pratley joined the O’s after his three years in south London ended in 2021.
He captained Orient to the League Two title under Richie Wellens in 2022-23 – but did not feature at Wembley Stadium when they were beaten in the League One play-off final by Nathan Jones’ side two years later.
The former midfielder has been coaching the O’s U21s since retiring in May 2025, leading them to the London Senior Cup final. He joins ex-Charlton goalkeeper Simon Royce on the first-team staff.
Born in east London, Pratley, 41, made 111 appearances in a Charlton shirt between 2018 and 2021, scoring five goals.
Telly Addicks: EFL confirm notice periods for TV changes
We already know that Charlton’s Championship curtain raiser against Derby County on August 15 will be live on Sky Sports+ - all games over the opening league weekend will be televised. Unlike last year’s opener against Watford, the kick-off remains in the traditional 3pm slot.
But those who want to map out plans for the rest of the season need to hold off until Sky have foraged their way through the fixture list to pick out the gems their armchair audience simply must be served up in the various inconvenient TV times.
Thankfully, and in keeping with the past two seasons, Sky and the EFL have committed to announcing schedule changes well in advance to allow supporters time to scheme their journeys to far flung corners of the country.
All TV selections for games up until the end of September are due to be announced by Thursday.
Sonny Carey celebrates with Amari’i Bell after scoring against Millwall at The Valley - a fixture that was selected for TV coverage/Picture: Kyle Andrews
The end of July is the cut-off for all changes that will affect fixtures after that until January 11 - with the schedule up to early March due to be set in stone by November 6.
The notice periods shorten as the business end of the season approaches, with Sky moving to weekly TV selections from February 5 - initially covering the matches taking place between March 5-8.
Games on the penultimate weekend of the campaign will be revealed three weeks in advance - while all the final day showdowns are advertised as 12.30pm starts on May 1. This means an early start for the Addicks’ trip to newly-promoted Lincoln City.
The advanced warning has been a help with planning for away days over the last couple of years - but no matter how early they tell us, we could have done without following up last year’s 12.30pm kick-off at Swansea City with a New Year’s Day trip to the Swansea.com Stadium this term.
Funeral plans shared for Peter ‘Scoop’ Burrowes
Arrangements for the funeral of legendary journalist Peter ‘Scoop’ Burrowes have been announced by the club - with Addicks fans invited to attend.
The service will be held at the Kemnal Park Cemetery and Memorial Gardens (Sidcup By-Pass, Chislehurst BR7 6RR) on Thursday, July 16 at 11am.
A reception will take place at The Valley afterwards.
Scoop, 87, passed away earlier this month. A long-serving volunteer in the press room since retirement, he had reported on the club across both print and radio during a long and varied career. He also served as press officer in the 1980s.
Supporters are encouraged to donate to the Charlton Athletic Community Trust in Scoop’s memory, in lieu of flowers.
Charlton Athletic women had a big crowd for their play-off decider against Leicester City/Picture: Keith Gillard
Win or lose, on the booze. If it’s a draw? Drink some more
Fans attending Charlton Athletic women’s matches will be able to celebrate victories and numb the pain of defeats with alcoholic beverages in the stands during the upcoming WSL season.
The Addicks were one of several sides who trialled allowing booze within view of the pitch last term and will now continue to offer supporters that choice after the WSL governing body dropped the rule preventing it.
It is illegal to drink in view of the pitch at men’s professional games due to the Sporting Events Control of Alcohol Act but no such restrictions will be in place as Karen Hills and her side take on their first season in the top tier of the women’s game following last year’s promotion.
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