Many of the club’s youngsters hurried over from their morning match at Sparrows Lane to sell tickets for the half-time draw, as it was the club’s annual Academy Day.
Chris Powell reverted to last Saturday’s team that beat Bolton, with Ricardo Fuller returning in place of Lawrie Wilson.
Leeds had lost their last three games, had a winless streak of six and parted company with manager Neil Warnock earlier in the week. Former Addick, Neil Redfearn is in temporary charge.
Despite their recent trials and tribulations, nearly 3,000 Leeds fans filled the Jimmy Seed Stand and gave their team fantastic backing all afternoon. Former player, Andy Hughes, was also warmly applauded on frequent occasions.
Charlton were, understandably, the brighter of the two sides and had chances to take a first half lead.
The second period was only two minutes old when a Hughes drive was deflected into the path of Johnnie Jackson who thundered the hosts into the lead from close range. For fifteen minutes or so Charlton threatened to put the match out of Leeds’ reach but the visitors gradually saw more of the ball.
The Addicks’ profligacy came back to haunt them eleven minutes from time when Luke Varney’s deflected effort restored parity.
Chris Solly had a couple of decent chances, the second laid on by substitute, Jonathan Obika. Obika’s brief cameo came to a stunning conclusion when he headed a peach of a cross from Rhoys Wiggins into the left-hand corner of Paddy Kenny’s net.
The win put the Addicks on 54 points, 7 clear of the drop zone and lifted them to 12th in the table. The mathematicians may argue otherwise, but the Addicks now look to be safe from the drop.
Charlton: Hamer; Solly, Dervite, Morrison, Wiggins; Pritchard, Hughes, Jackson, Harriott (Obika 83); Kermorgant Fuller (Kerkar 77).
Subs (not used): Button, Taylor, Wilson, Stephens, Gower.
Goals: Jackson 47, Obika 90.
Booked: Jackson 61 (foul).
Leeds: Kenny, Byrom, Peltier (Austin 90), Pearce, Warnock; Green, Tonge (Brown 88), Norris, White (Varney 66); Morison, McCormack.
Subs (not used): Ashdown, Poleon, Habibou, Diouf.
Goal: Varney 81.
Booked: Tonge 44 (foul), Norris 59 (foul), Brown 88 (foul).
Referee: Stuart Atwell (Warwickshire).
Att: 18,900 (2,956 Leeds).