All eyes are on Wigan as the Addicks now have the automatic promotion places in sight.
The 1-0 victory over Crawley Town on Tuesday has propelled Charlton further up the League One standings, placing us firmly on the ascent towards the Championship. The game, played about half a dozen miles from Gatwick Airport, saw the Addicks consolidate their flight path, clipping their opponents' wings in a tightly contested game.
This win not only adds three crucial points to Charlton's tally but also highlights the team's resilience and regeneration under the guidance of manager Nathan Jones. Despite encountering turbulence earlier in the season, the club's decision to keep Jones in the pilot's seat is now bearing fruit. The season is starting to become a little bit reminiscent of the successful tenures of Chris Powell in 2012 and Lee Bowyer in 2019, both of whom steered Charlton back to the Championship. In the latter case, Bowyer's Addicks were in an almost identical position and points total at this stage of the season.
Currently sitting fourth in the league with 63 points, Charlton's flight path is surely now centred on ambitions to hit the automatic promotion places. Or the one that still remains, at least, since Birmingham look odds on to take pole position, with a lead to rival Liverpool's two divisions above. With Wycombe and Wrexham level on 68 points above us, this weekend presents a pivotal opportunity to get ever closer to the top. Parked safely above the relegation zone in 15th place in the division, the Latics have little to play for except pride.
They are far from the halcyon days of winning the FA Cup in 2013, having had ownership issues in recent years that led to administration and being docked points last season. This year they were expected to make more of a fist of a promotion challenge but have found it hard to make an impact in this division where reputations count for nothing. They are currently the lowest scoring club in League One with just 32 goals from 35 games. That said, they shouldn't be taken for granted. The Addicks are going to have to keep going at full throttle to take advantage of the golden opportunities that this weekend's fixture list has thrown up. Significantly, promotion rivals Wycombe Wanderers and Wrexham are set to face each other. That clash could potentially clear the runway for Charlton to ascend to within three points of them and we will face them both on our travels at the end of April.
As the season cruises into its final approach, supporters are increasingly optimistic that the club can land safely in the Championship, reaffirming our status in English football's second tier for the first time since 2020. The journey has been challenging at times to say the least, but with the team's current momentum, the sky's the limit. However, for all the airport puns triggered by the trip to Crawley, it is important we keep our feet on the ground. There's still a long way to go but one game fewer and three points more against Wigan will see us dreaming of packing our cases for the Championship.