Rob Apter's confidence helped with settling-in process, Mitchell and Kanu on move, Morrison to miss out on Addicks reunion
The latest review of the week - a round-up of Charlton Athletic news
It’s time for the review of the week.
And in this update we have reaction to Charlton Athletic’s 1-0 loss to Leicester City, details on three loan exits as well as Patrick Bauer strengthening the ex-Addicks contingent at AFC Wimbledon.
APTER: I WAS READY FOR STEP UP TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Rob Apter has put his strong start in Charlton Athletic colours down to his total belief he is Championship class.
The Addicks spent a seven-figure sum on the 22-year-old in the summer transfer window.
Apter had been a standout performer in League One for Blackpool last season.
“I just think I know how good I am and what I can affect on the pitch,” said the Scouser, when asked about making a positive early impression at Charlton. “I am confident in that sort of way, in terms of what I am capable of.
“I knew I was ready for the step up. I knew I was ready for the Championship. Hopefully now I can just kick on and play as much as I can.
“It’s a massive jump from League One. Everything is a lot more technical and tactical - every team is now structured a lot more - but also the game is stronger and faster. It suits my game, the way I want to get on the ball and attack players. It will just be perfect.”
Picture: Keith Gillard
There have been plenty of conflicting formations put out for Charlton this season.
Even on Sky Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Leicester, their graphic had the Addicks playing a back four with Apter further advanced in a 4-3-3. So, what is his position?
“It’s a right wing-back but the way I play, even the gaffer and his assistant, they give me the freedom,” said Apter, chatting to South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition. “So when we attack, you go and do your stuff…be as attacking and influential as I can be. That is great for me, that when we are attacking I can go and do my stuff. But I’ve also got to get back and defend, which I feel I have done well.
“It’s a new role but I am enjoying it. It suits me in this team.”
Apter is a Liverpool fan but one of his idols is Jack Grealish. So is the fact he has his socks so low paying homage to the England international?
“That’s just for my calves! I don’t like the socks over them - too tight.”
Apter has echoed some of his team-mates recent assertions that Charlton should be setting their sights to be more ambitious than survival in this campaign.
He said: “All the group know we can aim higher than just being comfortable in the division and wanting to stay up. We can aim way higher than that, because the group is talented and hard working. A lot of people saw in the first two games how good we are and where we can get to.
“We have got to keep building every game. Hopefully we can be up the table.”
Apter has played at every level from National North up to the Championship. He makes no secret that he wants to also complete the set by becoming a Premier League footballer.
“One hundred per cent,” said Apter. “It is any young lad’s dream.
“I’m a confident lad, I think I can reach there. I want to keep playing week in and week out at this level because the Championship is a very, very good level. If I keep playing well then who knows what can happen?”
Blackpool had an average home support of 9,619 last season. Charlton had 21,778 for the opening day against Watford and then 22,183 for the visit of Leicester.
“I said to Sonny (Carey) after the first game at The Valley and then at Bristol City: ‘Ooof, you don’t get any of those bad stadiums any more. You’re in the big boy stadiums now’,” said Apter. “Leicester away and Ipswich are a couple I’m looking forward to playing at.”
JONES WANTS END PRODUCT
Nathan Jones rued a number of missed chances in Charlton Athletic’s 1-0 loss to Leicester City on Saturday.
Abdul Fatawu’s sensational 48th-minute strike earned the Foxes all three points and inflicted a first loss on the Addicks at The Valley since December 3.
Want more reaction? Our post-match pod is here and we also have the talking points from the fixture.
“We do the basics very, very well,” said Addicks boss Jones. “What we have to do is start converting chances. We created chances at Bristol City and also had the chances to be further ahead against Watford. Today (Saturday) we had enough chances to win two or three matches.
“There was a free-kick in the lead up to their goal that categorically wasn’t a free-kick, that is the really disappointing thing.
“That’s the learning curve, we have to take our chances. When you have ex-Premier League players they can create moments of genius and real quality out of nothing, which is exactly what they did today.”
Josh Edwards competes for the ball against Leicester City
Picture: Keith Gillard
ARGYLE LOAN MOVE FOR MITCHELL
Alex Mitchell made his Plymouth Argyle debut on Tuesday night, in a 1-0 home loss to Leyton Orient.
The Addicks have been busy loaning out players in recent weeks, backing up manager Nathan Jones’ assertion that his squad needed streamlining.
Centre-back Mitchell, 23, was signed from Millwall last summer and made 34 appearances in the 2024-25 League One campaign.
But the preferred backline for Jones in the closing months of the previous season was Kayne Ramsay, Lloyd Jones and Macaulay Gillesphey.
Mitchell’s prospects of gaining game time have been dented further by the arrivals of Amari’i Bell and Reece Burke, although the latter has not been fit enough to be in the squad since the opening friendly at Dartford.
Picture: Keith Gillard
Mitchell’s only competitive outing came in the EFL Cup first round win over Stevenage.
Plymouth head coach Tom Cleverley said: “It is no secret that we have been looking to add defensive options and in Alex we feel we have the perfect addition.
“He is young but has good experience of League One and played an integral part in Charlton’s promotion last season, so brings with him experience of consistently winning.
“We are really pleased to bring him to the club, and he will go straight into the squad for tomorrow’s game.”
Jones told the Addicks’ official website: “Alex was an integral part of our team that got promoted. Last summer we needed to improve our defence and he helped us do that and has been important for us culturally and in terms of professionalism.
“He’s at an age where he needs gametime and given the form of others and our new signings, the loan move to a good club like Plymouth was a good opportunity and we weren’t going to stand in his way. He’s been part of two very strong defences in the last two seasons - with us and before that with Lincoln City and he’ll be an excellent signing for Plymouth.”
Mitchell played the full 90 minutes in Argyle’s 1-0 win over Blackpool on Saturday.
KAN-DO ATTITUDE
Daniel Kanu joined Walsall on a season-long loan on Friday.
The Charlton Athletic striker had also attracted interest from AFC Wimbledon. But by the time that the Addicks were in a position to allow the 20-year-old to leave, the League One club had already added a couple of players in that department.
Instead the forward drops into England’s fourth tier. Kanu made his debut as a 58th-minute substitute, replacing Albert Adomah, in Walsall’s 1-0 home victory over Salford on Saturday.
Head coach Mat Sadler told their club website: “I’m delighted that Charlton have thought of us as the best place for Daniel’s immediate future.
“He’s a striker who’s had good success at a previous loan at Southend and he’s also played and scored goals in League One for them. He’s very highly thought of within the Charlton set-up and someone that I’ve tried to sign on two other occasions, so I’m happy that this time the stars aligned and we were able to sign him.
Daniel Kanu is tackled during Charlton’s pre-season friendly against Dartford in July
Picture: Keith Gillard
“We’re looking forward to seeing him play. He’s quick, wants to run in behind, wants to stretch teams and he’s got a very good eye for goal and good finishing.
“We look forward to watching him play and we thank everyone at Charlton for their help on this one.”
Kanu has made 71 appearances in all competitions for the Addicks.
“Daniel is a fantastic young talent who has made some really crucial contributions during my time at the club,” said Charlton manager Nathan Jones.
“He’s at an important stage of his development where he needs to be playing regularly. Walsall are a good club with an excellent head coach and Nathan Asiimwe benefited from a spell there last season, so it will be a really good move for Daniel.
“We’ll be monitoring his progress and hopefully he’ll come back to us having played plenty of games and scored lots of goals."
CASEY JOINS MAIDSTONE
Charlton Athletic striker Pat Casey has made a loan move to Maidstone United.
The 19-year-old has initially signed for the National League South club on a 28-day deal.
Casey started in their 1-0 victory at AFC Totton on Saturday but was replaced by Jessie Nwabueze with 38 minutes on the clock.
ADDICKS DUO IN PFA LEAGUE ONE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Charlton vice-captain Lloyd Jones and Charlie Kelman were both named in the 2025 PFA League One Team of the Year.
The Addicks duo helped break up the stranglehold of Birmingham City players in the side, with no fewer than seven of the selections from the League One title-winners.
Kelman, of course, did not play for Charlton in the third tier last season, only making the move to SE7 this summer from QPR. But the fact he was the division’s Golden Boot winner, netting 21 times in the competition, ensured that he was voted in by his fellow pros.
Jones was a rock for the south Londoners as they won the League One play-offs and made 42 appearances in all competitions.
JACKSON MAKES BAUER MOVE
Former Charlton Athletic defender - and 2019 play-off final matchwinner - Patrick Bauer has signed for AFC Wimbledon.
The centre-back was out of contract after being released by Preston North End at the finale of last season.
Bauer, 32, had been on the PFA pre-season camp this summer as he kept fit while searching for his next move.
Dons manager Johnnie Jackson is a former team-mate and coach of the BFG during their time together at Charlton Athletic.
The last of Bauer’s 135 appearances for the Addicks was unforgettable as the German centre-back scored the clinching goal in second-half stoppage time against Sunderland to clinch a Championship place.
He turned down a contract extension after agreeing terms with North End that June.
Picture: Kyle Andrews
Bauer has signed a one-year contract with Wimbledon.
Jackson told the League One club’s official website: “Patrick brings us some real quality and experience in the backline. He can play anywhere across the back three positions, he’s played in the Championship and gained promotion in League One.
“He’s someone that I know well, having played with and later coached him. He comes to us fit straight off working with the PFA. He’s ready to go and really excited for the challenge ahead with Wimbledon.”
MORRISON TO MISS ADDICKS REUNION
Michael Morrison (right) closes down Charlton striker Micah Mbick in July’s pre-season friendly at Cambridge United
Picture: Kyle Andrews
Michael Morrison will not face his former club in Tuesday’s EFL Cup tie with the Cambridge United defender recovering from a bruised lung.
The ex-Charlton Athletic centre-back suffered the injury against Harrogate Town and is expected to be missing for the next couple of weeks.
Cambridge boss Neil Harris said: “Other than scanning him, there’s no scientific route for this other than he’s just got to go at his own pace.
“Before he can do anything he’s got to be walking properly, free from any pain or breathing difficulties for a 20-30 minute window. He’s going to have to go on the bike for a period and then he’s got to be able to go jogging etc.
“It could have been a hell of a lot worse. We’re looking at losing the captain for a few weeks but when he walked off that pitch and I saw him with blood dripping out of his mouth, that was a horrible sight.”
Cambridge are 13th in League Two after a 1-0 loss at Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
Harris said: “We got in their box so many times. In the first half we fell short on game management and dark arts. In the second half it was just that final moment in the box, we didn’t have enough creativity, which is the first time it has been the case this season.”
The tie at The Cledara Abbey Stadium is a 7.30pm kick off.