[themaclad]

League One club Charlton Athletic have appointed former Blackpool boss Michael Appleton as their new head coach.

He replaces Dean Holden, who was sacked on 27 August after the Addicks lost four of their first five league games at the start of the season.

The 47-year-old, who has also had stints managing Oxford United and Lincoln City among others, has agreed a two-year contract at The Valley.

Appleton becomes Charlton's fifth different boss in two and a half years.

The south-east London club are 16th in the table, six points off the play-offs and four points above the relegation zone, after six games of the campaign.

His first match in charge will be at Stevenage on Saturday, 16 September.

Charlton's technical director Andy Scott said Appleton has a "winning mentality" and is a coach "who knows what it takes to get a team promoted".

"Michael demonstrated very clearly that he would have the ability to take the current group and mould them into a successful team," Scott told the club website.

"He has worked at the very top level so he understands what high standards are required to win.

"He has had many positive and negative experiences as a manager that have shaped him into the coach that we believe will be the best person for the job.

Appleton had been out of work since being sacked by Blackpool, then in the Championship, in January, having won seven of his 29 games during what was his second spell in charge of the Tangerines.

Jason Pearce had been in charge of Charlton on an interim basis following Holden's departure, overseeing a 2-1 win over Fleetwood and a defeat at Crawley Town in the EFL Trophy.

Appleton looks to build 'winning mentality'
Charlton were taken over by SE7 Partners, a company headed by former Sunderland director Charlie Methven, in July and Appleton said he will "give everything to deliver success" for the club.

"I want us to develop a team that excites us all, that never gives up and that plays on the front foot," he added.

"I want my players to express themselves and feel comfortable in the way we aim to play. We want to build a winning mentality, starting immediately."

After a year with Portsmouth and spells with Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers, Appleton led Oxford United to automatic promotion from League Two in 2015-16, and then guided them to an eighth-placed finish in the third tier the following season.

He left Oxford in June 2017 to become Craig Shakespeare's assistant at Premier League Leicester City, and had a brief caretaker stint in charge of the Foxes in October 2017, winning both games.

Appleton then joined Lincoln City in September 2019, with the Imps losing 2-1 to Blackpool in the League One play-off final in 2020-21.

Charlton have spent six of the past seven seasons in League One, with their most recent campaign in the Championship coming when they finished 22nd in the table in 2019-20.

[themaclad]

POTTED

#Charlton Athletic have sacked head coach Michael Appleton after a 12-game winless run in all competitions.

The Addicks conceded a 97th-minute goal to lose 3-2 at home to Northampton Town on Tuesday, leaving them just four points above the League One drop zone.

He had only been in the role for four and a half months, after succeeding Dean Holden in September

He won eight and lost nine of his 28 games in charge but had not won since beating Cheltenham on 28 November.

"Charlton Athletic can confirm that Michael Appleton has left the club with immediate effect after being relieved of his role as head coach," the club said in a short statement about 30 minutes after their defeat by Northampton.

"The club would like to thank Michael for his efforts during his time in charge."

The loss means Charlton are 16th, at the top of a group of five sides who all have 30 points.

Curtis Fleming has been named interim head coach with former captain Jason Pearce his assistant, while first-team coach Richard O'Donnell has also left the club.

Appleton, 48, agreed a two-year deal at The Valley when he took over in September, after Holden was sacked following a run of four defeats in Charlton's first five matches.

The former Blackpool, Oxford United, Lincoln City, Blackburn and Portsmouth boss had initial success, with a six-game unbeaten run in the league after taking over culminating in a 4-0 win over Reading - which saw the Addicks move up to 10th in the third tier.

But he led Charlton to just two victories after that, and six losses and four draws in the last 10 League One matches, coupled with an FA Cup first-round loss at League Two Gillingham.

It means the Addicks are searching for their sixth different boss in less than three years, as a turbulent time at The Valley continues.

SE7 Partners, headed by former Sunderland director Charlie Methven, took over the club in July from Danish-American businessman Thomas Sandgaard.

Sandgaard, who bought the club from unpopular owners East Street Investments in September 2020, was unable to turn Charlton's fortunes around as the likes of Lee Bowyer, Nigel Adkins, Johnnie Jackson and Ben Garner all had spells in charge.

Appleton had brought in seven new players this month, including Ipswich Town striker Freddie Ladapo joining on loan and West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry, Plymouth Argyle defender Macaulay Gillesphey, Huddersfield full-back Rarmani Edmonds-Green and Swindon goalkeeper Lewis Ward agreeing permanent deals.