MATCH PREVIEW: Charlton vs Wrexham - Saturday 28th February 2026, 3pm Kick Off
Stepping in for @ForeverAddickted so please be kind. Now let's get into it.
Charlton Athletic vs. Wrexham
Saturday 28th February 2026 – 3:00pm Kick-Off
Referee: Farai Hallam
Introduction
Charlton head into this weekend’s game at The Valley off the back of a decent point in an uninspiring game of football at The Hawthorns, a 1–1 draw. It was however the sort of result that keeps your pulse going at this stage in the season and fortunately kept a comfortable cushion between the Addicks and the relegation zone.
Lyndon Dykes getting on the scoresheet was very welcome after a beautiful defence splitting ball from Kayne Ramsay.
It was a very typical Charlton performance (under Jones at least). But now comes Wrexham and judging by their midweek result, this one won’t be dull.
The Opposition
Name: Wrexham Association Football Club
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Ground: STōK Racecourse
Previous League Result: Wrexham 2–1 Portsmouth
Wrexham arrive having just beaten Portsmouth on Tuesday night with Sam Smith and Max Cleworth’s goals earning them three points and keeping them firmly in the playoff mix. Portsmouth pulled one back, but Wrexham weathered the pressure and held on, which says a fair bit about their temperament right now. Something we struggle to do.
They’re in decent shape 13 points from 18 in their last 6 games, confident and dangerous in attack. Pretty much the exact opposite of the “uncomfortable, structured but not creative” rhythm Charlton prefer to deliver. If this one opens up, Wrexham will fancy their chances.
The Referee - Farai Hallam
Farai Hallam is one of those referees whose name some Charlton fans will clock immediately, mostly because his previous game involving the Addicks saw us spank Ipswich 3-0. He doesn't seem to add much drama and seems to call things relatively fairly.
He'll mostly be remembered for ignoring VAR against Man City's wishes though.
Charlton Team News
Charlton’s identity at the moment feels pretty well defined, however with Jones having to come off injured against West Brom, I suspect Sichenje is in. Who fills the empty Bench spot?! I don't really know! Is Burke fit?!
Midfield could see Coventry back in for Coady. Who replaces Coady on the bench? We're out of players aren't we? Maybe Zach Mitchell slots into that spot with rumours of him being developed into a holding midfielder?
Front line could be anything at this point so long as Dykes is one half of it.
Carey acting as both creative spark and general annoyance for the opposition.
After the point at West Brom with the way the side performed, it feels unlikely there’ll be a dramatic overhaul.
Predicted Charlton XI
SUBS:
Mannion - Burke - Gillesphey - Mitchell - Costello - Berry - Fevrier - Kelman - Leaburn
Where This One Gets Decided
This feels like the classic contest between promotion and relegation candidates.
Charlton will want to continue to try to play a structured, disciplined game, keeping things compact, frustrating the opposition, if it worked it might be a bit boring at this point. However it seems a roll of the dice as to how well it will work each week and it's rarely convincing.
Hollywood A.F.C will happily turn this into a transition battle, they're quicker up the park, positive in possession and confident that they can open up spaces in opposition defences.
If we can keep this tight and make it ugly, we absolutely have a chance, but I'm not sure I have the faith we can, especially without talisman Lloyd Jones.
If this turns into a freer, end-to-end type game… well, cue the stress and what could end up being another dressing down.
Prediction
A proper scrap, but Wrexham’s form and attacking confidence just edges it.
Charlton Athletic 1 – 2 Wrexham
Tight, tense and overly stressful. Just how Jones seems to set us up for every single game.
Comments
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This could get messy, as they’ve been scoring for absolute fun recently.
We can’t just sit back and wait for it to happen.4 -
Jeez Daz, this preview is so early I assumed @eastterrace6168 wrote it :-)16
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This could be a case of premature matchulation23
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Simple Charlton 0 Wrexham 3. since the away match they have greatly improved and we have not.4
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Apologies I meant to hit save draft and save it for Thursday but hit post, so was closer to target than our forwards usually are.AFKABartram said:Jeez Daz, this preview is so early I assumed @eastterrace6168 wrote it :-)19 -
Charlton 1 Hollywood 0
It's what we do, after all ... struggle against the crud, surprise the better sides.16 -
We tend to do better when we're not supposed to.14
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Who replaces Coady on the Bench?0
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Wrexham probably put a clause in the loan that says he has to play against themDazzler21 said:Who replaces Coady on the Bench?24 -
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If we keep them to under five I think I'll probably be happy...
This one, and against Birmingham are free hits; the one that matters and from which we must get points is at Oxford.
COYA!2 -
I've been to four home games this season we have won them all and I'm going Saturday so you know what's coming 2-1 Charlton23
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Was injured but was the spare man on Saturday and I assume yesterday tooDazzler21 said:0 -
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Nice one Dazzler, youve hit the mark. Same quality as usual in the preview 👏3
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But no mention of the real heart-warming, Wrexham fairy tale, rising from the North Wales District League 3rd Division up to the Championship in a year and a half, which shows just what a great job Deadpool and the other bloke are doing in charge of the club coupled with ex-Charlton managerial failure Parky and a shed-load of cash to pay the wages of players who wouldn't ordinarily stoop so low to play.WHAddick said:Nice one Dazzler, youve hit the mark. Same quality as usual in the preview 👏11 -
Yeah I'm tired of their story... Basically bank rolling their way up the leagues. It was interesting at first, but they just keep getting more and more funding.Briston_Addick said:
But no mention of the real heart-warming, Wrexham fairy tale, rising from the North Wales District League 3rd Division up to the Championship in a year and a half, which shows just what a great job Deadpool and the other bloke are doing in charge of the club coupled with ex-Charlton managerial failure Parky and a shed-load of cash to pay the wages of players who wouldn't ordinarily stoop so low to play.WHAddick said:Nice one Dazzler, youve hit the mark. Same quality as usual in the preview 👏7 -
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I know we have picked up some points in unexpected fixtures this season, but Lloyd Jones being out (assuming he is) is a disaster for us. Want to be optimistic but I can’t see how we stop them scoring two or three and I have no faith that we are able to score two or three therefore I can only see a loss from this one.5
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The fact he had ice strapped to his ankle is not a good sign. Personally I think he will be out til mid March earliest. Sichenje will really get his chance to shine now.se9addick said:I know we have picked up some points in unexpected fixtures this season, but Lloyd Jones being out (assuming he is) is a disaster for us. Want to be optimistic but I can’t see how we stop them scoring two or three and I have no faith that we are able to score two or three therefore I can only see a loss from this one.4 -
Likely that Sichenje will start. This will be a big test for him against Kiefer Moore, would not be surprised to see a red card4
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Great preview.
Set to be a very tough game, particularly with Jones out as others have said. Is there a chance Chambers isn't fit to start either? Jones said something in the west brom post match to the effect he shouldn't really have played as still coming back from injury. If he's out that means either Bell slides out, which we know risks an injury plus leaves us short at CB, or Fevs starting at LWB, which is unlikely to make us as strong defensively as we'll need to be. Hopefully Chambers can just go again!
Hard to see us getting anything if I'm honest but we've ground out results against very good sides this season, hopefully we can do the same here.1 -
Suspect if no chambers then we see TC at LWB, he actually had a decent game there in the away game against another tricky winger
fear for this one, take a point now1 -
Nice preview Dazzler
To have any chance in this match we really have to be at full strength so im hoping Jones and Chambers are fit.
Sadly I fear they are not.
I'd like to see Dykes partner Kelman for the 1st hour and then replace them with Leaburn and Campbell for the last half hour.
Whoever we pick needs to be 100% on their game as Wrexham are in fine form at the moment.
Hoping for the best but fearing for the worst.
A one all Draw and another point towards safety 👍3 -
As much as I liked collins without our talisman Jones we're in for a long afternoon. Form wise says 0-3+ and a bit of a spanking, head says we tend to turn up against top teams this year, 0-1/1-1, heart says 2-0 and what are we all worried about.
Basically could be anything, we didn't turn up either game against these last year but should've done better earlier against them this season.0 -
Optimism, even the blind version is refeshingBriston_Addick said:Charlton 1 Hollywood 0
It's what we do, after all ... struggle against the crud, surprise the better sides.1 -
Apart from Lloyd’s absence, our biggest problem is our midfield - too slow and predictable and they will simply pass/walk around us.blackpool72 said:Nice preview Dazzler
To have any chance in this match we really have to be at full strength so im hoping Jones and Chambers are fit.
Sadly I fear they are not.
I'd like to see Dykes partner Kelman for the 1st hour and then replace them with Leaburn and Campbell for the last half hour.
Whoever we pick needs to be 100% on their game as Wrexham are in fine form at the moment.
Hoping for the best but fearing for the worst.
A one all Draw and another point towards safety 👍
Wrexham do leak the odd goal, so we may get a goal if we can string together any pressure. I doubt he will play Charlie, but this is a game where he could do some damage alongside Dykes.
I also think, madly, that this might be a game where we risk Burke, if he is anywhere near fitness, as he might lead the back line better that Collins, who is still learning and might give away a penalty or get set off.
Wrexham will enjoy possession and it’s really hard to see how we get anything out of this game.
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