A new era for Charlton Athletic sees Sunderland out for revenge at The Valley

Two years on from their dramatic League One playoff final, the Addicks and the Black Cats will meet again under very different circumstances.

A warm May afternoon in 2018 saw the two teams go head-to-head at Wembley with a spot in the Championship on the line. Charlton had a late resurgence in the league, almost claiming an automatic promotion spot but having to settle for the playoffs instead. The Addicks edged past Doncaster Rovers in a tense penalty shootout at The Valley to book their place in the final.

Sunderland, who were expected to comfortably win the league, ended up finishing in fifth place. With fans demanding an immediate return to the Championship following their relegation the previous year, they beat Portsmouth 1-0 over two legs in their semi-final tie to earn a trip to Wembley.

Despite their contrasting form, the quality of the two squads made Sunderland the strong favourites, but it was still a huge shock when Naby Sarr’s overhit back-pass caught Dillon Phillips off guard in the Charlton net to give the Black Cats the lead. Lee Bowyer’s side weren’t deterred, however, as Ben Purrington latched onto Lyle Taylor’s pass to equalise just half an hour later.

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The dying embers of the match went down in Charlton Athletic folklore, as centre-back Patrick Bauer broke Sunderland hearts with a 94th minute winner to seal their return to the second division.

Of course, Charlton’s subsequent Championship season was unfortunately one to forget, despite a strong start which saw them defeat eventual champions Leeds United at The Valley. The Addicks were relegated by just one point on the final day of the season, owing to resurgent comebacks from Barnsley and Luton Town.

To make matters worse, the future of the club was in serious doubt following their return to the third tier. A public dispute between members of their new ownership group, East Street Investments (ESI), resulted in the main investor pulling out and a transfer embargo being put in place.

A series of legal disputes and arguments made the threat of administration much more real, until Thomas Sandgaard finally acquired ownership of the club from ESI.

Sandgaard, a self-proclaimed rockstar, is the founder of Zynex, a medical device manufacturer that generates $40 million annually. Charlton fans have already seen some of this money invested into the club, with Ben Watson and Marcus Maddison having joined the club on free transfers. Addicks’ fans will be expecting to see more new faces at The Valley before the transfer window shuts on Monday, especially after Macauley Bonne’s move to London rivals QPR.

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Sunderland’s 2019/20 season was similarly disappointing as Jack Ross was sacked as manager after a poor run of form culminated in a 2-0 loss away to Lincoln City. Former Bolton Wanderers manager Phil Parkinson took over at the Stadium of Light, but was unable to guide them pack to the Championship as they finished the season in eighth on PPG, missing out on a playoff spot.

The summer has seen more drama unfurl on Tyneside as a mass exodus of players was coupled with rumours that owner Stewart Donald would put the club up for sale. 30 players left the club between 1st July and the start of the season with 15 coming in, albeit that 13 had arrived on free transfers.

Saturday’s clash presents a huge opportunity for the Black Cats to avenge their playoff final defeat. Charlton, for all their strengths, struggled massively in their 2-0 loss away to Lincoln City last weekend, and are far from the finished article if Lee Bowyer is aiming for an immediate return to the Championship. Defeating a recently relegated side in their own backyard would be a huge step forward for Sunderland, who’ve somewhat stagnated over the last couple of seasons.

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However, Lee Bowyer has worked miracles on a shoestring budget since taking over at The Valley in 2018, leading the Addicks to promotion and almost keeping them in the Championship. It wouldn’t come as a shock to see him lead Charlton to yet another win over the Black Cats.

The significance of two former established Premier League sides facing off in the third tier of English football isn’t to be underestimated, however. It highlights the dangers that many clubs face if not run properly, and to see a side face a sharp drop down the Football League has perhaps become more common than ever before.

While the stakes aren’t as high as the League One playoff final, it sees the two sides come full circle after their last meeting, and Thomas Sandgaard will be desperate to prove that Charlton Athletic are heading in the right direction in his first home match since taking over ownership of the club.

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