Blackburn v Charlton | Sat 03 Aug | 3pm KO | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Blackburn Rovers v Charlton Athletic
Saturday 2nd August 2019 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire)

Introduction
Remarkable isnt it… Just two months ago most of us were walking down Wembley Way, after three challenging years in League One we’d just witnessed one of the most memorable moments in our Charlton lives. For many of us the result just couldn’t sink in, we’d won promotion back to the Championship in the most dramatic of ways - Yet here we are, ready to go (well almost) in what is billed as the most competitive and most unpredictable Division in the world… Buckle up everyone, its gonna be one hell of a ride!!

The Opposition
Name: Blackburn Rovers | Manager: Tony Mowbray
Ground: Ewood Park

If there is one relief from the fixture computer it is that we open against a team who are beatable and may well be a rival of ours for finishing positions come May next year – Promoted from League One in 2018 they’ll be aware not just of our need to make a fast start but of second season syndrome which could be costly to Blackburn should they be too over confident this season!!

In the transfer market; money has been spent (despite the Venky’s still owning a 99% stake in the club)… £5m alone has been spent on Sam Gallagher - a striker of the same Academy that produced the likes of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott – With just sixteen career goals to his name it’s a scary sign of the spending power available at this level, time will tell though if its cash well spent!!

Regardless with Tony Mowbray at the helm you’d expect Saturday to be a tough opener… We saw two years ago that they were a well drilled team in League One and have done well this summer to keep hold of Bradley Dack; who with sixteen goals to his name last season will surely be their main danger man. Yet with this being the season opener there is no form to go on, pre-season results are certainly no indication for any side!!

Charlton Team News
Two months can certainly be a long time in Football yet for Lee Bowyer and Steve Gallen its clearly not long enough – The team that won promotion at Wembley has been partially broken up, loans have ended, players have been released, whilst Patrick Bauer (Preston North End) and Joe Aribo (Glasgow Rangers) despite receiving Contract offers from the club have decided to continue their careers elsewhere

On an ironic note though we go into Saturday with more squad depth than what we had this time last season - Signings have been made; Ben Purrington | Jonny Williams | Ben Amos have returned, with each being well aware of Sparrow Lane without the need of a sat nav… Replacements too have been found in the forms of Lockyer (Bristol Rovers) | Oshilaja (AFC Wimbledon) | Aneke (Milton Keynes Dons) | Bonne (Leyton Orient) with more bodies no doubt to come!!