Gillespheys free-kick fires Charlton back to the Championship

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·25 May 2025

Gillespheys free-kick fires Charlton back to the Championship

Charlton Athletic are back in the Championship after five years away, following a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient in the League One play-off final at Wembley.

The breakthrough came after half an hour of fairly uneventful football, when former Charlton defender Rarmani Edmonds-Green fouled Tyreece Campbell just outside the box.

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With Alex Gilbert standing over the ball, it was Macaulay Gillesphey who stepped up and curled a superb free-kick beyond Josh Keeley’s reach to give Charlton the lead.

Orient looked much better after the break and pushed hard for an equaliser, going closest when Charlie Kelman hit the bar.

Charlton held firm through 11 tense minutes of added time to seal their return to the second tier, joining Birmingham City and Wrexham in the Championship next season.