The Under-18’s match at Cardiff was an early victim of the weather, being called off on Friday morning. Blackburn’s Lancashire neighbours, Bury and Rochdale, had their games called off on Friday morning due to frozen pitches.

Blackburn’s lengthy stint in the top-flight meant that they had to adhere to the Premier League’s stringent regulations to get games on. Premier League clubs are required to have effective pitch protection, either undersoil heating, pitch covers or both.

The team left for Lancashire on Friday morning, so Charlton must be confident that the game will go ahead. The approaches to the ground – rather than the pitch – could be the biggest concern.

The weather will have an effect on the crowd, which could be Rovers’ lowest of the season. The atmosphere could be volatile at Ewood Park as the club’s unpopular ownwers, the Venky family, will be attend the match.

It will be Michael Appleton’s first game in charge following his departure from Blackpool. Blackburn will be the third club Appleton has managed this season, he started the campaign at troubled Portsmouth.

Steve Keane was replaced by Henning Berg, whose Ewood tenure lasted just 57 days. Blackburn, like Bolton and Wolves, have struggled to adjust to life in the Championship and the trio’s hopes of a speedy return to the Premier League have floundered. All three of them have sacked managers since the beginning of the season.

Chris Powell may have Leon Cort and Rhoys Wiggins available for the match. Wiggins has come through a couple of reserve matches, so Powell may put him on the bench. Cort could also be on the bench, though given the conditions, Powell may give the central defender another week to recover.

Charlton could well field an unchanged team after last week’s impressive display against Blackpool and could start with this team:

Hamer; Solly, Taylor, Morrison, Evina; Wilson, Pritchard, Stephens, Jackson, Wagstaff; Kermorgant.

Subs: Button, Ajayi, Wiggins, Green, Harriott, Fuller, Wright-Phillips.

The referee will be David Coote from Nottinghamshire.

Charlton drew with Blackburn at The Valley on the day after Steve Keane resigned and would probably settle for a similar result this time.