MATCH THREAD : Charlton Athletic V Portsmouth : Saturday 12th September 2026 : KO 15:00
Hi one and all, and welcome to a Saturday 3pm Valley kick off…
Today we are entertaining Portsmouth in the second Valley fixture in three days after our disappointing 0-0 against QPR on Wednesday evening, at least we added another point to the total, but could and should have been three, Portsmouth come to The Valley currently sitting in 17th spot on 6 points after a 2-0 home win over Cardiff last Saturday, but unlike us, with no midweek fixture…
The usual suspects are still sidelined, while Josh Edwards and Charlie Kelman have both returned to full training, so could maybe make the bench, while Danny McNamara is available again having served his one-game suspension, as for Portsmouth, Luke Brooke-Smith, Connor Oglivie, Jacob Farrell, Márk Kosnovszky, Keshi Anderson, Josh Murphy, Franco Umeh and Thomas Waddingham are out.
Portsmouth are our most frequently played opponents over the course of our 121-year history. We've gone head-to-head on 118 occasions, winning 40, Portsmouth 48, and the remaining 30 encounters ending in draws, our last Valley victory came in League One in October 2022, with Ryan Inniss, Corey Blackett-Taylor and Eoghan O'Connell all on the scoresheet in a 3-0 win.
Andrew Kitchen will oversee proceedings this afternoon, having taken charge of four Championship games so far this season, dishing out 15 yellow cards and no red cards.
TEAM…Danny McNamara and Millenic Alli return to the Charlton starting line-up as Nathan Jones makes two changes, the duo replace Amari’i Bell and Sonny Carey, who move to the substitutes bench where they are joined by Charlie Kelman on for the first time this season after recovering from a shoulder injury.
McNamara joins captain Lloyd Jones, Tyler Bindon and Ivan Mesík in a back four in front of Arthur Okonkwo, Conor Coventry will partner Oliver Skipp in midfield, with Alli, Karlan Grant and Tyreece Campbell playing behind Miles Leaburn.
Bell, Carey and Kelman are joined on the bench by Tiernan Brooks, Timothy Ouma, Joe Rankin-Costello, Alan Mwamba, Harvey Knibbs and Junior Nkeng.
Meanwhile, Micah Mbick misses the game with a hamstring injury.
Charlton: Okonkwo; McNamara, Jones (c), Bindon, Mesík; Coventry, Skipp; Alli, Grant, Campbell; Leaburn
Subs: Brooks, Bell, Ouma, Rankin-Costello, Mwamba, Knibbs, Carey, Nkeng, Kelman
Comments
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We will see Kelman and Edwards involved even though they are fit? Will they have to play some u21 games as they both very delicate? Will the JRS replacement aka The Wimbledon Wean FINALLY get a second of football?1
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Someone should get you a home shirt with “Nkeng” on the back for ChristmasDDOUBLEE said:We will see Kelman and Edwards involved even though they are fit? Will they have to play some u21 games as they both very delicate? Will the JRS replacement aka The Wimbledon Wean FINALLY get a second of football?4 -
I'm running out of nicknames for him.fenaddick said:
Someone should get you a home shirt with “Nkeng” on the back for ChristmasDDOUBLEE said:We will see Kelman and Edwards involved even though they are fit? Will they have to play some u21 games as they both very delicate? Will the JRS replacement aka The Wimbledon Wean FINALLY get a second of football?3 -

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Pleased to see Alli start and Bell rested11
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Good to see Kelman on the bench13
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McNamara back in the eleven; Mesik over to Left-Back with Bell dropping to the benchApter replaced by Kelman on the bench - Predictable with the line up, not surprised to see Carey benched againNo complaints from me over that team today11
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Okonkwo
MacNamara Jones Bindon Mesik
Coventry Skipp
Alli Grant Campbell
Leaburn
Apter and Mbick not in the squad at all, too soon for Edwards5 -
It's the best lineup we could put out in my opinion, some will question why Bindon over Bell, but Bell looked absolutely shattered against QPR, so I would have done the same12
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Oh yes... I missed Mbick not being involved.DDOUBLEE said:Apter and Mbick not in the squad at all, too soon for Edwards0 -
Apter warming up but not in the team seems a bit strange0
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Happy with that1
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I take it he must be one of the reserves if someone picks up an injury pre-kick offMichaelmon said:Apter warming up but not in the team seems a bit strange11 -
Always been a couple of additions who travel, do some kind of warm up, but get kept back as a standbyMichaelmon said:Apter warming up but not in the team seems a bit strange3 -
This is a nice match thread so far
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Cant believe Leaburn made it.... can only imagine it was a cramp or tightness but still..... Kelman on at 60 mins I would expect.
Agree Bell on the bench seems right.... and Mbick missing out entirely seems odd..... with Godden back after the international break, a league 1 loan would surely have done him more good.7 -
Afternoon everyone

Weather update: sunny spells with isolated showers in the Charlton half.14 -
Kelmaaaaan. Pleased to see Mesik starting at LB, he's definitely a wild card for our attacking play. I don't actually like us starting with Grant, Alli and TC because it leaves us lacking some pace to come off the bench but maybe today will be Nkeng's day.5
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Happy with that side. McNamara back in from suspension is a relief. Great to have Kelman back. Bench looks strong. 👏4
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Kelman is quite quick as well to be fairGarrymanilow said:Kelmaaaaan. Pleased to see Mesik starting at LB, he's definitely a wild card for our attacking play. I don't actually like us starting with Grant, Alli and TC because it leaves us lacking some pace to come off the bench but maybe today will be Nkeng's day.9 -
Apter and Mbick are on the pitch now doing a sessionDDOUBLEE said:Okonkwo
MacNamara Jones Bindon Mesik
Coventry Skipp
Alli Grant Campbell
Leaburn
Apter and Mbick not in the squad at all, too soon for Edwards
no issues with that side given the personnel available. Nice and attacking
3-1 Charlton0 -
Looking forward to seeing Linda Apters lastest social media rant now her sons been dropped from the match day squadMichaelmon said:Apter warming up but not in the team seems a bit strange6 -
Blimey! Has everyone got up from the right side of the bed today or something
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It is great to see Kelman back. I hope he has full confidence in his shoulder.
7 (key) goals in 33 games last season suddenly looks like a decent ratio in a team with our creativity and xG.2 -
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Nathan Jones has gotten Mbick the hell out of his squad, which anyone with eyes and functioning football sense would have done after Wednesday
Feel positive about this team and bench. Let's do this3 -
Nkeng ahead of Apter says it all really, about how much NJ rates him. Apter and Knibbs feel like players we're stuck with, only to be used as a last resort.0









