Charlton Athletic Deepdale 11/1/2025 15.00hrs FA CUP 3rd ROUND If it's a draw after 90 minutes it will be please log in to view this image if still level at 120 minutes, it will be please log in to view this image https://www.charltonafc.com/ MANAGER please log in to view this image Nathan Jason Jones (born 28 May 1973) is a Welsh professional football manager who is the manager of League One club Charlton Athletic. He is also a former player who played as a left-back and a midfielder. Jones began his career with Football Conference club Merthyr Tydfil before joining Luton Town in the summer of 1995. He became homesick at Luton so took an opportunity to move to Spain with Badajoz and then Numancia and returned to England with Southend United in 1997. Jones spent three seasons at Roots Hall which included a brief loan spell with Scarborough in 1999. He moved on to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2000 and was part of the team that won three promotions in five years. He joined Yeovil Town in 2005 where he spent seven seasons in League One making over 200 appearances. Whilst at Yeovil, Jones began taking his coaching badges, spending time as first-team coach of Yeovil Town Ladies and later player-assistant manager of the first team. He left Yeovil in 2012 and joined Charlton Athletic as their under-21 professional development coach, a role which he held for one season. He returned to Brighton as a member of the coaching staff to Óscar García, Sami Hyypiä and Chris Hughton. Jones left Brighton in January 2016 to take over as manager of League Two club Luton Town. He guided Luton to the League Two play-offs in 2016–17 losing out to Blackpool, but earned promotion to League One in 2017–18 finishing in second place. With Luton on course for a second consecutive promotion, Jones left in January 2019 for Championship club Stoke City. His time at Stoke was ultimately unsuccessful, with him being dismissed in November 2019. Jones returned to Luton in May 2020, subsequently saving the club from relegation following the restart of the season after the UK's lockdown, and guiding them to a playoff place in the 2021–22 season. In November 2022, he left Luton for a second time and joined Premier League club Southampton, but lasted just three months in the role before he was sacked. In February 2024, Jones was appointed manager of Charlton Athletic. NEWBIES please log in to view this image HOT SHOTS please log in to view this image BIT OF PREVIOUS please log in to view this image A fitting way to score in your last match LAST ROUND please log in to view this image
The Fitness Test Paul Heckingbottom confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Jordan Storey has been ill all week and will therefore be a doubt for Saturday. Brad Potts and Robbie Brady both remain sidelined, however the manager is hoping to be able to reintroduce them to training next week. New signing Lewis Gibson will go into contention to make his PNE debut, following his arrival from Plymouth Argyle last Friday. The Addicks Charlton Athletic arrive at Deepdale in fine form, having picked up 11 points from their last five matches, with that run including a 5-0 away victory over Northampton Town and a 2-1 win against high-flying Wycombe Wanderers. Managed by Nathan Jones, the Addicks currently sit 11th in the League One table and seven points outside of the Play-Off places. They have a squad which boasts plenty of Championship experience, including promotion winner with Luton Town, Luke Berry, who has netted twice against PNE in his career. The Officials Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo Assistant Referees: Greg Read and Matthew McGrath Fourth Official: Ross Joyce Ruebyn Ricardo will take charge of his first ever North End fixture on Saturday. Ricardo, who refereed his first Championship match on New Year’s Day, has been the main official for 20 matches so far this season, showing 104 yellow cards and three reds in those games. Heck Paul Heckingbottom says he’s always enjoyed cup games during his career and feels a cup run can go hand in hand with success in the league. North End enter the FA Cup at the third round stage on Saturday, facing League One side Charlton Athletic. They’ll arrive at Deepdale in good form, having taken 11 points from a possible 15, so it’s a test PNE will have to be ready for. Hecky said: “I think cup games certainly have a different feel to them. I've always enjoyed cup games. I think the FA Cup is different again to the League Cup, the prestige of it and what comes with it. “Charlton are a strong team. A big League One club. Their form recently has been good. Nathan [Jones] has got them playing similar to what he did when he was at Luton. “I know he will have done his homework on us as well. It's going to be a tough game, a really good game, but we have to make sure we make it tough for them as well.” The Lilywhites have already enjoyed a mini cup run so far this season, having made it to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, when Arsenal were the visitors to Deepdale. There’s always discourse about whether additional cup games can be detrimental or beneficial, and Hecky is certainly in the camp of the latter. He said: “When we got promoted with Barnsley, we also won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. When we got promoted with Sheffield United, we got to the FA Cup semi-finals. I think they can go hand in hand. “You've just got to play every game the same; try and win the game. I'm a big believer that you do treat them different and get the most out of them. “It can sometimes be a welcome break from the slog of the league. Sometimes it can be a distraction but a positive distraction. “I just think there's a different feel to them and no matter what happens in a cup game, there's moments in them which are totally different to league games.” Given the differences in divisions, North End will be the favourites to progress to the next stage, however the gaffer is all too aware that football isn’t always as straightforward as that. On the gap in quality between the Championship and League One, Hecky said: “In cup games, it's nothing. One-off cup games, it's zero. I think over an extended period, like a league campaign, you can feel the gap because you're consistently performing against teams that have been used to the level. “But in one-off cup games, no. I think differences in leagues, particularly one league, mean absolutely nothing and the moment you start thinking that way then you're in danger if you're the team in the higher league.” THE JONES BOY Nathan Jones is relishing Saturday's Emirates FA Cup tie against Preston North End. The Addicks progressed to the third round with victories at Southend United and Walsall and will now pit their wits against the Sky Bet Championship side at Deepdale. “We're going there to try and win the game," said Jones. "I’ve never gone into a game looking to shut up shop, thinking a team is better and we can’t win, never. Preston are a perennial Championship side - every year they are competitive. "I know a lot of people there, from the hierarchy to the management and players," he added. "They are a good Championship side. We have to raise our game for the upturn in quality and we’re really excited for it. There's a bit of romance in it; I’d rather be going to Preston than Bolton for example, not because I think it's easier but I don't want to prepare for another 'League One' game. I want to give the players a different challenge. We are excited by the game and really looking forward to the weekend.” The gaffer also provided an update on the fitness of Kayne Ramsay, who rejoined group training at Sparrows Lane this week. “We want our good players to be back in the side and Kayne is one of those, so we want him back as soon as possible," Jones explained. "It’s been a tough ride for him since he came in, getting injured in the first game, but that can happen. He came back and showed what he could do. He had an excellent pre-season where he was fantastic, and he started the season wonderfully. Then he got one of them innocuous injuries that was relatively serious. Praise the lord it wasn’t as serious as it could have been, and hopefully by the end of the month we'll have him back and firing.” MACS VIEW Use to be the highlight of the season up there with Boxing Day fixtures, now it's played on five days starting tonight Thursday, there's no replays because the Premier League players are so tired. But come Staurday we will all be oo f'cup, interesting game this, depends on whatever sides both managers decide to pplay, for us expect Gibson to play would also like to see Pat Bauer given a rare game, hazard a guess Ched will be in the starting line up. Going to be a bit Baltic, wrap up warm job please log in to view this image
Preston North End 2 Osmajic 2 Charlton Athletic 1 Berry please log in to view this image Attendance: 7.734 (716 Charlton Athletic fans). Referee: Mr R Ricardo. A misty old night at Deepdale as North End unconvincingly beat their league one visitirs from the capital, Wycombe in the next round who have just lost their manager await and a rare trip to the 5th round is temptingly in grasp however we need to play better than we did last night. Strongish side out although you would not have known it, the usual inability to keep the ball for more than ten seconds, lack of pace compared to their opponents apart from a couple of players and a keeper whose distribution verges on abysmal. Build up play as per usual, first 30 minutes we were not at the races the two Charlton wingers caused us trouble and they had some big lads who caused us problems from set plays. Freddie only had to make one side of note, so slightly out of the blue we went ahead, the goal was the kind of mistake we make on a regular basis, Mitchell's sold his keeper short with his pass, Os won the ball steadied himself and slotted the ball into the empty net. The arch was coming into view, well for eight minute only when Athletic were level, slightly lucky the rebound fell Small's way he mmade his way into the box where the unmarked Berry had the simple task of slotting home. Whteman header prevented the visitors from going in and at the other end Bowler unlucky when sneaking in onn the blindside. Back ahead within two minutes of the second hald starting, possibly planned moved, Os scored his second from a Whiteman corner and the Arch was on the horizon again although within a minute Docherty missed a glorious chance to make it 2 all. Os hammered one into the side netting after a run by Mads but that was as good as it got, hanging on a bit with giant Leaburn causing us issues. Right at the end ex North Ender Chuks Aneke's header was well saved by Woodman, wasn't great but it's a win. New signing Gibson looked decent HECK While admitting his side didn’t reach their best levels in the FA Cup victory over Charlton Athletic, he was delighted to progress to the fourth round. Preston North End beat the League One team thanks to a brace from Milutin Osmajić, with his goals coming either side of Luke Berry’s equaliser late in the first half. The victory sets up a fourth round clash against Wycombe Wanderers at Deepdale in the next stage. Hecky said: “First and foremost, I’m delighted to be in the fourth round. That's what it's all about, the cup. “We weren't at our best so I’m pleased to win when we didn't play well. We showed a different side to us and it was a frustrating, scrappy game. “Nathan [Jones] brings the same style that he did when he played at Luton. They put a lot of balls in your box, midfielders making runs, but we played our part in making it difficult for ourselves because we gave the ball away too often. “In the first half we were brave and took the ball but not enough forward passes. We started the second half really positively and played balls in behind, got chances from it, and scored a goal from the resulting set play. “It was difficult for us to really grab control of the game. I felt in spells we did that and then we'd gift it away with something really sloppy. Overall, I’m really pleased to get through when we've not played at our best against a difficult opponent.” North End took the lead by capitalising on a defensive mistake from the visitors, with Osmajić nicking in ahead of the ‘keeper and finishing well. The Addicks from the division below fought back well to level, but PNE’s striker from Montenegro got his second to win the tie, however the boss felt there were difficult moments for his side to get through. Hecky said: “We know they’ve got a clear style of play, we knew what problems they would present to us, and I thought we handled that pretty well. “But we didn't impose ourselves enough on the game. We were a little bit loose with the pass. Even in our good moments, it was the final pass then, the final decision and I never really felt that we wrestled control of the game. “In the first half, I could count on one hand the amount of times that we put the ball in behind them and made them chase towards their own goal. “We were brave to take the ball but then we never exploited when Charlton came and stepped against us, the space in behind, which is something we've been really clear about.” NATH Nathan Jones praised his side after an impressive performance in a 2-1 loss to Championship side, Preston North End, in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup. The Addicks created plenty of chances and restricted the home side to just two shots on target. Speaking to CharltonTV post-game Jones said: “I thought we were the better team. I am really proud of the performance. The goals we gave away are catastrophic. I'm really disappointed with the goals, but apart from that, as a team, in terms of how we went about pressing a Championship side, going after them, the chances we created, I thought we were excellent. “First half we were outstanding. Second half again we started poorly, which was a real frustration. We gifted them two goals, really poor goals to give away, but apart from that, the performance levels and what they gave me, the energy and everything, absolutely outstanding.” Tyreece Campbell and Thierry Small gave the Preston defenders plenty of problems. “I thought we were excellent in wide areas,” Jones said. “TC and Thierry were both outstanding with a threat. Bez [Luke Berry], could have had one or two first half, we were inches away. We've tested the keeper, I'm just really pleased with our creative play and everything we did. “Their keeper has had to make three or four really big saves today and Chuks [Aneke] had his chance at the end when he came on, the opportunities we had, it was excellent. Keep in mind they are a good Championship side, they're the mid-table in the Championship, we proved that that that that that we can, we are that level.” Jones was pleased with his side’s defensive showing, apart from the two goals. He said: “It's unlike us, we gifted them the first goal from sloppy play and the second we don't start really start well and conceded from a set play – we haven't conceded from a set play in a long time and then to do that is really disappointing because normally we've been excellent defensively. The first goal shouldn't have happened, just categorically it shouldn't have happened and if it doesn't happen, then, it's a totally different game.” The Addicks are back in league action on Saturday when they visit Rotherham United. “I’m just proud of the of everything this evening,” said Jones. “We've got to concentrate on the league, but if we attain levels of performance like that, then we're a good side.”
