Review of the week: Transfer activity but only involving former Charlton Athletic players, Dykes still waiting for World Cup goal and Konsa names ex-Addicks academy chief Avory as a big role model
Addicks slot in two more pre-season friendlies - including one in Slovenia
It’s the latest review of the week. Any Charlton Athletic news - no matter how tenuous - is likely to be in this round-up!
Lyndon Dykes heads a chance wide against Morocco - but was he left cursing the intervention of Scott McTominay?/Screen grab: BBC iPlayer
Dykes features again for Scotland - Konsa starts in England’s World Cup win against Croatia and has huge praise for former Charlton academy boss Avory
Lyndon Dykes had to settle for another substitute appearance for Scotland at the World Cup - with team-mate Scott McTominay potentially helping to scupper his attempts to score in Friday’s Group C loss.
The Charlton striker came on for Che Adams in the 71st minute at Boston Stadium as Steve Clarke’s side, trailing to Ismael Saibari’s wicked early strike, looked to go more direct in the closing stages.
Dykes made first contact on a John McGinn inswinging corner on the edge of the six-yard box (see the screengrab from BBC iPlayer below) but the ball ended up going harmlessly wide.
Napoli’s McTominay (number four) also attacked the delivery and placed his hands on the back of Dykes just before he headed the ball.
Scotland led the group after the first round of fixtures but Brazil predictably swept past Haiti 3-0 in the early hours of Saturday morning and that dropped them to third in the table.
Eight of the third best-placed finishers qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament and will face group winners.
Addicks academy product Ezri Konsa played the full 90 minutes in England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas.
It was centre-back Konsa’s 21st cap for his country.
The Three Lions looked far more assured in the second half of their Group L opener.
England play again on Tuesday night against Ghana (9pm).
Konsa was a guest on episode nine of England’s Lions Den and was asked to name a role model off the pitch.
He picked Steve Avory, who was one of the people we spoke to for a pre-World Cup profile on one of Charlton’s most successful youth players.
Konsa said: “He played a big part in my career. When I was younger at Charlton there were times nobody believed in me, nobody thought I would get to where I am now. He was always the man to push me, motivate me and remind me how good I was.
“Even to this day we still speak. He is a big part why I’m here now. He probably gave me the strong mindset that I have.”
The full sit down with Konsa (who was joined by Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze) is below.
May on the move again
Alfie May has signed for Doncaster Rovers on a season-long loan.
The former Charlton striker, who won League One’s Golden Boot with 23 goals in the 2023-24 season, still has two years left to run on his Huddersfield Town contract.
May looked set to be shunted down the Terriers’ forward pecking order after they acquired Ashley Fletcher on a free transfer from Blackpool.
The 32-year-old’s early career was spent in non-league football before Doncaster handed him a professional deal in 2017.
Charlton spent in the region of £250,000 to sign May from Cheltenham in the summer of 2023. Birmingham paid a seven-figure sum in July 2024 as he transferred away from SE7.
It is the third summer in a row that the forward has changed clubs.
Alfie May celebrates scoring against Fleetwood in September 2023/Picture: Keith Gillard
Huddersfield sporting director Chris Markham said: “Giving both Alfie and the club some clarity early in the summer now allows us greater flexibility in the remainder of the window to come, and we can continue to work toward shaping our men’s first team to allow Martin (Drury, head coach) the tools he desires to play the football we’re all desperate to see.
“A traditional loan agreement, Alfie remains a Town player and we wholeheartedly wish him nothing but the best with Doncaster in the season to come. As we do with all of our loanees, we’ll be keeping close to him and watching on to see how he’s performing with his loan side.”
May told Doncaster’s official website: “I’m on around 95 League One goals and I want to hit the 100 early if I can. I want to be top scorer at this club, I thrive on goals.
“I think a lot of Donny fans know this is where I live and coming back feels like home to a club that means a lot to me and I can’t wait to put the shirt back on.
“When my agent told me of the interest, I said: ‘Yes get it done, and get it done quickly’.”
Jake Forster-Caskey/Picture: Keith Gillard
JFC agrees Woking stay
Jake Forster-Caskey has signed a new contract at Woking.
The National League club have not revealed the length of the midfielder’s terms.
Forster-Caskey, 32, played 128 first-team matches for Charlton before being released in 2023.
Woking are managed by Jermain Defoe, who started his playing career in the Addicks’ academy before joining West Ham at the age of 16.
The Cards’ director of football Jody Brown said: “Jermain and I were united in the belief that Jake is important for where we want to go. He has great quality and calmness in possession, and he has the experience to remain that way in big games and challenging moments.
“It’s fair to look at the injury history, and of course we are aware, but his knee got through a season without any real pre-season to prepare last year. Jake and all of us feel that he will be stronger as we move into this campaign.
“On and off the field, he can be an asset around the lads, driving standards in training and games, but also in preparation, recovery, and general professionalism. We are pleased to have him on board.”
Field to plough his trade at Canaries
Do I feel any shame or guilt about the heading? No. No, I do not.
There haven’t been a huge amount of Championship transfers so far since the window opened on June 15.
But Norwich City have done some business, and one of their moves has been to add Sam Field on a permanent basis from QPR.
This website had been told at the end of the last window that Charlton held a loan interest in the 28-year-old, who previously had a temporary spell in SE7 in the 2019-20 campaign.
At the time there appeared to be three clubs that were keen on his services but Field made the switch to Carrow Road, making 15 appearances.
The Canaries have signed the ex-West Brom man on a three-year contract, with a club option of a further year. The local Norwich press have reported the fee as an initial 1.5million.
Sam Field tangles with Nottingham Forest’s Lewis Grabban in August 2019/Picture: Keith Gillard
Maribor friendly announced
We wrote about Charlton’s tune-up match against the Slovenian club, who have won their domestic title 16 times and played in leading European competitions, here.
Picture: Kyle Andrews
Colchester United booked in too
The Addicks headed to the JobServe Community Stadium in their last pre-season as well, but back then it was not to face the U’s.
Colchester United’s stadium hosted Charlton’s 2-1 friendly loss to Ipswich Town in late July. This time they will face the League Two club on July 28 (7.45pm).
Colchester finished 12th in League Two last season. They recently confirmed that a deal to buy the club, former Chelsea defender John Terry fronting a consortium, was off.
The Essex outfit recently extended the contract of attacking midfielder Jack Payne, who made 14 league starts for Charlton after signing from Swindon Town in July 2022.
Addicks striker Micah Mbick spent the previous campaign on loan with Colchester but his season ended prematurely in March due to a serious knee injury. His performances had led to an England U19 call-up in November.
Henry Rylah played for Charlton in the EFL Cup against Stevenage in August/Picture: Paul Edwards
Rylah recall
Henry Rylah’s loan spell at Derry City has been cut short by six months.
The 20-year-old winger was due to be with the League of Ireland Premier Division side until the end of December, with their fixtures running through the summer.
But Charlton confirmed earlier in the week that Rylah had been recalled.
He scored twice and collected one assist in 15 appearances for Derry City, who are sixth in the table. Perhaps more pertinently, only one of those matches was a start, when he played 59 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Shelbourne on March 13.