Match Pack: Saints vs Charlton
Southampton return to St Mary's for the first of a double header in SO14, first hosting Charlton Athletic on Saturday. Get set for the clash with our Match Pack...
THE MATCH
Southampton vs Charlton Athletic
Sky Bet Championship
St Mary’s Stadium
Saturday 21st February, 3pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: John Busby
Assistants: Mark Russell, Carl Fitch-Jackson
Fourth official: Tom Reeves
THE KITS
Saints will be in their traditional home colours, but donning the Saints Foundation logo on the front of their shirts to mark our annual Saints Foundation Charity Matchday. The visitors in their changed strip of black and grey patterns with a yellow trim.
TICKETS
This Category B fixture is on general sale, with prices starting from £25 for Adults and £15 for Juniors.
THE PROGRAMME
The matchday programme is available to order online, as well as from the various sellers around St Mary’s.
This double edition covers not only Saturday’s meeting with Charlton, but also Tuesday’s home clash with QPR, and will be sold at the stadium on both matchdays – that’s two in one for the usual price of £4.
Cover art is provided by 10-year-old Emma, from Fairisle Junior School, to celebrate our Saints Foundation Charity Matchday against Charlton. Inside you’ll find a feature interview with Shea Charles, who recalls Saints’ comeback for the ages at Leicester in our last league outing, while there’s also Tonda Eckert’s notes, the latest from our Women’s team, and coverage of both visiting sides.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
It's a first outing in the Sky Bet Championship for Saints since their dramatic 4-3 win at Leicester just over a week ago, a result which extended their unbeaten run to five games.
Tonda Eckert's side made it six unbeaten in all competitions last Saturday with a further victory over Leicester; James Bree heading home the winner in extra-time to book a place in the FA Cup fifth round.
Consistency of the same kind is something Saturday's visitors are finding hard to come by. Defeat at Portsmouth on Tuesday night followed three unbeaten in the league, with victories at Leicester and at home to Stoke.
Three points for Saints could see them rise to as high as sixth if other results go their way, whilst a return to winning ways for the Addicks will help greaten the gap between them and the drop zone.
TEAM NEWS
Saints: Welington was substituted with 15 minutes to go of the dramatic league win at Leicester, and continues to struggle with a muscle injury which will keep him out of Saturday's clash. Jay Robinson will also miss out with a quad problem, but Jack Stephens is set to return following a scan.
Charlton: Jones confirmed defender Reece Burke is back in contention having missed the last four outings. But the trip to the south coast comes too soon for Matty Gooden, who's struggling with a hamstring problem. Forward Miles Leaburn returned from a shoulder injury with 45 minutes at home to Portsmouth in midweek.
THE MANAGERS
Tonda Eckert: “The whole club has come closer together in the last few weeks. With less players in the squad, the group has come closer together too. We are increasing our intensity in games and have had a few games where we set a new benchmark for distance covered.
"Look, it will be a special game for [Nathan Jones on his St Mary's return], but I don't know how much that affects his players or ours. We want to attack the game and we have a chance to bring it in our direction."
Nathan Jones: “We know it's a difficult game and it's a difficult place to go to. They're an ex-Premier League side with aspirations to go back up and they're in good form. I want us to acquit ourselves considerably better than we did in the home one.
"Our fans have been magnificent away from home and these are wonderful places to go to. As we've said, a year ago we weren't going to places of the calibre of Southampton and Leicester, so it shows how far we've come and we'd like the same result again."
ONES TO WATCH
Ross Stewart: The Scot was instrumental in changing Saints' last league outing in their favour, scoring the first and having a hand in the other three during the 4-3 victory at Leicester.
After being rested last weekend, Stewart will be keen to build on that impact in what's been his best goalscoring season for the club since joining.
Lyndon Dykes: Continuing the Scottish theme, January acquisition Dykes has already started to make an impact at The Valley.
With four goal involvements in seven games, the 30-year-old centre-forward is finding his rhythm under Jones.
TOP SCORERS
Saints
Goals:
Azaz 7
Manning, Scienza 5
Harwood-Bellis, Archer, Stewart 4
Assists:
Scienza 6
Fellows 5
Azaz 4
Charlton
Goals:
Carey 7
Kelman 4
Campbell, Leaburn, Knibbs 3
Assists:
Campbell, Dykes 3
Docherty, Leaburn, Olaofe 2
Eight players 1
FORM GUIDE
Saints
Leicester (h) FAC4: W 2-1 AET (Larin, Bree)
Leicester (a) SBC: W 4-3 (Stewart, Stephens, Manning, Charles)
Watford (h) SBC: W 1-0 (Larin)
Stoke (a) SBC: W 2-0 (Azaz, Downes)
Portsmouth (a) SBC: D 1-1 (Scienza)
Charlton
Hull (a) SBC: D 0-0
Swansea (h) SBC: L 0-2
Blackburn (a) SBC: D 1-1 (Kayembe)
Portsmouth (h) SBC: D 1-1 (Doumbia)
Millwall (h) SBC: L 0-2
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 64
Saints wins: 29
Draws: 17
Charlton wins: 18
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Nov 2025: Charlton 1-5 Saints Championship (Manning, Jander, Armstrong 2, Azaz)
Apr 2011: Saints 2-0 Charlton League One (Guly, Barnard)
Mar 2011: Charlton 1-1 Saints League One (Jaïdi)
Apr 2010: Saints 1-0 Charlton League One (Antonio)
Nov 2009: Saints 2-1 Charlton JPT (Thomas, Lambert)
KEEP UP TO DATE
Not able to make it to St Mary's this Saturday? Download the official Saints app to follow live in-match updates and follow us on social media for further updates and exclusive content:
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Don't miss Saturday's home game against Charlton (3pm GMT), with Saints looking to continue their winning run as Nathan Jones returns to St Mary's. Tickets start from £25 for Adults and £15 for Juniors.
