Charlton Athletic: History suggests Nathan Jones could lose job without December turnaround | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic have picked up just eight points from the last 27 available under Nathan Jones.

Charlton Athletic have failed to live up to expectations in League One so far this season, and history suggests that Nathan Jones' job could be at risk if he does not turn the Addicks' form around.

Charlton have won just one of their last nine league games, and that victory came against a struggling Burton Albion side that had been reduced to ten men, so it should not come as a huge surprise that they find themselves 14th in the third tier.

Manager Nathan Jones steered the club away from the threat of relegation last term following his arrival earlier this year, and he would have been hoping to build on that during his first full season in the dugout at The Valley.

However, despite a promising start to the season which saw the Addicks win each of their first three games, they are only five league places above where they were when Jones was appointed in February as things stand.

The next three games could be decisive for Jones

After Charlton's owners, Global Football Partners, made the decision to part company with Dean Holden five games into the 2023/24 season, they made Michael Appleton the first head coach to be appointed under their ownership.

Appleton took charge of 22 League One fixtures during his tenure, winning five of those games and accumulating a total of 24 points before he was sacked in January 2024.

This season, Jones has taken charge of 19 League One fixtures, with the Addicks currently on 24 points, having won six of their league games.

Charlton's upcoming fixtures against Northampton Town, Cambridge United and Wycombe Wanderers could prove to be decisive for Jones, as if he fails to pick up any positive results, then his record this season will be very similar to the one that lost Appleton his job under the current owners during the previous campaign.

Jones will hope that he is given time to turn things around

There are a few factors that mean Jones could be given longer to prove himself at Charlton than Appleton was.

Firstly, the Welshman signed a long-term contract when he joined the Addicks, whereas Appleton had only agreed a two-year deal upon his arrival, meaning that it would likely be more costly for the club to part company with Jones right now.

Secondly, Jones showed that he is capable of galvanising a Charlton squad during the second half of the campaign last season, when he put together an impressive unbeaten run to guide his side comfortably clear of the relegation zone, so the owners may trust him to have a similar impact this time around.

The 51-year-old has also taken Charlton to the Third Round of the FA Cup for the first time since the 2021/22 season, while Appleton was taken to a replay by non-league side Cray Valley Paper Mills before being knocked out by Gillingham in the Second Round.

While those factors may play a part, there is no doubt that League One is the most important competition for Charlton, so the three games that the Addicks will play before the turn of the year could potentially be Jones' last if he is unable to pick up any wins.

If the Addicks do struggle over the Christmas period, it will be interesting to see whether the owners decide to stick or twist, but if Appleton's sacking is anything to go by, history suggests that the owners may have a difficult decision to make in the coming weeks.