Young keeper, Nick Pope, who penned a new 3-year deal at The Valley earlier in the week, has joined Aldershot on loan.

Regular first team football is just what Pope needs to aid his development.
Ade Azeez has dropped down the pecking order in recent months, with Joe Pigott overtaking him and making his first league start for the club against Millwall.

Azeez has joined League 2 side Torquay on a youth loan, which means he is still eligible to play Under-21 games for the Addicks.

Meanwhile, the first team have three games in a week, starting at Turf Moor on Saturday. Burnley are the in-form Championship side of the moment, having won five and drawn one of their last six games in all competitions. Only a late strike from Jordan Rhodes prevented the Clarets having a six from six record.

Sean Dyche’s side sit second in the table behind Queens Park Rangers and will be formidable foes. The defence will be marshalled by one time Charlton target, Jason Shackell, and former West Ham man, Junior Stanislas, will provide the bullets from midfield.

Sam Vokes, and particularly Danny Ings, have filled the goal scoring void left by Charlie Austin’s departure. Austin has been a constant thorn in Charlton’s side, both in his Swindon days and latterly with Burnley.

The normally cautious Chris Powell was stung by his side’s performance against Millwall and is sure to make changes, possibly with shape as well as personnel.

It is strange that one of the failings of Powell’s regime has been his team’s inability to keep clean sheets, the current streak stands at eleven, stretching back to the game against Cardiff in mid-April.

It would be a surprise if Burnley failed to score so Powell may revert to 4-4-2 to allow him to utilise his more creative players.

Despite not being at his best recently, Ben Hamer is like to continue in goal. With Chris Solly still some way off full fitness, Lawrie Wilson could be used as a traditional right-back. Michael Morrison and Dorian Dervite are the likely pairing at the heart of the defence, with Rhoys Wiggins – despite being below par last week – being on the left.

Cameron Stewart is a box-of-tricks and itching to show what he can do. Powell may use his creativity and adventure on the right. Jordan Cousins, allegedly attracting interest from both Arsenal and Chelsea, would added energy and invention in the middle of the park and has been unlucky to have been overlooked recently. Powell may decide to bring him back for this game.

Cousins’ introduction at Barnsley allowed Mark Gower to have more time to control the game but Powell may choose to go with Johnnie Jackson as Cousins’ partner in the middle. Callum Harriott could return on the left.

Joe Pigott struggled against both Watford and Millwall and will probably return to the bench. Simon Church will continue up-front and the manager would like to partner the Welshman with Yann Kermorgant.

Kermorgant is still struggling with the ankle knock he aggravated at Watford and Powell may give him a little longer to recover. If so, it would open the door for Marvin Sordell, who has yet to show his true potential.

Charlton could look like this:

Hamer; Wilson, Morrison, Dervite, Wiggins; Stewart, Cousins, Jackson, Harriott; Church, Sordell.

Subs: Alnwick, Evina, Wood, Pritchard, Gower, Stephens, Pigott.

The referee will be David Coote from Nottinghamshire.

The Addicks have sold less than 300 tickets for the game and their small band of followers will be travelling in hope rather than expectation.

It does not get any easier either, Nottingham Forest and Blackpool will visit The Valley next week, ahead of the two week gap for international fixtures. When Championship action resumes, Charlton will face Blackburn, Birmingham and Queens Park Rangers on the road and Wigan and Leeds at home.

Powell’s side desperately need to find some form quickly or they will be embroiled in a relegation struggle. Any kind of result at Turf Moor would be a bonus.