Charlton Athletic appoint Nigel Adkins as their new boss

CHARLTON ATHLETIC have unveiled Nigel Adkins as their new manager.

 

Adkins has signed a two-and-half-year contract with the Addicks and took his first training session with his new team this morning.

Owner Thomas Sandgaard was very pleased to make Adkins his first managerial appointment of the first team after taking over the club in September.

He said in a statement: “I believe Nigel is the perfect personality, with the perfect background and the perfect experience to get us to where we want to be. Both Nigel and I want us to playing football in the Premier League and I can’t wait to see us there.”

Adkins took Southampton from League One to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions in between 2010 and 2012.

Sandgaard explained that Adkins’ track record was important but that he was also impressed by the fact his sides play attractive football and that he has a proven ability to develop young talent. 

Adkins explained he is looking forward to getting started at The Valley:

He said: “It’s a really exciting opportunity for me – something that has happened very quickly. I’m really pleased to be here and am looking forward to meeting the players and getting started. 

“I had a conversation with Thomas and he highlighted where he wants this club to go. It’s an exciting and long-term vision. Getting to the Premier League is something that we all want and something that I have done before. I want to achieve that again.

“The team got a great result on Tuesday night and now we need to keep driving on together, because we have got a chance of winning promotion this season.”  

As well as the promotions with Southampton, the 56-year-old was also twice promoted from League One with Scunthorpe United and most recently had a successful spell at Hull City, saving them from relegation in 2018 and then helping them to a mid-table Championship position in 2018/19.

Sandgaard added: “What I am doing with all the building blocks I am putting in place is slowly increasing the probability that we will win games. The rest of what happens is decided when the whistle is blown and the game starts. Everything I do on the inside, the infrastructure of the club and now with the new manager is to increase the probability that we’ll end up in the Premier League.”

Adkins replaces Lee Bowyer, who left The Valley on Monday and has taken over at Championship side Birmingham City.  He helped his old club celebrate a 2-1 home win over Reading last night to ease their relegation fears.

The Addicks moved into the play-off places on Tuesday with a 3-2 win at home to Bristol Rovers and travel to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday for Adkins’ first game.

Charlton Athletic are in sixth-place in the League One table with 55 points from their 36 league games, 13 points adrift of leaders Hull City and 10 behind Peterborough United, who occupy the second automatic promotion berth.

Visit Charlton Athletic's website: www.cafc.co.uk