Review of week: Charlton Athletic make formation change for friendly win at Dartford, Zach Mitchell set for St Johnstone loan and transfer window activity sparks into life
Former Addicks defender Bauer makes Cambridge City move
It’s the latest review of the week. Anything of note relating to Charlton Athletic should be here!
Charlton boss trialling back four set-up
Reece Burke makes a tackle against Dartford/Picture: Keith Gillard
Charlton Athletic started their pre-season friendlies with a 1-0 victory at Dartford on Friday night - and one of the main talking points to come out of the match was the formation.
The Addicks set up as a back four at Princes Park Stadium. I’ve got to thank Charlie Kelman for letting me quickly know that inside the opening minutes, as myself and pod host Louis Mendez had been deep in discussion about the set-up, wondering if Rob Apter, who scored the only goal, was playing as a right wing-back.
Charlton’s second-half team sat behind the press row and Kelman explained that it had been a shape they had worked on during their first week back in training.
We broke down the way the side played in the first post-match pod of the season.
“Last year we were 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 - we didn’t change,” said Charlton boss Nathan Jones. “Today we played a four and have gone with wide ones.
Charlton played 4-3-3 in the first 45 minutes at Dartford (above) and persisted with a back four in the second period but with totally different playing personnel (below)/Graphics from FotMob
“We need an influx of one or two players, in terms of quality, in certain areas but we have to be flexible.”
One player returning with extra motivation is Apter, a 2025 summer signing from Blackpool.
The 23-year-old winger opted for a loan move away from Charlton in the January transfer window after just 13 appearances in the first half of the campaign.
But his temporary switch to Bolton Wanderers proved to be even more frustrating as he played just 707 minutes and did not make their squad for any of their League One play-off matches.
Rob Apter scores for Charlton/Picture: Keith Gillard
The Welshman was asked if pre-season represented a second chance for some of the players who had been on the fringes last time around.
“Being ruthless is not getting rid of players,” responded Jones. “Rob was a victim last year. We played a certain way last year. Then we signed James Bree who, for me, is a Premier League player.
“Rob just got frustrated that someone was playing ahead of him. Breezer went back and he (Apter) could’ve played but he wanted to go and get game time, so we allowed him to do that.
“This year now it is about all those that had their first seasons in the Championship last year. It was a big step up for a lot of them. The Championship is a ruthless level.
“We had to get them a bit more up to speed. A few of them are going to have to do a hell of a lot to get to Championship level. That is what pre-season is about.”
Next stop for the Addicks was Slovenia. The squad flew on Saturday and play Maribor on Friday evening.
“We’d have liked one or two more in for that bonding week but that’s fine,” Jones told the club’s X account.
Trialist Nathan Redmond has jetted out with Charlton for their training camp.
Ivan Mesik puts a pen to paper/Picture: Charlton Athletic/Focus Images
Ins and outs
Charlton’s transfer window cranked into gear last week.
There were two incoming deals with Slovakian international defender Ivan Mesik arriving first on Tuesday. The 25-year-old left-footer, who signed until the summer of 2030, joined from Dutch club Heracles Almelo.
South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition spoke to Mesik about his switch to SE7 and you can find it here.
Thursday saw another new face added to the squad, Dundee’s Billy Koumetio, 23, making a permanent transfer.
The former Liverpool centre-back also had a chat with us about his return to English football - click here to read more.
Charlton’s 2025 League One play-off hero Macaulay Gillesphey has signed a two-year contract with Bradford City.
Striker Gassan Ahadme is back out on loan for the coming campaign - this time a return to Cambridge United and a reunion with boss Neil Harris.
Zach Mitchell playing for Charlton in last season’s friendly opener at Dartford/Picture: Keith Gillard
Zach Mitchell set to be a Saint
Charlton are expected to confirm the loan exit of Zach Mitchell this week to St Johnstone.
The 21-year-old centre-back is contracted to the Addicks until next summer.
Charlton have a 12-month extension option but there has to be a major question mark whether they will activate that.
Mitchell is coming off the back of a very unproductive loan at Hibernian in the first half of last season.
He made just two appearances in the Scottish Premiership before he was recalled by Charlton in January. His only first-team involvement after returning to his parent club was as an unused substitute at Oxford United in March.
Mitchell played the two EFL Cup ties before joining Hibs. He previously spent time with St Johnstone at the end of the 2024-25 season.
One of Cambridge United’s X posts after they added Patrick Bauer to their playing squad
Ex-Addicks on the move
Patrick Bauer has signed a one-year contract with Cambridge United after leaving AFC Wimbledon. U’s boss Neil Harris said: “He brings the experience of the position, leadership qualities, and a real desire to help us develop and improve as a football club in this division.”
Championship new boys Bolton Wanderers have added Akin Famewo to their playing ranks. The centre-back has signed a three-year deal and joins for an undisclosed fee.
Eoghan O’Connell has signed a two-year contract with Stockport County. The defender, 30, was a free agent after rejecting a new deal at Barnsley.
Crawley have confirmed the departure of goalkeeper Joe Wollacott. The West Sussex side had been in discussions to try and agree an extension.
Wollacott, Tom McIntyre and Jonny Williams were all on week one of the PFA pre-season training camp, which aims to help free agents secure a new club.
Abraham Odoh has signed for Salford for an undisclosed fee from Peterborough.
You only sing when you’re winning
But not in Sean Clare’s case.
The ex-Charlton Athletic player, now at Leyton Orient, appears to have his sights set on a musical career judging by his Instagram posts of late.
Clare hosted a live music event in May, in memory of one of his closest friends, James Barker.
Click below to have a listen.
TV dates
Charlton’s opening game of the 2026-27 season - Cheltenham away in the EFL Cup on August 8 - will kick off at 5.30pm after being selected for coverage on Sky Sports+.
The broadcaster has also picked the away matches at Stoke City (September 5) and Cardiff City (September 19) to be shown on Sky Sports+ as well with 12.30pm kick offs.
The home match against QPR will be on Sky Sports Football and is an 8pm start.
Picture: Kyle Andrews
RSK agree new sponsorship deal
Charlton will have RSK Group as their front of shirt sponsor in the 2026-27 season.
The Addicks announced on Wednesday that they had extended their agreement. RSK, whose chief executive Alan Ryder is a Charlton fan, are also the club’s sustainability partner.
Ryder said: “Seeing our name on the front of the shirts is a real privilege and reflects a shared commitment not only to success on the pitch but also to making a positive impact beyond it, including the club’s environmental work.”
TodayTix have become the club’s new ‘official experience partner’. I’ve got absolutely no idea what that means. But what I do know is that their logo will be on the back of the men and women’s first-team shirts.
Brian Fenty, chief executive and co-founder of TodayTix Group, said: “Partnering with Charlton Athletic is a significant moment for TodayTix - it marks our commitment to bringing live events to new audiences, and we couldn't have found a better club to do it with.”