Charlton Athletic ‘Not Going To Be Mid-table’ Insists Ex-Star In Reality Check
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Former Championship striker Sam Parkin has warned that Charlton Athletic will face a hard-fought battle to stay in the division and thinks survival must be their focus.
Charlton have had a poor run of form in recent weeks, which has caused the Addicks to be looking over their shoulder in the table, rather than towards the top half.
Their return to the Championship got off to an encouraging start, with Nathan Jones’ side climbing as high as fifth in October, and Parkin had tipped the Addicks to enjoy an “incredible” campaign under him; however, momentum has since slipped away.
A downturn in form has sparked concerns about being dragged into a relegation dogfight, with dropping back down into League One not off the table.
Defeats to sides positioned below them in the standings, including Norwich City and Portsmouth in December, have proved costly and blunted early-season ambitions.
Parkin stated that Charlton’s season is likely to be defined by a relegation battle rather than mid-table comfort, with survival expected to come down to fine margins.
He emphasised that the focus must be on grinding out points, acknowledging that the club will need to battle throughout the remainder of the season to stay in the Championship.
The 44-year-old also noted that although results have dipped recently, Charlton remain in a position where staying in the division is still achievable and that would represent a significant accomplishment.
Parkin said on What The EFL (4:17): “To clarify, it’s just going to be a season where, if they survive, it’s going to be by the odd point, so the focus has to be on that, and that’s the reality.
“They are in the Championship, but they’re not going to be mid-table.
“They are going to be fighting for every point to try and stay in the division, and I hope they do.
“It’s a bit of a dip at the moment, results-wise, but they are in a decent enough position to stay in the Championship, which will be an incredible achievement.”
A 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Chelsea in the FA Cup will have done nothing for the Addicks’ confidence.
Charlton will not want to have their future on the line heading into the final stretch of the season, but Jones is likely to have noted that three of their final five matches are at the Valley.
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