Charlton Athletic duo could call on Coventry City, Luton Town experience during League One play-off campaign | OneFootball

The Addicks have reached the League One play-offs for the first time since they were relegated from the Championship in 2020.

Charlton Athletic are preparing for their League One play-off semi-final against Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park on Sunday.

The Addicks have been on an outstanding run of form during the last few months, which resulted in them finishing fourth in the table and ensured that the second leg of their play-off semi-final will be played in front of their own fans at The Valley on Thursday night.

Nathan Jones' side have only lost one of their last eight games going into the play-offs, while they have also gone 15 home games without tasting defeat, so there will no doubt be plenty of confidence within the squad that they can earn a place at Wembley.

Charlton beat Wycombe 4-0 away from home on Easter Monday - one of three consecutive defeats suffered by the Chairboys going into the play-offs - which will only give the Addicks more belief ahead of a repeat of that fixture this weekend.

There is plenty of promotion-winning experience in the dressing room at The Valley, with the likes of Macaulay Gillesphey, Greg Docherty and Danny Hylton all having been part of squads that have reached the Championship in the past, but two players in particular may be able to pass valuable knowledge onto their younger teammates after featuring in the EFL play-offs a couple of years ago.

Godden and Berry have recent play-off experience

Charlton striker Matty Godden and midfielder Luke Berry have been two of the Addicks' most important players during their excellent recent run of form. Godden has netted 21 goals in all competitions so far this season, while Berry is tied with Tyreece Campbell as the club's second-highest scorer in League One with seven goals.

Jones will be desperate that Berry, Lloyd Jones, and Thierry Small will be fit to play a major role in the play-offs, as they are all key players who have struggled for fitness in recent weeks.

Godden and Berry both have recent play-off experience, which will be invaluable in a dressing room with a number of young players who have not featured in games like this before, such as Campbell, Small and Karoy Anderson.

They faced off against each other in the Championship play-off final in 2023, when Berry was part of the Luton Town side that beat Coventry City on penalties at Wembley to reach the Premier League. Both he and Godden scored from the spot during the shootout.

That experience could be beneficial for Charlton

That kind of experience at a higher level should stand two of Charlton's most influential attacking players in good stead to be able to make an impact during the League One play-offs, with Godden no doubt keen to make amends for the defeat he suffered two years ago.

Jones will hope that Godden and Berry, alongside the other experienced players in the group, can help the younger players focus on the football rather than the occasion, because if the Addicks play like they have done the majority of the time since the turn of the year, they have every chance of returning to the second tier this month.