Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones is determined to improve his side next season and challenge for League One promotion following a strong finish to the 2023/24 campaign.
Jones was appointed as the Addicks manager in February when the South London outfit were 19th in the table. The former Southampton manager led his side to four wins, and 10 draws in 16 matches, as recorded by Trasnfermarkt. to guide Charlton to a 16th-placed finish.
Before Jones’ appointment, Charlton were on an 11-match winless streak in League One and failed to win a league game since late November. However, a 14-match unbeaten run between February and April secured the South Londoners’ safety.
The Addicks will enter their fifth consecutive season in League One for the 2024/25 season. After their relegation from the Championship in 2019/20, Charlton has not been able to climb back into the second-tier.
Moreover, the South London side fell to their worst League One finish this season since their relegation from the Championship, despite Jones’ ability to steer the club clear of relegation danger.
The Welsh coach will head into his first pre-season ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, having taken over from Michael Appleton mid-way through 2023/24. Looking ahead, Jones has outlined his lofty ambitions for next season and he told the South London Press that his side will try and win every game possible.
“We’ll have 46 league games next season and we want to win 46, we will go out to win 46 football games. That probably won’t be possible – it’s never been done before. But that’s what we’ll try and do. If we win the first game, win the second game, dor on’t win the third game then we’ll still try and win the fourth.
“We are going out to be the best we can. We’re not going out saying: ‘We have got to be promoted next season’. No, it is getting a football club back where it should be.
“We have to make certain decisions so we can build this to be the great football club it once was and still has at its core. Now, if that means we have a successful season and get promotion – brilliant. If we don’t then we have to evaluate why.”
Writer’s View
Jones galvanised Charlton late in the season and the positive finish to 2023/24 gives the Addicks hope for next season. While 46 wins might be slightly over-ambitious, the former Premier League side were hard to beat in their final 16 games, which bodes well moving forward.
Jones has the tools and experience to build a Charlton side that can challenge at the top end of League One next season. Moreover, the club appears to be pulling in the same direction and looking up, especially following co-owner Charlie Methven, urging fans to help make the club the best it can be via the official Charlton website.
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