Meet the opposition | Charlton Athletic
As Swansea City get set to face Charlton Athletic in the final game of the season, we take a look at the history, the off season and the key figures for The Addicks.
What's their story?
Charlton Athletic were established in 1905 and have spent four separate periods in the top-flight of English football, most recently between 2000 and 2007.
During that period, under the tutelage of Alan Curbishley, they enjoyed a league high finish of seventh. They have also enjoyed FA Cup success on one occasion, lifting the trophy in 1947.
Recent times have seen them flit between League One and the Championship, and they are back in the second tier this term having secured promotion courtesy of victory over Leyton Orient at Wembley in the play-offs.
How's their form?
Victory over play-off chasing Hull City last weekend secured Charlton's second-tier status and they will remain in the Championship next term.
That result ended a seven-match winless run that had looked set to drag them into a final-day tussle for survival, but those worries are over.
Who’s the gaffer?
Welshman Nathan Jones took charge at The Valley in February 2024 with Charlton at risk of relegation from League One, but just over a year later had them back in the Championship.
Jones is best known for his two spells in charge at Luton. After a successful first spell between 2016 and 2019, during which he oversaw back-to-back promotions, Jones departed for Stoke but endured a difficult spell in the Potteries.
He returned to Luton in 2020, guiding them to Championship safety, and then helping them flourish in the second tier and winning the EFL Championship manager of the year award in 2022 before departing for Premier League Southampton.
His spell with Saints was shortlived, but he has revived Charlton's fortunes since arriving in south-east London.
As a player Cardiff-born Jones played most of his career in the lower leagues for Brighton & Hove Albion and Yeovil Town, amassing over 150 appearances for each. In total Jones had a career spanning 488 appearances and 12 goals over a 17-year period.
Who’s the captain?
Experienced midfielder Greg Docherty has been Charlton's skipper since joining the club in the summer of 2024.
A former Scotland Under-21 international, Docherty first emerged at Hamilton Academical having joined the club at the age of nine and worked his way through the ranks to become an important first-team regular.
A move to boyhood club Rangers followed in 2018, but found game time hard to come by at Ibrox, although he enjoyed successful loan spells with Shrewsbury Town and Hibernian.
He joined Hull in 2020 and helped them to win League One and return to the Championship in his first season with the Tigers.
He made nigh on 150 appearances for them before being released when his contract expired, whereupon he made the move to the Addicks.
Who are the key men?
Sonny Carey has enjoyed a fine first season with the Addicks, scoring eight goals for his new club following his summer arrival from Blackpool.
The attacking midfielder began his career in the youth ranks at Norwich, but was let go by the Canaries and had spells in non-league with Norwich United, Wroxham and King's Lynn before Blackpool signed him in 2021.
He made the most of his second chance in the EFL ranks, making 11 Championship appearances in his first season before becoming a regular over the following campaigns as the Seasiders dropped into League One.
His ability to drive forward with the ball and directly commit defenders has been one of the hallmarks of Charlton's campaign.
Defender Lloyd Jones has been an accomplished performer at Charlton and has been a key figure for them this season, having found a home at The Valley after something of a nomadic career.
A Plymouth and Liverpool academy product, Jones had loan spells with Cheltenham Town, Accrington Stanley, Blackpool and Swindon while with the Anfield club before making a permanent switch to Luton under Jones.
He rarely featured across three seasons and was loaned to Plymouth and Northampton, before the latter made the move permanent.
Jones was a regular for Cambridge United between 2021 and 2023, and has been a regular for the Addicks since arriving in the summer of 2023, helping them to promotion via the play-offs last term.
Striker Lyndon Dykes' experience has made him a valuable acquisition for the Addicks following his January arrival from Birmingham City.
The Scotland international has three goals and three assists to his name in 19 appearances for Charlton.
Born in Australia to Scottish parents, Dykes played for Mudgeeraba, Merrimac, Queen of the South, Redlands United, Gold Coast City and Surfers Paradise Apollo, before returning to Queen of the South and featuring for their seniors from 2016.
During part of his time back in Australia he had worked for a sportswear company and had unsuccessful trials for A-League teams.
He excelled for Queen of the South, dovetailing superbly with ex-Swan Stephen Dobbie in attack, before joining Livingston in 2019 and making his move to the Championship with Queens Park Rangers in 2020.
He spent four years at Loftus Road, making 165 appearances and scoring 37 goals in all competitions and went on to join Birmingham in League One in 2024.
Dykes helped the Blues return to the Championship at the first time of asking, but left for The Valley with first-team opportunities proving harder to come by this term.