The Championship Team Flying Under the Radar: Led by the League's Most Disliked Manager

The Team Flying Under the Radar: Led by the League’s Most Disliked Manager

The Championship table looks as if it has been flipped upside down this season. None of the top seven teams had been tipped to be in the position they are prior to August, with one of the teams in particular having only just been promoted from League One.

That team is Charlton Athletic, who sought promotion via the League One playoff final at Wembley last term, yet now sit fifth in the second tier.

A lot of the credit has to go to manager Nathan Jones. Although he isn’t very popular amongst the majority of EFL fans, there is no taking away from his managerial excellence in South East London.

The Addicks are Flying

We are now 11 games into the Championship campaign and the table is already starting to take shape. We have a front-runner who is four points clear in Coventry, as well as a pool of relegation sufferers. Most importantly, there is a really interesting bunch of playoff hopefuls, which has spiced up the second tier this season.

Charlton Athletic are amongst the chasing pack, having won five games, drawn three and lost three from their opening matches.

A HUUUGE WIN ON THE ROAD! 🤩🤩🤩#cafc pic.twitter.com/TGykJa7qk1

— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) October 21, 2025

Despite what was a below-par start to the season, the Addicks have turned it up a notch, securing four wins and one draw from their last six games. Amongst those victories were tricky opponents such as Ipswich, Sheffield United and Blackburn.

However, Charlton’s success has arrived with no clear warning signs. Statistically, they simply should not be where they are, and kudos must be given to their exceptional defensive displays. In terms of expected goals, the Addicks are ranked 18th in the division, with a figure of 11.7 xG.

Furthermore, they are ranked bottom for average possession with just 41.7% and bottom for accurate passes per match with 197.0.

However, the figures that have clearly helped them climb the table are all in the defensive department. Charlton have conceded the fourth fewest goals in the league this season, despite being ranked 14th for xG conceded, suggesting they should have conceded nearly four more goals than they have.

Nathan Jones’ men have also picked up the second most clean sheets, having kept five from their opening 11 games. The only team to have a greater number are league leaders Coventry, who have earned six.

Of course, it is still very early days, but given the current lay of the land in England's second tier, there is no better time for Championship underdogs to hunt down a playoff spot, especially when most of the league’s favourites are underperforming.

Nathan Jones

Nathan Jones took over an unsatisfactory Charlton team back in February 2024. The Addicks went on to finish that season 16th in League One, not coming even remotely close to a competitive promotion charge.

However, following just one full season in Greenwich, Jones led his side to fourth in League One to confirm a place in the 2024/25 playoffs. After defeating Wycombe Wanderers with two clinical performances in the semi-finals, they booked a trip to Wembley to face fellow Londoners Leyton Orient.

It was then defender Macauley Gillesphey who emerged as the latest Charlton hero, as his left-footed free kick flew into the Wembley net on 31 minutes, a strike which would prove to be the match winner.

That takes us to the start of this season; Charlton were a Championship side once again, and Jones had accomplished exactly what he was brought in to do. However, in the process he was struck with heavy criticism for his eccentric and animated touchline celebrations.

How can you hate Nathan Jones? 🤩

Celebrates every win like it's his last. Reacts to defeats like you've kidnapped his family.

The man has more character and personality than most clubs at this level.

📸: @Wallin58 pic.twitter.com/Xk7rluZOwQ

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) October 22, 2025

But that still hasn’t stopped the Welshman. Accompanying Charlton’s exciting Championship form, Jones has continued to show his passion and character with every goal and every full-time whistle. Whilst that may be to other fans’ dismay, the coach treats every game like it’s life or death, which is something any fan would want from their manager.

Fantastic Summer Investment

Although it is extremely unorthodox for a newly promoted side to be doing this well in the Championship, Charlton’s summer business clearly signalled that they harboured lofty ambitions.

The club made 11 signings in total, all calculating to over £11 million in costs. This group of players consisted of proven EFL talent, with some of them being League One’s best performers last season.

Charlie Kelman, Harvey Knibbs, Rob Apter, Tanto Olaofe and Sonny Carey all joined the Addicks from third-tier outfits. Furthermore, Nathan Jones went fishing back into his old club Luton Town upon their second consecutive relegation, snatching some of his old players such as Amari’i Bell, Reece Burke, Thomas Kaminski and James Bree.

The majority of these additions have performed phenomenally so far, with the likes of Carey, Bree, Knibbs, Olaofe, Burke and Apter all amongst the goals.

James Bree especially has been superb for his new club. This is now the third team the full-back has been at under Nathan Jones’ management, having played at Luton and Southampton prior, and the head coach clearly knows how to get the best out of him.

Since joining Charlton Athletic, James Bree has been directly involved in five Championship goals, scoring two and creating three. 🔥

Only Oli McBurnie has been directly involved in more Championship goals (six) since the start of September. 👀

𝗨𝗻𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱. 😯#CAFC pic.twitter.com/4ejSuRIUY9

— The Championship Chat Podcast (@Champchatpod24) October 20, 2025

Bree has contributed two goals and three assists in the Championship so far, after featuring in just seven games. The 27-year-old is swiftly becoming one of the league’s most dangerous players, and a large part of that is down to his managerial mentor.

From manageriel masterstrokes in the transfer window to gritty, stubborn, underdog performances in the new season, Nathan Jones is turning the picture at Charlton Athletic upside-down. Though there is a lot of football left to be played, this has so far proved to be one of the most unpredictable Championship seasons in decades, and with the Addick's flying high, you wouldn't put it past them to maintain their shock play-off push.