Are Charlton a sleeping giant beginning to wake?
“People say it’s a sleeping giant but I feel like it’s starting to wake up.” Charlie Kelman witnessed firsthand Charlton Athletic’s emergence from their five-year slumber.
In May, the 23-year-old striker stood on the turf alongside his defeated Leyton Orient teammates as Nathan Jones and the Addicks players climbed the Wembley steps to celebrate with the League One play-off final winners’ trophy.
Kelman’s stellar season on loan with the O’s, in which he topped the league scoring charts with 21 goals, came to an end in brutal fashion.
Kelman signed a permanent deal with Queens Park Rangers just over two months after the Addicks were promoted to the Championship, and he is set to make his debut at The Valley against Watford on Saturday. “For me, this was my top choice.
As soon as there was interest, I knew this was the club for me; I didn’t want to go anywhere else. “I made that clear, and it took five and a half weeks, but we finished it,” he told BBC Radio London. “I came because of the gaffer and the club’s size.
“From the outside looking in, the project they’re building is very exciting and I want to play my part in that.”
A welcome return after five years
IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGESCharlton beat Leyton Orient 1-0 in May to secure promotion to the Championship
Charlton won promotion to the Premier League twice and established themselves as a top-tier club during a golden period spanning 1998 to 2007.
Alan Curbishley was at the helm for much of that success before departing in 2006. They were relegated the following season under Alan Pardew.
Since then, fans have witnessed several changes in ownership, a transfer embargo, and relegation to League One. “We’ve had a lot of different owners and managers, which explains why we were where we were,” former Addicks midfielder Paul Mortimer told BBC Sport.
Jones was hired in February 2024 and has made steady progress, starting with a 16th-place finish that year and culminating in promotion in his second season.
“The good thing about last year was that there was a period when he could have lost his job if we hadn’t been so bad,” Mortimer, who appeared 226 times for the club in two stints, said.
“And then all of a sudden we went on this incredible run – because they supported him. And they need to do it again this year.”
‘Playing at highest level has to be the ambition’
IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGESLast season, Charlton kept 23 clean sheets in League One, including one in each of the play-off semi-finals against Wycombe Wanderers and the final victory over Orient. During his tenure, the Addicks have only lost two league games at The Valley.
“Now that’s going to get tested to the maximum because we’ve gone up a level [and will be playing] against sides who are used to competing in Premier Leagues, not just League One,” said the manager.
Jones, who previously managed Luton Town and Southampton, stated that the first priority is to ensure Championship survival, but he has bigger goals in mind. “That has to be the goal, playing at the highest level, to get this club back to where it was.
“It is not a pipe dream because this club has been in the Premier League,” he stated. “We know what we feel is a realistic timescale but to do that you have to keep moving forward and this is another season where we have to move forward.”
IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGESNew Addicks keeper Thomas Kaminski played in the Premier League and Championship for Luton Town
In addition to Kelman, Charlton has signed Thomas Kaminski, Reece Burke, and Amari’i Bell from Luton, Tanto Olaofe from Stockport County, Blackburn’s Joe Rankin-Costello, Rob Apter from Blackpool, and, most recently, Harvey Knibbs from Reading.
Following Saturday’s visit to Watford, Jones’ side will face Stevenage in the Carabao Cup first round before travelling to Bristol City.
Before a London derby double-header against QPR (away) and Millwall (home), Leicester City will play at home. According to BBC Radio London’s Charlton reporter Louis Mendez, fans are in a good mood as the new season begins.
“The fans are really buying into it; there will be a big turnout against Watford on Saturday.” “The highest one in about 15 or 16 years on an opening day,” he stated.
“I don’t think anyone expects Charlton to win promotion again. There is an understanding that this will be a difficult step up.
“The fans are really buying into it; there will be a big turnout against Watford on Saturday.” “The highest one in about 15 or 16 years on an opening day,” he stated.
“I don’t think anyone expects Charlton to win promotion again. There is an understanding that this will be a difficult step up.
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