MATCH THREAD : Charlton Athletic V Watford : Saturday 9th August 2025 : KO 12:30

eastterrace6168

Today marks the 25th anniversary since the tragic passing of Pierre Bolangi in 2000, while Ethan Ade-Oduwale, a cherished member of the club’s U10s passed away at the end of July, and "The Tank" Jorge Costa passed away on Tuesday, so a minutes applause prior to the game will be made...👏👏

Welcome back to The Valley one and all, so the serious stuff starts today, back in The Championship with asperations of even better, but one step at a time eh, and today we start our Championship campaign with a match where we welcome Watford to the hallowed turf at The Valley.
Today it's a case of early rise for travelers, particularly for those long distance fans, as we have our first 12:30 kick off of the season which imo is not ideal, but gives us the chance to get our points on the board while others plays catch up...🤔
Todays line-up will prove to be a good discussion point for us with so many new additions potentially making their debuts, a nice problem for Nathan to have, but I am confident, however they line up, we are in for a good afternoon in front of an almost sold out Valley...

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Nathan confirmed that Reece Burke and Matty Godden are the Addicks' only absentees...
The visitors will be without Mattie Pollock, Caleb Wiley, Giorgi Chakvetadze, and Pierre Dwomoh...

We've met on 66 previous occasions  winning 23, the Hornets 20 and the remaining 23 meetings resulting in draws, Charlton ran out 1-0 victors when the sides last met at The Valley in September 2014 thanks to Yoni Buyens' early spot-kick.

So here we go...

Team...

Thomas Kaminski, Amari’i Bell, Rob Apter, Sonny Carey and Charlie Kelman all start for the Addicks at The Valley this afternoon.

mendonca

The teams are announced at 11.15, I believe?

ForeverAddickted

The team are on their way to the Valley...

OhMyGodden

mendonca said:

The teams are announced at 11.15, I believe?

11:30, always an hour before kick off

blackpool72

I shall be watching the game in a bar in Olu Deniz and hoping we can start the season with a win.
Good luck to all who are going today. 

bolloxbolder

OhMyGodden said:

mendonca said:

The teams are announced at 11.15, I believe?

11:30, always an hour before kick off

Not any more matey

ForeverAddickted

OhMyGodden said:

mendonca said:

The teams are announced at 11.15, I believe?

11:30, always an hour before kick off

Someone mentioned on another thread, that they'd heard NTT20 say that the team sheets were apparently being announced 75-mins ahead of KO now, rather than an hour beforehand.

Leuth

ForeverAddickted said:

The team are on their way to the Valley...

Footage of Watford heading down the Grand Union Canal

LargeAddick

OhMyGodden said:

mendonca said:

The teams are announced at 11.15, I believe?

11:30, always an hour before kick off

Someone said it's now 75 minutes before kick off, soon find out if that's right or not.

ForeverAddickted

Leuth said:

ForeverAddickted said:

The team are on their way to the Valley...

Footage of Watford heading down the Grand Union Canal

BLASPHEMY... There can be just one "HMS Piss the League" 

Stu_of_Kunming

It’s only 5pm, today is dragging so badly.

Cant wait for kick off, absolutely buzzing, got a few plastic prem fans coming over to watch some real football. 

eastterrace6168

ForeverAddickted said:

The team are on their way to the Valley...

Escort to The Battleship...🏴‍☠️

mendonca

Teams are now announced to the public at the same time as the press receives them.

Easy to spot who doesn't follow Cawley or Mendez 😉.

iaitch

eastterrace6168 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

The team are on their way to the Valley...

Escort to The Battleship...🏴‍☠️

They could be Yemeni pirates looking to hijack our good ship.

soapy_jones

NO MORE SLEEPS!

NO MORE SLEEPS!

NO MORE SLEEPS!

Uboat

Expert analysis from an Arsenal supporting colleague at work yesterday: ‘You’ll turn Watford over no trouble. They’re fucking useless.’ 

stoneroses19

ForeverAddickted said:

OhMyGodden said:

mendonca said:

The teams are announced at 11.15, I believe?

11:30, always an hour before kick off

Someone mentioned on another thread, that they'd heard NTT20 say that the team sheets were apparently being announced 75-mins ahead of KO now, rather than an hour beforehand.

That was me. Maybe it was a joke that went over my head. But they did say it was a new thing this year for EFL. 

Edit: it is true, as below from TalkSport.

Instead of team news being released 60 minutes before kick-off, it will now be revealed to the public 75 minutes beforehand.

This is the same change that was made in the Premier League last summer, with the EFL now adopting the earlier line-up release

PragueAddick

Haven’t been so buzzing for a season opener for years. 

Trying to tell myself it may not go well, be prepared. But this is different to the Sandgaard false dawn and all the dross before and after. Even if the result doesnt go well for us today, I’m convinced we are finally on the right path, and lets face it, no one here this time last year expected us to be in the Championship. 

COYR !

TheHerminator

I love football. I also loved not getting anxious on a Saturday morning during the summer. 

We’re back baby 

Whitehawk1

Yes we’re back and the first game of the season and the train is cancelled. I’m sure the big fat controller is a spanner or a Nigel. 

IdleHans

blackpool72 said:

I shall be watching the game in a bar in Olu Deniz and hoping we can start the season with a win.
Good luck to all who are going today. 

Olu Deniz in the last minute?

soapboxsam

First home game after the Mendonca final:
Charlton 5 Southampton 0

First home game after the BFG winning Wembley goal:
Charlton 3 Stoke 1*

First home game after Macca's free kick Wembley winner:
Charlton 2 Watford 1🤞🏼
Other winning options are available for CAFC 👏🏼

* This is from memory so I hope I'm correct !

covered_end_junior

Gutted I can’t be there but cheering along whilst on honeymoon in the Maldives. Thankfully I should be able to watch it pending half decent WiFi 🤞🏼

COYR

2-1

Kelman & Tanto

CL_Phantom

Will provide my usual shite Comms as when as will be tuning in from the hospital with a brand new addick, 11 hours old, got to get her hooked young!

First game of the season, lots of changes for both teams, expect it to be a bit cagey.

1-1

Tanto gives us our first point of the season.

ForeverAddickted

soapboxsam said:

First home game after the Mendonca final:
Charlton 5 Southampton 0

First home game after the BFG winning Wembley goal:
Charlton 3 Stoke 1*

First home game after Macca's free kick Wembley winner:
Charlton 2 Watford 1🤞🏼
Other winning options are available for CAFC 👏🏼

* This is from memory so I hope I'm correct !

We were away at Blackburn for the opener in 2019/20, we won 2-1

cfgs

Not there today, on a long planned weekend away visiting one of my daughters. Currently on The Wireal Way, representing though, one Everton fan just called me red shite.  Not sure if we are "back" or he thought it was Mo Salah.

ross1

I have really appreciated all the match day updates over the years but for this season, I have been treated to Sky Sports and will be able to watch the game myself.
Apart from a few away games over the years, I have not watched a home game since I moved away from the South East and cancelled my season ticket
I hope a new start for me will start with a win
Once again thanks for all the updates over the years

iainment

For the drinkers.

Beer coolers not working in West Upper.

fenaddick

iainment said:

For the drinkers.

Beer coolers not working in West Upper.

Great start for the new improved Valley! 

stoneroses19

_MrDick

Travelling to the Valley by public transport today. The train from Albany Park was packed with Charlton fans and it’s heartwarming to see the platform at Lewisham packed too. Seems to be a feel good factor about the place. COME ON YOU REDS !!!!