Review of the week: Lyndon Dykes gets attacking return in pre-World Cup runout, Karen Hills wins big WSL 2 accolade and Kaheim Dixon nets at The Valley
Addicks announce Gillingham pre-season friendly and Ness scores in League Two play-off final
It’s the latest review of the week. All the news relating to Charlton Athletic (big or small) that has occurred during the previous seven days.
Kaheim Dixon celebrates scoring Jamaica’s second goal in their 2-0 win over India in the Unity Cup, which was held at The Valley/Picture: Keith Gillard
Dykes adds to caps after pre-World Cup runout against Curacao
Lyndon Dykes played the entire second half for Scotland in their 4-1 friendly victory over Curacao on Saturday.
Steve Clarke’s side flew to the USA yesterday and have one more warm-up fixture, against Bolivia in New Jersey on June 7, before their World Cup campaign starts against Haiti on June 14.
Dykes, who has made 51 appearances for the Tartan Army, replaced Ipswich Town’s George Hirst at the break at Hampden Park.
Lyndon Dykes celebrates his goal at Leicester with Sonny Carey/Picture: Kyle Andrews
It is the striker’s third cap for Scotland since he signed for Charlton in the January transfer window.
Dykes assisted Lawrence Shankland’s first goal, which put them 2-1 ahead against Curacao.
He said: “I thought I did well. I just wanted to make as much of an impact as I could. Me and Shanks linked up well.”
Dykes was ruled out of Euro 2024 due to an ankle ligament injury suffered while training with his country just days before the tournament started.
Asked about the World Cup, he said: “I’m looking forward to the whole experience. I missed out on the Euros last time and it hurt a lot. You grow as a player and grow as a person doing stuff like this.
“Hopefully I can perform well for my team and my country. I’m going to take it all in and enjoy it, because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Dykes is due to be a free agent at the start of July unless the Addicks agree new terms. They stated they were still in talks with the former QPR and Birmingham City player when they announced their retained and released list.
Dykes’ agent seems to have gone into overdrive with the transfer links this week, speculation mooting the big frontman as a target for Leicester City, Millwall and Burnley.
It seems highly unlikely that the Clarets, fresh from Premier League relegation and buoyed by parachute payments, would see Dykes as a viable option. And South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition understands that Dykes was pitched to Millwall when he left Birmingham City, but they passed up on the offer.
Looks a prime example of why not all (make that many) transfer stories are to be believed…..
Hills’ honour
Karen Hills already had plenty of reasons to feel happy after Charlton Athletic’s promotion to WSL 1 on May 23.
But there was more good news on Tuesday evening when she was named as WSL2 Manager of the Year at the LMA Awards.
Hills was appointed as Addicks boss in March 2021. They had an unbeaten league run which stretched 27 matches, spanning the last two seasons, and were long-time leaders of the division in the campaign just completed.
Charlton defeated Leicester City on penalties in a play-off earlier this month to clinch a top-flight place for the first time since 2007.
Karen Hills is all smiles after Charlton’s promotion to WSL1/Picture: Paul Edwards
The Super League have announced a four-year deal with CBS Sports to broadcast their matches in the US. The Paramount+ streaming service will air 183 WSL matches a season.
The Guardian reported “the deal represents a major uplift in the valuation of the rights, which could bring in as much as a fourfold increase to the WSL compared to previous seasons, although the exact valuation has not been disclosed”.
Mia Ross has been called up by Wales for their World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Czechia. Ellie Mason has been selected by Northern Ireland for their matches against Turkey and Switzerland.
Corey Blackett-Taylor holds the ball up in the FA Cup tie at Gillingham in the 2023-24 season/Picture: Keith Gillard
Gillingham friendly is locked in
Charlton announced their second pre-season friendly - a July 18 trip to Gillingham (3pm).
The League Two side finished 18th in the table last season.
Charlie Kelman and Amari’i Bell previously played for the Gills on loan.
The last competitive game between the two clubs was an FA Cup tie in December 2023 - Macauley Bonne and Timothee Dieng scored as the Addicks slumped to a 2-0 reverse.
Charlton start their friendly programme with a fixture at Dartford on July 3. They are expected to jet off to a training camp later that weekend. Addicks boss Nathan Jones has taken his squad to Slovenia in the previous two summers.
Ness heads Wembley goal as County beat Karl Robinson’s Salford City
Former Charlton defender Lucas Ness helped Notts County win Monday’s League Two play-off final.
The 24-year-old joined the Magpies from the Addicks in August 2024. The fee was described as ‘undisclosed’.
Ness produced a towering header to score County’s second in a 3-0 victory over Salford City, who have ex-Addicks boss Karl Robinson in charge.
“I feel that we’ve let people down today,” Robinson told BBC Manchester. “I don’t think we’ve let people down for the last 10 months, we’ve been nothing short of magnificent, but today we had too many who didn’t turn up.
“You can use so many excuses, but we were beaten by the better team.
“Every part of the game we were second best. I apologise to all Salford fans from the bottom of my heart. The club will be back better, stronger next year.”
Ness signed for Charlton from Met Police in the summer of 2020 and impressed enough to earn a new contract in April 2024 that ran until the end of June 2025.
Alex Gilbert/Picture: Keith Gillard
Boro release Gilbert
Middlesbrough have announced which of their squad will be moving on this summer - and Alex Gilbert is on that list.
Boro saw their Championship promotion hopes ended by Hull City on May 23 in the Championship play-off final.
Gilbert, 24, had not made a league appearance in the season just completed until Kim Hellberg was appointed head coach in late November.
The midfielder went on to feature 21 times in the Championship, nine of those starts, but was an unused substitute in all of their play-off ties.
Gilbert made 14 appearances for Charlton in the 2024-25 League One season after signing on loan in the winter transfer window.
There have been suggestions in the local media on Teesside that Boro still remain in talks with the player.
Rob Elliot talks to Charlton boss Nathan Jones before last season’s League One match at Crawley Town was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch/Picture: Kyle Andrews
Elliot explains reasons for walking out on Gateshead
Rob Elliot has revealed he chose to quit as Gateshead manager because the National League club are unable to deliver on his plans to improve the infrastructure.
The ex-Charlton goalkeeper led them to a fairly miraculous escape from relegation after rejoining the Heed in January. They had lost 11 successive matches prior to his appointment.
“It’s hard to say goodbye when we achieved something so special last year,” said Elliot. “I had belief we could stay up and keep the club in the National League.
“When I first spoke with the club, it was integral to me coming back that things were put in place to also develop the club further on and off the pitch, with a training ground and staffing to be put in place to help develop the players - regardless of which league we were in.
“Unfortunately, that isn’t able to happen. After speaking with the club at length over the last few weeks, it’s not something the club are able to commit to.
“Through this, along with not being able to retain all of the players and staff who achieved safety, it didn’t feel right for me to remain when others who gave so much aren’t able to continue the journey.”
Gateshead published a statement on their official website.
“Unfortunately, terms could not be agreed between the club and Rob Elliot regarding budgets and access to certain immediate infrastructure.
“Rob only wants the best for the club and for it to thrive, as we’re sure everyone does, and that is absolutely the plan being worked on behind the scenes with Stephen.”
Kaheim Dixon scores for Jamaica/Picture: Keith Gillard
Dixon scores his first goal at The Valley
Kaheim Dixon is off the mark at The Valley - but his first goal in SE7 came for Jamaica.
The Charlton Athletic winger, 21, scored for the Reggae Boyz as they defeated India 2-0 in the Unity Cup on Wednesday night.
It’s been pretty much a season to forget for the 21-year-old attacker, who struggled to make an impact after joining Crawley Town on loan last season. He was recalled by the Addicks in February, going on to gain his minutes for the club’s U21s.
Dixon has a Charlton contract until the summer of 2028. He arrived from Jamaican side Arnett Gardens in August 2024.
Dixon has made three league appearances for the Addicks, the last of those as a 52nd-minute substitute in a 2-2 home draw against Lincoln City in April 2025.
Jamaica lost 3-0 to Nigeria in Saturday’s Unity Cup final. Dixon played the full 90 minutes.
Nathan Harness playing for Charlton against MK Dons in January 2022/Picture: Keith Gillard
Harness is an Angel
Nathan Harness has signed for Tonbridge Angels.
The ex-Charlton goalkeeper spent last season with Maidstone United and featured 35 times.
Angels are managed by former Millwall full-back Alan Dunne.
Harness, released by the Addicks at the end of the 2022-23 season, told Tonbridge’s official website: “I’m delighted to be here. I had a couple of offers from different teams but from the get-go my heart was set on Tonbridge. It felt right.
“I had some good conversations with the gaffer and other people and I just got that gut feeling that this is where I wanted to spend my time.”
Dunne added: “Nathan ticks all the right boxes. He’s got good pedigree, starting out at Charlton. He’s a big character with charisma and personality. He’s dominant in the box, kicks well and is ambitious.
“He’s a big addition for us and I’m really, really pleased to bring him in because he had other offers to consider but I’m delighted he’s decided to join us.”